As a child of the ’80s, I can vividly recall the magic that movie soundtracks weaved into our lives during those glorious years. While some films from that era might have faded into obscurity, their accompanying songs live on like eternal flames, igniting the hearts and minds of generations.
This list showcases tunes that, despite being from films not particularly memorable, continue to captivate us. Many of these tracks remain popular even decades after the associated films have faded into obscurity. While the movies themselves may not receive frequent playbacks, their accompanying songs are still enjoyed widely in today’s music scene.
Iris – City Of Angels
The Goo Goo Dolls’ biggest hit, by far, is “Isis.” It was a song no one could escape in the summer of ’98. That doesn’t hold true for the movie it was released on the soundtrack of. City Of Angels, starring Meg Ryan and Nicholas Cage, is a romance, in which an angel (Cage) falls in love with a mortal human (Ryan). It’s not that bad of an idea and the execution is fine, but it’s ultimately pretty forgettable.
Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now – Mannequin
Although Mannequin might hold a nostalgic appeal for some, its longevity can’t be compared to more enduring pieces of media. Featuring Kim Cattrall and Andrew Shue, this film tells the story of a mannequin who springs to life and falls in love – a concept that, while amusing, doesn’t quite reach the legendary status of the song it inspired, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship.
X Gon’ Give It to Ya – Cradle 2 The Grave
DMX’s “X Gon’ Give It to Ya” is a timeless track that remains popular, often appearing in films and TV series. For instance, it’s featured in a memorable scene from the original Deadpool movie. Additionally, it was part of the soundtrack for Cradle 2 The Grave, another DMX film. It’s worth noting that the song’s popularity has outlasted that of the movies where it’s been used.
Tears In Heaven – Rush
In the third decade of his illustrious career, Eric Clapton achieved his greatest hit with the poignant song “Tears In Heaven.” This song, inspired by the death of his young son Connor, is one of the most impactful tunes from the ’90s. Interestingly, the soundtrack album it debuted on, for the film Rush, garnered significantly more attention than the movie about police officers battling addiction ever did.
I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – Benny And Joon
As a gaming enthusiast, stepping back into the realm of music and movies, let me share some trivia: Before “Benny & Joon” graced our screens, The Proclaimers’ hit, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” had already made its debut. However, it was with this quirky rom-com-esque movie that the duo gained significant recognition in the US – their first substantial exposure here. This song, now a timeless party anthem, is often the only thing people remember about the film, which is notable for being one of the better portrayals of mental illness on the silver screen.
End Of The Road – Boomerang
Eddie Murphy’s career’s golden era seems to wind down with the release of “Boomerang.” While it’s a humorous film, it doesn’t quite measure up to many of his films from the preceding years. In stark contrast, “End Of The Road” by Boyz II Men became one of the most successful songs ever, ruling the charts for an astounding 13 weeks.
Unchained Melody – Unchained
1965 saw The Righteous Brothers releasing and popularizing “Unchained Melody,” a tune that has since remained embedded in our cultural consciousness. However, it might surprise you to learn that this song was initially recorded for a movie titled “Unchained” a decade prior! Yes, it’s quite fascinating, isn’t it? We too were unaware of this fact until recently.
Magic – Xanadu
Xanadu remains an unconventional musical that is worth a watch, though it may not be as iconic as some other productions in Olivia Newton-John’s career. However, it did give us one of her biggest hits, “Magic,” for which we are eternally grateful.
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid
For over six decades, Bob Dylan has penned memorable tunes, and one of the most memorable is “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” Surprisingly, this song wasn’t initially featured on a Dylan album, but as part of the soundtrack for the movie “Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid” in which Dylan also acted.
I Will Always Love You – The Bodyguard
Have you ever pondered over when last you watched “The Bodyguard” or heard Whitney Houston’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You,” a track from the movie? Given its enduring popularity, it’s likely that you’ve had more recent encounters with the latter. The song, written by Dolly Parton, was a massive hit at the time and continues to be so today.
