What I Would Have Played – Songs That Randomly Appeared In Movies
Everyone who reads this is a movie buff of some sort, and you’re all familiar with movie soundtracks. What about the songs that don’t appear on the soundtrack, though? They pop up in some strange moment in the film and seem to have absolutely nothing to do with the film at all. We take a look at some of those this week…enjoy!
1. ELO – Telephone Line (1977)
I keep looking for the moment Adam Sandler jumped the shark (it can’t have been until after Happy Gilmore, I wouldn’t think), but I’m also fixated on some of the strangest moments of his career. Billy Madison was a hysterical movie (in places), and one of the most oddly funny parts of the film was when Sandler’s character decides to make amends for the people he’s wronged in his life. One of those people is Steve Buscemi’s character, who crosses Madison’s name off his list of people to kill, then starts applying lipstick as this song plays. I have no idea what the hell inspired it, but I laughed. A lot.
2. Pat Benatar – We Belong (1984)
The first of two oddly random songs from the movie Talladega Nights, this song plays as Ricky Bobby races his driving adversary (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) on foot to the finish line. Ferrell is known for having movies packed with non-sequitur songs, and this is no exception.
3. Wham! – Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (1984)
This song’s appearance in Talladega Nights was a bit more obscure, as it took place during the credit roll. John C. Reilly’s Cal Naughton Jr. character sings this to Ricky Bobby as he attempts to smother him with a pillow during a dream sequence in a hospital. Reilly absolutely slayed this character in the film, and this was one of his funniest bits.
4. Matthew Wilder – Break My Stride (1983)
This veteran of the more “behind the scenes” parts of the music biz had exactly one solo hit in his career, and this was it. This track appeared over the credit roll of the Ed Helms/John C. Reilly (there he is again!) vehicle Cedar Rapids in 2011, and if you haven’t seen it, do so ASAP. I guess this song applies to Helms’ character in the film, but there was no reference whatsoever to the song in the movie — it just pops up during the credits.
5. Statler Brothers – Flowers on the Wall (1965)
Pulp Fiction was, in itself, one of the most random movies in recent history, but one of the more memorable moments from this acid trip of a film occurred as Butch returned from getting his watch in his small white Honda. This song happened to play as Butch drove, then had his “encounter” with Marsellus Wallace at an intersection. I have no idea what inspired it, what it means or anything, but enjoy.
