We wish these fake songs were real... which they kind of are actually! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best original jams written to be sung by characters in movies.
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00:00 Tell me something, boy.
00:03 [crowd cheering]
00:04 Welcome to Ms. Mojo,
00:05 and today we're counting down our picks for the best original jams
00:09 written to be sung by characters in movies.
00:11 ♪ Nobody could I do anything for you ♪
00:15 ♪ Please don't ignore me 'cause you know I adore you ♪
00:18 ♪ I find myself ♪
00:19 If you like what you're hearing,
00:20 be sure to check out the full song at the link below.
00:23 ♪ Looking at the walls around me ♪
00:26 ♪ I find myself wondering what to do ♪
00:31 ♪ With everyone that we used to see ♪
00:34 Number 20, "Nobody Like You," "Turning Red."
00:37 [crowd cheering]
00:38 Four, three, two, one!
00:41 [crowd cheering]
00:42 Billie Eilish and Phineas O'Connell.
00:44 It seems like the pair can do anything,
00:47 including writing a catchy song for a fake boy band in a Pixar movie.
00:50 ♪ I'm never gonna let you cry, oh cry, don't cry ♪
00:55 ♪ I'll never not be your ride or die, all right ♪
00:59 One of the major set pieces of "Turning Red"
01:02 is a concert for the boy band 4Town.
01:04 While the credit for their big hit song "Nobody Like You" goes to them in the movie,
01:07 it can be credited to Eilish and O'Connell IRL.
01:10 Boy band music, although made specifically to have commercial appeal,
01:14 also has a relatively distinct sound.
01:16 This song from 4Town has the beat, the lyrics, and the vibe
01:20 that could easily pass for something we'd hear on the radio today.
01:23 ♪ I never meant nobody like you ♪
01:28 ♪ Had friends and I've had buddies, it's true ♪
01:32 Number 19, "Breathe, Her Smell".
01:35 Faking punk rock seems like an impossible task,
01:38 but the movie "Her Smell" does a pretty good job of it.
01:40 ♪ I think I'm on another world with you ♪
01:45 ♪ With you ♪
01:47 ♪ I'm on another planet with you ♪
01:50 The plot centers on a punk band called Something She,
01:53 headed up by lead singer Becky, who is played by Elizabeth Moss.
01:56 One of the band's hit tracks is called "Breathe",
01:59 and it was written by Alicia Buñano,
02:01 who co-wrote the movie's music with Keegan DeWitt.
02:03 ♪ If I don't breathe, I can feel her air walkin' ♪
02:09 ♪ Take over me, she's alive and I'm all for savin' ♪
02:14 Buñano brings authenticity to the song's vibe,
02:16 giving it a healthy dose of pop-punk mixed with grunge.
02:20 Even outside of the context of "Her Smell",
02:22 "Breathe" is a straight-up banger.
02:24 ♪ Nothing's forever, this much I know, this much I know ♪
02:30 When you're working with the likes of John Williams,
02:49 it's best to remember that the king doesn't miss.
02:52 The first Star Wars film is remembered for a lot of things,
02:55 not the least of which is its signature Williams score.
02:58 ♪
03:05 The Cantina Song might not be the first melody you think about,
03:08 but maybe it should be.
03:10 When Luke Skywalker first walks into the alien cantina,
03:12 he's greeted by a bar band playing a delightfully jaunty tune.
03:16 The music feels old-timey but slightly off-putting.
03:19 Alien, even, one might say.
03:21 ♪
03:29 That eccentricity aside,
03:30 it's delightful to see these extraterrestrial beings
03:33 going ham on instruments like this.
03:36 Number 17, "Grow Old With You", "The Wedding Singer".
03:39 Sometimes you just need a little help from your famous friends.
03:43 - My lie guy is Glenn, they're on this plane.
03:45 - No way!
03:47 - You guys gotta help me.
03:48 - Right!
03:49 - Yeah!
