The rules: No scores, and clearly no musical numbers are allowed. It has to be distinctive songs, not jazz-hands show numbers.
1. 'We Are Gonna Be Friends' by The White Stripes, from Napolean Dynamite (2004) Cute and fun, The Stripes tune accompanies one of my favourite opening credit sequences (see right).
2. 'Head Over Heels' by Tears For Fears (left), from Donnie Darko (2001)Quite amazing a song can make you nostalgic for a time you didn't even really experience. I was seven when the 80's ended.
3. 'Nowhere To Run' by Arnold McCuller, from The Warriors (1979)
The Warriors are on their way back to Coney island. They've got nowhere to run to and nowhere to hide. Appropriate song then.
4. 'Sometimes' by My Bloody Valentine (right), from Lost In Translation (2001)Fuzzy, distorted and dreamy, Kevin Shields' song from the album Loveless perfectly captures the tone of Sofia Coppola's whistful indie hit.
5. 'Savin' The Day' by Alessi, from Ghostbusters (1984)
Ok, so the guys have just been released from jail. Winston has seen "shit that'll turn you white," and everyone is pretty scared. Then this song kicks in and you just know the Ghostbusters are going kick some ass.
6. 'Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) by Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, from The Big Lebowski (1998)
Strange sounding stoner song. After that brilliant use of alliteration I don't know what else to say. It's the companion piece to a great fantasy/dream sequence where The Dude floats down a bowling alley. Cool.
7. 'Playing With The Boys' by Kenny Loggins, from Top Gun (1986)
It was a close call between this and 'Danger Zone' but the gay overtones of the sweaty, topless volleyball scene just about tips it.
8. 'Back In Time' by Huey Lewis and The News (left), from Back To The Future (1985) If you say you haven't wanted to ride a skateboard while holding onto the back of a car and listening to Huey then...you're a liar.
9. 'Staralfur', by Sigur Rios, from The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2005)
Hauntingly pretty song from the post-rock Icelanders encapsulates the sense of wonder as Zissou and his team encounter the Jaguar shark.
10. 'Son Of A Preacher Man' by DustySpringfield, from Pulp Fiction (1994)
Tarantino's defining moment? It doesn't get any cooler than this. The guy from Look Who's Talking strolling through Marcia Wallace's house, off his box on heroin and trying to find the intercom. Genius.
11. 'No Easy Way Out' by Robert Tepper, from Rocky IV (1985)
Not one of the more famous tunes from the Rocky arsenal but chosen as it's the definative 80's mid film 'driving-around-in-a-car-seeing-flashbacks-while-conveiently-relevant-rock-music-plays' sequence.
12. 'Where Is My Mind?' by The Pixies (right), from Fight Club (1998)
The crazy twist about Tyler Durden has been relevealed and loads of buildings are crashing down around Ed Norton and Helena Bonham Carter. Fitting.
13. 'Stonehenge' by Spinal Tap, from This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
The onlyout and out comedy song on the list, Stonehenge must be experienced within context of the film to fully appreciate. "In ancient times, many years before the dawn of history..."
14. 'Waltzing Matilda' by Lou Reed, from The Squid And The Whale (2006)
Lovely ending to Noah Baumbach's brilliantly witty film set in 1980's Brooklyn. The surging violins sound how you feel as the film plays out.
15. Anything from Forrest Gump (1994)
This is kind of cheating as this soundtrack contains a ton of classic tunes from the Great american Songbook, although I'm not sure exactly what that is.
AND SOME EXAMPLES OF BAD USAGE OF SONGS
'Maybe Tomorrow' by Stereophonics (left), from Crash (2006)
Terrible way to end a really great film.
'Alien in New York' by Sting, from Leon (1994)
Sometimes even if a song seems appropriate, that doesn't make it right!
'Little Bird' by Annie Lennox, from Striptease (1996)
I really like Annie Lennox. This, then, was like watching someone pour ketchup on your ice cream. You just want to scream out, "Stop, STOP, you're ruining it!" Thankfully this was the end of Demi Moore in proper roles.
Hauntingly pretty song from the post-rock Icelanders encapsulates the sense of wonder as Zissou and his team encounter the Jaguar shark.
10. 'Son Of A Preacher Man' by DustySpringfield, from Pulp Fiction (1994)
Tarantino's defining moment? It doesn't get any cooler than this. The guy from Look Who's Talking strolling through Marcia Wallace's house, off his box on heroin and trying to find the intercom. Genius.
11. 'No Easy Way Out' by Robert Tepper, from Rocky IV (1985)
Not one of the more famous tunes from the Rocky arsenal but chosen as it's the definative 80's mid film 'driving-around-in-a-car-seeing-flashbacks-while-conveiently-relevant-rock-music-plays' sequence.
12. 'Where Is My Mind?' by The Pixies (right), from Fight Club (1998)
The crazy twist about Tyler Durden has been relevealed and loads of buildings are crashing down around Ed Norton and Helena Bonham Carter. Fitting.
13. 'Stonehenge' by Spinal Tap, from This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
The onlyout and out comedy song on the list, Stonehenge must be experienced within context of the film to fully appreciate. "In ancient times, many years before the dawn of history..."
14. 'Waltzing Matilda' by Lou Reed, from The Squid And The Whale (2006)
Lovely ending to Noah Baumbach's brilliantly witty film set in 1980's Brooklyn. The surging violins sound how you feel as the film plays out.
15. Anything from Forrest Gump (1994)
This is kind of cheating as this soundtrack contains a ton of classic tunes from the Great american Songbook, although I'm not sure exactly what that is.
AND SOME EXAMPLES OF BAD USAGE OF SONGS
'Maybe Tomorrow' by Stereophonics (left), from Crash (2006)Terrible way to end a really great film.
'Alien in New York' by Sting, from Leon (1994)
Sometimes even if a song seems appropriate, that doesn't make it right!
'Little Bird' by Annie Lennox, from Striptease (1996)
I really like Annie Lennox. This, then, was like watching someone pour ketchup on your ice cream. You just want to scream out, "Stop, STOP, you're ruining it!" Thankfully this was the end of Demi Moore in proper roles.
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