THE 20 Best Songs From 1970's Films EVER...
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- DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsSylvester StalloneTalia ShireBurt YoungA small-time Philadelphia boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the world heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect."Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti from Rocky (1976)
"Gonna Fly Now", also known as "Theme from Rocky", is the theme song from the movie Rocky, composed by Bill Conti with lyrics by Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins, and performed by DeEtta Little (the sister of actor Cleavon Little) and Nelson Pigford. Released in 1976 with the movie Rocky, the song became part of American popular culture after main character Rocky Balboa completed his daily training regimen while the song played. The song finishes as Rocky completes his famous run up the "Rocky Steps" of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and raises his arms in a victory pose. The song is also often played at sporting events, especially at sporting events in the city of Philadelphia or featuring sports teams from there.The song (whose lyrics have a total count of 30 words) was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in the 49th Academy Awards. The version of the song from the movie, performed by Conti with an orchestra, hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1977, while a version by jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson (died in 2006) hit the top 30. Disco versions by Rhythm Heritage and Current were on the chart at the same time. Conti's single was certified Gold by the RIAA, for shipments exceeding one million in the United States. The American Film Institute placed it 58th on its AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs list. - DirectorRandal KleiserStarsJohn TravoltaOlivia Newton-JohnStockard ChanningGood girl Sandy Olsson and greaser Danny Zuko fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?"Grease" by Franki Valli from Grease (1978)
"Grease" is the title song for the musical motion picture Grease, which was based on the stage play of the same name. The song was sung by Frankie Valli and was featured twice on the film's soundtrack; as the first track, and reprised as the final track. It became a number one single in the United States during 1978 and it also became an R&B hit in the same year. The song was written by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees; that group would later perform the song in concert, as captured on their live offering One Night Only. After "Grease" hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Barry broke the record for "#1 Songs Written in a Calendar Year." He was responsible for writing or co-writing 7 #1 songs in 1978, breaking the 1964 record of 6 set by Lennon/McCartney. The other songs were "If I Can't Have You" (an Yvonne Elliman hit), "Stayin' Alive", "Night Fever", "How Deep is Your Love" (Bee Gees hits), "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water", and "Shadow Dancing" (Andy Gibb hits.) - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.Jaws Main Theme by John Williams from Jaws (1975)
The original soundtrack for Jaws was released by MCA in 1975, and as a CD in 1992, including roughly a half hour of music that John Williams redid for the album. In 2000, two versions of the score were released: one in a re-recording of the entire Jaws score by Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Joel McNeely, and another to coincide with the release of the 25th anniversary DVD by Decca/Universal, featuring the entire 51 min. of the original score. - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLiza MinnelliRobert De NiroLionel StanderAn egotistical saxophonist and a young lounge singer meet on VJ Day and embark upon a strained and rocky romance, even as their careers begin a long, uphill climb."New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra from New York, New York (1977)
The story opens on V-J Day in 1945. A massive celebration in a New York City nightclub is underway, music provided by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. While there Jimmy Doyle (Robert De Niro), a selfish and smooth-talking saxophone player, meets Francine Evans (Liza Minnelli), a small-time singer. Francine is lonely but still, she wants nothing to do with Jimmy, who keeps pestering her for her phone number.
The next morning, they end up sharing a cab, and, against her will, Francine accompanies Jimmy to an audition. There he gets into an argument with the club owner. Francine, to get the audition back on track, begins to sing the old standard, "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me." Jimmy joins in on his sax. The club owner is impressed and, to Francine's astonishment, they are both offered a job—a boy-girl act.
From that moment on, Jimmy and Francine's relationship deepens into love. But there are problems—mainly, Jimmy's tendency to fight with everyone, and his increasingly violent fights with Francine, who becomes pregnant with his child. An especially bad shouting match between them results in Francine going into premature labor. Jimmy rushes her to the hospital, but he is not ready to be a father, or a good husband, and he abandons his wife.
