10 Classic Songs You Didn’t Know Were Written for Movies

A movie soundtrack single requires a unique blend of skills. It needs to be appealing, fitting with the film’s narrative, and memorable enough to linger long after the movie is released from theaters. This style has seen its ups and downs in popularity. In the 70s and 80s, when radio play was as significant as box office success, it thrived. More recently, there’s been a revival of this trend, even with films like Avatar featuring original songs during the credits.

Many soundtrack songs become so closely tied to their respective films that it feels almost impossible to hear them without thinking about the movie they’re from. Listening to “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz, “Lose Yourself” from 8 Mile by Eminem, “Take My Breath Away” from Top Gun, or “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic without considering the context seems unimaginable.

As a supporter, I’d like to suggest a clever strategy: If you believe the film might not be a front-runner for Best Picture, why not boost its chances by including an exceptional song in the end credits? Sometimes, these tunes become so popular that they overshadow the movies they were initially composed for. For instance, one of your favorite rap tracks could’ve originated from a movie where Michelle Pfeiffer portrayed an inner-city teacher, but due to the song’s immense popularity, it’s the track itself that remains memorable, not the film.

Use this list as a refresher on where some of your beloved summer tunes originated from, which have become so popular that they’ve distanced themselves from their simple beginnings as songs featured in movies. These tracks span various genres such as pop anthems, melancholic ballads, intense themes, and powerful rock anthems. They even include a bold tune about a man’s unfaithful partner. You might recognize these tracks now, so why not take the time to watch (or rewatch) the movies where they were first heard?

Great Songs You Forgot Were Originally Written for Movies

“Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson (From The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement)

For many who recall that era, “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson might have been their first encounter with the tune via radio stations, where it reigned supreme in Top 20 charts worldwide. However, for a specific generation with frequent access to a certain cable network, the song made its debut as a music video on Disney Channel prior to the premiere of “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement”. Reminiscent of Mia Thermopolis’s ascension to the throne of Genovia, “Breakaway” found its way to Clarkson through a sequence of fortunate events. Initially co-written by Avril Lavigne, it was deemed inappropriate for her new album. Instead, the song was given to Clarkson. She recorded it for the movie to keep her fans engaged during her second album’s production, but due to its immense popularity, she not only added it to the album, but also named the album “Breakaway”.

“Call Me” by Blondie (From American Gigolo)

Today, you might recognize this tune as a popular karaoke choice, a road trip favorite after a few drinks, or a song you attempt when feeling brave. However, in 1980, it was the theme for Paul Schrader’s film “American Gigolo,” which catapulted Richard Gere to fame. The movie boasted an original score from Euro disco legend Giorgio Moroder, who also wrote “Call Me,” the track that plays during the opening credits. Initially, Moroder asked Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac to create a theme song, but due to contractual obligations, she was unable to participate. As a result, Moroder approached Debbie Harry and she penned the lyrics from the perspective of Gere’s character, a high-priced escort, drawing inspiration from the film’s opening scene where Gere drives along a California highway.

“Exit Music (For a Film)” by Radiohead (From Romeo + Juliet)

Fans of Radiohead might find it astonishing to know that “Exit Music (For a Film)”, the fourth track from their dystopian-influenced third album “OK Computer”, was initially created for Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, titled “Romeo + Juliet”. When Luhrmann asked the band to compose a song for the film, he sent them the final 30 minutes of footage. Upon watching the scene where Claire Danes points a Colt .45 at her head, Thom Yorke and his bandmates began working on the song right away. The song is featured in the movie’s end credits, but it was not included on the “Romeo + Juliet” soundtrack due to Radiohead’s request.

“Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio (From Dangerous Minds)

In a somewhat cliche manner, the movie “Dangerous Minds,” featuring Michelle Pfeiffer as a U.S. Marine saving inner-city kids from their harsh realities, might be criticized. However, it did introduce us to Coolio’s soulful, evocative hit “Gangsta’s Paradise.” This song was the main track on the movie’s soundtrack and was nominated for two Grammys, an NAACP Image Award, and the MTV Movie Awards Best Movie Song. Antoine Fuqua directed the music video, which also starred Pfeiffer and included scenes from the film. The video won both Best Rap Video and Best Video From a Film at the MTV Music Video Awards. Since it samples Stevie Wonder’s song “Pastime Paradise,” “Gangsta’s Paradise” is one of the few Coolio songs without explicit language, as Wonder “wasn’t on board with that.

