Music has always been an integral part
of the film making process. Get the music wrong and a film can be
ruined (think Ladyhawke), whereas the right music accompaniment can
elevate a mediocre movie into the realm of the 'classic'.
Sound, like smell, are our most
powerful triggers for memory. A song or piece of music can remind us
of a film long after the plot, characters and visuals have been
forgotten. With that theory as a jumping off point, I've created a
list of the top 10 movie songs from the 1980s. Rather than using
popularity or record sales as a basis for comparison, to be included
in the list the songs must be:
- indicative of the era
- inexorably tied to the movie
Although dated, what sets these songs
apart is the fact that, for many people, they cannot be heard without
thinking about the film they were in. To make it a little harder,
I've avoided using songs in which the title of the movie is
mentioned. Unfortunately, that rules out the following sonic
masterpieces:
So counting down from 10, click the
jump to see the Not-At-All-Arbitrary, All-Time Most Memorable, Memory Inducing Film Songs
From The 80s:
10. Eye of the Tiger, Survivor, 1982: Rocky III.
Besides the fact that Eye of the Tiger has featured in every television series, movie and sporting event ever in the history of everything, it's the image of Rocky Balboa striding the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art that most people wrongly associate with this song. Rocky climbed those steps in the first Rocky (and with diminishing effect in subsequent Rocky films), to the inspirational brass and choral wailing of Bill Conti's Gonna Fly Now.Interestingly, the song originally written by Conti for Rocky III was You're The Best, performed by Joe Esposito. That song was instead used in The Karate Kid, and could just have easily been my Number 10 choice for this list.
9. Shake Your Tail Feather, Ray Charles, 1980: The Blues Brothers.
Essentially a musical, The Blues Brothers is filled with iconic songs. Their rendition of Rawhide was probably just as memorable, but considering Rawhide is the theme music for a TV series called Rawhide, I've gone with this popular classic.
8. Kokomo, The Beach Boys, 1988: Cocktail.
It's impossible to listen to this song and not picture yourself lounging on a beach with Elisabeth Shue while being served drinks with tiny umbrellas by bottle twirling douche bags. Or, like me, your gag reflex kicks in when you hear those smooth Beach Boy baritones, and you can't get past the first refrain.
7. Power of Love, Huey Lewis and the News, 1985: Back to the Future.
The mid eighties were the golden era of songs called The Power of Love. Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Jennifer Rush both released songs with this title in 1984, closely followed by this pop gem.
6. Oh Yeah, Yello, 1986: Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
It's hard to believe this song was ever released as a single in its own right, but it actually was in 1985. It has since featured in numerous films, TV shows and advertisements, but it will forever be ingrained in my memory as the theme music by which sociopathic teen bully Ferris Bueller steals his best friend's father's 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California. Or has sex with it. The scene is somewhat ambiguous.
5. Don't You (Forget About Me), Simple Minds, 1985: The Breakfast Club.
No 80s film music list would be complete without the obligatory reference to The Breakfast Club. As much as I love the movie and, like you, can recite it word for word, I actually don't think of Bender et al when I hear this song. Instead, I reminisce about the days when UK pop rock bands like Simple Minds and U2 were still relevant, and you could proudly walk down the street wearing a concert t-shirt with them emblazoned on it without it being some sort of ironic hipster statement.
4. Princes of the Universe, Queen, 1986: Highlander.
Queen could make this list with any number of film featured songs (for instance, We Are The Champions in Revenge of the Nerds). But it is Princes of the Universe that stands alone, by the sheer fact that it wouldn't exist without the movie. And perhaps, vice versa?
3. What a Feeling, Irene Cara, 1983: Flashdance.
Michael Sembello's Maniac is just as iconic as What a Feeling, if not moreso. What a Feeling actually won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1983, making it a resolute classic, and the stand out choice for this list.
2. Danger Zone, Kenny Loggins, 1986: Top Gun.
Kenny Loggins was the go to guy for performing rocking film music for a brief, shining period in the mid 80s. This song was actually composed by Giorgio Moroder, the Italian genius responsible for composing the hits Take My Breath Away, Together in Electric Dreams, The Neverending Story and the aforementioned What a Feeling. Kenny Loggins, on the other hand, penned and performed the homoerotic opus Playing With the Boys, which also featured in the film Top Gun.
1. We Don't Need Another Hero, Tina Turner, 1985: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
Technically, this song includes part of the title of the film it is in, which, according to my own rules, disqualifies it from entry into this list. As it doesn't mention the words 'Mad Max', I've given it a pass. Some might say it's that same bias that allows it the number one position in this top 10. They might be right.
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