The Greatest Musical Moments in Film, Part 1

In the history of film, there have been many great and wonderful moments created by the use of song. No, I'm not talking about taking a popular song and putting it in the film to sell the soundtrack. I'm talking about the use of music to further the story and create a sequence that is not only memorable but powerful to the viewer. These are the kind of sequences that you can't forget after watching the film. These are the sequences that can literally give you goosebumps while you watch them. Some of them are so popular that they have been ingrained into the social consciousness of Americans. Some of them are slightly more obscure but equally as moving as they unfold. In short, these scenes create a little something that I like to call "movie magic." It's rare, but it happens. Through this list of 25 musical moments, I plan on showing the sequence and telling you, the viewer, why I believe that this moment is not only powerful but important to the history of film. I hope you guys enjoy this compilation.

For your sanity and my own, I've decided to cut this article into five parts instead of the two that were originally planned. I'll try to get a part up per day. This should make the list more enjoyable for everyone.

Part 1 of 5.

25. "No Easy Way Out"- Robert Tepper- Rocky IV

I know, it must seem cheap that after that intro that I'm starting with a musical montage from a Rocky film. But come on, you can't have a list of the greatest musical moments in film and not include a Rocky montage! You just can't. It's against some unwritten rule... I'm sure of it. Anyways, ever since I first saw Rocky IV, I've always been partial to this particular montage. It takes place after Rocky and Adrian have a fight about Rocky going to Russian to fight Ivan Drago, who has killed his friend and former opponent Apollo Creed. Through this montage, Rocky wrestles with his own inner demons while driving his sweet sports car through the dark night. The montage is edited together fairly well and includes footage from all the Rocky films up until that point. It's a little cheesy and cliché, but I can't help but enjoy it every time I see it. It's a good taste of 1980's cinema and how much fun the Rocky films can be. And it's number 25 on my list.

24. "Burnin' in the Third Degree"- Tyranglz- The Terminator

I know this may seem like a really obscure choice at first, but here me out. First off, it's not really the song here that matters, it's the way it's used and edited. At first listen, there's absolutely nothing special about the song "Burnin' in the Third Degree." It's just your average 1980's club song. However, through some really great film and sound editing, the song becomes a very haunting overlude to the Terminator's stalk of Sarah Conner. As the Terminator gets closer and closer, the song begins to echo and sound different. Slowly, the song is combined with Brad Fiedel's now classic Terminator score, giving the moment even more power. This is not only my favorite part of the film but, as you can see, it's one of my favorite moments of the use of music in film. It has great film and sound editing, great directing, and some solid acting by everyone involved. It may seem like an obscure choice but I stand by it.

23. "Sweet Emotion"- Aerosmith- Dazed and Confused

There are not many film openings as powerful of that of Dazed and Confused. As the Gramercy Pictures logo appears and the opening titles spill out over black, the song is only getting warmed up. Then, right when the "Sweet Emotion" chorus kicks in for the first time, the image of a car full of stoners whips around the school parking lot in slow motion with the main title right on top of it. The rest of the sequence is just as well edited as this beautiful opening image. The sequence cleverly introduces all of the film's characters, their drug use, and the 1976 Austin, Texas setting. Dazed and Confused is filled with some great musical moments, but I feel that this opening sequence is the film's most iconic and powerful. I could not embed the video on YDKS, but you can watch it here.

22. Don't You (Forget About Me)- Simple Minds- The Breakfast Club

This is a song you cannot have a "Great Musical Moments in Film" list without. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds is one of the most famous uses of music in a 1980's film. While the song and its use may seem cliché by today's standards, it's still just as powerful to me today as the first time I saw it. Let's face it, this song and its use in The Breakfast Club is just classic. You cannot think of the film The Breakfast Club or John Hughes for that matter and not think about this song. My friend Evan and I used to sing this song in the hallway of our high school before classes would start. I still do that celebratory fist pump that Judd Nelson does in the final frame of the film while the song is playing. It's just all good. While the song is an effective start of the film, I prefer it's use in the ending. It really works to show what these kids have gone through in their detention and how they will all never be the same. That and I just like to see it with the celebratory fist pump. Cue the synth!

21. "Bohemian Rhapsody"- Queen- Wayne's World

The first time I ever flew on an airplane with my family, we all went to Denver, Colorado. While I don't really remember much about the vacation other than it being really cold and busting my ass while trying to ice skate, I do remember watching Wayne's World at least four times. For some reason, Wayne's World came on every morning in my hotel room while we were in Colorado. And I watched it every morning. This is also one of the first movies I can remember owning on VHS. I really wore the tape out. Anyways, like most people, one of my favorite parts of the film was the "rock out" to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" while in the car. This scene is as fun as a musical use in film can be and then some. Whenever you're in the car and this song comes on the radio, you can't help but think of this scene and have an urge to imitate it. Like "Don't You (Forget About Me)," it's just one of those songs that are just plain classic. It also is good for reminding you of a time when Mike Myers was actually... gasp... funny.

Parts 2-5 Coming Soon.

What do you guys think so far? What would you like to see appear on the list? What do you think is coming up next? Please let me know.