General Gregory N. Pigott: Late Night Music Part 104..........."Soundtrack Songs"

It's summer blockbuster movie season, so I figured I'd include some of my favorite movie soundtrack songs ever.

In order to receive votes in this category, a song had to appear on the soundtrack from a film (not necessarily IN THE FILM), and the film had to NOT be a musical- this would disqualify "Dreamgirls", "Rent", and most Disney movies. Also, the song did not have to be written specifically for the movie and could have appeared on an earlier album by the artist, however, bonus points were given for movie exclusive songs. Also receiving votes in this category were"Wild Wild West" by Will Smith from "Wild Wild West", "I Cross My Heart" by George Strait from "Pure Country" (I just couldn't do it again), "Someday Out of the Blue" by Elton John from "The Road To El Dorado" and "Gotham City" by R Kelly from "Batman and Robin" (seriously if anyone can find this video anywhere you can give me my next topic) NOT RECEIVING VOTES was "People Get Ready" by Lyfe Jennings and Alicia Keys from "Glory Road"- do I REALLY have to explain why? Also not receiving votes was "Deepest Bluest" by LL Cool J from "Deep Blue Sea" - worst song ever? Also not appearing on this list is "End Of The Road" by Boyz II Men from "Boomerang". It's been on here too many times.

"Iris"- Goo Goo Dolls ("City of Angels"). You know I hate including two from the same album/artist/movie, and I have to admit it was tough between this and "Uninvited" by Alanis Morissette. However, I figured I haven't had the Goo Goo Dolls on here as many times. Despite the overwhelming success of this 1998 movie and soundtrack, I have to admit I've never seen this movie despite me being a huge fan of Nicolas Cage. I've always wanted to see it, but it's just one of those ones you never get around to. The hit became a catapult for the hugely successful album "Dizzy Up The Girl" which went on to be the Goo Goo Dolls most popular album. This song went on to peak at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 shortly before "Dizzy Up The Girl" was released later that year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdYWuo9OFAw

"Bad Man"- R Kelly ("Shaft"). Here is yet another movie I never saw. I never saw the first movie, and I thought the premise of Samuel Jackson even being the "nephew" of the original Shaft was dumb (this was written in because most people, like me, knew that Samuel L. Jackson was too old to be the son of Richard Roundtree, who is only 6 years older). Also, John Singleton made this "sequel" and we all know my feelings about him........anyway. R Kelly always managed to find himself on random soundtracks ("Space Jam" anyone?), and this one was no less. However, this is a pretty good effort from R Kelly which was surprising considering his legal problems of the time which saw him accused of sexual assault of an underaged girl. Despite the big budget directed by Hype Williams, this song failed to even crack the Hot 100. Maybe it's because we all knew R Kelly was a poser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Euz9a0oAlw

"Against All Odds"- Phil Collins ("Against All Odds"). I love how I've actually featured this song twice now. Before Jeff Bridges was "The Dude" he gave the romantic role a whirl in the 1984 romantic drama "Against All Odds" as former football player Terry Brogan. This movie is really bad, and unlike the previous ones, I've actually seen this one, I just wish I haven't. Thankfully, Jeff Bridges would have plenty of good movies like "The Big Lebowski", "Seabiscuit", "The Fabulous Baker Boys", "True Grit", and "Crazy Heart", which earned him the 2009 Best Actor Oscar. However, this song was saved by the classic soft hit of the same name by Phil Collins. While the movie was a modest hit, the single was a #1 hit for Collins. Bonus points for the singing mask at the beginning of the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuvtoyVi7vY

"Everything I Do (I Do It For You)"- Bryan Adams ("Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves"). Despite it being panned by critics, I always thought this movie was super cool (as did most of the world seeing how it grossed a whopping $390 million). Maybe because I was too dumb to see that Kevin Costner wasn't using a British accent when everyone else was or just because Morgan Freeman was so cool. Despite this, "Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves" was the movie you saw if you were cool in 4th grade and spawned this super mega hit by our Canadian friend Bryan Adams which actually went to #1 in every country it was released in (30 in all). The song was also included on his 1991 album "Waking the Neighbours". Not to knock the guy's success, but I always thought it was funny how he included THIS song on an album with that name. Does anyone else see the irony?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGoWtY_h4xo

"Shake Ya Tailfeather"- Nelly, Murphy Lee, P Diddy ("Bad Boys 2"). This was one seriously awesome movie. I really am not a huge fan of this song, but I want someone to tell me what they are saying at the beginning- that's really all I wanna know. This song followed the success of the movie to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and led to the USM Pride of the South Marching Band adding this to their football performances- bonus points for that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f66O8iRt3KE

"The Eyes Of Your Heart"- India Arie ("Radio"). What an unbelievably underrated movie and song right here. A small soapbox for a second. I realize that the 76th Academy Awards were all about "The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King". I also realize that Sean Penn gave a great performance in his award winning role in "Mystic River". However, the fact that Cuba Gooding, Jr. wasn't even considered for any awards for his potrayal of Radio is a travesty. Not only did he portray a mentally handicapped person, he portrayed a mentally handicapped person who is an actual person. Maybe it's just me, but I find that feat to be overwhelmingly impressive. This movie is an absolute must see and is one of my favorite movies I've ever seen. If you can watch it without tearing up you seriously have no soul! Anyway, this song by India Arie was included the soundtrack and is just as amazing as the actual film. This song isn't exactly in her normal genre, but is fantastic nonetheless, and shows great lyric writing on her part. I think this song does a great job of showing her vocal range, but because it is so different, it has never been included on an India Arie studio album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uA1oOxVhAI