“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith (From Armageddon)

In case you’re not a frequent visitor to the Criterion Closet or a night owl who binge-watches TNT movies, you might not recall an interesting fact about Aerosmith’s hit ballad “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” This song, which is featured in the credits of Michael Bay’s film Armageddon, may seem quite unexpected until you remember that the lead singer Steven Tyler’s daughter, Liv Tyler, appears in the movie (imagine an Aerosmith song playing at the end of one of the Lord of the Rings movies). Co-written by Diane Warren, it was inspired by a Barbara Walters interview with James Brolin and Barbra Streisand, believe it or not! Warren admitted that she initially envisioned the song being sung by someone like Celine Dion. It’s worth noting that “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” is the only original single Aerosmith recorded for Armageddon; they later re-recorded three more: “What Kind of Love Are You On,” “Come Together,” and “Sweet Emotion.

“Kokomo” by The Beach Boys (From Cocktail)

In a surprising twist, “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys might have initially been destined for a lesser-known Tom Cruise film titled “Cocktail.” Although it’s hard to consider any movie featuring Hollywood’s top star as obscure, “Cocktail” certainly didn’t receive the same level of acclaim as “Mission: Impossible.” Upon its release, the movie was not well-received, but the song “Kokomo,” with its soothing list of Caribbean islands, became the Beach Boys’ first number one hit in over two decades and their last entry on the top 40 charts. Interestingly, Brian Wilson, the only current member of the group at the time, was not involved in the recording as he was focusing on his solo album; the rest of the band opted to keep this secret from him. Thus, the title of the world’s last barman poet seems to have eluded even the talented members of The Beach Boys.

“Theme From New York, New York” by Liza Minnelli (From New York, New York)

As a passionate movie reviewer, I recently revisited Martin Scorsese’s 1977 film “New York, New York,” a musical romantic comedy that introduced an iconic tune. Contrary to popular belief, this jazzy homage to the city wasn’t originally associated with Frank Sinatra; it was actually Liza Minnelli and Robert De Niro who lent their voices to “New York, New York” in the film. Interestingly, they even released a single of the song before Sinatra got his hands on it. The single did alright, but it wasn’t until two years later that Ol’ Blue Eyes recorded his own rendition, which catapulted the song to immense popularity and solidified its link with both Sinatra and the city it honors. However, Scorsese’s movie, while significant in musical history, may not rank among his finest works, which could explain why the song’s origins have been somewhat overshadowed.

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” by B.J. Thomas (From Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid)

In a more somber Western like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” where the ending is as sad as the film itself, one might not expect an optimistic pop song about conquering troubles and living a fortunate life. However, the addition of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” was one of the factors that transformed the movie from just good to an all-time classic. This catchy tune was penned by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, with stories suggesting they initially sought Bob Dylan to perform it before settling on country singer B.J. Thomas. At first, many people associated with the project didn’t understand its appeal — even Robert Redford himself was among its critics. Yet, he later acknowledged that connecting the movie with a hit song like this one was a smart move.

“Scotty Doesn’t Know” by Lustra (From EuroTrip)

2004 teen comedy film titled “EuroTrip” opens with an embarrassing scene: Following his breakup with girlfriend Fiona, protagonist Scotty endures the humiliation of watching the lead singer at a graduation party perform a song exposing Fiona’s infidelity in front of their entire school. The song, “Scotty Doesn’t Know” by Lustra, is a painful reminder of an actual event that occurred to a friend of the band, albeit humorously portrayed as being fictional (of course it was just a friend). Although EuroTrip didn’t initially succeed in theaters, the widespread popularity of this song, which recurringly plays throughout the movie, transformed it into a hit on home video and eventually a cult favorite.

