The right song selection can make a movie scene unforgettable. But movie studios too often hit the same button on the jukebox.
Here are five songs that deserve a break at the cineplex. There’s not a thing wrong with any of them, but overuse has rendered each track meaningless as a film additive.
- “Let My Love Open the Door,” Pete Townshend – It’s bouncy, it’s catchy and it’s from a certified rock god. But it’s also too easy to insert into a rom-com, any rom-com.
- “At Last,” Etta James - This potent number brings the drama, but the obvious title and overuse have rendered it meaningless.
- “When You’re Smiling,” Louis Prima – If you’ve got a mob comedy or a film set in ’50s era New York, this is the song you must play. It’s the law. Enough, already.
- “Gimme Shelter,” The Rolling Stones – It starts with a mesmerizing guitar riff and can enhance any number of film genres, on paper. But once Martin Scorsese has a whack at a song, it’s time to give other ditties a try.
- Watchers’ choice: Which songs are you plumb sick and tired of hearing at the cineplex?
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
“Let’s Get it On” – Marvin Gaye and “The Way You Look Tonight” are used in a lot of romantic comedies.
“Bohemian Like You” – Dandy Warhols is used in a lot of indie films (but I love this song, so no need to stop using it)
Also, Maroon 5’s “This Love” was in the background for sooooo many movie trailers for years (no idea if it was in the movie itself).
“What a Wonderful World,” Louis Armstrong. Cannot escape it.
That one just missed the cut … a great song cut down to size by overexposure
I don’t know if these qualify since they’re not pop/rock songs, but you do hear “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini’s Turandot and “O Fortuna” from Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana way too often in movies.
Don’t know what it is called, but I think it’s British and played at all sporting events and in movies (My first recollection was in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”)
The hook is the only words: “Ohhhh Yeahhh!”
I am sick of it.
Mike B… it’s by Tangerine Dream and I think it’s called “Oh Yeah” actually.
Bad To The Bone. Nuff said.
“Take me Home Tonight”….hey…isn’t a new rom-com coming out with that name? Hmmmmm…
Actually I hate any song tied into the movie’s title. Why so cliche?
The new “Author” trailer has about five of them, leading up to “Under Pressure” by Queen, the king of trailer songs.
Tangerine Dream may have a song called Oh Yeah, but the song Mike B was looking for was Oh Yeah by Yello.
How about James Brown, I Feel Good. I don’t mind them using it over and over but I don’t know if someone else is fed up with it.
“Amazing Grace” when used as a symbol for all religious themes.
Anything by Nina Simone when it’s just being used to telegraph “gritty!”.
But mostly I’m sick and tired of hearing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” being used whenever anything angsty is going on (note: when something has been used in “Shrek” it’s pretty much over, forever). It’s a good song (especially the Jeff Buckley version), but seriously… Find something else when you want to signify that your character is depressed (and you don’t trust your actor or story to convey that deeply enough). May I suggest Nick Cave’s “Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere”?
I’ve grown to truly hate that song. Its constant use was one of the many reasons I stopped watching Cold Case. And that was before it started turning up absolutely everywhere.
Walking On Sunshine-Katrina and the Waves
Kung Fu Fighting
All Star-Smashmouth
Moving In Stereo-Cars,
Stuck In The Middle-Stealer’s Wheel
Shout-Otis Day
These Boots Are Made For Walking-Nancy Sinatra
The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss. Used WAY WAY too much.
Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Salsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel
Handel’s Messiah
How about ANY song from Leonard Cohen? I guess I am a complete musical imbecile, but I never got his reported genius.