Several years later, in a recording studio, Francine records "But the World Goes Round," a powerful anthem which makes the charts and turns her into a popular entertainment figure. In the following years, Jimmy and Francine both find success in the music industry. Doyle becomes a renowned jazz musician and club owner. Also, Francine becomes a successful singer and motion picture actress.
Jimmy records a song of his on his saxophone which tops the charts, and Francine cements her stardom after singing Jimmy's song, the Theme from New York, New York. Her performance, received by a wildly appreciative audience, takes place in the same nightclub where, years earlier, she and Jimmy had met. After the show, Jimmy telephones his ex-wife, proposing a reconciliation. Francine is tempted, heads toward the stage door exit, but at the last moment changes her mind. Jimmy, waiting on the sidewalk, realizes he has been stood up and walks off into the New York night, accompanied by the song he has written — the "Theme From New York, New York".The theme song of the film, "Theme from New York, New York," found its own success when Frank Sinatra recorded a cover version of the song in 1979. The song became a hit, and both Sinatra's and Minnelli's versions have become closely associated with New York City. Minnelli continues to perform the number at nearly all of her concerts. - DirectorJohn LandisStarsJohn BelushiKaren AllenTom HulceAt a 1962 college, Dean Vernon Wormer is determined to expel the entire Delta Tau Chi Fraternity, but those troublemakers have other plans for him."Shout" by the Isley Brothers from Animal House (1978)
"Shout" is a popular and influential popular song, originally recorded by The Isley Brothers. Released in 1959, it was written by the brothers themselves as a call-and-response answer to Jackie Wilson's seminal "Lonely Teardrops" which they interpreted after performing that song during a club date.
While "Shout!" didn't reach higher than #47 on the Billboard Hot 100, it became their first gold single on the basis of its longevity and became a much-covered tune for them, with many U.S. and international artists recording the song. Joey Dee and the Starlighters reached #6 with their recording of the song in 1962, while the Isley Brothers' version re-charted that same year at #94. British pop singer Lulu had a #7 UK hit with the song in 1964 (attributed to Lulu & The Luvvers)[1], and a #8 UK hit with a re-recorded version in 1986[1]. The song, as performed by Otis Day and the Knights, was also prominently featured in the 1978 comedy film National Lampoon's Animal House. Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for their 1996 album Club Chipmunk: The Dance Mixes with Simon providing the lead vocals. The 1959 original by the Isley Brothers appeared in the 1982 comedy film Diner.
The song was inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. It ranked #118 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.
The song "Shout!" has weaved itself into many iconic American mediums such as a wedding dance song in which people progressively crouch down to the dance floor as the song gets quieter. "Shout!" has been used in commercials for the S.C. Johnson & Son Shout brand of laundry spray. "Shout!" was also used in several Elmo toys, one of which was pulled off the market due to many people hearing "beat up Elmo and shout, rip his fur out and shout". - DirectorGeorge LucasStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherLuke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.Star Wars Main Theme by John Williams from Star Wars (1977)
The music of Star Wars consists of the scores written for all six Star Wars films by composer John Williams from 1977 to 1983 for the Original Trilogy, and 1999 to 2005 for the Prequel Trilogy. It includes the Star Wars: The Clone Wars music written by Kevin Kiner. More broadly, it also refers to any music that is used to depict the larger Star Wars Universe, which would include music for Star Wars video games and other media. John Williams' scores for the double trilogy count among the most widely known and popular contributions to modern film music.
The scores utilize an eclectic variety of musical styles, many culled from the Late Romantic idiom of Richard Strauss and his contemporaries that itself was incorporated into the Golden Age Hollywood scores of Erich Korngold and Max Steiner. While several obvious nods to Gustav Holst, William Walton and Igor Stravinsky exist in the score to Episode IV, Williams relied less and less on classical references in the latter five scores, incorporating more strains of modernist orchestral writing with each progressive score. The reasons for Williams' tapping of a familiar Romantic idiom are known to involve Lucas' desire to ground the otherwise strange and fantastic setting in well-known, audience-accessible music. Indeed, Lucas maintains much of the trilogy's success relies not on advanced visual effects, but on the simple, direct emotional appeal of its plot, characters and, importantly, music.
