Music and movies have a magical connection that can transform a simple scene into an unforgettable moment. Join us as we explore the most iconic songs that have become inseparable from their legendary film scenes, creating cinematic memories that will last a lifetime.
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00:00So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye
00:06So you think you can love me and leave me to die
00:12Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at the songs that are forever connected to famous movie scenes.
00:18Trust in me when I say
00:22Oh pretty baby
00:26Number 20, A Thousand Miles, White Chicks
00:37How did you know? I love this song!
00:41Let's admit it, most of us immediately think of Terry Crews the moment we hear the opening notes of this song.
00:47Two decades since the film's release, Crews has become synonymous with Vanessa Carlton's breakout hit.
00:53While Carlton originated the song, Crews brought it to life.
00:58And I need you
01:00And I miss you
01:03And now I wonder
01:06His character's over-enthusiastic reaction, the way he plays out each lyric, and the overall absurdity of it all
01:13makes for a truly unforgettable moment.
01:16Sure, our first response would be similar to how Marlon Wayans reacts in this scene.
01:21Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you tonight
01:31But Crews' energy and wholesome charm quickly add an endearing quality to his performance.
01:37Today, the song's legacy stretches far beyond the film, with Crews dropping multiple other renditions over the years.
01:44If I could just hold you
01:50Tonight
01:58Originally recorded in 1963 by the Five Dewtones group, this foot-stomping banger of a song is generally linked with Ray Charles.
02:06In his cover for this cult classic film, the singer plays a music store owner with the power to get anyone grooving.
02:13Shake it up, baby
02:16Here we go, loop-de-lop
02:19And oh, let me see you shake your tail feather
02:22Its irresistible beat compels everyone around to start dancing like their lives depend on it.
02:27And it's not just the characters on screen. With Charles in full flow, we can't help but hip to the jive ourselves.
02:34The scene inspires us to leave all care behind and submit to the vibe, tying into the overall theme of the Blues Brothers.
02:41Come on, let's do the twist
02:45Ah, twist it
02:50Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby
02:53Number 18, Eye of the Tiger, Rocky III
03:07Wanna feel like a winner? One listen to this timeless masterpiece will do the trick.
03:11Eye of the Tiger doesn't just pump you up. It inspires you to reach for your dreams, no matter how wild they may be.
03:18Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past, you must fight just to keep them alive
03:26It's the Eye of the Tiger, it's the thrill of the fight, rising up to the challenge of our battle
03:35The Rocky franchise excels at soundtracks evoking the central theme of each installment, and this one definitely doesn't miss.
03:42Fittingly, we get a montage of Rocky making it big, while Clubber Lang moves up the ranks to challenge him.
03:49The parallels between the characters and how they apply to real life amplify the song's powerful message.
03:54Each build-up to the chorus convinces us that, just like Rocky, we can punch our tickets to the top.
04:00And the last of our survivors knows he's playing the night, and he's watching us go with the Eye of the Tiger
04:16Number 17, Mr. Blue Sky, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
04:21If you're in the mood for some classic yet underrated songs, the Guardian series has you covered.
04:26Each film opens with a track that sets the mood, and Mr. Blue Sky does the honors for the second entry.
04:49On the face of it, battling a violent space monster doesn't exactly sound like the setup for a good time.
04:55But with soft, upbeat tunes from the Electric Light Orchestra keeping us company, we can see why Baby Groot's having so much fun.
05:02He might be a tiny baby alien, but Groot shows us how to dance all our troubles away.
05:07The song matches the team's knack for landing themselves into trouble, while capturing their ability to find a way out every time.
05:26Number 16, Deo, The Banana Boat Song, Beetlejuice
05:37Ever find yourself cutting loose to a song that just gets you? Something sort of like that happens in Beetlejuice.
05:48Hoping to scare off the house's new residents, ghostly duo Adam and Barbara take them for a wacky musical ride.
05:55Before anyone knows it, they're compelled to sway along to wherever Harry Belafonte's vocals take them.
06:08Though as bizarre as intended, its vibe provides a sense of peace we can't shake off.
06:15It also helps that everyone seems to be having the time of their life.
06:18Thanks to the cast's eccentric choreography, fans now associate the song with the wonderfully weird world of Beetlejuice.
06:25Number 15, Old Time Rock and Roll, Risky Business
06:37Tom Cruise's death-defying stunts have cemented him as an action icon.
06:42But for many fans, he'll always be the boy singing and dancing his heart out to Bob Seger's ode to rock and roll.
06:49Cruise had previously appeared in a few notable roles, but Risky Business catapulted him into the big leagues.
06:55And if there's any scene immortalized from the movie, it has to be this one.
07:07For many teenagers, getting the house to themselves is like a wonderful dream come true.
07:12Here, Cruise's character portrays that sense of freedom, embodying an infectiously relatable youthful energy.
