List time again: Favorite movie songs

After a weekend of overdosing on Jazz Singer and Purple Rain on cable (imagine the combination of tunes swirling in my head), I'm left with this perplexing question: What was the ultimate movie song of the '80s?

Could it be Survivor's Eye of the Tiger? Maybe On The Dark Side from Eddie and the Cruisers? Or my dark horse to win the top spot -- Rick Springfield's Love Somebody from Hard to Hold.

So here's the drill. Help me compile the ultimate list of great movie songs from the '80s. The top candidates will be original songs written for the movie in which it appears. It should conjure up visions of the movie from the second you hear the song come on the radio or iPod. No extra points for songs that have the same title as the movie. And of course, it should kick a little arse.

I'll compile the list and reveal the final Top 10 list during our podcast featuring Survivor. And a complete list will run here on the blog. Here are some real contenders.

Great movie songs of the 80s

[Photo from Purple Rain]

Comments

[specialkness]

Songs from 9 1/2 Weeks
I Do What I do by John Taylor
Slave To Love by Bryan Ferry
You Can Leave Your Hat on by Joe Crocker (I know it's been used in a few movies but this is the one that I remember)
Bread and Butter by Devo

[Fashion Dream Police]

Spearsy, I love that you are changing out Prince pictures. Purple Reigns supreme this Fall & Winter season.

[jes]

"Somebody's Baby" in Fast Times at Ridgemont High - by Jackson Browne

[Debra]

Tonianne - I couldn't agree more on the theme to "To Live and Die in LA" by Wang Chung...Actually, the whole soundtrack was very good in my opinion.

Also - not a big Psychedelic Furs fan overall, but I do love the song "Pretty in Pink" (even if they did "re-do" it for the movie).

And I will also vote for "The Living Daylights" by a-ha and "Send Me an Angel" by Real Life.

[specialkness]

Cry Little Sister (Theme From The Lost Boys) - Gerard McMann

I finally looked at my itunes and remembered a few more songs

[specialkness]

Steve yes I think that's the scene where I'm Free is played...

[Vegasgirlfriend]

and my fantasy film picks -

Is Your Love Strong Enough ? (Bryan Ferry) - Legend

As the World Falls Down (David Bowie) - Labyrinth

[jilla]

Of course, Ghostbusters.

Also, Don't You forget about me from The Breakfast Club

[Vegasgirlfriend]

I know they mostly weren't written for the movies but:

Crazy for You (Madonna) - Vision Quest

Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (The Smiths) - Pretty in Pink

Easy Money (Billy Joel) - Easy Money

Holiday Road (Lindsey Buckingham) - National Lampoon's Vacation

Que Sera Sera (Syd Straw) - Heathers

[Alyfox]

I am trying to stay away from songs NOT written for the movie, so I will only say one:
The movie begins, and so far, no music has been played. Marty McFly just gets done blowing out Doc Brown's speakers. While talking to Doc on the phone, a sea of alarm clocks go off, and Doc tells Marty that all the clocks are 25 minutes slow. Marty says, "I'm late for school!", and THE POWER OF LOVE by Huey Lewis & The News kicks in from BACK TO THE FUTURE.
Classic and should be a no-brainer top 10 pick.

[billyshakes]

ooh ooh....almost forgot this one...

What do you get when you pair music by Giorgio Moroder with a film starring Sylvester Stallone and a performance by the Soundtrack king Kenny Loggins??

Meet Me Halfway (Theme from Over the Top)

[Tonianne]

Two of my favorites:

This is Not America (David Bowie/Pat Metheny) from "Falcon and the Snowman"

To Live and Die in L.A (Wang Chung) from "To Live and Die in L.A."

[Bassnote]

For Jeff in Cuba. the version of "Rotating Heads" used in Ferris Bueller is actually a remix with most of the vocals removed, that was re-titled "March Of The Swivelheads". However, it is still a fantastic choice. I also completely agree with you on "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". Real Genius is quite possibly one of my favorite movies ever, and that song is perfect in the closing scene.

[Cat]

FUN FACT:

IRENE ~ Flashdance-What A Feeling ~ CARA now lives near her Mom in Port Richey, FL. She has a new 9 piece all female band > HOT CARAMEL that has performed in St. Petersburg & Norway.

[Spears]

I should have remembered Bond movie songs.

I still prefer "The Living Daylights" by a-ha over "View to a Kill."

And "For Your Eyes Only" over all the others.

[Spears]

"I'm Free" is from the part of "Footloose" where they're getting ready for the dance, right?

[JamieLee]

Let's see....

Love Somebody - Rick Springfield ...always my favorite!

View to a Kill - Duran Duran

Shake it- Ian matthews ....from the movie Little Darlings, gotta love Angel for hitting the right spot!

Everyone has excellent comments on this subject, makes me want to look up some more 80's music!

