52% intelligent. 9% modest. More monkey than bear.

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

...busting makes me feel good

Lord Bargain and I are just sat here chewing the cud and listening to some tunes and have come up with the following conundrum....

What is the best film theme tune ever?

Before you come up with an answer, there are some rules:

1) The title of the song has to be the same as the name of the film (or very, very close)
2) The song has to appear over the opening or closing credits (or both)
3) The song has to have been written for the film - you can't have a film that is named after a song (like "My Girl" or "Can't Buy Me Love" or Pretty Woman)

The reason this came up is because we were listening to a little bit of Ray Parker Jr (as you do) and it got us thinking.....

Can you do better than that? Lord B reckons there's something out there that's better, but I reckon you'll struggle.... (and although it qualifies, don't be coming here and suggesting 'Footloose' either - I'll never get that bloody intro out of my head)

25 Comments:

  • At 1:14 am, Blogger Flash said…

    Off the top of my head I would have to say "A view to a kill".
    Beats bloody ghostbusters, hands down.

     
  • At 8:30 am, Blogger Tom said…

    "Stardust" by David Essex, from the film of the same name. Very evocative.

    Was "Rock On" featured over the end credits of "That'll Be The Day"? I cannot remember. If it was, that as well.

    And of course, the theme tune from "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". The best Bond theme ever.

     
  • At 8:32 am, Blogger Tom said…

    I didn't read your rules properly, so ignore "Rock On". Sorry.

     
  • At 9:17 am, Blogger LB said…

    after some further deliberation:

    Moonraker
    St Elmo's Fire
    Flashdance
    Grease
    A Life Less Ordinary

     
  • At 11:04 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Has to be "The Spy Who Loved Me".

    Odd that the Bond films feature so prominently

     
  • At 11:51 am, Blogger John McClure said…

    Not that odd - given that each one commissions a theme song - that said, the title of Carly Simon's song from the Spy Who Loved Me is actually "Nobody Does it Better", which breaks the first rule.

    Goldfinger would have to feature prominently on my list, but I am yet to think of anything that could depose the might Parker Jnr from the top spot.

    Like you, bustin' makes me feel good too.

     
  • At 12:36 pm, Blogger Ben said…

    I went round to a friend's the other day. She's a massive fan of the film 'Footloose' and insisted on playing the entire soundtrack on vinyl. The ensuing experience made me want to eat my own ears.

     
  • At 1:56 pm, Blogger Mike Davis said…

    Surely not everybody has forgotten 'Silver Dream Machine'?

    Please, say it aint so!

     
  • At 1:59 pm, Blogger Mike Davis said…

    Ok then, does 'Lost Boys', by Lou Gramm count? Or will you insist that 'Cry little Sister' was the theme tune?

    bollox, then.

     
  • At 2:02 pm, Blogger Erika said…

    Mark Knopfler wrote a song called "Storybook Story" for The Princess Bride (it's remotely close title-wise and matches thematically, so screw your little matching rule!) that is exquisitely haunting.

    The other song that absolutely makes me ache is Neil Young's "Philadelphia", which trumps Bruce Springsteen's Acadamy Award-winning songs hands-down.

     
  • At 3:26 pm, Blogger Statue John said…

    Theme tune from Shaft for me!

    Or perhaps something by the Muppets.

     
  • At 5:07 pm, Blogger Lazygal said…

    What about Fame? "I wanna live forever!"

     
  • At 5:12 pm, Blogger Mark said…

    "Ghostbusters". No ifs. No buts. No comparisons. It is the best film song to mention the name of the film it was written for in the title. Better even that say, "Goldfingah".

     
  • At 11:47 pm, Blogger Mags said…

    Well, I have to concur with Lazygal and say "Fame," because I LOVED that soundtrack, and Irene Cara. Although I WAS a huge Duran Duran fan, and Flash was right on the money with the theme from "A View to a Kill." GREAT video.

    Shame on you for getting "Footloose" into my head. I will never forgive you for that! :-P

     
  • At 9:21 am, Blogger swisslet said…

    Ka - that Neil Young song is an EXCELLENT choice (was it used on the closing credits?? I'd hate it to be ruled out on a technicality).

    "A Life Less Ordinary" and "Theme from Shaft" are also excellent suggestions.

    Hell, they're all good - and you know which one of these is making it into tomorrow's earworm charts?? Bloody Footloose, that's what.

    Arghhh!

    Thanks for playing.

    His Dark Materials review up here at some point today....

    ST

     
  • At 9:56 am, Blogger Damo said…

    Footloose was a crap song but brings back happy memories by association...

     
  • At 1:35 pm, Blogger LB said…

    do we know for sure that "Footloose" was played over the opening or closing credits? We could invalidate it on a technicality yet...

     
  • At 1:48 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Do Elvis films count? Vive Las Vegas leaps to mind.

    Spies Like Us the Chevy Chase classic? Sung by Paul McCartney

    But surely you can't overlook Flash by Queen. That has to win hands down for the lines from the film that have been included.
    "Gordon's alive!" Brian Blessed - beardy genius!

     
  • At 3:19 pm, Blogger swisslet said…

    Spies Like Us - I remember watching that in the cinema and being disappointed they didn't use the song. Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me here, but I think it's not eligible....

    I can't think why else he would have recorded it, but there you go....

    ST

     
  • At 7:28 pm, Blogger Flash said…

    Flash - ah, aah!

    Now how the chuff did I not think of that?
    Damn!

     
  • At 10:01 pm, Blogger swisslet said…

    hey michelvis - disagreement welcomed here! the only downer is that it doesn't matter anyway... not a patch on ghostbusters (although clearly one of the finest in the McCartney oeuvre, I think everyone will agree, bettered only by The Frog Chorus and C Moon)

    ST

     
  • At 9:00 am, Blogger LB said…

    I have always had a soft spot for "Arthurs Theme" as well, while we're at it.

    and what about wicky-wicky-Wild Wild West? Eh? oh.

     
  • At 9:27 am, Blogger swisslet said…

    saturday night fever?
    stayin' alive?

     
  • At 10:56 am, Blogger John McClure said…

    I have to say, I've been swayed from Parker Jnr to Queen - and not just because I want an excuse to grow a beard and bellow "Gordon's alive?!" at the top of my voice.

     
  • At 10:13 pm, Blogger Flash said…

    Yes I bloody did!
    And I get no thanks for it...
    *Goes off in a huff*

     

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