07:30Thanks to the actor's iconic moves, the song has come to symbolize the carefree spirit that reminds us to live in the moment.
07:37Number 14, All-Star, Shrek
07:49You couldn't ask for a better song to launch the Shrek franchise.
07:53The intro encapsulates everything that makes Shrek, well, Shrek.
07:57This ogre is as unapologetically himself as the track that accompanies the scene.
08:03Smash Mouth's chart-topping hit blends mischief with a whole lot of fun, setting viewers up for the series' brand of humor.
08:19Because of its memeable quality, All-Star has remained alive and kicking decades later.
08:24But the song owes much of its popularity to Shrek himself, as the protagonist's antics bring out the song's oomph factor.
08:32His unfiltered charm and rebellious spirit springboarded the song into its own corner in pop culture history.
08:51Number 13, I've Had the Time of My Life, Dirty Dancing
09:01Patrick Swayze's classic quote leads into an equally unforgettable performance.
09:06While the song is about young love blossoming, it was Swayze and Jennifer Grey who inspired an entire generation to follow their hearts.
09:14The film's climactic scene hits all the right notes, with the protagonists sparing their love for the world to see.
09:31Because I've had the time of my life, I've never felt this way before.
09:39The marriage between music and dance strikes an emotional chord, and that sentiment persists to this day.
09:46By the time the curtain falls on their triumphant performance, the actors had permanently etched their names in film history.
09:53Because I've had the time of my life, I've never felt this way before.
10:04Yes I swear, it's the truth, and I'm going after you for life.
10:14Number 12, Oh Pretty Woman, Pretty Woman
10:18Not going with this song would have been a big mistake. Big. Huge. Especially since it inspired the film's title.
10:25Fast forward a few decades though, and the first person you think of with the song is Julia Roberts.
10:31Set against the backdrop of her character's makeover, Vivian overcomes her fears and embraces the finer life that Beverly Hills offers.
10:47Pretty woman, I don't believe you.
10:51It's optimistic, celebratory vibe mirrors Vivian's character arc, putting her on the path to reinventing herself.
10:58The song's old time charm exudes a sense of class that our heroine demonstrates, turning heads along the way.
11:05Pretty woman, talk a while. Pretty woman, give your smile to me.
11:15While all that glitz and glamour plays its part, it's her newfound self-confidence that truly makes this woman pretty, inside and out.
11:23I was in here yesterday, you wouldn't wait on me? Oh, you work on commission right?
11:28Uh, yes. Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now.
11:36Pretty woman, don't walk on by. Pretty woman.
11:4211. Johnny B. Goode – Back to the Future
11:46How do you make an old song feel new? You hop back 30 years on a time-traveling DeLorean, that's how.
11:51With the central conflict resolved, Marty finally gets to play the type of music he's passionate about.
11:57Alright guys, listen this is a blues riff in B, watch me for the changes and try and keep up, okay?
12:02Of course, he gets a bit too enthusiastic about it, as his rendition of Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode goes off the rails.
12:09Berry's original was already a classic by the time of Back to the Future's release.
12:32But its inclusion in the film cemented its legacy for future generations.
12:37Marty's unrestrained, electrifying performance perfectly sums up the song's thematic qualities.
12:43And if it ever gets too much for you, just remember, your kids are definitely going to love it.
12:48I can't guess you guys aren't ready for that yet, but your kids are gonna love it.
12:5410. You Never Can Tell – Pulp Fiction
12:58You can see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle.
13:02Few directors use music in their films to such iconic success, as does Quentin Tarantino.
13:13Let's go.
13:14It's because of him that we can no longer hear Stuck In The Middle With You without thinking about a guy getting his ear cut off.
13:21And it's also because of Mr. Tarantino that whenever Chuck Berry's You Never Can Tell starts to play,
13:27our body automatically starts to do the twist.
13:36Followed by some pretty impressive hand swipes in front of our eyes moves as well.
13:41Not only did Pulp Fiction rejuvenate John Travolta's career, it also gave audiences a chance to see him dancing again.
13:50And that dance and song are now forever linked.
14:059. Try A Little Tenderness – Pretty In Pink
14:09Furrier next door loves this.
14:16Without a doubt, the greatest performance of Otis Redding's Try A Little Tenderness is by Andrew Strong and the rest of the band in the 1991 film The Commitments.
14:25However, as amazing as it was, our forever connection to this song had already been imprinted in our movie minds five years earlier with the release of the film Pretty In Pink.
14:45And while John Cryer, unlike the Commitment band, doesn't actually sing the song, his lip-sync performance around the record store was one for the ages.
15:02As if we needed another reason to love Ducky, right?
15:208. Wise Up – Magnolia
15:26For some people, it's jarring in musicals when characters randomly break into song.
