A Sampling of Original Movie Credits Songs
I’ve watched somewhere in the ballpark of 1,000,000 movies since Covid, and after a point they can all blend together. Volcano starts looking like Dante’s Peak in the blur of quarantine. In that haze, it can be hard to remember what stood out as a good or even interesting movie. But if I had to pinpoint a highlight of my year plus of viewing, it would be after watching Arachnophobia, a perfect film about a spider. Just when you think it’s all settled (the spider dies) an unassuming song hits…
Yep, it’s Jimmy Buffett singing about being a spider. Why? Don’t overthink it, it’s a movie about a spider. Just enjoy this weird cultural anomaly: A flip flopped beach bum cashing in, but in a confusing off-brand spidery way. When I realized what was happening, I jumped off my couch and ran around my living room.
It’s a strange crossover of art and commerce that we don’t see a lot anymore: the original song for the credits of a studio feature film. It used to be a great way to sell a cassingle and a movie ticket at the same time. It’s obviously a corporate motivated artistic decision, and one that fell flat sometimes, but sometimes the sum was greater than its parts and the song lived on.
I’m going to sample and review a crop of these, but know this isn’t the best of, and to keep it as simple as possible, I won’t talk about just original songs from a movie, it has to be an original song and play as the credits start. So “Gangsta’s Paradise” doesn’t count because it is the second song in the credits.
I’m also not going to include songs that had been previously released, so no “How Deep is Your Love” from Saturday Night Fever or “Wake Up” in The Matrix (I could make a convincing case that the best movie ending off all time is when Keanu Reeves just flies away and then Rage Against the Machine plays). The one exception I will make is that it’s OK if the song plays in the movie before the credits, but also plays at the credits as well. Let’s start off with the one that brought us to the dance:
“Don’t Bug Me” – Jimmy Buffett (Arachnophobia)
I remember seeing this movie in my aunt and uncle’s basement. Based on it’s release date, I was probably 7 or so. I guess maybe some cool laid back seven-years-olds appreciated Buffett’s inclusion in the film, but I was in the dark. I’m not sure if my aunt and uncle thought it was funny or even knew who sang it. But this is a song written not just from the POV of a spider, but the POV of the actual spider from the movie. It’s a bold choice and honestly an important precursor to Will Smith’s contributions in the singing-in-character song genre. The song is terrible of course.
“Men in Black” – Will Smith (Men in Black)
This one is the pinnacle, good luck topping it. The sample rules, the song is fun as shit. Will is rapping in character and it’s totally fine. Timing-wise, it’s in that sweet spot of big budget major label original soundtracks, Will Smith was at the height of his powers. This just jams and everyone likes it.
“Wild Wild West” – Will Smith (Wild Wild West)
This song is fun, but it’s not great and I can’t imagine ever listening to it unless I found myself roaming the American desert in a giant steam powered spider. The sample is a little more obvious than his last song where he raps in character about the movie he was just in, so it feels maybe a little cheaper? It’s just not great, but it works well enough. I don’t feel good about it though. Sorry.
“Black Suits Comin’ (Nod Ya Head)” – Will Smith (Men in Black II)
This one sucks. Will is trying to be tough, the riff is trying to be tough. Looks like they were trying to turn this into a dance? Just a bummer all around.
“My Heart Will Go On” – Celine Dion (Titanic)
One of the more perfect combos of movie and original end credits song. You can hate the song, or the movie or both, but you cannot deny they belong together. This one transcends movie and music and will be a karaoke jam for years to come. I don’t hate it, but I’m not trying to hear it all that much.
“Intrépidos Punks” (Intrépidos Punks)
You probably haven’t seen Intrépidos Punks, but this 1980 Mexican low budget grindhouse movie features punks with huge red mohawks swinging chains over their heads while riding motorcycles, nude nuns with guns, and a bunch of cheap gore, sex, and explosions. While they play this song countless times during the movie (it’s loooooooow budget) this song is perfect for it. The lyrics are perfect rebellious dogshit and the riff is fun. Good stuff.
“I Will Always Love You” – Whitney Houston (The Bodyguard)
It’s not technically an original song, but an original recording. Whitney Houston’s version of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” is a classic that might outlive the original. This is maybe the most ubiquitous song I can remember. I was just a lil guy when it came out, but before the Internet things moved so much slower. For a solid 5 years this was the only song people talked about until “The Macarena” happened. I get it, it’s a great song. I’d probably listen to the Dolly version more just because of how big this one is though.
“Eye of the Tiger” – Survivor (Rocky III)
I went to an all boys Jesuit football high school in the Midwest so I heard this song every day for 4 years. I fuckin’ hate it. The Rocky theme rules though.
“The Harder They Come” – Jimmy Cliff (The Harder They Come)
One of those where the music made the movie a hit. This song rules and the whole soundtrack is great.
“Don’t You Forget About Me” – Simple Minds (The Breakfast Club)
I think this song means a lot to 45-year-olds, and it’s very good, but it has reached that territory where it’s more like a generation’s anthem than a regular song. I’ve seen it parodied more than I’ve seen the movie. I’m sorry, song, but people have ruined you. I still like you though.
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