“X Gon’ Give It to Ya” by DMX (From Cradle 2 the Grave)

The “X Gon’ Give It to Ya” song is being rebranded as the theme song for the Deadpool films, but it’s essential to remember that this hit track was initially produced for DMX’s movie, the action-heist film “Cradle 2 the Grave.” In this film, DMX collaborates with Jet Li to rescue his kidnapped daughter from a diamond-loving criminal mastermind. The song serves as the lead single from the movie’s soundtrack album and was also concealed as a bonus track on DMX’s compilation album “The Definition of X: The Pick of the Litter.” Its resurgence in popularity can be attributed to its use in the trailers for the first Deadpool movie in 2016, and it was certified platinum in 2017. So, it seems that we should acknowledge Deadpool for giving the song a boost.

12 Pairs of Actors and Directors With Famous Feuds

Björk and Lars von Trier

In case you’re familiar with the films of renowned Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier, you might visualize the intense and challenging nature of his filming process. He frequently tests the limits of his characters, sometimes even pushing his actors to their extremes – a situation that became well-known with the singer Björk, who found von Trier’s behavior on the set of Dancer in the Dark so unacceptable that they ended up quarreling during production. Accounts emerged about Björk initially greeting von Trier by spitting on the floor and avoiding him for extended periods, and at one point, von Trier became so enraged he hurled a chair at a monitor and broke it. Björk accused von Trier and the producers of attempting to portray her as “difficult,” and later penned about persistent instances of sexual harassment from a Danish director, whose identity is widely speculated to be von Trier (though he denies these allegations).

George Clooney and David O. Russell

David O. Russell is a director whose strong character and forceful directing techniques are frequently discussed. During the filming of the war comedy “Three Kings,” there were reports that he clashed with George Clooney, an experience many found challenging due to Russell’s improvisational approach exacerbating the stress of shooting in a desert. Clooney was known for sticking up for cast and crew members against Russell’s outbursts. There are stories of him helping an extra who had a seizure on set while Russell did nothing, telling the director to stop shouting at a truck driver, and even physically intervening when he saw Russell mistreating an extra not performing a stunt correctly. In 2024, Clooney commented on his decision-making process for projects and time management, saying, “I’m going to do a really good film like ‘Three Kings,’ and I’m going to have a difficult time with David O Russell making my life miserable. Making everyone else’s life miserable too.” He added, “It’s not worth it. Not at this point in my life.

Robert Downey Jr. and David Fincher

Additionally, there’s David Fincher, known for his lengthy filming days and numerous retakes of a single scene, which has led to tension with many actors he’s collaborated with. Robert Downey Jr., who featured in Fincher’s serial killer drama “Zodiac“, expressed discontent with the director’s approach, lamenting over exhaustion from the demanding schedule and struggling to adapt to his usual work style. In fact, Fincher alleged that Downey Jr. would retaliate by leaving Mason jars filled with his own urine on set as a form of protest.

Katherine Heigl and Judd Apatow

In an interview with Vanity Fair, actress Katherine Heigl voiced her criticism towards director Judd Apatow and the film Knocked Up. She expressed her disagreement with what she perceived as Apatow’s portrayal of misogynistic gender roles, arguing that he stereotyped his female characters as scolds while presenting his male characters as lovable, goofy, and carefree. Heigl felt that the film overemphasized these characteristics, making it challenging for her to appreciate the movie, despite generally enjoying the production process.

Megan Fox and Michael Bay

During the peak of Megan Fox’s fame in the Transformers series, she defended director Michael Bay against criticisms concerning his handling of her – such as having her dance provocatively in Bad Boys II when she was only 15 years old, and refuting a rumor that he had her wash his car during her audition for Transformers. However, following the release of the second film in the franchise, which turned out to be one of the most poorly received sequels, she openly compared Bay’s authoritarian directing style to both Hitler and Napoleon in a very frank post-production analysis. As a result, Fox was never featured in another Transformers movie, leading many to speculate that she was dismissed from the franchise due to her unfavorable remarks.