Star Wars often is credited as heralding the beginning of a revival of grand symphonic scores in the late 1970s. One technique in particular is an influence: Williams's revival of a technique called "leitmotiv", which is most famously associated with the operas of Richard Wagner and, in film scores, with Steiner. A "leitmotif" is a phrase or melodic cell that signifies a character, place, plot element, mood, idea, relationship or other specific part of the film. It commonly is used in modern film scoring, as a device mentally to anchor certain parts of a film to the soundtrack. Of chief importance for a "leitmotif" is that it must be strong enough for a listener to latch onto while being flexible enough to undergo variation and development.Star Wars (Main Theme) (all episodes). The anthem of the saga, easily its most recognizable melody, the main theme is variously associated with Luke, heroism and adventure. It is heard over the opening crawl at the beginning of all the films, and forms the basis of the end-title as well. The theme is most prominent in the first film (Episode IV) in which strong brass treat it as a fanfare of sorts for Luke. Throughout subsequent films, it is relied upon less and less frequently, though this restraint lends it a greater impact. Except for the final scene of Episode III, Williams' use of the Main Theme in the prequels is limited mostly to the title crawl and short, sometimes disguised fragments. It is performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. - DirectorGordon ParksStarsRichard RoundtreeMoses GunnCharles CioffiA crime lord hires black private eye, John Shaft, to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter.Theme from Shaft by Isaac Hayes from Shaft (1971
"Theme from Shaft", written and recorded by Isaac Hayes in 1971, is the soul- and funk-styled theme song to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Shaft. The theme was released as a single (shortened and edited from the longer album version) two months after the movie's soundtrack by Stax Records' Enterprise label. "Theme from Shaft" went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in November 1971. The song was also well-received by adult audiences, reaching number six on Billboard's Easy Listening (later Adult Contemporary) chart.
The following year, "Theme from Shaft" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, with Hayes becoming the first African American to win that honor (or any Academy Award in a non-acting category). Since then, the song has appeared in numerous television shows, commercials, and other movies, including the 2000 remake of Shaft, for which Hayes re-recorded the song without making any changes to it. "Theme from Shaft" is sometimes considered more iconic than the movie for which it was written.In 2000, Hayes told National Public Radio that he had only agreed to write and record the Shaft score after Shaft producer Joel Freeman promised him an audition for the lead role. He never got the chance to audition, but kept his end of the deal anyway. Director Gordon Parks also had a hand in composing the theme, describing the character of John Shaft (the "black private dick/who's a sex machine/to all the chicks") to Hayes and explaining that the song had to familiarize the audience with him. Hayes recorded the rhythm parts on the theme first, scored the entire rest of the film, then returned to the theme song.
The song begins with a sixteenth-note hi-hat ride pattern, played by Willie Hall, which was drawn from a break on Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness", a Stax record on which Hayes had played.[3] Also featuring heavily in the intro is Charles Pitts' guitar, which uses a wah-wah effect common in 1970s funk; the riff had originally been written for an unfinished Stax song. The synthesized keyboard is played by Hayes. Even on the edited single version, the intro lasts for more than two and a half minutes before any vocals are heard.
The lyrics describe John Shaft's coolness, courage, and sex appeal, and Hayes' lead vocals are punctuated by a trio of female backup singers. At one famous moment, Hayes calls Shaft "a bad mother—" before the backup singers (one of whom is Tony Orlando & Dawn's Telma Hopkins) interrupt the implied profanity with the line "Shut yo' mouth!" Hayes immediately defends himself by replying that he's "only talking about Shaft," with the back-up vocalists replying, "We can dig it." Other well-known passages include "You're damn right!" also uttered by Hayes, and "He's a complicated man/but no one understands him/but his woman/John Shaft."
The song was considered very racy for its time; as late as 1990, censors at the Fox Network thought it too risqué to be sung on The Simpsons (until it was demonstrated that the song had indeed been played on television before).