03:51 - Robbie and Julia first meet while separately preparing for their own weddings,
03:55 but soon realize that they're with the wrong people.
03:57 In the film's final act, Julia boards a plane to get married,
04:01 unaware that Robbie shares her feelings.
04:03 Instead of the traditional race to the airport confession,
04:06 "The Wedding Singer" opts for a more musical display of romance,
04:09 with the help of fellow first-class passenger Billy Idol.
04:12 ♪ I'll get you medicine when your tummy aches ♪
04:18 ♪ Build you a fire if the furnace breaks off ♪
04:23 Robbie's impromptu song has a down-to-earth charm
04:25 that perfectly matches his relationship with Julia,
04:28 and even makes the plane's other passengers swoon.
04:31 By the time he's finished, Glenn doesn't have a chance.
04:34 ♪ I could be the man who grows old with you ♪
04:41 Number 16, "Supernova Girl", "Xenon", "Girl of the 21st Century".
04:46 Zoom, zoom, zoom, make my heart go boom, boom, boom.
04:49 ♪ Zoom, zoom, zoom, make my heart go boom, boom ♪
04:52 ♪ My supernova girl ♪
04:54 ♪ Zoom, zoom, zoom, ♪
04:55 If you started singing along,
04:57 then you are definitely a '90s Disney Channel kid.
05:00 "Xenon", "Girl of the 21st Century" is a favorite of the Disney Channel original movie canon,
05:05 and features a song that is as catchy as it is fun.
05:08 ♪ Breathing in you give me air ♪
05:10 ♪ I'm living off your solar flare ♪
05:12 ♪ Could you be my supernova girl? ♪
05:17 In the movie, "Supernova Girl" is performed by pop star Protozoa and his band, Microbe.
05:22 The song feels appropriately galactic, but with a pop beat that even humans can get down to.
05:27 ♪ Zoom, zoom, zoom, make my heart go boom, boom ♪
05:30 ♪ My supernova girl ♪
05:31 ♪ Zoom, zoom, zoom, make my heart go boom, boom ♪
05:34 ♪ My supernova girl ♪
05:36 It was written by Christian Rex,
05:38 who also composed music for the beloved television show, "Smart Guy".
05:42 Number 15, "Houssevic", "Eurovision Song Contest", "The Story of Fire Saga".
05:47 Even for a movie as silly as this one,
05:50 the moment around this song is surprisingly heartfelt.
05:53 "We'll be disqualified."
05:55 "Just sing."
05:57 This 2020 film stars Will Ferrell as Lars,
06:06 a man who desperately wishes to win the Eurovision Song Contest.
06:10 His love interest Sigrid is played by Rachel McAdams,
06:12 and the culminating moment comes at the end when Lars switches out the song they were supposed to perform.
06:17 Sigrid sings "Houssevic", a song she wrote for Lars about their hometown.
06:21 ♪ Where the mountains sing, through the screams of seagulls ♪
06:25 ♪ Where the whales can't leave 'cause they're gentle people in my hometown ♪
06:32 There's a lot that happens in this movie, including an incident with a hamster wheel,
06:36 but this moment rings beautifully true emotionally.
06:39 More than that, it sounds like a real Eurovision song.
06:42 ♪ Rammet fjell, met fjell ♪
06:49 "She's singing in Icelandic."
06:51 ♪ Houssevic, vett skal verna i heil ♪
06:56 Number 14, "Pop Goes My Heart", music and lyrics.
07:07 A romantic comedy about two songwriters?
07:09 You better hope you have some actually good songs.
07:12 Music and lyrics does that pretty well, but there's one song that stands above the rest.
07:16 ♪ Something in the way you move, I can't deny ♪
07:20 ♪ Every word from your lips is a lullaby ♪
07:24 "Pop Goes My Heart" is one of the songs that Hugh Grant's character Alex Fletcher
07:27 performed as a pop idol in the 1980s.
07:30 And oh boy, does it fit the mold.