"Visions Of A Sunset"- Shawn Stockman ("Mr. Holland's Opus"). Wow, another one of my favorite movies of all time. Richard Dreyfuss was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor in this music teacher masterpiece. At the time of this song, Boyz II Men was on a short break before recording and releasing their hit album "Evolution", and Shawn Stockman was inspired by the script and wanted to contribute to the film. While the song was released as a single, it never made much of a splash on the charts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUrpcSRUlRk

"When You Believe"- Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston ("The Prince Of Egypt"). Bonus points for Whitney Houston being able to get across the stage without falling down from a cocaine grip attack. But then again, is that why she's holding Mariah Carey's hand? Anyway, I was always really inspired by this movie, and I like how DreamWorks stayed pretty close to the Biblical story in Exodus while making this movie. This song actually won the Oscar for Best Song in 1999. Whitney Houston's status as a cougar skyrocketed with this video, but like I said, cocaine's a hell of a drug.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQsTK-NCTbE

"The Glory Of Love"- Peter Cetera ("The Karate Kid Part 2"). Here is one of those where you just scratch your head. After the super duper success of "The Karate Kid", the sequel had everything it needed to be just as cool. It brought back Mr. Miyagi and Daniel (played by the 25 year old who looks 12 Ralph Macchio), a new setting, a similar plot, a new hot chick (even though Elizabeth Shue was hard to replace), cool fight scenes, and a cool tough guy song in the soundtrack.........WHOOPS! Even when I was 5 years old when this movie came out, I never quite understood how this song could go with this movie. I'm also gonna take away bonus points for the video not including the Mr. Miyagi line "Daniel San, this not tournament, this for real". Always loved that part.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHzj67NUcNc

"Kokomo"- The Beach Boys ("Cocktail"). In 1988, Tom Cruise brought women across the country to the movies with this bartender summertime big budget flick. I always kinda liked this movie, but I was always too scared to try the stuff he does in that movie. Do you think he had a stunt double? Seriously, that's some expensive liquor to waste if he drops it. Anyway, after several years in literal reclusiveness (despite releasing the little known self titled studio album in 1985), the Beach Boys came back to release as a single for their MUCH awaited comeback album "Still Cruisin". Even though the album contained 10 tracks, only 6 of those were new recordings. However, this song proved to be the Beach Boys last hoorah, as Carl Wilson shortly after became deathly ill with lung cancer, thus ending the Beach Boys as a even a part time group. However, bonus points for John Stamos of "Full House" fame appearing in the video as the drummer (which he actually played on the track and briefly toured with the band in the 80's).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_5_AD9wXuY

"Will You Be There"- Michael Jackson ("Free Willy"). I never understood this one. Here's why- first of all, "Will You Be There" was already included on Michael Jackson's 1991 album "Dangerous", a full TWO YEARS before "Free Willy" was released in the summer of 1993. Yes, MJ was still the hottest act on earth and drew lots of attention to the movie and album, but it wasn't a new song. I'm guessing the studios couldn't afford it. Secondly, that song alone drained the studio of any other big name acts on the soundtrack album, and it turned out to be one of the worst albums ever made in my opinion. The soundtrack album featured a washed up NKOTB, who was on the way out of their first tenure, the super suck R&B trio 3T, who appeared in no doubt because of their father being MJ's brother. Even with the success and high publicity, this single only topped out at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. That being said, this live performance here is absolutely fantastic, and it almost makes you wanna watch the movie again............almost.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUaMzwNPgro

"My Hero"- Foo Fighters ("Varsity Blues"). This super cool video and song was included on the Foo Fighters first REAL album (the first album is simply Dave Grohl laying down every track) "The Colour and the Shape" in 1998, and was then included in the VERY OVERRATED high school football movie "Varsity Blues" the following year. While most of my friends highly disagreed with me, I never bought James freaking Van Der Beek as a high school quarterback, despite Jon Voight's solid performance as the coach. This video continuted a streak of well thought music videos by the Foo Fighters, who are probably my favorite "music video" band of all time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqWRaAF6_WY

"What You Know"- T.I. ("ATL"). Never saw this movie and don't really care to, but those of you who remember my days as an intramural director know how much I love this song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZJW-rkVKFE

"God Only Knows"- Mandy Moore and Michael Stipe ("Saved!"). I haven't featured this song in quite a while, but this song was included on the soundtrack to the 2004 controversial teen religious satire film "Saved!". The movie is actually quite entertaining with a surprisingly great message and went on to be a moderate hit. This COVER SONG was a great rendition of the Beach Boys 1966 hit from their album "Pet Sounds" and is not only hilariously appropriate for the film, but is very well done with the addition of REM front man Michael Stipe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGSyPlctIxE

"New Age Girl (Mary Moon)"- Deadeye Dick ("Dumb and Dumber"). Maybe the most underrated soundtrack album of all time. Just for you, Tina.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEDw9xgSmSc

BONUS VIDEOS-

"God Only Knows"- Switchfoot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxQe3IPvl-E

"My Hero"- Paramore

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fisj3BsQ330