Because You Loved Me – Up Close And Personal
Robert Redford and Michelle Pfeiffer are two of the most prominent figures in Hollywood’s film industry. But despite their star power, their collaboration in the 1996 movie “Up Close And Personal” failed to impress critics and audiences alike. However, its theme song, “Because You Loved Me,” sung by Celine Dion, became a massive success and was even nominated for an Academy Award.
Crazy For You – Vision Quest
“Madonna’s ‘Crazy For You,’ as featured in the film ‘Vision Quest,’ is arguably the epitome of this collection. The track, a massive success for Madonna that remains one of her fan favorites, garnered significantly more popularity than the movie itself. In fact, when ‘Vision Quest’ was distributed internationally, its title was altered to ‘Crazy For You’ in certain countries.”
Wind Beneath My Wings – Beaches
People forget how great the Bette Midler film Beaches was. That’s kind of the point of this list though. Because a movie isn’t remembered, doesn’t mean the movie was bad and Beaches proves that. However, “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Midler was then and, still is, huge.
Against All Odds – Against All Odds
Phil Collins was a hit machine in the 1980s, so it’s no surprise he was enlisted to write a theme song for a movie. It’s also no surprise that the song, “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now),” from the movie Against All Odds, is the one thing people remember about the movie starring Jeff Bridges as a washed-up football player searching for a gangster’s girlfriend in Mexico.
Kokomo – Cocktail
Tom Cruise has been in numerous blockbusters, one of which was Cocktail, a film that gained as much fame for its soundtrack as it did for its other aspects. While it’s a charming story about a romance between Tom Cruise (as the bartender) and Elizabeth Shue’s character, many people recall the music more than anything else. The most notable tune is the final #1 hit by the iconic Beach Boys, “Kokomo.”
Regulate – Above The Rim
“Regulators! Mount up” is actually a line from Young Guns, but it’s probably more famous for being sampled by Warren G in “Regulate.” Funny enough, the song comes from a completely different soundtrack for the movie Above The Rim. It’s actually a great movie, but the song is an all-time banger.
All Star – Mystery Men
One lesser-known superhero film that doesn’t stem from Marvel or DC comics is “Mystery Men.” Despite being released at an inopportune time, it’s a movie that deserves more recognition. Interestingly enough, one of its tracks, “All-Star” by Smash Mouth, has become a symbolic song of the period. While “All-Star” may be more notorious for the memes it sparked than for its musical merit, it’s longevity far surpasses that of the movie itself.
The Greatest Love of All – The Greatest
You probably know “The Greatest Love of All” as one of Whitney Houston’s most popular and enduring songs. But did you know it was originally recorded by the great George Benson for a biopic about Muhammad Ali called The Greatest? Yep. The movie even starred the former heavyweight champ.
Uninvited – City Of Angels
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but rave about the exceptional soundtrack from the movie “City of Angels.” Contrary to some opinions, the film itself isn’t bad at all, but the music takes it to another level. The soundtrack not only features “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls, which is a fantastic song in its own right, but also introduces us to another hit, “Uninvited” by Alanis Morrisette. It’s a musical masterpiece that truly enhances the cinematic experience.
Try Again – Romeo Must Die
In 2001 when Aaliyah tragically passed away in a plane accident, she left behind a modest yet profound impact. A portion of this influence is evident in her first film appearance, Romeo Must Die. However, an even more substantial part of her legacy lies in the chart-topping song she produced for it, titled “Try Again.” This forward-thinking tune has become iconic and is often remembered more than the movie itself.
I’ll Remember – With Honors
It’s no wonder that a 1994 song by Madonna, titled “I’ll Remember,” turned out to be a huge success. While this tune is among Madonna’s finest from that period, the film it originated from, With Honors, didn’t quite elevate Joe Pesci or Brendan Fraser’s career as powerfully as other projects they were involved in.
