Soundtracks That Make Me Smile

I've got to admit, certain movies have me watching them over and over again simply, because of their soundtracks. 

The music that plays in the background softly easing you gently into a new scene, or blasting through pivotal moments, or even ending a scene to make you cry, and cry everytime you hear that song - these are the types of soundtracks that stick in my mind. 

The ones, that even when I'm not watching the movie, if I hear that song I can remember - Hey? that's when Baby leapt into his arms, or This is the moment when Penny Lane was singing on the bus, or even This is when, Lelaina, Troy, Vickie and Sammy break out to My Sharona in the petrol station.  All these moments define movies to me, and heck, I think it's because of the schmick soundtracks that pave the way for those moments that make me smile.

So here they are, my favourite soundtracks - I must warn, there are quite a few, and I am in no state to choose my favourite, so I will list them in alphabetical order for argument's sake.

What are your favourites? Or have I pretty much listed every fabulouso one out there? In my opinion. Yes. Yes I have.

* If you were holding me at hostage, and demanded an answer I would probably admit that my top three are - Almost Famous, Juno and Garden State. shhhhhh!

** Aristocats nearly made it to the list - nearly.

*** Pulp Fiction, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Way We Were, and 500 Days of Summer are also pretty dang ace

1. Almost Famous - This soundtrack is possibly the best thing since sliced bread.    This movie completely changed my music style. After watching it, I started listening to Cat Stevens and Simon and Garfunkel and Tiny Dancer by Elton John became my favourite song. Ever. Listening to Thunderclap Newman - Something in the Air, was my favourite thing to do when I worked at the pizza shop on Friday nights, and I must say, I'm very upset that Led Zeppelin - Tangerine, never made the cut, because this scene is pure love.

The. Best. Sing - a - Long. Ever. - You are home.

2. Cruel Intentions - Four songs stay in my mind. Placebo - Every you, Every me. Counting Crows - Colourblind. The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony, and Fatboy Slim - Praise You.  All four of these songs, whenever I hear them I can remember the exact scenes in which they were played, and they made the movie for me.  Cruel Intentions, for me, has the best ending to any movie I have ever seen, and it's because of this song.

The. Best. Ending. Ever.

3. Dirty Dancing - I know the favourite song for this bad girl is usually, "I've Had the Time of My Life", and even though I do dig it, I still love, The Four Seasons - Big Girls Don't Cry, The Ronettes - By My Baby, and of course, Eric Carmen - Hungry Eyes - To me, that's Dirty Dancing, Baby.

4. Footloose - Oh, Footlose, how I love you.  Bird and I used to watch you every other weekend when we weren't watching Dirty Dancing, and we'd sing along to all your songs.  Our favourites: Kenny Loggins - Footloose, Deniece Willliams - Let's Hear it for the Boy,  and possibly my favourite tractor race scene ever, with Bonnie Tyler - Holding Out for a Hero. It gets me every single time, Kevin Bacon. Every single time.

5. Forest Gump - This movie is so beautiful, and the music deserves it's own big, fat congratulations. How can you possibly not listen to this soundtrack over, and over again without not feeling like you were living in the swinging '60s? There are just too many songs to list, but, Scott McKenzie - San Francisco and Harry Nilsson - Everybody's Talkin'  are at the top.

6. Garden State - Garden State, you and your brilliance get me every time. Coldplay, The Shins and Nick Drake - Bravo to you. Whenever I hear these songs I feel like I'm living in a town where everyone has cemetery's for their pet hamsters.

7. Juno - 'nuff said. Seriously though, whoever made this soundtrack is a pure genius. Barry louis Parker, Kimya Dawson and Belle and Sebastian you rock my socks. P.s I always cry when Cat Power - Sea of Love is played.

The. Best. Opening. Ever.

8. Looking for Alibrandi - The opening to Looking For Alibrandi is so schmick and cool with the Italian themes at Tomato Day. The teenage anthems and the popular songs at the time of its release made me run out and buy the cassette - yes a tape. Whenever I hear, Lo-Tel - Teenager of the Year, U2 - With or Without You, and Silverchair - Miss you Love, I think of this movie, and Josie crying at John's funeral and making out with Jacob Coote - he pretty much made the movie for me.

9. Lords of Dogtown  - David Bowie, Led Zeppelin and this scene, right here - Make this movie absolutely ACE, and Maggie May possibly the coolest song in the soundtrack, and forever etched in my mind.

10. Reality Bites - I love, love, love this movie. Ethan Hawke Circa Reality Bites is my favourite. And the grunge music that plays throughout the film makes me love it even more. When they dance to My Sharona in the petrol station I just want to do the same.  Crowded House - Something So Strong, World Party - When You Come Back to Me, and U2 - All I Want is You Yes, this is in Spanish, but the ending is this.

"You see, Lainie, this is all we need...a couple of smokes, a cup of coffee...And a little bit of conversation.You and me and five bucks.You got it." - Ethan Hawke, this is my favourite line in any movie.

11. Remember the Titans - We used to watch this every week in HPE, and I've got to say, I knew every song off by heart, and they pretty much rock. Best football film ever I say. Plenty of Creedence, and The Hollies - Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress, makes me think of school over and over again.

12. Risky Business - I do have a mild crush on 'Old School Tom Cruise', definitely not 'New Tom Cruise'.  Risky Business is the bomb, his underwear, Bob Seger - Old Time Rock n Roll, scene is classic.  The Police, Bruce Springsteen and Phil Collins also made this movie a hit for me, but it was pretty much hotty Tom Cruise in his underwear. dancing to this song.

13. Rock n Roll Highschool - This movie started my everlasting love for The Ramones, and they have rocked my world ever since. Yes, Fleetwood Mac makes an appearance, but for me this was all about The Ramones. Please watch this movie, it's effing fabulous. Riff, I am going to name my first born after you.  
High School Musical? pfffffft.

14. Sixteen Candles  - Oh, Jake Ryan, you are the epitome of high school love, and this soundtrack is the epitome of John Hughes and classic movies.  Spandau Ballet - True, The Vapors - Turning Japanese, Darlene Love - Today I Met the Boy I'm Gonna Marry, make me think of Jake Ryan, standing outside on the street in front of a red porsche.

15. The Breakfast Club - Simple Minds - Don't You Forget About Me will always remind me of that scene, and nothing else.

16. The Wedding Singer - Oh the Wedding Singer, Bird and I just love this whole soundtrack, and we love to sing it when we're entirely drunk off Passion Pop, where Bird is the Side Burn Lady, and I am her Wedding Singer. I want this scene to be reenacted at my wedding thanks.

LOVE STINKS

17. Walk The Line - I heart you Johnny Cash, but I heart you even more, Walk The Line Soundtrack.  Folsom Prison, Jackson and Ring of Fire make this movie brilliant.  Whenever I hear Folsom Prison Blues (Which is very often) I always think of the prison scene, university, and interpretive dances.  

18. You've Got Mail - Possibly one of my favourite movies, and the soundtrack unexpectedly is so good.  The songs fit the theme and mood of the movie so well, and even though I would not have personally listened to them beforehand, after watching this movie, Harry Nilsson is forever in my Itunes. This movie made me want to own a book store, while playing this soundtrack over, and over again.