The song was not intended to be a single, but the success of the film and the popularity of the track in nightclubs led to a 45 record of the theme being released on Enterprise Records two months after the soundtrack. Within two months, it hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there a second week.The song had an enormous influence on the disco and soul music of the decade.
In 1972, Hayes performed "Theme from Shaft" as part of the Academy Awards ceremony in his trademark chainmail vest, but accepted the award later that night wearing a tuxedo. Hayes dedicated his historic win to his grandmother, Rushia Wade, who joined him onstage to accept the award.In addition, Hayes, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and the Stax staff dedicated Hayes' win to the black community at an Operation PUSH rally following the Academy Awards.
Later that year, Hayes performed "Theme from Shaft" live at the Wattstax concert in Los Angeles Film footage of this performance was recorded for Mel Stuart's documentary film of the concert, but was cut before the film's release due to legal complications with MGM, who would not allow Hayes to perform his Shaft songs in any other film until 1976. A 2003 remastered version of the Wattstax film reinstates Hayes' performance of "Theme from Shaft".
When John Singleton directed an updated version of Shaft, starring Samuel L. Jackson, in 2000, Hayes rerecorded the theme for the new film. - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.Theme From The Godfather by Nino Rota (1972)
"Speak Softly Love (Love Theme From The Godfather)" is a song written for The Godfather (1972), the first film in the Godfather trilogy. While its instrumental version is simply known as "The Godfather theme", "Speak Softly Love" is the vocal version. The words are by Larry Kusik but the music itself is by Nino Rota. There are also different sets of lyrics for the song in Italian (Parla Più Piano) and also in Sicilian (Brucia La Terra). The Sicilian version is sung by Anthony Corleone in The Godfather 3. - DirectorSydney PollackStarsBarbra StreisandRobert RedfordBradford DillmanDuring post-WWII McCarthyism, a diametrically opposed couple come together only to find out that genuine friendship and physical attraction is not enough to overcome fundamental societal beliefs."The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand from The Way We Were (1973)
The Way We Were is a 1973 American romantic dramatic film directed by Sydney Pollack. The screenplay by Arthur Laurents was based on his college days at Cornell University and his experiences with the House Un-American Activities Committee.
A box office success, the film was nominated for several awards and won the Academy Award for Best Original Score and the Academy Award for Best Original Song for The Way We Were. The soundtrack recording charted for 23 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and eventually sold in excess of one million copies.At the time of its initial release, the film's soundtrack album peaked at #20 on the Billboard 200. On October 19, 1993, it was re-released on compact disc by Sony. It includes Streisand's rendition of "The Way We Were", which at the time of the film's release was a commercial success and her first #1 single in the United States. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1973 and charted for 23 weeks, eventually selling over a million copies and remaining #1 for three non-consecutive weeks in February 1974. On the Adult Contemporary chart, it was Streisand's second #1 hit, following "People" a decade earlier. Billboard named "The Way We Were" as the #1 pop hit of 1974, and it was the title track of a Streisand album that also reached #1. - DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsEllen BurstynMax von SydowLinda BlairWhen a young girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life."Tubular Bells" by from The Exorcist (1973)
The Exorcist is a horror novel by William Peter Blatty, published by Harper & Row in 1971. It is based on a 1949 exorcism of Robbie Mannheim that Blatty heard about while he was a student in the class of 1950 at Georgetown University, a Jesuit and Catholic school.On October 31, 2010, Cemetery Dance will publish a special omnibus edition of The Exorcist and its sequel Legion, signed by Blatty.The opening theme, which was eventually chosen for the 1973 film The Exorcist, gained the record considerable publicity and is how many people have probably first heard the work. Along with a number of other Oldfield pieces it was used in the 1979 NASA movie, The Space Movie. The opening theme has been sampled by many other artists such as Janet Jackson on her song "The Velvet Rope". The opening theme has also gained cultural significance as a 'haunting theme';partly due to the association with The Exorcist. - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroJodie FosterCybill ShepherdA mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action."Late For The Sky" by Jackson Browne (1976)