07:32 "Pop Goes My Heart" sounds like the quintessential 80s pop hit.
07:36 ♪ I said I wasn't gonna lose my head ♪
07:39 ♪ But then pop goes my heart ♪
07:43 Like the very best parodies,
07:45 there's an enormous amount of love for the genre folded into the joke.
07:48 But that only makes it even more enjoyable.
07:51 Number 13, "Falling Slowly", once.
07:54 When you write a song that sticks with people the way that "Falling Slowly" has,
07:58 that really counts for something.
08:00 ♪ I don't know you, but I want you ♪
08:07 ♪ All the more for that ♪
08:12 "Once" is a 2007 musical indie film that became a huge hit.
08:16 And the music plays a large part in that.
08:18 Glenn Hansard and Marquetta Irglova star as Guy and Girl,
08:22 two musicians who meet and fall in love in Dublin.
08:25 "Yeah, we go to London and no one will ever find us again."
08:29 "No one?" "No one."
08:30 "We have a brilliant band, we'll sell out those places and it'll be great."
08:33 Hansard and Irglova also helped write the songs for the film,
08:36 including "Falling Slowly".
08:38 This beautiful piano ballad won an Oscar for Best Original Song
08:41 and continues to break hearts today.
08:44 ♪ Falling slowly ♪
08:48 ♪ Eyes that know me ♪
08:51 ♪ And I can't go back ♪
08:56 Number 12 - "Christmas Is All Around" - "Love Actually"
09:00 When it comes to washed up rock stars,
09:02 there's not one we love more than Billy Mac.
09:05 "Fighting for the Christmas number one, how's it looking so far?"
09:08 "Very bad indeed. Blue are outselling me 5 to 1, but I'm hoping for a late surge."
09:16 As played by the incomparable Bill Nighy in the 2003 Christmas classic "Love Actually",
09:20 Billy Mac is one of the best parts of the film.
09:23 In particular, his new festive hit "Christmas Is All Around" is absolutely perfect.
09:28 ♪ Christmas is all around me ♪
09:32 ♪ And so the feeling grows ♪
09:35 The song is a holiday themed version of a song by Troggs called "Love Is All Around".
09:39 No offense to Troggs, but we have to say we love the Billy Mac version better.
09:43 ♪ So if you really love Christmas ♪
09:47 ♪ Come on, let it snow ♪
09:49 The song is supposed to be kind of bad on purpose,
09:52 but honestly, that's what makes it work.
09:55 Get that tune to the top of the charts!
09:57 Number 11 - "School of Rock"
10:00 "Now let's get out there and melt some faces!"
10:03 "Yeah!"
10:04 "Go get ready."
10:05 Richard Linklater has made some of our favorite movies over the past few decades,
10:09 but one of his most entertaining has got to be "School of Rock".
10:12 Jack Black absolutely shines as a wannabe musician who takes a job as a substitute
10:17 and ends up teaching his classroom of kids how to jam out.
10:20 The best part of the film comes at the very end
10:22 when the class plays the song "School of Rock" at the Battle of the Bands.
10:25 ♪ Oh, you know I was gonna have a roll ♪
10:30 ♪ Got no brains and got no soul ♪
10:33 The film is filled with great classic rock tunes,
10:35 but in all honesty, this track is one of the most fun in the entire movie.
10:39 Black sings it wonderfully and the kids are all so talented
10:43 it's almost tough to suspend our disbelief.
10:45 ♪ I got no reason, I got no mind ♪
10:49 ♪ You better get me to school on time ♪
10:52 ♪ I'm ready! ♪
10:55 When it comes to fictional one-hit wonders, you can't get much better than this.
11:02 ♪ You, doing that thing you do ♪
11:07 ♪ Breaking my heart into a million pieces ♪
11:12 "That Thing You Do" is a 1996 movie directed by and starring Tom Hanks
11:16 and follows the rise and fall of a pop band and their biggest song.
