Do You Remember Which Song Played in These Iconic Movie Scenes?

ENTERTAINMENT

By: Ian Fortey

7 Min Quiz

Image: A&M Films / Channel Productions

About This Quiz

When film first began, audio couldn't even be recorded alongside it, so early films often just had a music track added afterward to try to bring everything together. The film was silent, and the music set the mood. It would get tense during tense scenes, and playful during funny ones, to make you really let you feel the action in a way silence can't. Music has always been able to set a tone, to evoke emotion and make you sink into a scene in a way that images simply can't do on their own. 

That's why the two mediums work so well together. Sight and sound come together to make something moving and memorable. Who can forget those first bars of "Oh Yeah" when Ferris Bueller first sees Cameron's dad's Ferrari? Or when "Tiny Dancer" plays during the tour bus scene in "Almost Famous?" Or literally any of the incredible musical scenes from "Pulp Fiction?"

An amazing scene gets 100 times better with the right music behind it. It doesn't happen in every movie, but when it does, you'll remember it for years. So let's see which ones you can best remember from film history. Which incredible music scenes stand out like no other? Take the quiz and show your stuff!

It's the end of "The Breakfast Club." Bender raises his fist in the air. What song is playing?

"The Breakfast Club" ends on a high note with Bender celebrating his day to the tune of "Don't You (Forget About Me)." Writer/director John Hughes apparently wrote the script for the movie in a blazing-fast two days.

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Just as "Saturday Night Fever" begins, we see John Travolta strutting his stuff to what song?

"Stayin' Alive" is pretty much synonymous with "Saturday Night Fever" at this point. The song was written just in time to be used in the film, and the Bee Gees were not very big at the time. Most of the rest of the music in the film was added later, so when you see a dance sequence the actors likely weren't dancing to the same song during filming.

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As Marty McFly rips into this song in "Back to the Future," Marvin Berry phones his cousin to listen in. What's the song?

"Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry is the song Marty McFly chooses to sing at his parent's Enchantment Under the Sea dance back in 1955. While it looks like Michael J. Fox was singing, he was actually dubbed over by Mark Campbell.

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The final dance of "Dirty Dancing" is set to which song?

There are a lot of memorable dance scenes in "Dirty Dancing," but the final one is set to "(I've Had) The Time of My Life." Despite their apparent chemistry in the movie, word is that off-camera Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey didn't get along at all and routinely fought with each other.

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Which song does Ferris Bueller lead the whole city of Chicago in during a parade?

The parade scene in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" was set to "Twist and Shout" by the Beatles, and it was a real, huge parade in Chicago. Many of the people dancing in the background were just real Chicagoans having fun. Matthew Broderick was not one of them as an injury prevented him from doing much dancing.

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Tom Cruise slides into the room in "Risky Business" just in time to lip sync along to which of these songs?

Tom Cruise's iconic dance scene is set to "Old Time Rock n Roll" by Bob Seger. Cruise improvised pretty much the entire scene as the script just asked for him to dance. He even waxed the floor himself so he could slide in.

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Maverick and Goose start singing this song in "Top Gun" until every pilot in the room joins in. What is it?

Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards serenade Kelly McGillis with "You've Lost That Loving Feeling." The movie was not cheap to make as any scenes in the air cost the studio about $7,800 an hour just for fuel.

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Wayne, Garth and the crew sing this song in the Mirthmobile in "Wayne's World." What's the song?

One of the most weirdly moving performances of "Bohemian Rhapsody" ever is in "Wayne's World," and it almost didn't make it into the movie. The studio wanted the guys to sing a Guns' Roses song, but Mike Myers was adamant about using Queen. He ever threatened to quit if it wasn't included.

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Lloyd Dobler is standing outside with his boombox above his head in "Say Anything." What song does he play?

In one of the most famous musical scenes in film history, Lloyd Dobler, played by John Cusack, played the song "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel. This was the debut film of director Cameron Crowe who'd go on to win an Oscar for "Jerry Maguire."

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Beetlejuice causes all the guests at a dinner party to partake in a haunted song and dance number. What's the song they all perform?