Featured in the film is Jackson Browne's "Late for the Sky", appearing in a scene where happy and intimate couples are dancing on the program American Bandstand to the song as Travis watches American Bandstand enviously on his small TV. - DirectorRandal KleiserStarsJohn TravoltaOlivia Newton-JohnStockard ChanningGood girl Sandy Olsson and greaser Danny Zuko fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?"Hopelessly Devoted to You" by Olivia Newton-John from Grease (1978)
"Hopelessly Devoted to You", written by John Farrar, is a song originally performed by Olivia Newton-John. The song, featured in the film version of Grease, received an Oscar nomination as Best Original Song, losing to "Last Dance" at the 51st Academy Awards. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming another hit from the film. - DirectorJohn BadhamStarsJohn TravoltaKaren Lynn GorneyBarry MillerAnxious about his future after high school, a 19-year-old Italian-American from Brooklyn tries to escape the harsh reality of his bleak family life by dominating the dance floor at the local disco."Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees from Saturday Night Fever (1977)
"Stayin' Alive" is a disco song by the pop group Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever motion picture soundtrack. The song was written by the Bee Gees - Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb - and produced by the Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson. It was released on December 13, 1977, as the second single from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. It is their signature song.
Upon release, Stayin' Alive climbed the charts, hitting the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of February 4, 1978, and staying there for four weeks. In the process, it became the band's most recognizable tune, in part because of its place at the beginning of Saturday Night Fever.The producer of the soundtrack, Robert Stigwood (who doubled as the Bee Gees' manager) called them up and asked them to write a few songs for a soundtrack to a film he was planning. At this point, the film was in early stages and it didn't have a title yet. All Stigwood had to go on was a New York cover story about discomania. He asked them to go on with the soundtrack anyway, and they wrote "Stayin' Alive" over the course of a few days while sprawled on the staircase at the Château d'Hérouville studio in Paris. As with Pink Floyd, a majority of the soundtrack was recorded in France for tax reasons.
Due to the death of drummer Dennis Byron's mother in the middle of the song's sessions, the group first looked for a replacement. The shortage of drummers in this area of France prompted the group to use a drum machine—yet it did not offer satisfactory results. After listening to the drum track of the already-recorded "Night Fever", the group (and producer Albhy Galuten) selected two bars from the song, re-recorded them to a separate track, and proceeded with sessions for "Stayin' Alive". This accounts for the unchanging rhythm throughout the song.
As a joke, the group listed the drummer as "Bernard Lupe" (a takeoff on session drummer Bernard Purdie). Mr. Lupe became a highly sought-after drummer - until it was discovered that he did not exist.
The Record company wanted the song to be titled, "Saturday Night" but the Bee Gees refused a title change, stating that they wanted to be different, and the album already had a song with the word, "Night" in the title (Night Fever). The band also stated that there had been too many songs with, "Saturday" in the title.
Over the years, the brothers have had mixed feelings about the song. On one hand, they admit it brought them tremendous fame, but on the other, it eventually led to their being pigeonholed as a disco act—despite a long career before that—and their subsequent career downturn.
The song is rumored to have one of the most restrictive licensing terms of any song in modern times. One of the specific terms of any agreement to use the song is that it cannot be used for anything involved with disco. - DirectorBob FosseStarsLiza MinnelliMichael YorkHelmut GriemA female girlie club entertainer in Weimar Republic era Berlin romances two men while the Nazi Party rises to power around them."Cabaret" by Liza Minelli from Cabaret (1972)
Cabaret is a 1972 American musical film directed by Bob Fosse and starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York and Joel Grey. The film is set in Berlin during the Weimar Republic in 1931, under the ominous presence of the growing National Socialist Party.
