Music and movies go hand in hand and often the former can influence the latter in many ways. Song titles are usually pithy and memorable which makes them perfect to be borrowed when a film is looking for a name. They’re immediately memorable or, at least, familiar enough to draw interest.
In some cases, the song is inseparable from the film, while in other cases the movie is merely paying homage to a certain time and place in musical history. All genres of film have borrowed from song titles, from comedies like Pretty Woman to heart-wrenching dramas like My Girl.
I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978)
Long before he directed classics such as Back to the Future, Robert Zemeckis made his directorial debut with I Wanna Hold Your Hand. The film follows a group of teenagers in 1964 as they spend the day in New York City trying to find a way to get into the Ed Sullivan Show to see The Beatles perform.
The film’s title is taken from one of The Beatles’ biggest hits and was the first song The Beatles played that night on the show. It is an interesting time capsule to a time that wasn’t too distant in the past when the film was made. Though many films have told the story of The Beatles or featured them as performers, I Wanna Hold Your Hand endeavored to capture the phenomena of Beatlemania on screen.
Baby Driver (2017)
One sure-fire way to make your film a hit is to cram it with as many ear-worm songs as possible and release a killer soundtrack. Baby Driver tells the story of a young man with a love of music and a penchant for driving fast. He works as a getaway driver for a criminal enterprise but finds his life disrupted by the arrival of new love.
The title comes from the silly song of the same name by Simon and Garfunkel. The tune has a peppy mood and a somewhat tongue-in-cheek story which made it perfect to underscore the Edgar Wright action-comedy. Though the song is reserved for the end of the film, its sound and lyrics are evocative of the mood of the film as a whole.
Dazed And Confused (1993)
Few films captured the essence of a by-gone decade quite like Richard Linklater’s classic comedy, Dazed and Confused. The film tells the interweaving stories of a group of high school students that takes place over the last day of the school year in 1976.
The title is derived from the Led Zeppelin song of the same name and though Zeppelin had many other hits throughout the 70s, “Dazed and Confused” was the perfect song, to sum up, the character’s attitudes. Not only were they dazed by drugs and alcohol but they were confused about what direction their lives would take after leaving school.
Blue Velvet (1986)
Sometimes, songs can be used as a grim parallel to the dark things happening on screen. David Lynch’s Blue Velvet tells the story of a college student who returns home only to get wrapped up in a mysterious disappearance involving a nightclub singer and a violent criminal.
The film’s title is derived from the Bobby Vinton song of the same name and is used ghoulishly in the film. The classic 60’s nostalgia piece is used as a symbol of the villain Frank Booth’s evil obsession with the nightclub singer. Lynch uses the song to soundtrack some of the darkest scenes in the film which stands in strange juxtaposition to the saccharine lyrics.
Stand By Me (1986)
Coming of age films are often set in the past and are representative of the audience’s own childhood experiences. The classic Stephen King adaptation Stand By Me tells the story of a group of young boys in 1959 who venture deep into the woods to look at a dead body and along the way they truly experience life for the first time.
The original story that inspired the film was titled “The Body”, and the decision to rename the film after Ben E. King’s classic tune added another layer of nostalgia. The film is jam-packed with hits from the time and the title song is most representative of the boy’s relationship with one another. Though they may be social outcasts, they all have each other.
Man On The Moon (1999)
Sometimes, the content of a song so closely adheres to a film’s plot that it is only natural that they share the same title. Man on the Moon is a biographical film about absurdist comedian Andy Kaufman and his brief but memorable life in show business. The film was notable because it featured Jim Carrey in one of his first dramatic roles.
The film’s title comes from the R.E.M song which was originally written as a tribute to the late comedian, Kaufman. Though the film and song were developed at different times, it made sense to join the two together and R.E.M came on board to record additional songs for the film’s soundtrack.
Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
Sequels to films are very common, but sequels to hit songs are a rare event, especially one so memorable as “Peggy Sue”. Peggy Sue Got Married tells the story of a woman on the verge of divorce who is magically transported back to 1960 and the eve of her high school graduation. While there she reevaluates her life choices and relives what eventually led her to the life she has.
The film is named after the Buddy Holly song of the same name. The song was a sequel to Holly’s mega-hit “Peggy Sue” and explored the song’s character as she matured and grew up. Much like the character in the film, and the audience themselves, the Peggy Sue of Holly’s song has changed and there is a tinge of regret and nostalgia.
Blinded By The Light (2019)
Music can be the inspiration of a film but it can also be the inspiration of the characters within the story as well. Blinded by the Light tells the story of a teen living in the U.K in the ’80s who finds community and solace within the music of American rocker Bruce Springsteen.
The film’s title is pulled from an earlier song in the Springsteen catalogue that was actually made famous by other artists. Though Springsteen has had more evocative hits such as “Born to Run”, “Blinded by the Light” is more apropos of the story. The song tells the story of a young man finding his place in the world and being “Blinded” by the light of discovery, much like the character in the film.
Pretty Woman (1990)
In the case of Pretty Woman, a hit song was enough to elevate a story that was based on a classic tale from literature. The film tells the story of a rich man who hires a sex worker to pose as his date. Along the way they form a genuine connection with one another and learn about each other’s worlds.
Roy Orbison’s rock classic lent its name to the film and the lyrics are indicative of the emotional sway that Julia Roberts’ character has over Richard Gere. Though the film is packed with other tunes from different eras of music, the title track most matched the playful and sensual mood of the film.
My Girl (1991)
Some songs are so iconic that the mere mention of them is enough to recall memories of the past with fondness. My Girl follows a young girl who lives with her mortician father in 1972 era Pennsylvania. She is obsessed with death and suffers from hypochondria which makes her believe she is constantly ill.
The upbeat manner of the title song juxtaposes the sad ending of the film in an interesting way. The main character, though difficult, is a ray of sunshine in all of the characters’ lives and the film brilliantly saves the classic Temptations song for the end credits for maximum effect.
