# Songs that make you think of a movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [November 20, 2024, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521 "2024-11-20T19:09:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/1 "2024-11-20T19:09:37Z")
I see we have not had this thread for over a decade so rather than resurrecting a zombie … I am making a playlist of songs that make you immediately think of a movie. 1. One song per movie. 2. If it is not a song written specifically for a movie, then it counts if you immediately think of a specific movie when you hear it. For example, you hear (Don’t You) Forget About Me by Simple Minds and you can see Bender walking across the football field putting in Claire’s earring (and crave a turkey pot pie). 3. If there is a movie version and an album version, the movie version goes on the playlist. For example, Mother in the movie The Wall is very different than the album 4. Limit 5 per person. My current playlist is over 80 entries so this could get out of hand fast if no limitations. So here are my five. I’ll start with the first two that inspired the concept Wrecking Ball from Strayz (a great film if you like low-brow humor) Like a Prayer from Deadpool & Wolverine The one that got me off my ass and start the actual Spotify playlist Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door from Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid Next up Christmas is All Around from Love, Actually. The movie version is credited to Billy Mack, not Bill Nighy Danger Zone from Top Gun. Could have been Take My Breath Away but one per movie. OK, what’s your 5? ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/2 "2024-11-20T19:35:58Z")
“Thus Spake Zarathustra” from 2001: _A Space Odyssey_ “I’m All Right” from _Caddyshack_ “Jingle Bell Rock” from _Lethal Weapon_ “Axel F” from _Beverly Hills Cop_ “Singing in the Rain” from _A Clockwork Orange_ (Stanley Kubrick does perverse things to my musical memories.) ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/3 "2024-11-20T19:52:31Z")
1. Harry Nilsson’s “Jump Into The Fire” from _Good Fellas_ ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/4 "2024-11-20T19:52:56Z")
First five off the top of my head: “Green Slime” from _The Green Slime_ (1968) - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izr3Cidaz1M](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izr3Cidaz1M) “Memo from Turner” (Ry Cooder on slide) from _Performance_ (1970) - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP0zsWupANs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP0zsWupANs) “Save the Earth” from _Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster_ (1971) - [https://youtu.be/MoSARGS4-98?t=15](https://youtu.be/MoSARGS4-98?t=15) “Paris, Texas” by Ry Cooder from _Paris, Texas_ (1984) - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6ymVaq3Fqk&list=PLOKMpbyL5AcsiMt6gDk\_gY9WvmAnICS1S](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6ymVaq3Fqk&list=PLOKMpbyL5AcsiMt6gDk_gY9WvmAnICS1S) “Devil Got my Woman” by Skip James from _Ghost World_ (2001) - ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtZ6DoeimP4&list=PLzklmtqQIKqXWMQlmu7cJc4rO0vAl8ygg&index=2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtZ6DoeimP4&list=PLzklmtqQIKqXWMQlmu7cJc4rO0vAl8ygg&index=2) ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/5 "2024-11-20T19:54:35Z")
I Feel Pretty from Anger Management. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/6 "2024-11-20T19:57:44Z")
“Brazil” from _Brazil_ ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/7 "2024-11-20T20:01:24Z")
_La Gazza Ladra_ from A Clockwork Orange. _In Your Eyes_ from Say Anything _Singing in the Rain_ from - Singing in the Rain. _Where do the Children Play_ from Harold and Maude _Everybody’s Talkin_ from Midnight Cowboy ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/8 "2024-11-20T20:01:40Z")
[(This thread from 2020 is kind of similar)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-3-needle-drops-in-movies/848703) “Crazy On You” in the movie _Harold And Kumar go To White Castle_. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/9 "2024-11-20T20:02:15Z")
Peter Gabriel - “In Your Eyes” : Say Anything Louis Armstrong - “What A Wonderful World” : Good Morning Vietnam ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/10 "2024-11-20T20:03:48Z")
[Miserlou](https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=miserlou+by+dickie+dale&&mid=17F8F39B307E529A0C1F17F8F39B307E529A0C1F&&FORM=VRDGAR) - Dickie Dale & the Del-Tones: Pulp fiction ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/11 "2024-11-20T20:10:40Z")
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head: BC&tSK I Got A Name: Last American Hero Barber’s Adagio for Strings: Platoon Fortunate Son: Every last MFing Viet Nam war movie ever. 🙂 But mostly Forrest Gump ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/12 "2024-11-20T20:17:03Z")
I could probably list 5 just from _Pulp Fiction_ to be honest. But I’ll pick _Son of a Preacher Man_ by Dusty Springfield and keep it to one. And then… _We Have All the Time in the World_ by Louis Armstrong from _On Her Majesty’s Secret Service_ _The Power of Love_ by Huey Lewis and the News from_Back to the Future_ Does this one count? _Show Me the Way to go Home_ from _Jaws_ _The Entertainer_ by Scott Joplin from _The Sting_ ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/13 "2024-11-20T20:19:31Z")
Rock Around The Clock: American Graffiti Stand By Me: Stand By Me Ride Of The Valkyries: Apocalypse Now ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/14 "2024-11-20T20:20:07Z")
“[The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly](https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=name+of+the+good+bad+and+the+ugly+title+song&&mid=B797509109C0EFD0F98AB797509109C0EFD0F98A&FORM=VCGVRP)”: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/15 "2024-11-20T20:20:15Z")
_Home Sweet Home_, already was a cornball song from the 19th C., used in Bugs Bunny cartoons. Incredibly this was able to be shed in 1956’s _Burmese Harp,_ when the defeated Japanese are in the hut waiting to be shot to pieces by the British, but they start singing it together instead. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/16 "2024-11-20T20:21:42Z")
Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells/The Exorcist My Heart Will Go On/Titanic Mrs. Robinson by Simon and Garfunkel/The Graduate If I Were a Rich Man/Fiddler on the Roof Who By Fire Leonard Cohen/not exactly a movie - but The Americans TV Show/Season 4 episode 13 Brothers in Arms Dire Strights/not exactly a movie - but The Americans TV Show/Season 6 episode 10 (finale) ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/17 "2024-11-20T20:28:07Z")
There She Goes by the La’s/So I Married and Axe Murderer Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues by the Eels/Road Trip ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/18 "2024-11-20T20:29:19Z")
“Colonel Bogey March” - _Bridge On The River Kwai_ “Money for Nothing / Beverly Hillbillies” - _UHF_ “Kiss Me” - _She’s All That_ “I Got You Babe” - _Groundhog Day_ I know _2001: A Space Odyssey_ has already been done, but: “Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two)” - _2001: A Space Odyssey_ ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/19 "2024-11-20T20:49:36Z")
“Stuck in the Middle With You” – _Reservoir Dogs_ “Chariots of Fire theme” – _Chariots of Fire_ "Man of Constant Sorrow " – _O Brother, Where Art Thou_ (could have substituted many songs here) Also question: you say one song per movie, but what about multiple movies per song. I’m specifically thinking of the James Bond opening theme that has been in every Bond film since _Dr. No._ If it’s one-to-one, then I’d say “Goldfinger” from _Goldfinger_. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521/20 "2024-11-20T20:52:49Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > _La Gazza Ladra_ from A Clockwork Orange. Great and iconic usage, without a doubt…but it also serves to accompany a masterful sequence in _Once Upon a Time in America_ (1984), so it evokes two movies for me, not just one, in violation of the op. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ubI9PTA2fio/hqdefault.jpg "Once Upon A Time In America") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubI9PTA2fio) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-think-of-a-movie/1010521.md?page=2)