11:20 The song, which shares a name with the movie, was written by Adam Schlesinger,
11:24 the bassist from the band Fountains of Wayne.
11:26 ♪ Well, I try and I try to forget you, girl ♪
11:30 ♪ But it's just so hard to do ♪
11:33 You can really tell the guy who had a hand in writing "Stacy's Mom" was involved
11:37 because "That Thing You Do" is one of the best fake movie tunes of all time.
11:40 Seriously, if the Wonders ever decide they want to get back together,
11:43 we will be first in line to buy tickets.
11:46 ♪ 'Cause we, we have the fancy seat ♪
11:51 ♪ And the only deadbeat beat ♪
11:54 "Quiet down, I'm trying to hear it!"
11:55 Number 9. "Scotty Doesn't Know" - EuroTrip
11:58 This vulgar hit from EuroTrip has the distinction of being one of the few fictional songs
12:03 to have surpassed the popularity of its source.
12:06 ♪ Scotty doesn't know that Fiona and me ♪
12:09 ♪ Do it in my van every Sunday ♪
12:11 While the 2004 comedy struggled to match its budget at the box office,
12:15 "Scotty Doesn't Know" earned its band Lustra a spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
12:19 EuroTrip seemed to predict the song's mass appeal IRL
12:22 as it's shown to be popular in the world of the film as well.
12:25 ♪ Don't tell Scotty ♪
12:27 ♪ Scotty doesn't know ♪
12:30 ♪ Hey, this song sounds familiar ♪
12:33 In it, the song becomes a global sensation,
12:36 even being remixed and sold as a ringtone.
12:39 Naturally, there's one person who doesn't appreciate the tune's popularity
12:43 and that's Scotty.
12:44 ♪ Scotty doesn't know ♪
12:46 ♪ Scotty doesn't know ♪
12:47 ♪ Don't tell Scotty ♪
12:48 ♪ Scotty doesn't know ♪
12:50 We can assume from his popularity that "Powerline" has many hit songs in the world of a goofy movie.
12:58 But this is the one that Max, Goofy's son, chooses to perform for his school,
13:03 and we think he picked right.
13:05 ♪ Some people settle for the typical thing ♪
13:08 ♪ Living all their lives waiting in the wings ♪
13:11 "Stand Out", as its name implies, is about standing out from the crowd and making a name for yourself.
13:16 Max definitely does just that when he and his friend PJ hijack their school's assembly for an impromptu performance.
13:23 ♪ If I could make you stop and take a look at me instead of just ♪
13:26 ♪ Walking on ♪
13:29 He even catches the eye of his crush, Roxanne.
13:32 At the end of the movie, Max and Goofy get to jam out to "Eye to Eye" on stage with Powerline himself.
13:38 But we'll always have a soft spot for this energizing anthem about making it big.
13:42 ♪ Stand out ♪
13:45 "Wow, look at that guy!"
13:48 ♪ Stand out, you're my only thing you see ♪
13:51 Anyone who's ever been in a band will tell you how difficult it is to make a name for yourself,
13:59 especially in high school.
14:01 In that respect, the teens in "Sing Street" are living the dream.
14:05 ♪ She's so indecisive, oh, she's home, the king to the mixing code ♪
14:11 ♪ Just the thought of her touch my heart, disco ♪
14:15 In this 80s set film, the titular band writes and performs a number of catchy tunes inspired by the music of the era,
14:21 slowly rising in popularity.
14:23 Our favorite of these songs is "Drive It Like You Stole It",
14:26 an empowering rock-pop number the boys sing at their school's senior prom.
14:30 ♪ This is your life, you can't go anywhere ♪
14:35 ♪ You gotta grab the wheel and own it ♪
14:38 ♪ Drive it like you stole it ♪
14:40 The song's lyrics perfectly encapsulate the protagonist's character arc,
14:43 while the performance allows him and his bandmates to show off their renewed self-confidence in front of their peers.
