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Jul 3, 2007

Songs that must be retired from movie soundtracks

I need your assistance, as my memory is only so good and all of the internets are only so much help here. Perhaps this post will help other geeks in the future.

See, while I was sitting in the theater the other night waiting for the feature to begin, I was subjected yet again to the Fine Young Cannibals' 1989 smash hit "She Drives Me Crazy" playing in the trailer for the upcoming The Nanny Diaries. IMDb lists just three other high profile soundtrack appearances for the song (Hitch, The Other Sister, and Gross Anatomy), but I'm pretty sure that trailer appearances alone don't count towards that total (in case you're wondering, "Good Thing" has two such entries, and I'm not counting TV entries of foreign films). In fact, I'm going to go on the safe side and just multiply any IMDb soundtrack search total by 5 to completely unscientifically and woefully inaccurately calculate a songs' "trailer rating."

Outside of the Cannibals, I know that there metric tons of these songs that get overused to death in movie trailers, yet everyone keeps thinking that using them is a good idea (these people probably work in their spare time as wedding DJs, as many of the songs would probably top a list of "songs played to death at weddings" as well). Some other examples:

* Looking for a song for a zany comedy about a dysfunctional family and/or a slapsticky wedding-themed romantic comedy? Sister Sledge's "We Are Family" should be right up your alley. An IMDb search shows that "Family" has appeared on five soundtracks. Trailer rating: 25.

* Feelin' particularly good today? Just got a raise or found out you're not gonna die today? Katrina & the Waves would like you to go "Walking on Sunshine"! Don't it feel good? IMDb search total: 7. Trailer rating: 35.

* Are you a nerd about to get his comeuppance? Maybe a downtrodden secretary about to show your evil boss what's what? Aretha Franklin's "Respect" is your pick. IMDb search total:
15. Trailer rating: an astonishing 75.

* Credence Clearwater Revival earns an anthology award, as anything from "Fortunate Son" to "Born on the Bayou" may be used to demonstrate that your movie's characters are either a) livin' in the 60s and just aren't gonna take it from the Man anymore and/or b) are stoners/hippies. Search and trailer rating incalculable.

These songs must be stopped, and the people that continually use them time and again must relinquish their powers, however limited they may be. I'm not walking on sunshine, I don't have respect for them, they're not my family, and yes, they do drive me crazy.

Got more? You know the drill. Chime in with a comment or email me at blogcabins@yahoo.com.


11 people have chosen wisely: on "Songs that must be retired from movie soundtracks"

Anonymous said...

Good idea for a column Fletch. Can't think of any off the top of my head though.

-theny

Anonymous said...

Papa's Got a Brand New Bag seems to be the cliched song of choice when ever there is some kind of change or transformation.

Anonymous said...

"Song 2" by Blur... Woo hoo!

BostonSucksMyBlog said...

'teenage wasteland' for american beauty was cool.

Anonymous said...

Another anthology award: For some reason, any comedy made by anyone from the SNL cast from 1992-2007 requires at least one ELO song. "Do Ya" is the most popular, but believe me, if you see Adam Sandler doing something romantically comedic, you'll bound to hear Electric Light Orchestra.

Love,
Collingsworth

Anonymous said...

Bad to the Bone (Thorogood)... LaGrange (ZZ Top)... I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor).

Oh, and actually Colly, I'm pretty sure Sandler's preoccupation is with Styx... he thinks they're underrated so he shows his love by including them in all of his movies.

-Brick

Anonymous said...

I don´t know if there are others appearances, but Jonny B Goode, if only for the versions (Back to the Future/kickass Judas Priest cover in Jonny B Goode) should also be retired.

MTFBWY

Anonymous said...

"Roll To Me" seems to be in a lot of romantic comedies int he last 10 years.

"Unwritten" may be in the updated version of this column 5 years from now.

Anonymous said...

Why Can't I by Liz Phair. Why Can't I pick a better song for a Jennifer Garner movie.

Anonymous said...

what about that classical song that always goes with action movies (the last one i remember however was die hard 3). Puffy did "You can hate me now" to it.

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