The BBC reports today that Leona Lewis has been tapped to sing the theme song to James Cameron’s upcoming I-see-blue-people sci-fi epic Avatar, with the help of James Horner and Simon Franglen, the team who blessed/bedeviled the world with Celine Dion’s deathless chest-pounder “My Heart Will Go On” for Cameron’s Titanic back in 1997.
While Lewis prepares to bust her wing span on whatever the outer-space equivalent is of a ship’s prow, we’re compelled to take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly in movie theme songs, including—cue coyote flute— soundtrack king Ennio Morricone’s actual theme song for the 1966 Clint Eastwood spaghetti-western classic The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.
There’s great schlock (Whitney’s Bodyguard epic “I Will Always Love You”; Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds,” for the 1984 movie of the same name; Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes’ Dirty Dancing duet, “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life”;), and schlock schlock (Aerosmith’s execrable Armageddon smash “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing,” Bryan Adams’ Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves mom-slayer “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You”).
Everyone has an ingrained soundtrack memory, whether they be Ghostbusters, Grease-ers, or Gangstas; the James Bond catalog alone could keep us busy for days. Is it Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5″ cup of ambition? Jaws‘ infamous, ominous duhn-DUHN? Eminem’s Detroit fever-dream “Lose Yourself”?
Let’s kick off the debate with a little “Flashdance,” shall we? Then take your passion and make it happen in the comments section below:
Which artists have brought the most music magic to the big screen? Who should be stripped of their celluloid privileges forever? (Will Smith, you’re on notice.) And where will Leona’s entry fall in the pantheon of blockbuster theme songs?
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
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Comments (1-30) of 171 Add your comment
My Heart Will Go On is one of the worst things ever to come out of the movies.
I actually think it is one of the best, and fits the movie perfectly.
Agreed! That song gave the movie a lot of momentum. People were requesting is constantly after the movie came out. It was way way overplayed but it was the perfect compliment to drive the emotionality of the movie home.
I despise Celine Dion, but I’m willing to admit that is a good song that totally suited the movie. It was just played to death.
This is the best song in the world for a movie. This is my all time favorite song and Titanic is my all time favorite movie.
Hands down worst——-Wind Beneath My Wings from Beaches. Most overplayed song in the history of mankind. Loved the movie, hated the song.
THIS.
It was a good song, but it was overplayed to death and just…gah.
My Heart Will Go On is a great song. Just over played.
The end credit theme from “The Princess Bride.” “Our love is like a storybook story/But it’s as real as the feelings I feel.”
Sweet!
Isn’t it Mark Knopffler?
“Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime” by Beck, from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Understated, moving, and utterly brilliant.
Excellent choice! What a beautiful song.
YES!
Yeah, I fourth this.
GREAT choice!
yes, yes, and yes! perfect for that movie, and just an amazing piece.
The “Theme from Shaft” of course. And “Take My Breath Away” is pretty good too.
Aren’t they using Leona’s new song “Happy” for all the promos for “Precious”? Is she getting two nominations come Oscar time?
I find it interesting that a lot of songs that are used in promos for movies aren’t actually on the soundtracks too…
Sorry, I’ll go animation and select “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” from Toy Story 1.
I believe “Happy” is off Ms. Lewis’ new album, so it’s not an original song for a movie and therefore not an Oscar contender.
No, they’ll be pushing Mary J. Blige’s “I Can See in Color” for the best song nom for that movie.
Ummmm. The theme to “Jaws” isn’t a ’song’.
Doesn’t need words to be a song, and it certainly qualifies as a movie theme. It’s no different than instrumental songs (i.e. no vocals) on an album.
Sorry, no. There’s an enormous difference between song and score. The Jaws theme is part of the score, and that two-note duhn-DUHN that was referenced is a motif repeated throughout the score. If scores are to be included, this is a completely different conversation.
I Completely agree crispy… score and song are different, which is why I’m having problems posting an opinion.
How is it not a song?
A song, by its’ very definition, is a musical composition with words. In other words, it needs to have singing. The “Jaws” theme does not have that. It is part of an instrumental score. At least the theme to “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” contains vocals.
Spacebaaaalls… look out look out! It’s the Spacebaaaalls. [Yes I went there and sung it in text] Since Leah Greenblatt included Jaws instrumental theme, may I point out the opening instrumental theme to Airplane! or the opening theme to The Naked Gun. Family Guy really went nostalgic playing those songs in two of their episodes.
awesome spaceballs reference!
“A Time for Us” from 1968 Romeo and Juliet. Really beautiful.
My Heart Will Go On is the best.
Somewhere over the Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz my favorite.
Yes! Good choice!
The one song played more than “My Heart Will Go On.” Sorry – I know it’s heretical, but I am so freaking tired of “Over the Rainbow.”
I’m a big fan of Spider-Man 2’s Vindicated by Dashboard Confessional. Made me wait through the credits, which rarely happens unless there is a scene at the end!
A totally appropriate tune, seeming that Peter Parker is the ultimate emo superhero.
“All For One” from the Three Musketteers,” sang by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting. Everything I Do, I Do It For You is another all-time favourite too.
Good one, one of my favs
Love “You’ve Got a Friend” from Toy Story. Perfect song for a great movie.
Okay, I realize that this isn’t technically a “song” like someone else pointed out but EVERYTIME I hear the theme song to the Superman movies, I get goosepumps. I was so glad they used it in the 2006 movie as well. It’s epic.
Oh my God! I thought I was the only geek-freak who thinks the Superman score is legendary! Absolutely the most recognizable, most image-inducing, most inspirational score of all time! Kudos Sarah T.!
My Heart Will Go On is a hugely overrated song from an even more overrated movie. Titanic shouldn’t have won best picture. Good Will Hunting was a better movie in every conceivable way. “A View To A Kill” is the best theme song from the James Bond series and one of the best theme songs ever.