Val Kilmer and Joel Schumacher

In the ’90s Batman film series, several actors portrayed the Caped Crusader because of creative differences and tension between director Joel Schumacher and actor Val Kilmer during the filming of Batman Forever. This strained relationship led Schumacher to frequently critique Kilmer in public interviews. Kilmer reportedly exhibited diva-like behavior, such as demanding that crew members address him as “Mr. Kilmer,” arriving late on set, and more. In a later interview with Vulture, Schumacher described Kilmer as “psychotic,” but admitted that he was an excellent Batman. Even in a Q&A following a different movie screening, Schumacher referred to Kilmer as the best Batman.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni

The ongoing dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, sparked during their romantic film “It Ends With Us,” remains unresolved. Both parties have taken aim at each other, with tensions escalating. The movie’s premiere was marked by an unusual separation of press appearances for Lively and Baldoni. Lively then accused the director of sexual harassment, taking legal action against him and the production company. In response, Baldoni filed a libel suit against the New York Times and accused Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of mocking him through the “Nicepool” character in Deadpool & Wolverine. The series of lawsuits could potentially lead to a trial, and may even halt the production of the sequel, It Starts With Us, as Baldoni still retains the rights and it is highly unlikely Lively would work with him again.

Christopher Plummer and Terrence Malick

I gave him a hard time. I would never work with him again, of course. He won’t have me. I told him, ‘You are incredibly dull. You get stuck in these routines. You need to find a writer.'” He was especially upset that an emotional speech he had delivered for the movie ended up as background noise for another scene. Later on, he clarified, “He insists on writing, and overwriting, and overwriting until it becomes pretentious-sounding. It takes a lot of effort to make it sound genuine. And then he edits his films in such a way that he excludes everyone from the narrative.

Florence Pugh and Olivia Wilde

In the promotional phase for “Don’t Worry Darling,” Florence Pugh was conspicuously absent due to scheduling conflicts with “Dune: Part Two.” Despite this, Pugh and director Olivia Wilde never appeared together publicly, although they hinted at subtle disagreements on social media. It was later revealed that Wilde was romantically involved with Harry Styles while in a relationship with Jason Sudeikis, leading some to speculate that Pugh might have felt uncomfortable due to the drama. However, insiders claimed there was no underlying tension, and reports of a heated argument between Pugh and Wilde during production also surfaced. Pugh has not publicly addressed these matters, instead choosing to avoid the subject in interviews. Wilde has consistently praised Pugh, referring to her as a powerful presence in the film.

Burt Reynolds and Paul Thomas Anderson

I think mainly because he was young and full of himself. Every shot we did, it felt like the first time that shot had ever been done.” He recalled a specific instance during the filming of “Boogie Nights,” where Anderson expressed admiration for a car driving to Grauman’s Theater shot, but Reynolds pointed out that similar shots had appeared in five other films. As a result, when asked if he would like to work with Anderson again, Reynolds declined, stating that their personalities did not mesh well together.

Julia Roberts and Steven Spielberg

The strain on set between Julia Roberts and Steven Spielberg during the filming of Hook was predominantly due to personal struggles rather than professional disagreements. At that time, Roberts was dealing with a highly publicized breakup from her former fiancé Kiefer Sutherland, which may have contributed to her reported outbursts and unpredictable mood swings on set. She allegedly spent long periods in her trailer and often arrived late. Later, Spielberg expressed understanding about the situation, stating: “Julia was going through some of the toughest times in her life during filming. Unfortunately, it was unfortunate timing for everyone that she started on Hook at that low point.

Bruce Willis and Kevin Smith

During the filming of the police buddy comedy “Cop Out,” Kevin Smith reportedly felt intimidated by Bruce Willis, who allegedly viewed him as an amateur. This was a tough predicament for any director to be in, given that they were working with one of the world’s most renowned actors. Smith referred to the experience as disheartening, stating that Willis had been harsh towards him on set, remarking: “I’m Bruce Willis and I’ve been doing this for 25 years successfully. How long have you been a nobody? Don’t taint me with your loser vibe.” Willis countered by labeling Smith as “complainer,” clarifying: “We had some differences in our work methods. I don’t have an explanation for him. I never intend to publicly criticize him. Sometimes we just don’t see eye-to-eye.

2025-04-18 17:56

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