Since the sound was first put on film until today, when movies like Matilda: The Musical are right around the corner, soundtracks have been important to the movie experience. Setting the mood of a film and often enhancing it, soundtracks are the backbone of films.
Not every soundtrack can make a movie rememberable though and sometimes, a song can far overshadow the film itself. Whether the film itself was good or not, its song outlives its relevancy and on Reddit, some users have taken the time to remember which songs came from forgettable films.
Kokomo - The Beach Boys
Cocktail (1988)
The Beach Boys had their biggest hit in years when they released the catchy but divisive "Kokomo" in 1988. While it is certainly not Pet Sounds, it is still a nice catchy tune that is remembered all these years later. Reddit user EC3ForChamp mentions that "most people couldn't say what movie Kokomo is from, yet it was a massive late-career hit for the Beach Boys."
While Cocktail was a success when it came out, it is not one of Tom Cruise's most famous films and is not as widely remember as some of his other '80s hits like Top Gun or Risky Business."Kokomo" even won a Kids Choice Award upon release, making the fact that it is from an R-rated film even more jarring.
Iris - The Goo Goo Dolls
City Of Angels (1998)
City Of Angels, the American remake of one of Wim Wenders best films according to IMDB, Wings Of Desire, made a lot of money when it came out, with huge star power from Meg Ryan and Nic Cage. However, at the time and still today, its soundtrack is far more remembered thanks to its inclusion of one of the biggest hits of the '90s.
Reddit user Fangiirll pointed out that "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls is from the movie and mentions that they have "never seen it." While many people may have missed City of Angels and the movie it's based upon, "Iris" is still played quite regularly on the radio and is arguably the Goo Goo Dolls signature song.
Young, Wild & Free - Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa (ft. Bruno Mars)
Mac & Devin Go To High School (2012)
A since-deleted Reddit account pointed out that despite the popularity of "Young, Wild & Free," by Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa, "I doubt anyone in the GP has ever watched Mac and Devin Go to High School." This makes sense as that movie was direct to DVD feature that just happened to feature a very good song.
Wiz and Snoop are more marketable as musicians than actors, although Snoop Dogg has appeared in some pretty solid films over his career. This also helps explain why Snoop Dogg is referred to as "Mac" throughout the song as well as some other quirks that may seem out of place on first listen.
Unchained Melody
Unchained (1955)
While The Righteous Brothers' Version of this song had a very famous movie appearance in Ghost, "Unchained Melody" is named after the 1955 prison film, Unchained, where it first appeared in. The film starred NFL Hall of Famer "Crazy Legs" Hirsh and was a flop at the box office at the time.
That should make it no surprise that Reddit User Desfiles posted on r/TodayILearned, "TIL that the song 'Unchained Melody' is the theme song to a little known prison movie called 'Unchained', hence the title." This post got 1,000 likes, proving that the origins of this song are anything but common knowledge.
Kiss From A Rose - Seal
The NeverEnding Story III: Escape from Fantasia (1994)
The OP of this post incorrectly claims that "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal comes from Batman Forever, however, Reddit user McIgglyTuffMuffin pointed out that the song originated from a far more forgettable film. "'Kiss from a Rose' was actually used the previous year in The NeverEnding Story III, if we're talking about forgettable films it is that one. People barely remember there is a sequel let alone a third film in that series."
While the original NeverEnding Story was a popular film - and features one of the saddest deaths in film history - its sequels are barely remembered at all. "Kiss From A Rose" actually got rereleased for Batman Forever and became a huge hit as a result of that film, hence why it is associated with the title. However, while that is not The Dark Knight's most famous adventure, it is certainly more well known than The NeverEnding Story III.
Soul To Squeeze - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Coneheads (1993)
For what it is, Coneheads is not a bad movie. It is not on par with the original Saturday Night Live sketches, but it is entertaining with its numerous cameos and plenty of funny moments. However, "Soul To Squeeze," by The Red Hot Chili Peppers was more popular than and even more so now.
Reddit User ScarWhiz pointed out that "Coneheads is supposed to be pretty terrible (I haven't seen it) but 'Soul to Squeeze' is one of my favorite Red Hot Chili Peppers tracks." While Coneheads is far from terrible, "Soul To Squeeze" is still a favorite among '90s rock fans and arguably more remembered than the film it came from.
Wild Wild West - Will Smith
Wild Wild West (1999)
Will Smith famously turned down The Matrix due to filming Wild Wild West, but at least he got a hit song out of the forgettable adaptation of an old TV Show. This is probably why when asked what terrible movies gave great songs, Reddit User Funkfm simply replied "Wild Wild West."
Will Smith's other big soundtrack hit came from Men In Black, a far better film. Smith has not talked fondly of this film since it came out, but he did get a very catchy song out of it, which should give some solace in knowing that it could have been a lot worse.
Blaze Of Glory - Jon Bon Jovi
Young Guns 2 (1990)
Jon Bon Jovi had a huge solo hit on his hands with "Blaze Of Glory." It not only reached the top of the charts but was also a critical success and even got nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars. The film it came from, Young Guns 2, was not as critically successful.
Reddit User IDK_Very_Much summed it up with "Mediocre movie, f***ing amazing theme song." While the film was a success and featured an all-star cast, the film is not talked about in the same way that its predecessor is. However, its theme song keeps the memory of the film alive.
"Theme From New York, New York"
New York, New York (1977)
While Frank Sinatra's version of the theme from New York, New York is the most famous, most people refer to it as simply "New York, New York" as they are unfamiliar with the Martin Scorsese film from which it originates starring Robert De Niro and Liza Minnelli. Reddit User JonaAwesome said "I feel like this is obvious to everyone in this sub, but it's wild that Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" was originally sung by Liza Minnelli in the Martin Scorsese film of the same name."
Interestingly enough, the New York Yankees play both versions of the songs, Sinatra's when they win and Minnelli's when they lose, showing how the perception is of the two versions of the song. New York, New York is far from a bad film, however, it is often forgotten in Scorsese's filmography as it differs from his typical work, and the film was a box office failure given the success of its predecessor, Taxi Driver.
"White Christmas"
Holiday Inn (1942)
While Bing Crosby starred in a film called White Christmas, the song originates from Holiday Inn, a film he did with Fred Astaire during World War II. Reddit User Mqttro pointed out that many may assume it comes from the second film, but "instead, it's from the 1941 movie Holiday Inn — a huge hit in its day, the source of the name of America's Finest Motor Lodges."
The Redditor also says that the film is better than White Christmas in many aspects, including the script. In addition, Holiday Inn is perhaps better left forgotten due to a much reviled musical number which includes depictions of blackface. Thankfully, the beloved song "White Christmas" appears again in the film of the same name.