Trendy or Timeless: Songs in Cinema

Murder on the Dancefloor, Running up that Hill, and City of Stars are all songs that gained wide popularity once introduced to the world of cinema. Are these songs popular simply because of their sonic appeal, or is there something deeper about the emotions that the films evoke that captivates listeners?

Throughout cinema history, soundtracks have been a fundamental part of any good film. From City of Stars in La La Land to Don't You Forget About Me in The Breakfast Club, songs included in famous movies can often reach more audiences than the films themselves. Perhaps this is simply because they are catchy songs that are redistributed over and over through different mediums like TikTok or other forms of content creation, but I believe there is something more to these timeless soundtracks than their mere sonorous effect. 

Interstellar is the main example that comes to my mind when thinking of movies that utilize sound to deepen the film, rather than a simple post-filming addition. Its most popular track, Cornfield Maze, has been adapted and worshiped by pianists around the world for its ability to combine a seemingly simple back-and-forth sequence of recurring notes, yet cast listeners into a state of deep sorrow and remorse, much like the main character in the film. That is what makes a great soundtrack––not catchy, forgettable tracks but songs that immerse you in the film on a personal level; it is that connection that draws listeners back time and time again to relive that same feeling. 

Even songs like Murder on the Dancefloor, the upbeat hit that has finally been rediscovered in its feature in Saltburn after 23 years, have distinct personalities that catch viewers' attention. Sure, Tiktok has an immense appetite for flat, trendy songs, but with the platform’s inherent fast-moving nature, and its content that rarely engages the viewer deeply, these songs’ fame is often short-lived. It is songs featured in longer forms of media like Murder on the Dancefloor and Running Up That Hill that effectively combine catchy beats with lyrics and true meaning that find a way to succeed, as they have the sonic appeal that catches viewers' attention and the story in which they are featured, connecting the listener more profoundly to the scene and bringing them back to the same songs again and again.

One of my favorite directors, Wes Anderson, is a master at using music to enhance the peculiar qualities of his films. In The Royal Tenenbaums, the song These Days by Nico immerses the viewer in the strange yet endearing moment in which Richie meets his adopted sister Margot at a bus station. The visual point of interest––the slow motion shot of Margot stepping off the green bus in her outrageous fur coat––paired with the nasally croon of Nico’s voice sends the viewer straight into this world of indie romance that completely captures the oddities of this film, while still portraying the lovable strangeness of the characters themselves. While on its own this song might have been grouped with the other unusual, experimental songs of its time, its endearing peculiarity is so striking within the film because, as this tale of a dysfunctional family unfolds, the soundtrack charms the viewer as they begin to fall in love with these characters that are so flawed and yet so lovable. Without the music, this scene would be quite bizarre as their dialogue is often brief and ridiculous, but the tale of bittersweet and unreciprocated love that the song evokes captivates the viewer in this moment––music describes the oddity of their relationship in a way dialogue never could.

Movies and film aside, even one’s favorite songs can reflect this idea of a story being told through the lyrics. The reason why many people listen to music is because it describes the emotions that they feel through the usage of sound and lyricism; each time a song is played, the memories attached to that moment build one’s own story that the song begins to reflect. 

Indeed, it is the ability to involve one's experiences in listening to a song in a film that makes it so meaningful, as songs can engage and relate the viewer to the true feelings of the character in a way that cannot be implied through dialogue or action. Without music, many scenes would feel unnatural, impersonal, and empty; it is music’s job to fully envelop the viewer in a scene’s emotional depth. 

 Catherine Bain