Wow, you’re like wrong on every point you made!
I haven’t seen Titanic or Good Will Hunting, but My Heart Will Go On IS hugely overrated.
Good Will Hunting was, indeed, the true Best Picture that year.
Not only was Good Will Hunting a etter movie (although I actually think L.A. Confidential was a more deserving winner), ut Elliott Smith’s “Miss Misery” is much much superior to “My Heart Will Go On”, and that year he completely stole the show with his song during the awards ceremony. A simple but overwhelming track that one.
Yes, “Happy” is being used in promos, but it wasn’t written for “Precious” so it can’t be nominated.
Even if Lewis performs a great track, there will be major backlash against it since it’s coming from a Cameron film written by James Horner performed by a pop diva.
How about “Gonna Fly Now” – the theme song from Rocky. Hokey but I love all of the Rocky movies, and most of the songs.
Ooh, and Eye of the Tiger!
Fame. from Fame. But ONLY the Irene Cara version is awesome.
I can’t hear “Bittersweet Symphony” without thinking of Cruel Intentions(so good).
And of course, “9 to 5.” And while we’re on the subject of Dolly, “Travelin’ Thru” from Transamerica is also an amazing song.
Coolio’s Dangerous Minds
That is IT!
You CAN NOT leave that song out.
Dangerously in love with Dangerous Minds.
Good one.
GANGSTA’S PARADISE.
Neverending story, back in time by huey lewis and the news (back to the future)
Love anything by Christopher Guest so I would have to say the sweetness (with just a little spice) of A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow from A Mighty Wind is right up there. Could not imagine a better song in movie moment by the talented Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy. I am sick to death of movie songs being played at the end credits as Oscar bait. If it isn’t IN the movie why should it count.
Hello? Any song by Disney! Just to name a few, “Part of Your World,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “A Whole New World,” “Circle of Life,”…should I continue?
Those aren’t really THEME songs, just songs from those movies.
Maybe not technically “theme” songs, but still movie songs.
no mary is right… those ARE the theme songs
how is the song “Beauty and the beast” not the THEME song to “Beauty and the beast”??????
The best movie themes, in my opinion, in no particular order:
Thus Spake Zarathustra (2001)
Live and Let Die (Live and Let Die)
Eye of the Tiger (Rocky III)
The Theme from Rocky (Rocky, et al)
Night Fever (Saturday Night Fever)
Car Wash (Car Wash)
Axel F (Beverly Hills Cop)
She Caught the Katy (The Blues Brothers)
Live and Let Die! A number of the James Bond songs are awesome, especially the older ones up til and including Nobody Does it Better.
Totally agree that many bond songs are awesome. I think it speaks well of the franchise that to sing and/or write a theme song has become a competition among artists. Below are my person favorites, but what the Bond theme songs do, especially in my opinion Goldfinger, is that they immediately suck you into 007’s world. Goldfinger was the first bond I saw, and to this day is probably still my favorite because just in listening to the theme song you get the danger, lust, excitement and adventure that the rest of the film and franchise is all about.
1. Goldfinger (Shirley Bassey)
2. View to a Kill (Duran Duran)
3. From Russia With Love (Sinatra)
4. Moonraker (Shirley Bassey)
5. Live and Let Die (McCartney)
I like View to a Kill, but I have to say I love Chris Cornell’s You Know My Name from Casino Royale.
That “All for One” from the Three Musketeers has got to be the worst. I expect that from Adams and Stewart … but Sting? He really let me down on that one.
What? No one has mentioned “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds for The Breakfast Club? Shame on you.
Right – and which one had “If You Leave” by OMD? (Funny – the movies all run together for me, but the songs don’t…)
“Pretty in Pink” had OMD
Thank you!!! Or St.Elmo’s Fire… Remember that one? Not particularly “epic” but certainly memorable! Molly Ringwald blowing out candles to The thompson twins?! C’mon!
I can not remember the name of the song right now but Celine Dion sang it for a Michelle Pfeiffer movie called “Up Close and Personal” I wish I could remember it. I also agree with pretty much any Disney movie.They always have good songs and I can not wait to hear what comes out of the Princess and the Frog!
Gangsta’s Paradise
Lol Celine Dion singing Gangsta’s Paradise would be TOO funny
Hahaha!!! Thank you so much for the mental picture of Celine Dion in a du-rag.
Because You Loved Me. Pretty song.
the song was ” Because You Loved Me” a dandy to be sure
The theme from the Right Stuff..amazing and gives me chills.
Magic or Xanadu from the Xanadu movie by Olivia are amazing!
Arthur’s Theme (Best that You Can Do)-Christopher Cross is a classic
Endless Love-Diana Ross and Lionel Ritchie is beautiful
Beautiful Stranger or Don’t Cry for Me Argentina by Madonna is great from the Spy who Shagged Me and Evita are good
Loverboy by Mariah from Glitter was fun too.
I LOVE Xanadu and am not ashamed to admit it!
Glitter was awful.
Xanadu! Nuh-uh!!! It’s on HBO right now! Too funny!
All of the John Hughes movies have stand-out soundtracks – “Don’t You Forget About Me” from The Breakfast Club, “Pretty in Pink” from Pretty in Pink, and whatever the name of that song from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is that just says “Oh yeah”
You left out the best of these movies: Some Kind of Wonderful – it is far superior to Pretty in Pink in everyway – story, acting, music. Period.
The Propellerheads’ “Spybreak” made The Matrix even better, but I’m not sure it was the theme song.
1. Meet Me in St. Louis
2. Harvey Girls – The Atchison, Topika, and Santa Fe
3. Top Gun – Danger Zone
Excellent taste in music, A.J.