14:49 It's truly a joy to watch.
14:51 ♪ This is your life, you can't go anywhere ♪
14:56 ♪ You gotta grab the wheel and own it ♪
14:59 ♪ Drive it like you stole it ♪
15:01 Number 6 - "Fever Dog" - "Almost Famous"
15:04 "We're here because of the music, we are band-aids."
15:07 At the end of the day, "Almost Famous" is more about William Miller and the colorful array of groupies he meets than it is about a band.
15:15 Nonetheless, the band at the center of it all is an undeniably important aspect of the film,
15:20 and it's equally important that their songs are good enough to warrant their dedicated fanbase.
15:25 ♪ Fever dog, scratchin' at my back door ♪
15:32 ♪ I feel your heart ♪
15:35 "Fever Dog" proves that they have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with other 70s rock musicians.
15:41 The song takes inspiration from the real rock bands featured alongside it on the film's Grammy Award-winning soundtrack,
15:47 and boasts some shockingly impressive vocals from actor Jason Lee.
15:51 ♪ Scratchin' at my back door ♪
15:57 Number 5 - "We Are Sexbomb" - "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World"
16:02 "We know what you're thinking, and we agree, Black Sheep is great."
16:06 ♪ Hello again, friend of a friend, I knew you were ♪
16:13 Unfortunately, that show-stopping "The Clash" at Demonhead Performance is technically a cover.
16:19 And honestly, it's about time Sexbomb got some appreciation too.
16:22 Although its members fear their music sucks, their introductory song "We Are Sexbomb" proves the opposite.
16:29 ♪ Yeah, yeah, let me make you stasis ♪
16:34 ♪ Mama, mama, serpentine ♪
16:36 It's just the right energy to introduce the film's insane ensemble cast.
16:40 They follow it up with a performance of "Garbage Truck" in the first round of "Battle of the Bands,"
16:45 which is lyrically abrasive, but a ton of fun.
16:48 ♪ Take your time ♪
16:51 ♪ I show you the sights, you know you wanna ride ♪
16:56 ♪ On my garbage truck ♪
16:59 Both songs strike the perfect balance between good and garage band.
17:03 It's just a shame that "Garbage Truck" has to be interrupted by Ramona's first evil ex.
17:08 Number 4 - "Equal Rights - Not Gay" - "Popstar" - "Never Stop Never Stopping"
17:13 When Macklemore and Ryan Lewis released "Same Love," it was met with a mixed response.
17:18 While many applauded the song for its message, some poked fun at its cornier lyrics.
17:23 ♪ Strip away the fear underneath it's all the same love ♪
17:26 ♪ About time that we raised up ♪
17:28 ♪ I can't change ♪
17:30 The Lonely Island's mockumentary film "Popstar - Never Stop Never Stopping" takes this a step further.
17:36 In it, Connor Forreal sings a song entitled "Equal Rights,"
17:40 in which he advocates for gay rights while continuously insisting that he is straight.
17:44 ♪ We need equality and for all to see that this is the new way ♪
17:47 ♪ Not to gay, it just seems not gay, wrong not gay ♪
17:50 ♪ That no one seems to care, sports ♪
17:52 He even randomly shouts out stereotypical straight male interests like sports,
17:56 four-wheel drive and golf clubs to hammer home the point.
17:59 It's a hilarious play on the overzealous straight savior type that has emerged in modern pop culture.
18:04 And with a chorus sung by Pink, it's an unironic jam.
18:08 ♪ I was born this way ♪
18:09 ♪ Straight ♪
18:09 ♪ You were born your way ♪
18:11 ♪ Gay ♪
18:11 ♪ Gay or straight, straight or gay, it's all okay ♪
18:14 ♪ Sure ♪
18:15 When Lizzie graduated from junior high,
18:21 she never expected to have a run-in with a pop star whose former partner looked exactly like her.
18:25 And yet that's exactly what happened.
