I don’t go to a lot of wedding dances or graduation slideshows. I’ve seen Kill Bill part one many times, so I know the basic synth riff that anchors the piece, but I never knew it was really an 8 minute guitar jam.
It reminds me of the Magnum, PI theme.
I’m not sure how widely known “I Will Wait for You” is, but the first time I saw Umbrellas of Cherbourg, the melody struck me as instantly familiar.
Three marches you’ve probably heard but maybe wondered what they were, one pieces from operas that usually get played as an instrumental, anyway, and one from a ballet:
Sousa’s Washington Post March, which is all over.
And, while most people already know it, I’m sure there are people who have forgotten the name of “Stars and Stripes Forever”, which is, by act of Congress, the official march of the United States. Remember to be kind to your webfooted friends, for a duck could be somebody’s mother.
Piefke’s “Koeniggraetzer Marsch”- It’s a Prussian March, written in 1866 commemorating Prussia’s victory over Austria at the battle of Koeniggraetz/Sadowa. Hitler liked it, so you see it sometimes in movies with Nazis. It played during the Nazi rally/book burning in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, for instance.
Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from Peer Gynt
Offenbach’s “Infernal Gallop”, from Orpheus in the Underworld, aka “that can-can music”.
Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance”.
I think a lot of people recognize it as the “Jurassic Bark” song (sung in English).
Also, who knew James Burke was so talented on the piano?
Oooh somebody bought up Quincy Jones!
There’s Streetbeater aka Sanford and Son
Which brings to mind Grover Washington Jr’s Mister Magic
Which reminds me of one of my favorite summer jams, Soulful Strut
E.E. Bagley’s The National Emblem, a.k.a. “And The Monkey Wrapped His Tail Around the Flagpole.”
Anyone hungry for some “Green Onions,” as served up live by Booker T. & the MGs? They’re much more satisfying than “Funions”!
If you’re a fan of “Zorba the Greek” or an old-timer fan of University of Miami baseball, you know that theme, which is more properly [un]known as “Sirtaki” by Mikis Theodorakis. (The Miami Maniac’s dance routine was priceless, BTW, but I can’t find it on YouTube. He’s since switched to doing “Jump On It/Apache”.
Another classic 60’s soundtrack theme: Michel Legrand’s “The Summer of '42”, with a video of stills from the movie.
Another march: Johann Strauss’ “The Radetzky March,” which is to Austrians what “Stars & Stripes Forever” is to us 'Merkins – Von Karajan conducting the Vienna Phil in a New Year’s Eve (or Day, dunno which) concert in 1987. But this version’s much more fun to watch – it’s an Austrian, German, or Swiss pop-folk combo’s take at yet another New Year’s dinner concert from around 1984 (pouffy mullets!), with everyone in silly hats.
Surprised this one hasn’t come up already. Commonly used in trailers anywhere, Lux Aeterna from the movie Requiem for a Dream.
Also commonly sampled, Roll Tide from the Crimson Tide soundtrack
Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” has already been mentioned, but Orff composed another ubiquitous piece of soundtrack music, “Gassenhauer.”
We played that in symphonic band in high school. I played trombone, and we loved the wah wah bits. 
Here’s an obvious one: “The Stripper” by David Rose and His Orchestra
Another march: Colonel Bogey March by FJ Ricketts, famous as the whistled march from “The Bridge on the River Kwai”
One of the most beautiful movie themes (and one of my favorite films, too) to me is the one from “Laura,” by David Raksin. I chose the Duke Ellington version simply because it’s beautiful. It seems to pop up on occasion. I have a Nat King Cole recording, though obviously that has words.
If you’ve ever seen the Danny Kaye movie “The Inspector General,” you’ve heard Franz Liszt’s deliciously catchy Hungarian Rhapsody #2. “Friend, are you aware that you’re losing your hair?”
A big hit in the 80s: Axel F by Harold Faltemeyer, from “Beverly Hills Cop.” Astonishingly, though I was the perfect age, I’ve never seen the movie.
Monti’s Czardas, “That Gypsy tune”
Another choral piece that pops up, this time in Russian contexts: The Volga Boatmen. And speaking of famous Russian choral music: Meadowland, or Polyushko Pole
This one isn’t obscure at all since you’ll know it by its title, but still: Mah Na Mah Na
Espana Cani, “that Spanish song”
I’d say the quintessential Russian choral pieces are the Kalinka and the Katyushka. In fact, I don’t think more than 6 Russians can ever gather in one place without spontaneously breaking out into at least one of then - or at least so the movies tell me.
Also, there’s the prelude from Bach´s Cello Suite No. 1, also klnown as “that one cello piece they always play”.
For some reason, I thought someone had linked to “Kalinka” above
Mussorgsky’s “A Night On Bald Mountain” (:eek: OMINOUS)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHLnQQwtsPg&feature=related
And let’s not forget Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee.”
Let’s roll, Kato!
The opening bars (and subsequent bridge) to “Am I the Same Girl?”
From “Carnival of the Animals” by Saint-Saens: The Swan and The Aquarium
Dave Brubeck’s Take Five
Three I didn’t know! Awesome! I’ve always thought the John Williams “Harry Potter” music sounded like “The Aquarium” but never knew what the name of “The Aquarium” was.
Eric Satie’s “Gymnopedie No. 1,” played here by Kate Bush.
Of course, Ravel’s “Bolero.”