"The Banana Boat Song," which some people know as "Day-O," is the ghostly dance number in "Beetlejuice." The scene is super fun, but in the original script, the movie was almost 100% horror with many more gruesome and terrifying plot points.

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Daniel and Mr. Miyagi watch the tournament action during a montage set to which song in "The Karate Kid"?

"You're the Best" is the song running during the karate tournament scene. Pat Morita was actually turned down for the role of Mr. Miyagi at first because at the time he was best known as a comedian and from "Happy Days."

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Ron, Brick, Champ and Brian do a quick a cappella version of which song in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy?"

"Afternoon Delight" shows up as Ron is trying to explain love to his friends and coworkers. James Spader apparently really wanted the role of Brick, but it was given to Steve Carell after it was determined Spader was "too good" an actor for the role.

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An amazing slo-mo sequence has Quicksilver making short work of Pentagon guards in "X-Men: Days of Future Past." What song is playing?

Jim Croce's 1973 hit "Time in a Bottle" is the soundtrack to the very awesome Quicksilver scene. A totally different Quicksilver also appeared in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" as well.

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Star-Lord struts his stuff across an alien landscape and even uses a small alien rat as a microphone to belt out which tune in "Guardians of the Galaxy"?

The super fun intro to Star-Lord has him singing and dancing along to "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone. The scene was originally supposed to be done with the song "Hooked on a Feeling," but director James Gunn liked the Redbone tune better.

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The crew in "Office Space" utterly destroys a hated printer while which of these songs plays?

That printer gets beat down hard to "Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangster." Word is the studio was very much against the hip-hop heavy soundtrack the movie had, but focus groups changed their mind later on, and the printer scene in specific is a legend now.

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Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace win a dance competition in "Pulp Fiction." What song is playing?

Uma Thurman and John Travolta cut a rug to Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell" at Jackrabbit Slim's. Weirdly enough, the role of Vincent Vega was one that Daniel Day-Lewis wanted, but Tarantino turned him down.

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Michael Madsen sets about torturing a police officer in Reservoir Dogs while he dances to which tune?

Michael Madsen's Mr. Blonde is very unstable in "Reservoir Dogs," and the infamous scene in which he tortures a cop while dancing is very much a product of Madsen's imagination. The script said "Mr. Blonde maniacally dances around," so Madsen just improvised.

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Dirk, Reed and Todd are trying to scam Alfred Molina's drug dealing Rahad in "Boogie Nights" while which song plays

It's a super weird scene when "Sister Christian" is playing and the guys are trying to sell fake drugs to a drug dealer. Alfred Molina, raised in Britain, had never heard the song "Sister Christian" before, or even "Jessie's Girl," which preceded it in the movie.

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Private Joker hooks up with the 1st platoon and his old friend Cowboy in "Full Metal Jacket" while which of these songs plays?

The party atmosphere of "Wooly Bully" quickly gets grim in this scene from "Full Metal Jacket." If you can believe it, the disturbing role of Animal Mother, made famous by Adam Baldwin, was originally offered to Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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As Marla and Cornelius watch the city fall apart at the end of "Fight Club," this song plays. What is it?

"Where is My Mind" by the Pixies is the soundtrack to the end of Project Mayhem in "Fight Club." Brad Pitt made a whopping $17.5 million for his role in the movie while Ed Norton pulled in $2.5 million.

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At the end of Rob Zombie's "The Devil's Rejects," which song plays during the final gunfight with the Firefly clan?

As a musician himself, Rob Zombie has always chosen some intense music for his films, and "Free Bird" was his choice for "The Devil's Rejects." Zombie had to edit the film eight separate times before the MPAA agreed to give it an R-rating instead of an NC-17.

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Ewan McGregor is on the run at the beginning of "Trainspotting" with what song encouraging him?

"Trainspotting" sets the mood with "Lust for Life" by Iggy Pop. One of the most memorable and cringey scenes in the movie involves Renton diving into a rancid-looking toilet. But fear not: That toilet was decked out in chocolate mousse.

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Alex's eyes are forced to stay open in "Clockwork Orange" as he watches horrible scenes of war and violence. What song plays at the same time?

