SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Should you’re a sure age, and also you hear this music…
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “STAYIN’ ALIVE”)
BEE GEES: (Singing) Whether or not you are a brother or whether or not you are a mom, you are stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.
DETROW: …I wager you possibly can immediately conjure up a picture of John Travolta strutting down the road with a can of paint. “Stayin’ Alive” was his tune, however I am positive when you noticed the film, you might have most likely hummed it to your self as you might have walked down a sidewalk a minimum of as soon as. Or perhaps, fast-forward a number of a long time, you have acquired an enormous job developing, perhaps some public talking, a pitch assembly, one shot, because it had been, one alternative. You would say your palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. So like Eminem’s character in “8 Mile,” you pump your self up with some “Lose Your self.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LOSE YOURSELF”)
EMINEM: (Rapping) You higher lose your self within the music, the second. You personal it. You higher by no means let it go. You solely get one shot. Don’t miss your probability…
DETROW: I may go on. However the level is, music is a robust a part of films. And a few songs and a few films forge an instantaneous hyperlink and stick collectively in your head for many years to come back. That’s what we’ll get into at this time with two friends from NPR Music – Stephen Thompson and Sidney Madden. Hey there.
STEPHEN THOMPSON, BYLINE: Hiya.
SIDNEY MADDEN, BYLINE: Hey, Scott.
DETROW: How can we really feel about these first two references?
THOMPSON: (Laughter).
MADDEN: I imply, Eminem did open a complete restaurant referred to as Mother’s Spaghetti in Detroit off the power of that tune, so clearly it had cultural endurance, and it grew to become a staple from the film.
THOMPSON: I’ve heard that tune roughly – I am simply guessing right here – 4 to six billion occasions. And I am…
MADDEN: (Laughter) Placed on one other (ph) billion.
THOMPSON: And I’m nonetheless not uninterested in it. I’ll nonetheless flip it up each time it comes on the radio. So that’s the mark of an incredible film tune.
DETROW: I’m excited to have this dialog, and I simply wish to begin. I wish to rattle off three examples of, to me, like, high degree songs and films in sync. After which I might love so that you can – like, I simply wish to get your views and also you guys do the identical. So let me begin with this – few various things. I wish to take you on a freeway down a hazard zone, zooming jets, spiked volleyballs, leather-based jackets. I really feel like you must begin with Kenny Loggins, “Freeway To A Hazard Zone” (ph) and “High Gun.” To me, that is, like, up there.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “DANGER ZONE”)
KENNY LOGGINS: (Singing) Freeway to the hazard zone…
DETROW: You’ve got acquired “Struggle The Energy” by Public Enemy in “Do The Proper Factor.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FIGHT THE POWER”)
PUBLIC ENEMY: (Rapping) Struggle the ability. Struggle the ability.
DETROW: It’s the film’s anthem, performed again and again.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “DO THE RIGHT THING”)
GIANCARLO ESPOSITO: (As Buggin’ Out) Yo, that is the one tape you bought?
BILL NUNN: (As Radio Raheem) You do not like Public Enemy, man? This [expletive] dope.
ESPOSITO: (As Buggin’ Out) I am down. However you do not be enjoying nothing else.
NUNN: (As Radio Raheem) I do not like nothing else.
DETROW: After which I’ve to additionally reference – each night time in my desires, I see you, I really feel you. That’s how I do know you go on.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “MY HEART WILL GO ON”)
CELINE DION: (Singing) That’s how I do know you go on.
DETROW: Can we high these three – “Titanic,” “Do The Proper Factor,” “High Gun”?
THOMPSON: I imply, it’s arduous to high these three, Scott. These are all wonderful selections. I imply, we may simply sit right here, and this whole phase may us simply be naming film songs we love, proper?
DETROW: Yeah.
THOMPSON: Like, we may speak about “Mrs. Robinson” from “The Graduate” and the way the best way that tune captures a sure rush that that film brings about.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “MRS. ROBINSON”)
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL: (Singing) And here is to you, Mrs. Robinson. Jesus loves you greater than you’ll know – whoa, whoa, whoa.
