Movie/Song Associations

Some songs just can’t be thought of without immediately associating them with a film.  That says something about the music, but I think it says more about the filmmaker understanding the power of music to create an association in our minds that resonates to our hearts.  Some of the ones that do it for me…

RISKY BUSINESS / OLD TIME ROCK ‘N ROLL

APOCALYPSE NOW / RIDE OF THE VALKYRIES

APOCALYPSE NOW #2 / THE END

ROCKY / GONNA FLY NOW

RESERVOIR DOGS / STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU(Warning–graphic)

TOP GUN / TAKE MY BREATH AWAY

ROLLERBALL / TOCCATA AND FUGUE IN D MINOR

BREAKFAST CLUB / (DON’T YOU) FORGET ABOUT ME

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN / PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ

HEAVY METAL / TAKE A RIDE (the awesome B-17 scene)

BLUES BROTHERS / SWEET HOME CHICAGO

Note: The music actually continues throughout one of the great car chase scenes on film and I hear the song and just immediately hear, “Unnecessary force in the apprehension of the Blues Brothers has been approved…”.

THE EXORCIST / TUBULAR BELLS

Note: This is the only minute anyone really knows off of Mike Oldfield’ album.

DELIVERANCE / DUELING BANJOS

THE STAND / DON’T FEAR THE REAPER (Yes, this is cheating since this is the opening of the 1994 mini-series.)

GOODFELLAS / LAYLA

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY / BLUE DANUBE WALTZ

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY #2 / ALSO SPRACH ZARATHRUSTRA

ANIMAL HOUSE / SHOUT

CADDYSHACK / I’M ALRIGHT

DR. STRANGELOVE (OR HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB) / WE’LL MEET AGAIN

BEETLEJUICE / DAY-O (Also enjoyable since the main characters are the Dietz family….)

WAYNE’S WORLD / BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF / OH, YEAH (One of the first movies I remember where it paid off to stay through all the credits for something more than movie bloopers)

WATCHMEN / THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’

Any that I’ve really missed?