Beethoven's 9th is what plays while Alex is forced to experience some ultra-violent imagery. Director Stanley Kubrick only wanted Malcolm McDowell for the role in the film and was ready to quit if McDowell turned the part down.

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Shaun and crew beat down a zombie at The Winchester bar to the tune of what song in "Shaun of the Dead"?

"Don't Stop me Now" is the song for the zombie beating in "Shaun of the Dead." While the name of the movie seems perfect, it wasn't the first choice. Originally, in is very early stages, it was known as "Tea Time of the Dead."

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Thor rides a lightning bolt in to fight the forces of his evil sister Hela in "Thor: Ragnarok" as which song plays?

A truly energizing scene, Thor leaps into the fray to the tune of the "Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin. It's the perfect song for Thor because it's actually about Vikings and references not just the "hammer of the gods" but Valhalla as well.

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Patrick Bateman murders his victim while chatting about music to the tune of which of these songs in "American Psycho"?

"Hip to be Square" is the soundtrack for Bateman's bizarre murder. Huey Lewis boycotted the movie, and the studio said it was because he was opposed to the violence. Still, Lewis told "Rolling Stone" it was because he declined to include the song on the soundtrack because he thought the album would kind of suck if only one of his songs was on it and the studio lied about it.

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In the most brutal scene from "The Kingsman," what song is playing as Harry Hart lays waste to dozens of people in a church?

The church scene in "Kingsman" is an epic ode to violence that can be hard for some people to watch due to its brutality. Colin Firth, who seems a proper British gentleman, actually did most of his own stunts in the film, which is impressive when you watch this scene.

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The incredible opening montage of "Watchmen" is set to which song?

2009's "The Watchmen" opens with Bob Dylan's classic protest song "The Times They Are A-Changin'." The movie credits the source material to artist Dave Gibbons, calling him co-creator, as writer Alan Moore refuses to allow his name on any adaptations of his work.

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Deadpool destroys a whole room of criminals in Japan at the beginning of "Deadpool 2" while what song plays?

Dolly Parton's "9-5" is the soundtrack to slaughter in "Deadpool 2." Not a lot of people outside of the comics world know that Deadpool is a ripoff of a DC character named Deathstroke. They even ripped off his name: Deathstroke is Slade Wilson while Deadpool is Wade Wilson.

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Columbus has just shared his rules for survival in the zombie apocalypse and then the credits start to rolling "Zombieland." What song plays?

Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" accompanies the opening credits carnage of "Zombieland." Bill Murray has a memorable role as himself in the film, but the first choice was for Patrick Swayze to be in the Patrick

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The explosive opening of "Pulp Fiction" starts with a diner robbery and then this song blasting to life. What is it?

Dick Dale's instrumental "Misirlou" is the energetic opener to "Pulp Fiction." As classic as the movie became, it could have been very different. For instance, Julia Louis-Dreyfus was originally offered the role of Mia Wallace rather than Uma Thurman.

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Do you know which song plays during the opening epic car chase of "Baby Driver"?

Music is hugely important to the movie "Baby Driver." The song "Bellbottoms" is just one example. Director Edgar Wright actually timed all the car chases by measuring the roads to ensure they'd fit the songs he wanted in the movie.

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The Dude has a crazy dream sequence in "The Big Lebowski" set to what song?

The Dude's head is full of bowling imagery and Maude when "Just Dropped In" by Kenny Rogers and the New Edition plays. As awesome as Jeff Bridges is, the directors first asked Robert Duvall, Anthony Hopkins and even Marlon Brando for the part.

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Donnie Darko heads into highschool, and we get a glimpse of all the teachers and students during a musical interlude while what song plays?

Tears for Fears "Head Over Heels" is the backdrop for our first glimpse of life in high school with Donnie Darko. The teachers, the bullies and the whole tone is set by this song. They also feature elsewhere in the movie with the song "Mad World" even though it's a cover version.

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Two kids walk up to a pink Cadillac occupied by corpses while which song plays in "Goodfellas"?

The scene is haunting as two young boys find two dead bodies to the tones of Eric Clapton's "Layla." The movie is a classic of the gangster genre, and Henry Hill, who inspired the story the movie is based on, once said that Joe Pesci's performance was 90% to 99% accurate.

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