We're in the final stages of readying everything for the kickoff of The Top 200 Movie Songs of the Rock Era*! As usual, the hardest part is always which ones to cut that don't quite have the strength to make the list but are nonetheless deserving. But as in our music specials, our opinion doesn't count--we go by actual statistics compiled by analysis of the music-buying public to determine the rankings.
We've presented Preludes like this before, which we like because they 1) make the quality of the music special evident by the songs that didn't make it, and 2) feature quality songs just outside the list to "warm up" listeners by getting them "in the mood" for the special. These are not necessarily in order or all of the songs just outside The Top 200*, but rather a good sample of some of the other great songs featured in movies during the Rock Era!
Let's hear some movie songs!
"Every Which Way But Loose" by Eddie Rabbitt (from the movie Every Which Way But Loose--1978)
I've always been the kind of manWho doesn't believe in stringsLong-term obligations are just unnecessary thingsBut girl, you got me thinkin'While I'm drinkin' one more beerIf I'm headed for a heartacheThen why the hell am I still here?
I'm testin' my resistanceAnd it's wearing mighty thinI've got the feeling I should leaveBefore the roof caves inMy mind tells me to move alongBut my body begs me to stayAnd now I feel the need to hold you closeAnd love the night awayWhile you're turnin' me
Every which way but loose, you turn meEvery which way but looseInside, the fire's burning meIn my mind, you just keep turnin' meEvery which way but looseBaby, there's no excuse to turn meEvery which way but loose
When the sun comes up in the morningIt should find me someplace newBut right this minute, all I wantIs to lay here next to youThose memories still keep callin' meFrom somewhere in my pastBetter hurry if they want me'Cause I can feel me fadin' fastWhile you're turnin' me
Every which way but loose, you turn meEvery which way but looseInside, the fire's burning meIn my mind, you just keep turnin' meEvery which way but looseBaby, there's no excuse to turn meEvery which way but loose
"Holding Out For A Hero" by Bonnie Tyler (from the movie Footloose--1984)
Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the Gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn
And I dream of what I need
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
(Larger than life)
Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder
And rising with the heat
It's gonna take a Superman
To sweep me off my feet
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
Til the end of the night
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I could swear that there's someone somewhere watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
And where are all the Gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn
And I dream of what I need
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
(Larger than life)
Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder
And rising with the heat
It's gonna take a Superman
To sweep me off my feet
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
Til the end of the night
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I could swear that there's someone somewhere watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
"Come Saturday Morning" by the Sandpipers (from the
movie The Sterile Cuckoo--1969)
Come Saturday morning, I'm goin' away with my friend
We'll Saturday-spend till the end of the day, just I and my friend
We'll travel for miles in our Saturday smiles and then we'll move on
But we will remember long after Saturday's gone
Come Saturday morning, come Saturday morning
Come Saturday morning, I'm goin' away with my friend
We'll Saturday-laugh more than half of the day, just I and my friend
Dressed up in our rings and our Saturday things and then we'll move on
But we will remember long after Saturday's gone
Come Saturday morning, come Saturday morning
Come Saturday morning, just I and my friend
We'll travel for miles in our Saturday smiles and then we'll move on
But we will remember long after Saturday's gone
Come Saturday morning, come Saturday morning
Come Saturday morning, come Saturday morning
Come Saturday morning, come Saturday morning
Come Saturday morning, come Saturday morning
Come Saturday morning, come Saturday morning
Come Saturday morning, come Saturday morning
"If You Leave" by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (from
the movie Pretty in Pink--1986)
If you leave, don't leave nowPlease don't take my heart away
Promise me just one more nightThen we'll go our separate ways
We've always had time on our sidesNow it's fading fastEvery second, every momentWe've got to, we've gotta make it last
I touch you once, I touch you twiceI won't let go at any priceI need you now like I need you thenYou always said we'd still be friends someday
If you leaveI won't cryI won't waste one single dayBut if you leave, don't look back
I'll be running the other waySeven years went under the bridgeLike time was standing stillHeaven knows what happens nowYou've got to, you've gotta say you will