[specialkness]

I'm Free by Kenny Loggins from Footloose (instantly reminds me of Kevin Bacon smoking and doing gymnastics in the barn)
If You Leave by OMD Pretty In Pink (easy one)
Goodbye, Goodbye by Oingo Boing Fast Times at Ridgemont High
If You Were Here by Thompsons Twins
Sixteen Candles

Brilliant list idea Steve

[Roy, UK]

What a Feeling- Irene Cara (Flashdance)
I Would Die 4 U- Prince & The Revolution (Purple Rain)
Glory Of Love- Peter Cetera (Karate Kid)
Running Away With You- John Parr (The Running Man)
Nobody's Fool- Kenny Loggins (Caddyshack 2)
Mighty Wings- Cheap Trick (Top Gun)

Pretty eclectic mix, though every one deserves to be a winner

[Spears]

"Send Me An Angel" also plays in "Teen Wolf Too," which is a movie I don't want to remember for any reason.

Also on the list:

Xanadu (Xanadu)

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places (Urban Cowboy)

Maniac (Flashdance)

Infatuation (The Sure Thing)

Glory of Love (Karate Kid 2)

Crying (Hiding Out)

Man in Motion (St. Elmo's Fire)

Miss Amanda Jones - Some Kind of Wonderful

[Spears]

I only watch "Running Scared" just for the Key West and "Sweet Freedom" scene.

It's sacred to me.

[Rick]

Just re-read the list and saw billyshakes entry... I love "Send Me an Angel" by Real Life.

I'd searched everywhere for it a few years back, even iTunes, and had only come up with a weird dance remix, not the original. But thanks to billyshakes, I felt moved to check iTunes again.

They got it!

[Bassnote]

Late to the party as usual. In no particular order:

Only the Young - Journey (Vision Quest)
Lunatic Fringe - Red Rider (Vision Quest)
I'm Alright - Kenny Loggins (Caddyshack)
Let's Go Crazy - Prince (Purple Rain)
Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds (Breakfast Club)
If You Leave - OMD (Pretty In Pink)
If Anybody Had A Heart - John Waite (About Last Night)
Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) - Phil Collins (Against All Odds)
The Heat Is On - Glenn Frey (Beverly Hills Cop)
Axel F - Harold Faltermeyer (Beverly Hills Cop)
The Boys are Back In Town - The Bus Boys (48 Hours)
Best Man In The World - Ann Wilson (Golden Child)
Together In Electric Dreams - Philip Oakey & Georgio Moroder (Electric Dreams)
To Live And Die In L.A. - Wang Chung (To Live And Die In L.A.)
Love Somebody - Rick Springfield (Hard To Hold)
Sweet Freedom - Michael McDonald (Running Scared)
I Can Dream About You - Dan Hartman (Streets Of Fire)
Tender Years - John Cafferty (Eddie & The Cruisers)
Back In Time - Huey Lewis & The News (Back To The Future)
Is Your Love Strong Enough - Bryan Ferry (Legend)
No More Lonely Nights - Paul McCartney (Give My Regards to Broadstreet)

[Rick]

Always late to the party, I've got nothing much to add, but anything from a Hughes film gets my vote, natch.

Oh, wait -- What about Vangelis' "Chariots of Fire Theme"? That is about the only thing from that movie anyone remembers, except maybe the guys running in slow motion on the beach to that music.

Maybe no other movie song carries a movie's identity so strongly.

[billyshakes in istanbul]

Oh yeah,

and Survivor could really have 2 songs with the second being:
"Burning Heart" (Rocky IV)

which they describe as "Eye of the Tiger turned on it's side"

also from the same movie is Robert Tepper's brilliant "No Easy Way Out"!

[billyshakes in istanbul]

Here are a couple of additions to the above....

Send Me and Angel by Real Life (RAD! starring Talia Shire)...I also love Thunder in Your Heart by John Farnham but it isn't necessarily a classic 80s track.

Playground by The Truth (Thrashin' starring Josh Brolin)

Does Romancing the Stone by Eddy Grant count?

And from Top Gun, I prefer Mighty Wings by Cheap Trick

[Jeff in Cuba]

Can I just point out that Patrick Swayze will drive me into lurking.

[chase]

BTW, no 80s movie songs podcast is complete without a nod to the greatness that is, 1982's Honkytonk Man, starring Clint Eastwood and his son, Kyle.

C'mon, Clint actually SINGS in this one, badly ...

Actually, Clint Eastwood sings in a surprising number of movies, including the opening theme to 1980s Any Which Way You Can (duet with Ray Charles) and 1969's Paint Your Wagon ....

Scary, ain't it?

[Nancy]

Patrick Swayze will bring me out of lurking...how about She's Like the Wind??? Puts me right in that dusty parking lot watching him drive away...

[John]

"Take My Breath Away" and "Danger Zone"- Top Gun

"9 to 5"...movie of the same name.

