The world of song parodies is quite extensive as practically any top forty hit from the past seventy years of music has seemingly been lampooned and mocked to death. The same is true for songs that have become iconic thanks to their role on the big screen, too.
Songs have always been a crucial part of the silver screen. After all, there is an entire Oscar category dedicated to them and, whether they are present in the credits or woven into the actual plot of the movie, many of them have become the biggest hits of their time. From movie musicals like Grease to superhero surprises like Batman Forever, many of cinema's most iconic songs have received extensive parodies.
"We Go Together" - American Dad
"We Go Together" will always be best known for its bop nature in the classic 1978 musical, Grease. However, the tune also lends itself well to parody, considering how poppy and lyrically silly it is.
In the season six episode of American Dad, "Home Wrecker," the song receives a parody in the form of an entire musical number from the ensemble Smith family. It captures the spirit of the original tune very well and shows that Bob's Burgers is not the only animated comedy that can burst into song.
"Belle" - The Tonight Show
Just recently, Jimmy Fallon and John Legend re-upped their comedic collaborations to pinpoint the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 sending the world into lockdown. They blended their voices together for a parody of "Belle" from Beauty and the Beast.
The song, however, was entitled "March Again." This might make one think they were parodying "Human Again" from the stage show, but the song "Belle" is a monotonous one that fits the quarantine repetition aptly.
"City Of Stars" - Golden Globes
As a comedic song-and-dance man, "Belle" is hardly the only song from the movies that Jimmy Fallon has parodied. When he hosted the Golden Globes in 2017, he also enlisted Justin Timberlake and his fellow SNL alum Tina Fey for a parody of "City of Stars" from La La Land.
Of course, the ensemble is really brought together by the hair clip that makes Fallon's hair resemble Ryan Gosling's in the movie. It wouldn't have looked right to play those notes on the piano without it.
"Rainbow Connection" - The Muppets
Leave it to the Muppets to actually pull off a movie parody of their most famous movie song. When "Rainbow Connection" is sung by Kermit the Frog in The Muppet Movie, it's performed quite earnestly.
However, when it receives a revisit in 2011's The Muppets, it's actually twisted to be a song that advertises great deals. Fozzie Bear winds up as the crooner instead and he's backed by a parody band, too: The Moopets. Fortunately, the movie crescendos with a proper cover.
"A Spoonful Of Sugar" - Arrested Development
The entire trope of a silly, frilly nanny coming to help repair a family is lampooned by Tobias on Arrested Development, as he becomes the Mary Poppins-Mrs. Doubtfire hybrid creation, Mrs. Featherbottom.
During this story arc, Tobias parodies the classic Mary Poppins ditty, "A Spoonful of Sugar," in a questionable, at best, manner. It definitely contains some duplicitous phrasing that Disney would have never permitted from the Sherman brothers.
"You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" - Just Shoot Me
From the classic holiday film, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" almost comes across like a parody song itself. It contains lyrics about thirty-nine and a half foot poles, which is definitely rare in popular music these days.
As such, it lends itself very well to being contorted and lyrically altered to fit other such mean and cruel characters. That is the case for Dennis Finch, David Spade's secretary on Just Shoot Me. In the season three holiday episode, the song fits the phrasing, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Finch," as he tries to sabotage the holiday spirit for his coworkers.
"Oompa Loompa Song" - The Office
Continuing on the sitcom train, The Office was known for its myriad song of parodies. Michael's "Goodbye Toby" remains an iconic one. However, it dabbled in movie songs when Andy Bernard applied his A Capella skills to the "Oompa Loompa Song" from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
It's a triumphant song (only for Andy) after he believes he has successfully gotten Dwight fired from Dunder Mifflin. For a while, it was the best Willy Wonka parody on The Office, until Michael dressed as the candy maker and nearly tanked the entire Scranton branch.
"Kiss From A Rose" - Community
"Kiss from a Rose" is best known as being part of the soundtrack for Batman Forever, becoming a legendary anthem for the romantically-minded DC superhero. A new generation, however, might know the Seal song best for being included in "Studies in Modern Movement" from Community.
In that installment, Jeff and the Dean sing the song earnestly for video karaoke. But the parody comes into the mix when Britta, Shirley, and the hitchhiker they picked up turn the song into a treatise on Jesus, marijuana, and drinking human blood.
"Spider-Pig" - The Simpsons
The biggest pop culture phenomenon of 2007 might just have been Homer Simpson holding his pig up to the ceiling in the trailer for The Simpsons Movie. Everyone was singing the twisted Spider-Man theme song that Homer came up with, which included the phrase, "Does whatever a Spider-Pig does."
After over three decades on the air, The Simpsons has probably parodied the majority of top musical hits. But this rendition remains one of their most well-known.
"When You Wish Upon A Star" - Family Guy
Another Fox animated sitcom might just have the most famous instance of a movie song parody. A 2003 episode of Family Guy, features a parody of the classic Pinocchio song, "When You Wish Upon a Star."
There was an attempt to sue Seth Macfarlane and the Family Guy team over this parody, but it ultimately went nowhere. Still, it's a parody relic that has not aged well at all and is probably left in the far, far past.