Help me create a new playlist on my iPod:
What are the best pop songs about movies?
I’m thinking about songs that mention particular movies or just a love of the movies in general. A few examples I really like:
“Pencil-Thin Moustache” by Jimmy Buffett:
Oh I wish I had a pencil-thin moustache
the Boston Blackie kind
a two-tone Ricky Ricardo jacket
and an autographed picture of Andy Devine…
Or “Life on Mars” by David Bowie
And she’s hooked to the silver screen
But I can’t think of all of them. Gimme some more.
FYI: I’m not thinking, by the way, about songs from movies or associated with movies, like Ray Parker Jr.’s Ghostbusters theme or Celion Dion singing about her heart going on as featured in Titanic. But save those ideas for tomorrow’s QOTD.
(If you have a suggestion for a QOTD, feel free to email me. Responses to this QOTD sent by email will be ignored; please post your responses here.)
‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ by Deep Blue Something.
Also, ‘Mrs Potters Lullaby’ by the Counting Crows is about the lead singer’s ìnfatuation with an actress, which als counts, I suppose.
“Amadeaus” by Falco, definitely inspired by the movie.
“Movie Star” by Harpo.
That Elton John doesn’t see Marilyn Monroe in a sexual way is less remarkable today, since now everyone knows he’s gay, but “Candle in the Wind” still is beautiful.
“Robert De Niro’s Waiting” – Bananarama has the great chorus featuring the lines “Robert De Niro’s waiting, Talking Italian”
There’s always “Key Largo.” (We had it all, just like Bogie and Bacall…)
Well, it’s country, not pop, but there never was a song more about the movies than The Movies by the Statler Brothers.
http://www.lyricsdownload.com/statler-brothers-the-movies-lyrics.html
Here’s a YouTube clip of a suitably cheesy 1982 TV special showing them singing the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohkF0W9iWD4
Blessed Union of Souls – ‘Hey Leonardo’
Billy Joel – ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’
“Celluloid Heroes” – The Kinks
“Movie Star” by Roisin Murphy is amazing.
Also check out the video for Dan Black’s “Symphonies”. The song isn’t about movies as such but the video is definitely inspired from them.
“Gone to the Movies” – Semisonic
Another fool would go down to the only place she ever went to lose herself
She’s gone to the movies now and she don’t need your help
“Twin Cinema” – New Pornographers
“Debaser” – Pixies, references the surrealist film Un chien andalou
There was a song about horror movies back in the 80’s that was kinda popular… “Thriller.”
The Drifters Saturday Night at the Movies, although the lyrics of the song make clear that they don’t really care about the movie much (“it don’t matter what picture we see”).
Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
Science Fiction Double Feature from Tocky Horror Picture Show
“Wake Up, Little Suzie” by the Everly Brothers
“Wake up, little Susie, wake up
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
We’ve both been sound asleep, wake up, little Susie, and weep
The movie’s over, it’s four o’clock, and we’re in trouble deep
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well…”
then later
“Wake up, little Susie, wake up
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
The movie wasn’t so hot, it didn’t have much of a plot
We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well …”
“Sandy” from Grease
“Stranded at the Drive-in…branded…a fool…
What will they saayyyy…Monday at schoool!”
Besides “Thriller,” another MJ movie song is “Liberian Girl.” You came and you changed my world / Just like in the movies / With two lovers in a scene / And she says do you love me…
Also, I wouldn’t say it’s anywhere near the best, but I thought of “Act Naturally” by the Beatles. They’re gonna put me in the movies / They’re gonna make a big star out of me / We’ll make a film about a man that’s sad and lonely / And all I gotta do is act naturally. Kinda hokey, but I have a soft spot for Ringo’s singing.
And speaking of the Beatles, there’s “Honey Pie,” of course.
Oh honey pie my position is tragic
Come and show me the magic
of your Hollywood song.
You became a legend of the silver screen
And now the thought of meeting you
Makes me weak in the knee…
“The Union Forever” by the White Stripes — the lyrics are all bits of dialogue from Citizen Kane:
Well, I’m sorry, but I’m not interested
In gold mines, oil wells, shipping or real estate
What would I like to have been?
Everything you hate
In addition to the aforementioned “Celluloid Heroes” , another great Kinks song about the movies is “Oklahoma USA” from their 1971 album Muswell Hillbillies. It’s a melancholy ballad about a lonely woman who finds meaning in her mundane life by fantasizing about being in the movies.
But in her dreams she is far away
In Oklahoma USA
With Shirley Jones and Gordon McCrea
One of my favorite songs by them, and it never fails to break my heart every time I hear it.
most people won’t know it but german power metal band Blind Guardian has a brilliant song called “Time what is Time” about Blade Runner
Anything by The Searchers would work since the name of the group was suppposedly taken from the Ford/Wayne film. In the same vein, Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be the Day” may also be a reference to Ethan’s frequent remark in The Searchers.
So Long, Astoria by The Ataris is a total send up to The Goonies. Also, In This Diary from the same album has some reference to 80’s movies I believe. Both good stuff.
http://www.amazon.com/So-Long-Astoria-Ataris/dp/B00008J2QB
Gotta be Jon Anderson and Vangelis’ “The Friends of Mr. Cairo”. Cribbing ruthlessly from the liner notes, lyrics are inspired by “The Maltese Falcon,” “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “The Thief of Baghdad.” Oh, yeah, there’s a video, too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ph8hNljOXE
“He Took Her To A Movie” by Ladytron.
“Matinee Idol” by Rufus Wainwright is about River Phoenix, and one of my personal favorites.
Bob Dylan’s “Brownsville Girl”
Well, I’m standin’ in line in the rain to see a movie starring Gregory Peck,
Yeah, but you know it’s not the one that I had in mind.
He’s got a new one out now, I don’t even know what it’s about
But I’ll see him in anything so I’ll stand in line.
…..
There was a movie I seen one time, I think I sat through it twice.
I don’t remember who I was or where I was bound.
All I remember about it was it starred Gregory Peck, he wore a gun and he was shot in the back.
Seems like a long time ago, long before the stars were torn down
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
add San Dimas High School rules to you’re ataris list. Besides the title being from bill and teds, it also has the lines.
‘These are the things that make me free
I feel like I’m stuck in “stand by me”
This night was too good to be true.’
The song for the opening credits of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, “Science Fiction/Double Feature” – all things science fiction movie camp.
Year of the Cat Al Stewart
“Cinémania” by Stereo Total.
From the 2002 documentary Cinemania, natch.
Everyone’s Gone to the Movies Steely Dan