"The Power of Love" - Back to the Future

"Rachel's Song" (Vangelis) - Blade Runner

"Ghostbusters"

"Who Wants to Live Forever" and "Princes of the Universe" (Queen) for Highlander

"Are You Ready For The Sex, Girls? - (Gleaming Spires) Revenge of the Nerds

"Stonehenge" and "Big Bottom" - Spinal Tap

[Sara Hall]

Here are my, well, duh, 80's movies songs:

"I'm Alright" - Kenny Loggins (Caddyshack)
"Purple Rain" - Prince
"In Your Eyes" - Peter Gabriel (Say Anything)
"Weird Science" - Oingo Boingo
"Don't You Forget About Me" - Simple Minds (Breakfast Club)
"The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" - Cyndi Lauper (Goonies)

And a few of the more (slightly) hidden tunes that instantly transport me:

"Ring Me Up" - The Divinyls (Sixteen Candles)
"Wild Sex (In the Working Class)" - Oingo Boingo (Sixteen Candles)
"Holding Out for a Hero" - Bonnie Tyler (Footloose)
"Turn to the Sky" - The March Violets (Some Kind of Wonderful)
"Positively Lost Me" - The Rave-Ups (Pretty In Pink) Instantly conjures up Ducky laying a major kiss on Iona at CATS.
"Beat City" - The Flowerpot Men (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) I can feel the wind in my hair already!
"Only the Young" - Journey (Vision Quest)
"People Are Strange" - Echo and the Bunnymen (The Lost Boys)
"Number One" - Chaz Jankel (Real Genius) Lurve it!

[Spears]

I knew of Oingo Boingo after the US Festival back in 82 or 83, I think, so "Back to School" comes a little late for me. But I'm betting other people saw them for the first time there.

And deep, deep trivia: I believe the name of the all-girl band playing in 1984's "Bachelor Party" is Angel and the Reruns.

And for those who don't know, "Together in Electric Dreams" is my cell ringtone. Though if you call me, you hear Bowling for Soup's "1985."

[chase]

No love for "Electric Dreams"

[serious]

Marissa beat me to it:
"I'm Alright!" CADDYSHACK-Kenny Loggins.

"Purple Rain" is a topper, but it doesn't do what "I'm Alright!" does: Instantly usher me into the mood of the movie. Another which comes close for me is "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds from BREAKFAST CLUB.

But, Marissa, sorry to say, The Smiths tune wasn't written for FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, and the version in the film is done by The Dream Academy. However, The Dream Academy's "The Edge of Forever" was an original for the film. I never hear that one on 80s radio, but whenever it comes up on my ipod, that song, too, ushers me back.

[Jeff in Cuba]

I can't remember if I didn't know about the Bus Boys before "48 Hours" or just didn't care about the Bus Boys until "48 Hours", but that's when I started following them.

And 'Riss, were you really unaware of Oingo Boingo until "Back To School"? That was two years after "Weird Science" and "Dead Man's Party", and they were clearly past their popular peak.

[Tonianne]

um...Morris Day and The Time?

[Marissa]

Here's an obvious one for the Side List: Oingo Boingo -- Back To School

[Spears]

Guys, guys, gals! It was like 7 a.m. in the morning when I choked out this list. And the air was thin!

I just wanted to throw a few obvious bones out there. Trust me, when the final list comes out, the Plimsouls will be appropriately recognized.

SIDE LIST IDEA: Great bands that you first saw on a movie. The Plimsouls (Valley Girl), the Rave-ups (Pretty in Pink), Josie Cotton (Valley Girl).

[Tonianne]

I was as shocked as Jeff by the glaring Plimsouls omission.

My two cents:

Tangerine Dream/Love on a Real Train from Risky Business
Harold Faltermeyer/Axel F from Beverly Hills Cop

[Chris]

Nothing says 80s movie music to me more than Simple Minds "Don't you forget about me". To me, this is the quintessential 80s song.

[Marissa]

BAH! I'm a little disjointed this morning.

"Everybody Wants Some" -- Better Off Dead. I know it wasn't written for the movie, but who doesn't think of the claymation burger and fry scene and Lane's maniacal Dr. Frankenstein schtick when they hear that?

[Marissa]

DUH! Posted too soon.

"I Can Dream About You" -- Streets of Fire (just watched that last weekend)

[Marissa]

"Footloose" -- Footloose
"I'm Alright" -- Caddyshack
"Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" -- Ferris Bueller's Day off
"Oh Yeah" -- FBDO

[Jeff in Cuba]

Two 80's tunes that always make me flash to 80's movie moments:

"Everybody Wants To Rule The World": I only need to hear the opening riff and I can't help but see the closing credits of "Real Genius". Popcorn, anyone?

"Rotating Heads": I defy anyone to listen to this English Beat tune and not relive Ferris Bueller's mad dash through the 'burbs as he races to get home before the rest of his family.

One more thing. "A Million Miles Away" doesn't make a list of 80's Movie Music?

What have you done with the real Steve Spears?!