I touch you once, I touch you twiceI won't let go at any priceI need you now like I need you thenYou always said we'd meet again
I touch you once, I touch you twiceI won't let go at any priceI need you now like I need you thenYou always said we'd still be friends
I touch you once, I touch you twiceI won't let go at any priceI need you now like I need you thenYou always said we'd meet again someday
If you leaveOh, if you leaveOh, if you leaveDon't look backDon't look back
"Super-cali-fragil-listic-expi-ali-docious" by Dick Van Dyke &
Julie Andrews (from the movie Mary Poppins--1964)
It's supercalifragilisticexpialidociousEven though the sound of it is something quite atrociousIf you say it loud enough you'll always sound precociousSupercalifragilisticexpialidociousUm-dittle-ittl-um-dittle-IUm-dittle-ittl-um-dittle-IUm-dittle-ittl-um-dittle-IUm-dittle-ittl-um-dittle-I
Because I was afraid to speak when I was just a ladMe father gave me nose a tweak, told me I was badBut then one day I learned a word that saved me achin' noseThe biggest word you ever heard and this is how it goes
Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidociousEven though the sound of it is something quite atrociousIf you say it loud enough you'll always sound precociousSupercalifragilisticexpialidociousUm-dittle-ittl-um-dittle-IUm-dittle-ittl-um-dittle-IUm-dittle-ittl-um-dittle-IUm-dittle-ittl-um-dittle-I
He traveled all around the world and everywhere he wentHe'd use his word and all would say there goes a clever gentWhen dukes or Maharajas pass the time of day with meI say me special word and then they ask me out to tea (woo)
SupercalifragilisticexpialidociousEven though the sound of it is something quite atrociousIf you say it loud enough you'll always sound precociousSupercalifragilisticexpialidociousUm-dittle-ittl-um-dittle-IUm-dittle-ittl-um-dittle-I
You know you can say it backwards which isDociousaliexpisticfragicalirupusBut that's going a bit too far, don't you think?Indubitably
So when the cat has got your tongue there's no need for dismay (here-ye)Just summon up this word and then you've got a lot to sayBut better use it carefully or it could change your life
For exampleYes?One night, I said it to me girl and now me girl's me wifeOh, and a lovely thing she is, tooShe's
SupercalifragilisticexpialidociousSupercalifragilisticexpialidociousSupercalifragilisticexpialidociousSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious
"April Love" by Pat Boone (from the movie April Love)
April love is for the very youngEvery star's a wishing star that shines for youApril love is all the seven wondersOne little kiss can tell you this is trueSometimes an April day will suddenly bring showers
Rain to grow the flowers for her first bouquetBut April love can slip right through your fingersSo if she's the one don't let her run away
Sometimes an April day will suddenly bring showersRain to grow the flowers for her first bouquetBut April love can slip right through your fingersSo if she's the one don't let her run away
"Batdance" by Prince (from the movie Batman--1989)
Oh, I got a live one hereHaha, haha, hahaHaha, haha, hahaOoh hoo hoo, hoo hoo hoo hoo
Get the funk upBatmanGet the funk upBatmanGet the funk up(Go, go, go with a smile)Bat danceDo itKeep bustin'
I've seen the future and it will be (do it, do it)I've seen the future and it will be (do, do)BatmanBatmanI've seen the future and it will beBatman (house, do it, house)(And where, and where, is the Batman?)
Let's do itLet's do itDo it, do itDo it, do it
Batman, Batman, Batman(Oh, that's)(Hi, Bruce Wayne)(I've tried to avoid all this, but I can't)(I just gotta know)(Are we gonna try to love each other?)(Stop the press, who is that?)(Vicky Vale)(She's great, isn't she?)
Oh yeah, oh yeahI want to bust that bodyOoh yeah, ooh yeahI want to bust that body right (I'd like to)Oh yeah, oh yeah (but he's out there right now)I want to bust that bodyOh yeah, oh yeahTonight
Well, Miss ValeYou ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?I always ask that of all my preyI just like the sound of it
Batman(I've got to go to work)BatmanIf a man is considered guilty (work, work)For what goes on in his mind (work, work)Then gimme the electric chairFor all my future crimes, oh(Work)(Work) Electric chair, oh, ooh
Hey DuckyLet me stick the 7-inch in the computerHa, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha haHey, we got the powerOh, we got the soulHey, we got to sho'nuff get offTo make the devil go, go
Ow (This town needs an enema)
Power(I'm not gonna kill you) (Let's do it)Soul(I'm gonna kill you)Power(I'm not gonna kill you)Soul (Let's do it)(I'm Batman)BatmanDon't stop dancin'(I'm Batman)Batman(Don't stop dancin')Do it, do itDo it, do itBatmanBatmanBatman(Don't stop)(Don't stop) (Let's do it)(Don't stop dancin')Let's do it (Batman)Let's do it(Don't stop dancin')Bat-Bat(Batman) (Don't stop dancin')
Who's gonna stop 200 balloons?Nobody(Haha, haha, haha, haha, haha)BatmanStop
"Day By Day" by Robin Lamont (from the movie Godspell--1973)
Day by dayDay by dayOh Dear LordThree things I prayTo see thee more clearlyLove thee more dearlyFollow thee more nearlyDay by day
Oh...
