# Best song in a movie opening **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 13, 2010, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957 "2010-10-13T03:58:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/1 "2010-10-13T03:58:26Z")
I’m defining this not as the best song in a movie, but best use of a song at the beginning of a film to set the tone. It could be a song used as a cold opening, or one used at the end of the first scene which runs over the opening credits. Some examples: [Miserlou](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck3RB4FaEDw) in **Pulp Fiction**. In **Kill Bill** the [Nancy Sinatra song “Bang Bang”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaVNfZWBVhQ) was a great choice. Tarantino has always been excellent at choosing music in his films. [Full Metal Jacket](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h6zp9jaFZU) used a country tune playing over the Marine recruits having their heads shaved. Always struck me as vaguely creepy, and effective. In Woody Allen’s **Radio Days** there is a very fast version of “Flight of the Bumblebee” playing over the opening credits. Set the mood nicely for a movie about the golden age of radio. **Star Wars** probably goes without saying. Others? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/2 "2010-10-13T04:05:40Z")
[When the Man Comes Around](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LJEPkc4ztE) in _Dawn of the Dead_ (the 2004 film). That intro is one of the best I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/3 "2010-10-13T04:15:08Z")
If the purpose of the beginning music is to bring you into the story no one could’ve picked a better artist than Trent Reznor to do [the opening of Se7en.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S32RP5SnEM) ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/4 "2010-10-13T04:34:46Z")
“[Science Fiction Double Feature](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5MHNvOVl8Y)” in _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/5 "2010-10-13T04:37:52Z")
“Sixteen Tons” at the beginning of “Joe vs. The Volcano”. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/6 "2010-10-13T04:57:09Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > “Sixteen Tons” at the beginning of “Joe vs. The Volcano”. For the win. [For the uninitiated.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytS4yFM4Oxw) ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/7 "2010-10-13T05:06:57Z")
[“Be My Baby”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJEO0sE5I70&feature=related) by the Ronettes at the beginning of **Mean Streets**. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/8 "2010-10-13T05:07:48Z")
My favorites: _The Limey_ with The Who’s “They Call Me The Seeker” _O Brother Where Art Thou_ with “Po Lazarus” _Sexy Beast_ with “Peaches” by The Stranglers _Jackie Brown_ - “110th Street” by Bobby Womack ---
**Author:** ![Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8baadc/32.png) [@Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nicest_of_the_Damned)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/9 "2010-10-13T06:31:33Z")
George Clinton’s theme for Austin Powers. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/10 "2010-10-13T06:41:17Z")
Wising and Hoping from the opening of My Best Friend’s Wedding is fun but Joe V Volcano is the best. ---
**Author:** ![SevenOfTeemingMillions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@SevenOfTeemingMillions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SevenOfTeemingMillions)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/11 "2010-10-13T07:01:07Z")
Hmmm. I generally don’t remember the opening songs of the movies I’ve watched including those movies that I thoroughly enjoyed watching. I do remember the opening songs of movies like Star Trek and Terminator but that’s because I know/recognize their signature songs and they were played during the opening of the movie. The ONLY movie whose opening song I can remember (other than the movies that played signature/theme songs that I know by heart, that is) is Lion King. I loved the movie when I saw it as a kid but now it’s not a movie that I would add to my DVD collection. But I still love the opening song (the one sung in the movie and not the one sung by that guy) so I guess that song would be the best song in a movie opening for me. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/12 "2010-10-13T07:05:55Z")
The [Third Man Theme](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4JpDUMXBqo) is almost like a character in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/13 "2010-10-13T08:06:30Z")
The opening of _Apocalypse Now_, with the Doors’ _The End_ as the music. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/14 "2010-10-13T09:00:27Z")
“16 tons” definitely. But for a more recent movie, I liked the use of “This Land is Your Land” at the beginning of “Up in the Air.” ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/15 "2010-10-13T09:22:12Z")
“The Streets of Philadelphia” from _Philadelphia_ “When You Wish Upon a Star” from _Pinocchio_ ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/16 "2010-10-13T09:23:28Z")
I want to nominate two that come to mind quickly: Woody Allen with “Let’s Misbehave” at the beginning of “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sex\*” and another Tarantino opener : “Little Green Bag” at the beginning of “Reservoir Dogs” Both of them really do think about the music throughout their movies though. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/17 "2010-10-13T09:56:23Z")
“On Days Like These”, The Italian Job. Gives it a cool, sixties lounge lizard vibe. I don’t remember Star Wars starting with a song. Maybe that was a special edition. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/18 "2010-10-13T11:30:10Z")
First that comes to mind is Talking Heads “Sax and Violins” in “Until the End of the World”. Then, Neil Young’s soundtrack in “Dead Man”. And, “Killing Moon” in “Donnie Darko”. //\*\* BTW… these movies are in my Top 10 List so… ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/19 "2010-10-13T11:38:45Z")
“[The Times They Are A-Changin’](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrVZV__w500)” from _Watchmen_. It helps that it was probably the best scene in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/20 "2010-10-13T11:42:55Z")
Wow a lot of good ones already (Watchmen!). I came in to say Pulp Fiction and Reservoir dogs, I also was really impressed by the opening of the Lion King (as a kid). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957.md?page=2)