Rule the World – Stardust
1. In terms of its cast, the enchanting film “Stardust” is impressive, yet some die-hard fantasy enthusiasts may not hold particularly fond memories of it. While Americans might not recall the theme song, “Rule The World” by Take That, it was a massive chart-topper in the UK and outshone the movie in popularity.
Gangster’s Paradise – Dangerous Minds
Dangerous Minds serves as an impressive demonstration of a film with a fantastic soundtrack but questionable quality overall. Unsurprisingly, one of the tracks from that soundtrack, “Gangster’s Paradise” by Coolio, is now more popular than the movie itself.
The Harder They Come – The Harder They Come
As an ardent fan, I had the privilege of witnessing reggae icon Jimmy Cliff taking center stage in both acting and music for the film “The Harder They Come”. Though the movie might be just a nostalgic trinket nowadays, the soundtrack, particularly the title track, “The Harder They Come”, stands as one of the seminal albums ever to emerge from reggae history.
The Perfect Drug – Lost Highway
David Lynch’s films aren’t for everyone, and the movie “Lost Highway” is no exception; it tends to evoke strong reactions. Although it has a dedicated cult fanbase like many of Lynch’s movies, its appeal isn’t as widespread as the popular hit song that originated from it: “The Perfect Drug,” by Nine Inch Nails.
Just Like Fire – Alice Through The Looking Glass
Tim Burton’s film, Alice in Wonderland, unexpectedly grossed over a billion dollars, but its sequel, Alice Through the Looking Glass, fell short of expectations. However, if you’re a fan of P!nk, you might enjoy her standout track, “Just Like Fire,” which was included in the movie’s soundtrack.
Kiss – Under The Cherry Moon
In the 1980s, the iconic musician known as The Prince released a couple of movies. One was titled “Purple Rain”, which produced many of his most popular tunes. The second was less memorable, called “Under The Cherry Moon“, but you might recognize the hit song “Kiss” from its soundtrack. It’s possible that not much about the film remains in people’s memories, but they certainly know and cherish the song “Kiss”.
Blaze Of Glory – Young Guns II
1. In the 80s, the original “Young Guns” film was a contemporary take on a classic western, featuring several attractive actors fitting for the time. For the sequel, they added a few more heartthrobs but didn’t manage to create as strong a movie. One clever move by the producers was convincing Jon Bon Jovi to compose the theme song “Blaze Of Glory,” which is far more memorable than the film itself.
I Just Called To Say I Love You – The Woman In Red
In the mid-1980s, Kelly LeBrock was a highly popular actress, while Gene Wilder was already a renowned comedian. Unfortunately, their collaboration in a romantic comedy didn’t leave much of an impression. On a brighter note, Stevie Wonder’s theme song for that movie, “I Just Called To Say I Love You,” remains cherished and enduringly loved.
Meet Me Halfway – Over The Top
Kenny Loggins reigned supreme in the realm of movie soundtracks during the 1980s. One of his timeless hits from that period, “Meet Me Halfway,” was featured in a film that is adored primarily by devoted fans of Sylvester Stallone, specifically the less-mainstream arm wrestling movie titled “Over The Top.”
Call Me – American Gigolo
Back in the ’70s and ’80s, everything Richard Gere seemed to touch turned into gold, but not every movie of his is as cherished today as Pretty Woman. For instance, take American Gigolo, a film that was once a blockbuster, but isn’t as frequently rewatched these days. The theme song, aptly titled “Call Me,” by Blondie, is still a global favorite, though.
Say You Say Me – White Knights
Despite the fact that the film “White Knights” (starring Gregory Hines and Mikhail Baryshnikov), which was released in 1985, wasn’t a massive success but rather a moderate hit, it is most remembered for its soundtrack, particularly Lionel Richie’s timeless “Say You Say Me.” This song even earned the Best Song accolade at the Academy Awards.
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2024-08-27 23:09