Day by dayDay by dayOh Dear LordThree things I prayTo see thee more clearlyLove thee more dearlyFollow thee more nearlyDay by day
Day by dayDay by dayOh Dear LordThree things I prayTo see thee more clearlyLove thee more dearlyFollow thee more nearlyDay by day
Day by dayDay by dayOh Dear LordThree things I prayTo see thee more clearlyLove thee more dearlyFollow thee more nearlyDay by day
Day by dayDay by dayOh Dear LordThree things I prayTo see thee more clearlyLove thee more dearlyFollow thee more nearlyDay by day
Day by dayDay by dayOh Dear LordThree things I prayTo see thee more clearlyLove thee more dearlyFollow thee more nearlyDay by day
Day by day by day by day...
"Love, Rei'gn O'er Me" by the Who (from the movie
Quadrophenia--1973)
Only love can make it rainThe way the beach is kissed by the seaOnly love can make it rainLike the sweat of lovers layin' in the fields
Love, reign o'er meLove, reign o'er meRain on me, rain on me
Only love can bring the rainThat makes you yearn to the skyOnly love can bring the rainThat falls like tears from on high
Love, reign o'er meRain on me, rain on meLove, reign o'er meRain on me, rain on me
On the dry and dusty roadThe nights we spend apart aloneI need to get back home to cool, cool rainI can't sleep, and I lay, and I thinkThe night is hot and black as inkWoo, oh God, I need a drink of cool, cool rain
Love, reign o'er meReign o'er me, o'er me, o'er me, woahLove, reign o'er me, o'er me
Love
"In The Deep" by Bird York (from the movie
Crash--2004)
Thought you had
all the answers
to rest your heart upon.
But something happens,
don't see it coming, now
you can't stop yourself.
Now you're out there swimming...
In the deep.
In the deep.
Life keeps tumbling your heart
till you... Let go.
Till you shed your pride, and you climb to heaven,
and you throw yourself off.
Now you're out there spinning...
In the deep.
In the deep.
In the deep.
In the deep.
And now you're out there spinning...
And now you're out there spinning...
In the deep.
In the deep.
In the deep.
And the silence,
all your secrets will
raise their weary heads.
Well, you can pin yourself back together,
well, who here thought you would?
Now you're out there livin'...
In the deep.
In the deep.
In the deep.
In the deep...
Now you're out there spinning...
Now you're out there swimming...
Now you're out there spinning...
In the deep.
In the deep.
In the deep.
In the deep...
"Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money
In My Hand" by the Primitive Radio Gods (from the
movie The Cable Guy--1996)
Jan lays down and wrestles in her sleep.
Moonlight spills on comic books
And superstars in magazines.
An old friend calls and tells us where to meet.
Her plane takes off from Baltimore
And touches down on Bourbon street.
We sit outside and argue all night long
About a god we've never seen,
But never fails to side with me.
Sunday comes and all the papers say:
Ma Teresa's joined the mob
And happy with her full time job.
Am I alive or thoughts that drift away?
Does summer come for everyone?
Can humans do what prophets say?
If I die before I learn to speak,
Can money pay for all the days I lived awake
But half asleep?
I've been downhearted, baby,
Ever since the day we met.
A life is time, they teach you growing up.
Seconds ticking killed us all
A million years before the fall.
You ride the waves and don't ask where they go.
You swim like lions through the crest
And bathe yourself in zebra flesh.
I've been downhearted, baby,
Ever since the day we met.
Moonlight spills on comic books
And superstars in magazines.
An old friend calls and tells us where to meet.
Her plane takes off from Baltimore
And touches down on Bourbon street.
We sit outside and argue all night long
About a god we've never seen,
But never fails to side with me.
Sunday comes and all the papers say:
Ma Teresa's joined the mob
And happy with her full time job.
Am I alive or thoughts that drift away?
Does summer come for everyone?
Can humans do what prophets say?
If I die before I learn to speak,
Can money pay for all the days I lived awake
But half asleep?
I've been downhearted, baby,
Ever since the day we met.
A life is time, they teach you growing up.
Seconds ticking killed us all
A million years before the fall.
You ride the waves and don't ask where they go.
You swim like lions through the crest
And bathe yourself in zebra flesh.
I've been downhearted, baby,
Ever since the day we met.