THOMPSON: We may simply rattle off ’80s films. You already talked about “Hazard Zone.” We may speak a bit “Footloose” to maintain it with Loggins. We may speak about “Ghostbusters.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “GHOSTBUSTERS”)
RAY PARKER JR: (Singing) If there’s one thing unusual in your neighborhood, who you gonna name? Ghostbusters.
THOMPSON: I do love a sure sort of ’80s film theme tune that basically may solely accompany the film in query, the place the tune is…
DETROW: Yeah.
THOMPSON: …Really calling out the title of the film and reciting plot factors from the film. I feel that may be a very sort of candy period of, , films and songs converging.
MADDEN: And I like how, Stephen, you pinpointed – within the ’80s and ’90s particularly, there have been so many songs that narrated…
THOMPSON: Yeah.
MADDEN: …The film for you and even had the title of the film in it. I consider “Exhale” by Whitney Houston…
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “EXHALE (SHOOP SHOOP)”)
WHITNEY HOUSTON: (Singing) There comes level when, once we exhale, yeah, yeah.
MADDEN: …From “Ready To Exhale,” which just about did not even occur. She was so towards recording songs for the film. She actually wished to get into her actress bag for that. However then lastly, she was satisfied to report that. And fortunate for us, she was. For me, “You Acquired A Pal In Me” by Randy Newman…
DETROW: Oh, man.
THOMPSON: Completely.
MADDEN: …Will eternally – eternally – be the highest of the highest.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME”)
RANDY NEWMAN: (Singing) You’ve got acquired a buddy in me. You’ve got acquired a buddy in me.
MADDEN: Again in ’95, it is so wild that Newman, who already had such an illustrious profession, had by no means scored an animated film earlier than, not to mention a Pixar film. And, after all, he is gone on to compose all the opposite soundtracks of the “Toy Story” films since then.
THOMPSON: Nicely, he went on to principally rewrite that tune again and again and over. Like, each Pixar film for some time…
MADDEN: ‘Trigger what? If the formulation is…
THOMPSON: …Could be like, you are my finest buddy.
(LAUGHTER)
MADDEN: If the formulation shouldn’t be damaged, OK?
DETROW: What’s the issue? What’s the issue with that?
THOMPSON: (Laughter).
MADDEN: The loafing tuba that is available in to accompany him, this lovely, common message that may be picked up by anyone of – a child of any age. However I additionally love songs which can be so good that they really transcend the film.
THOMPSON: Yeah.
MADDEN: One tune, particularly, is Aaliyah’s “Are You That Any individual” from the “Dr. Dolittle” Soundtrack, 1998.
THOMPSON: It does transcend that movie.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “ARE YOU THAT SOMEBODY”)
AALIYAH: (Singing) If I, if I let , you possibly can’t inform no one. I am speaking no one.
MADDEN: No shade to the administrators, Eddie Murphy, Kyla Pratt, anybody concerned, however there was no enterprise having a tune this attractive in a film about speaking animals.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “ARE YOU THAT SOMEBODY”)
AALIYAH: (Singing) Generally I am goody-goody. Proper now I am naughty-naughty.
MADDEN: This tune undoubtedly did them a favor. It additionally moved extremely properly on the Billboard charts. It peaked at No. 21 that – the yr it was launched, and it earned Aaliyah her first Grammy nomination within the class of finest feminine R&B and vocal efficiency. And once more, from a film about speaking animals, y’all.
THOMPSON: (Laughter).
DETROW: I really feel like in speaking about completely different examples, we talked about an fascinating distinction right here. There are songs made for the film, which, such as you mentioned, sort of peaked with the “Ghostbusters.” period, like, ? However then additionally so many various examples of flicks taking a tune that is been round for a very long time and grafting it onto that film, and you may’t hear that tune the identical manner. I am pondering of, like, “Unchained Melody” with “Ghost.”