18:28 Throughout her school-sponsored trip to Rome,
18:30 Lizzie secretly meets with Paolo, who teaches her how to be a star.
18:34 ♪ And when you walked into the room ♪
18:37 ♪ You had everybody's eyes on you ♪
18:42 ♪ Supermodel ♪
18:43 He turns out to be a lip-syncing liar,
18:45 but his former partner Isabella arrives at just the right time to save the day.
18:49 She and Lizzie sing "What Dreams Are Made Of" on an international stage,
18:53 impressing Lizzie's parents and classmates and absolutely blowing our eight-year-old selves' minds.
18:59 ♪ When I see you smile and I go ♪
19:03 ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
19:05 Ironically, as Isabella, Hilary Duff is actually lip-syncing the voice of her sister, Hailey.
19:11 The different voice gives credence to the idea that these are two separate people,
19:15 not just a brunette Lizzie.
19:17 ♪ Hang now, hang now ♪
19:19 ♪ This is what dreams are made of ♪
19:23 Josie and the Pussycats is the best fake band ever,
19:30 and we promise we weren't brainwashed into saying that.
19:33 - This is the best CD ever! - Yeah.
19:36 I want some Gatorade.
19:38 While their meteoric rise to fame could be attributed to their shady record label,
19:42 we'd like to think that "Pretend to Be Nice" would have risen through the pop charts regardless of any outside intervention.
19:47 The tune is super fun and a total earworm,
19:50 with lyrics relatable to anyone who's ever had a careless, inattentive partner.
19:54 ♪ Why you do what you do to me, baby? ♪
19:58 ♪ Taking my comfort and driving me crazy ♪
20:01 ♪ You know if I could, I'd do anything for you ♪
20:05 ♪ Please don't ignore me 'cause you know I adore you ♪
20:08 In addition to this chart-topper,
20:09 Josie and the Pussycats also performed the equally enjoyable "Spin Around" at a global concert that acts as the film's finale.
20:16 But not before getting some much-needed assistance from their predecessor, DeJoy,
20:21 whose song "Backdoor Lover" was all the rage before their mysterious plane crash.
20:26 ♪ Lying on your bed, staring up at the moon ♪
20:30 ♪ You drive me crazy, gotta love you soon ♪
20:34 ♪ I'm your backdoor lover ♪
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20:55 "Shallow" may be a fake song, but there's no denying Lady Gaga's very real talent.
21:01 ♪ I'm off the deep end, watch as I drive in ♪
21:06 ♪ I'll never meet the ground ♪
21:10 "A Star is Born" is the third remake of a 1937 film of the same name,
21:15 but more than sets itself apart with its moving performances and modern take on the music industry.
21:20 On an in-world episode of "Saturday Night Live,"
21:23 Gaga's character Ally performs the catchy "Why Did You Do That?"
21:27 ♪ Why did you do that, do that, do that, do that, do that to me? ♪
21:31 ♪ Why did you do that, do that, do that, do that, do that to me? ♪
21:35 It's not bad, but it's a far cry from Ally's authentic self,
21:38 which is best showcased in her performance of "Shallow" with Jack.
21:42 The song is a powerful reflection on the dangers of stardom,
21:45 just as relevant to our real world as it is the fictional world of Ally and Jack.
21:50 ♪ In the sh-sh-sh-shallow, we're far from the shallow now ♪
21:58 If we missed any of your favorite original movie tunes, let us know in the comments below.
22:02 ♪ You're burning, I'm decided, burns when I step beside it ♪
22:08 ♪ Your light is ultraviolet, bitch ♪
22:12 Do you agree with our picks? Let us know in the comments.
22:14 And hey, if you're a fan of the song playing right now,
22:17 be sure to check out the music video for it right here.
22:19 ♪ You can take me from the place that I love ♪
22:22 ♪ But you can never take my heart from there ♪
22:25 ♪ Can't take my heart ♪
22:27 ♪ I find myself in empty arms ♪