15:32So imagine when it happens in a film that isn't a musical.
15:51Well, at least in the case of Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999's masterpiece Magnolia, it's both jarring and mesmerizing. And completely unforgettable.
16:02At first, it appears like it might be just one character singing in her apartment. But then, as we cut to another person, and another, and another…
16:33The reality of the situation dissipates and the cinematic artistry grabs hold. Hearing Amy Mann's Wise Up will always bring to mind the images of this grief-filled sing-along.
16:527. In Your Eyes – Say Anything
17:03Did you know that the famous boombox scene from Say Anything was originally scored with the song Question of Life by the brilliant band Fishbone?
17:13And while it might be a good song, we agree with Cameron Crowe who, after watching the scene, decided that it just didn't work. That's when Crowe decided to go with Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes. And the rest is movie history.
17:33As Gabriel himself has even admitted, he and John Cusack are now, quote, sort of trapped together in a minuscule moment of contemporary culture.
17:516. Unchained Melody – Ghost
18:03Unchained Melody was originally written for the 1955 prison movie Unchained.
18:22And until 1990, there might have been movie fans who couldn't separate the song from that film from decades earlier. But in overall pop culture, those Unchained associations went out the window with the release of Ghost and one now legendary scene.
18:395. You Know The One – Righteous Brothers
18:52And not only did the film forever cement our associations with this beautiful song, particularly the Righteous Brothers version, it has also forever heightened our appreciation for the romantic power of working with clay. Who knew pottery could be so darn sexy?
19:085. Bohemian Rhapsody – Wayne's World
19:28Why do so many 90s kids know the lyrics to Bohemian Rhapsody? Why do we always headbang during the guitar solo?
19:382 words. Wayne's World.
19:47And we have Mike Myers to thank for this one.
19:52Both the studio and Lorne Michaels were pushing for a Guns N' Roses song to be used for the now iconic headbanging car scene, but Myers wasn't having it. No way. Way.
20:07Nothing really matters to me.
20:17He even threatened to quit the movie if they didn't use Bohemian Rhapsody for the scene. Obviously, he got his way and we got one of the greatest moments in comedy movie and music history combined.
20:294. Tiny Dancer – Almost Famous
20:47Elton John's beautiful song has been a part of the pop music landscape since its release in 1971. However, it was the song's inclusion in the film Almost Famous, almost three decades after its initial release, that has since ingrained into our cinematic subconscious.
21:02And director Cameron Crowe knew he had something from the first take. As he said in an interview, quote,
21:19It was one of those situations where you just felt it. Indeed, they could feel it on set and we can feel it each and every time we watch the scene.
21:39And since then, every time we hear the song, we're back on that bus. To paraphrase Penny Lane, we're home.
21:483. Where is My Mind – Fight Club
22:08Yes, we know the first two rules.
22:14But for this next song, we have to talk about Fight Club.
22:18Because since 1999, we haven't been able to hear Where is My Mind by Pixies and not think about, remember, contemplate, talk about Fight Club.
22:33Particularly the last scene over which the song plays is Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter stand there holding hands, watching the city explode around them.
22:46It might have been a strange time in Norton's character's life, but whenever we hear Where is My Mind, we immediately go back to that time in our lives when we watched this movie.
22:56And if you haven't seen it yet, you will too.
23:032. Can't Take My Eyes Off You – 10 Things I Hate About You
23:13There are so, so many things we love about rom-coms.
23:21But one of the best tropes these films provide is the big apology and or declaration of love scene.
23:33And in 1999's 10 Things I Hate About You, we get one from each of our main characters.
23:42From Julia Stiles' Katarina Kat Stratford, we get the famous poem from which the film gets its name.
23:49I hate it when you're not around and the fact that you didn't call.
23:52But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you, not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.
24:00And from Heath Ledger's Patrick Morona, we get his grand rendition of Can't Take My Eyes Off You with the help of the high school marching band.
24:09I love you baby and if it's quite alright I need you baby to warm the lonely night.
24:18For a generation of teen rom-com lovers, this song will always go hand in hand with Ledger dancing, singing and eventually running from security in the stands.
24:27Let me love you.
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24:521. Don't You Forget About Me – The Breakfast Club
24:57Whether you're a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess or a criminal, if you've seen The Breakfast Club,
25:06then the Simple Minds song Don't You Forget About Me will always be emotionally attached to said film.
25:12Don't you forget about me.
25:18The song plays and it's an almost involuntary action that our right arms make, fist pumping into the air like Judd Nelson's does in the final moments of the movie.
25:27Don't, don't, don't, don't, don't you forget about me.
25:35This movie and song are so entwined with each other that Pitch Perfect honored the pairing in their climactic musical scene some 27 years later.
25:53Can you think of any other songs and scenes that go hand in hand? Sound off in the comments.
26:06Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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