THOMPSON: Oh, for positive.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “GHOST”)
THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS: (Singing) Starvation to your contact.
PATRICK SWAYZE: (As Sam Wheat) What are you doing?
DEMI MOORE: (As Molly Jensen) I could not sleep.
DETROW: Laborious to listen to that tune and never take into consideration Patrick Swayze doing the very sexual pottery molding (laughter).
THOMPSON: Pottery wheel, yeah.
DETROW: Yeah. However, like, these are two completely different – like, two completely different clear lanes right here.
THOMPSON: Yeah, we’re speaking about unique songs in movies versus needle drops. The phrase needle drop is simply referring to once you’re primarily hitting play on a preexisting tune in a film however permitting it to sort of be woven into the material of what you are seeing. And each from time to time, you see a film with, like, a superbly chosen needle drop, and also you suppose there must be an Oscar’s class for music supervision. However an incredible needle drop can fully reshape our relationship with the tune.
DETROW: Let me ask each of you – I got here in sizzling with, like, three or 4 high examples. Like, which to every of you is, like, the platonic best of a film and a tune working collectively, bringing out the very best in each of them, that you simply really feel like that is the very best instance of those two issues collectively?
MADDEN: Nicely, it is so humorous since you referenced the ’80s and the ’90s and the classics. And I do suppose generally it takes a little bit of time and distance away to establish that this tune goes to be linked to the movie eternally. However there are undoubtedly exceptions with that. One exception is “Redbone” by Infantile Gambino, which performs at first of Jordan Peele’s “Get Out.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “REDBONE”)
CHILDISH GAMBINO: (Singing) However keep woke. They be creepin’.
MADDEN: Discuss musical synergy. In order that tune got here out earlier than the movie did, nevertheless it superbly narrates and foreshadows in regards to the movie’s plot proper there. It is easy. It is ominous. It is bluesy. And it is telling you to remain vigilant, keep woke as a result of somebody could be creeping up on you. Any individual would possibly wish to, I do not know – spoiler alert – take your physique from you. And your complete premise of the film is simply laid out for you to start with montage on this actually innocuous manner.
DETROW: However in not an excessive amount of of an over-the-top manner, proper? You are not like…
MADDEN: Precisely.
DETROW: …Oh, that is precisely what this film is about – when you’re coming in chilly. Stephen, do you wish to wind us down with yet one more favourite?
THOMPSON: I am actually torn. If I am speaking in regards to the platonic best, I would want to select both one thing from “Purple Rain”…
DETROW: Yeah.
THOMPSON: …Whether or not it is “When Doves Cry” or “Purple Rain” itself, or I might speak in regards to the “Theme From Shaft” by Isaac Hayes, which is – once more, we’re speaking about not solely, like, reciting character beats, laying out precisely who the character is and what he is all about in a manner…
DETROW: (Laughter) In a really unusual manner (ph).
MADDEN: Precisely (ph) – embodying every thing, yeah.
THOMPSON: …In a deeply simple manner, but additionally with one of many biggest instrumental, like, backing tracks behind it you possibly can probably think about. These horns are so iconic and so wonderful. And that tune is humorous and peculiar and will solely be from the movie “Shaft.” So I…
DETROW: I’ll see this film about Shaft. What do I must learn about this gentleman?
THOMPSON: Yeah, inform me. Inform me what – inform me a bit bit extra about this Shaft.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “THEME FROM SHAFT”)
ISAAC HAYES: (Singing) Who’s the person that might threat his neck for his brother man?
UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Singing) Shaft.
HAYES: Are you able to dig it?
THOMPSON: That, to me, I imply, if we’ll title platonic beliefs, let’s go together with that one.
DETROW: You’ve got me offered. That’s NPR Music’s Stephen Thompson and Sidney Madden. Thanks to each of you.
THOMPSON: Thanks.
MADDEN: Thanks.
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