"Freddie's Dead" by Curtis Mayfield (from the movie Super
Fly--1972)
Hey, heyLove, loveYeah, yeahAh, haFreddies deadThat's what I saidLet the man rap a plan said he'd see him homeBut his hope was a rope and he should've knownIt's hard to understandThere was love in this manI'm sure all would agreeThat his misery was his woman and thingsNow Freddie's deadThat's what I said
Everybody's misused himRipped him up and abused himAnother junkie planPushin' dope for the manA terrible blow but that's how it goesA freddies on the corner nowIf you wanna be a junkie, wowRemember freddies dead
We're all built up with progressBut sometimes I must confessWe can deal with rockets and dreamsBut realityWhat does it mean?Ain't nothing said'Cause freddies dead
Hey, heyLove, loveHey, heyYeah, yeahHa, haLove, loveYeah, yeahHa, haYeah, yeahFreddies dead
All I want is some peace of mindWith a little love I'm trying to findThis could be such a beautiful worldWith a wonderful girlOoh, I need a woman childDon't wanna be like freddie now'Cause freddies deadHey, heyYeah, yeahIf you don't tryYou're gonna die
Why can't we brothers?Protect one anotherNo one's seriousAnd it makes me furiousDon't be misledJust think of FredEverybody's misused himRipped him up and abused himAnother junkie planPushin' dope for the manA freddies on the corner nowIf you wanna be a junkie, whyRemember freddies deadHa, ha, ha, ha, haFreddies deadHey, heyHa, haLove, loveHa, ha...Ooh, hooHey, heyLove, loveHey, hey
"Baby Elephant Walk" by Henry Mancini and His Orchestra (from the movie Hatari!--1962)
"If I Fell" by the Beatles (from the movie A Hard Day's
Night--1964)
If I fell in love with you,
Would you promise to be true
And help me understand?
'Cause I've been in love before
And I found that love was more
Than just holding hands.
If I give my heart to you,
I must be sure
From the very start that you
Would love me more than her.
If I trust in you, oh please,
Don't run and hide
If I love you too, oh please,
Don't hurt my pride like her.
'Cause I couldn't stand the pain.
And I would be sad if our new love
Was in vain.
So I hope you see that I
Would love to love you.
And that she will cry
When she learns we are two.
'Cause I couldn't stand the pain.
And I would be sad if our new love
Was in vain.
So I hope you see that I
Would love to love you.
And that she will cry
When she learns we are two.
If I fell in love with you.
"Chim Chim Cheree" by Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke,
Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber (from the movie Mary Poppins--1964)
Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-eeA sweep is as lucky as lucky can beChim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ooGood luck will rub off when I shakes 'ands with youOr blow me a kissAnd that's lucky too
Now as the ladder of life as been strungYou may think a sweep's on the bottommost rungThough I spends me time in the ashes and smokeIn this 'ole wide world there's no 'appier bloke
Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-eeA sweep is as lucky as lucky can beChim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ooGood luck will rub off when I shakes 'ands with you
Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-eeA sweep is as lucky as lucky can beChim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ooGood luck will rub off when I shakes 'ands with you
I choose me bristles with prideYes, I doA broom for the shaft and a brush for the flue
Up where the smoke is all billered and curled'Tween pavement and stars is the chimney sweep worldWhen the's 'ardly no dayNor 'ardly no nightThere's things 'alf in shadowAnd 'alf way in lightOn the roof tops of LondonCool, what a sight
Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-eeWhen you're with a sweep, you're in glad company
No where is there are more 'appier crew
Than them wot sings, chim chim cher-ee, chim cher-ooChim chiminey, chim chimCher-ee chim cher-oo
"A Million Dreams" by Hugh Jackman, Ziv Zaifman and
Michelle Williams (from the movie The Greatest Showman--2017)
I close my eyes and I can seeA world that's waiting up for meThat I call my ownThrough the dark, through the doorThrough where no one's been beforeBut it feels like home
They can say, they can say it all sounds crazyThey can say, they can say I've lost my mindI don't care, I don't care, so call me crazyWe can live in a world that we design
'Cause every night I lie in bedThe brightest colors fill my headA million dreams are keeping me awakeI think of what the world could beA vision of the one I seeA million dreams is all it's gonna takeA million dreams for the world we're gonna make
There's a house we can buildEvery room inside is filledWith things from far awayThe special things I compileEach one there to make you smileOn a rainy day
They can say, they can say it all sounds crazyThey can say, they can say we've lost our mindsI don't care, I don't care if they call us crazyRunaway to a world that we design
Every night I lie in bedThe brightest colors fill my headA million dreams are keeping me awakeI think of what the world could beA vision of the one I seeA million dreams is all it's gonna takeOh, a million dreams for the world we're gonna make
However big, however smallLet me be part of it allShare your dreams with meYou may be right, you may be wrongBut say that you'll bring me alongTo the world you seeTo the world I close my eyes to seeI close my eyes to see
Every night I lie in bedThe brightest colors fill my headA million dreams are keeping me awakeA million dreams, a million dreamsI think of what the world could beA vision of the one I seeA million dreams is all it's gonna takeA million dreams for the world we're gonna make
Did you enjoy that? We had so much fun we're going to present more songs in the Prelude* tomorrow!
This is available exclusively on Inside The Rock Era!
