# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/21 "2010-10-13T11:44:36Z")
Not the very opening shot, but over the opening credits: “Neutron Dance” by the Pointer Sisters in BEVERLY HILLS COP. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/22 "2010-10-13T11:46:15Z")
Los Lobos, “One Time, One Night,” from _Colors_. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/23 "2010-10-13T11:55:54Z")
[Brian](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkWjf9DhlnA). The babe they call Brian. He grew, grew grew and grew, grew up to be, grew up to be… A boy called Brian. ---
**Author:** ![drillrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@drillrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drillrod)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/24 "2010-10-13T12:09:34Z")
_Don’t Fear The Reaper_ in the opening sequence of [The Stand](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUAvTn3uz5w) ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/25 "2010-10-13T12:29:22Z")
If we’re counting songs that were written especially for the movie, then _The Pink Panther Theme_ by Henry Mancini is definitely iconic. It pefectly communicated the classiness and whimsy of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/26 "2010-10-13T12:39:40Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > [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. Yeah, like every other choice made in a Kubrick film, it serves a storytelling purpose and it works beautifully. Good choice **Mach Tuck**. I also have to second Peaches in Sexy Beast. It was like the film clip the song never had. Hot but shallow, strutting and proud yet somehow unsatisfied. Perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/27 "2010-10-13T12:46:12Z")
_Sweet Lorraine_ in Tin Men. Oh, boy. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/28 "2010-10-13T13:09:37Z")
_Bad To The Bone_ in the opening scene of _Christine_. Great stuff. If only the rest of the movie had lived up to it. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/29 "2010-10-13T13:19:05Z")
Cat Stevens’ _Don’t Be Shy_ from [Harold and Maude](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3taMrJZ6p8). ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/30 "2010-10-13T14:22:19Z")
The opening sequence of _The Graduate_ with S&G’s [The Sound of Silence](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDLgmBeqtz0). It was so good Tarantino copied it for _Jackie Brown_ with [Across 110th Street](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BWA1T78WpI). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/31 "2010-10-13T17:39:37Z")
Since _Gimme Shelter_ is the best R&R song everrrrrr, it has to be _The Departed_. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/32 "2010-10-13T17:43:02Z")
_For Whom the Bell Tolls_ - **Zombieland** Although I always felt they should have used the 2nd verse instead (more appropriate to a zombie apocalypse than the 1st). ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/33 "2010-10-13T18:25:23Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > And, “Killing Moon” in “Donnie Darko”. Unless you have the Director’s Cut where they replaced “The Killing Moon” with “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS and moved “The Killing Moon” to the party scene to replace “Under the Milky Way” by The Church. Never could understand why. I am also a big fan of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/34 "2010-10-13T18:44:50Z")
I’m not sure that the Star Wars main title counts, as that was scored specifically for the movie, and was not a popular song beforehand. **Mack Tuck** ’s call, I guess. _Don’t You Forget About Me_ by Simple Minds was a great choice for **The Breakfast Club**. It really set the tone for lost youth trying to find their way on life. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/35 "2010-10-13T18:50:40Z")
[You Know My Name](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfc9GLxlhEw) - from Casino Royale was pretty dang good. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/36 "2010-10-13T18:53:45Z")
Richard Strauss’ _Also Sprach Zarathustra_ was pretty dang memorable as the opening theme for **2001 - A Space Odyssey** in my not so humble opinion. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/37 "2010-10-13T18:54:33Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > If we’re counting songs that were written especially for the movie, then _The Pink Panther Theme_ by Henry Mancini is definitely iconic. It pefectly communicated the classiness and whimsy of the movie. Going along with that codicil (including songs written for the movie), I would have to go with _Belle_, from Disney’s _Beauty and the Beast_. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/38 "2010-10-13T19:01:28Z")
I’ll take this opportunity to flog my War Tour travel video, which is edited to “Burning Bridges”, the opening theme to _Kelly’s Heroes_. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hMMX2-LNSeM/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgYihXMA8=&rs=AOn4CLB3U5bOAqIGggpD9NmkUclXejOSuw "War Tour - Travel Video") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMMX2-LNSeM) ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/39 "2010-10-13T19:08:33Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Richard Strauss’ _Also Sprach Zarathustra_ was pretty dang memorable as the opening theme for **2001 - A Space Odyssey** in my not so humble opinion. And wasn’t it originally just put there as a placeholder until the “real” opening was scored? Or am I thinking of another movie? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957/40 "2010-10-13T19:14:12Z")
_Feuer frei!_ by Rammstein during the intro of xXx. I like the dead english spy being body surfed =) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-in-a-movie-opening/556957.md?page=3)