The film is loosely based on the 1966 Broadway musical of the same name by Kander and Ebb, which was adapted from The Berlin Stories of Christopher Isherwood and the play I Am a Camera. Only a few numbers from the stage score were used; Kander and Ebb wrote new ones to replace those that were discarded. In the traditional manner of musical theater, characters in the stage version of Cabaret sing to express emotion and advance the plot, but in the film version, musical numbers are confined to the stage of the cabaret and to a beer garden. Only two of the film's major characters sing any songs.
Cabaret was shot mainly in low light and has an Expressionist feel in the musical sequences. - DirectorGeorge LucasStarsRichard DreyfussRon HowardPaul Le MatA group of teenagers in California's central valley spend one final night after their 1962 high school graduation cruising the strip with their buddies before they pursue their varying goals."YaYa" by Lee Dorsey (1973)
"Ya Ya" is a song by Lee Dorsey. The song was written by Lee Dorsey, Clarence Lewis, Morgan Robinson and Morris Levy. It was inspired by a children's nursery rhyme.Universal wanted Lucas and producer Gary Kurtz to hire an orchestra for sound-alikes. The studio eventually proposed a flat deal that offered every music publisher the same amount of money. This was acceptable to most of the companies representing Lucas's first choices, but not to RCA - with the consequence that Elvis Presley is conspicuously absent from the soundtrack. "I used the absence of music, and sound effects, to create the drama," Lucas later explained.In any event, '50s and '60s music (ranging from Bill Haley and His Comets to The Beach Boys) provides the film's score. All home video versions contain the entirety of this music with no changes or rescore. - DirectorBoaz DavidsonStarsYftach KatzurAnat AtzmonJonathan SagallThree friends live their lives in 1950s Israel, each looking for someone to love."Come Prima" by Marino Marini (1978)
Eskimo Limon (English: Going All the Way, aka Lemon Popsicle) was first released in February 11, 1978, starring Yftach Katzur (Benji), Jonathan Sagall (Bobby), Zachi Noy (Hughie) and Anat Atzmon (Niki). The movie focuses on three high school kids growing up in Tel Aviv and deals with their relationships with each other and of course girls. The film, although a typical adolescence story, tackles subjects such as abortion and unrequited love, not happily resolved by a neat ending. It contains the memorable scene of an older woman (played by Ophelia Shtruhl) enticing the three kids into having sex with her in sequence, and then earning the nickname "Stella HaMegameret" ("A-cumming Stella"). Anat Atzmon made a great appearance in this movie as Nili - an adolescent girl who falls pregnant. Eskimo Limon recreates a sixties teenagers life - including the clothes, music, behaviour, scenery and cars. The film was a great success all over the world and represented Israel at the 28th Berlin International Film Festival in 1978.When the main actors toured Japan, they were mobbed by fans. The main characters had name changes in most international versions, known as Benji, Bobby and Hughie respectively to English audiences."Come Prima" (English: As Before) is a popular song, with lyrics by Mario Panzeri and music by Vincenzo Di Paola and Sandro Taccani. (For lyrics, see [1].)
The most popular version in Italy was by Tony Dallara (Antonio Lardera). A recording by the Marino Marini Quartet made the United Kingdom charts in 1958. The song was also recorded by Domenico Modugno. All these recordings were made in 1958.
The melody was used for a French language song entitled "Tu me donnes," a hit for Dalida in 1959. It was also used for an English language song, "More Than Ever," (lyrics by Mary Bond) recorded in the United Kingdom by Malcolm Vaughan with the Michael Sammes Singers (HMV catalogue number POP 538) (14 weeks on the UK chart, peaking at #5[2]), Robert Earl (4 weeks on the UK chart, peaking at #26[3]), Eve Boswell, and others. Another English language lyric by Buck Ram, under the title "For the First Time" (closer to the original Italian title), was recorded in the United States by Polly Bergen in 1958 (Columbia Records catalog number 41275). This version was also performed by Mario Lanza in his last film, "For the First Time" (1959). Other performers were Dean Martin, the Platters, Tony Reno & the Sherwoods (the latter in 1965), and Golpes Bajos in 1985. Also it was recorded by Muslim Magomayev in 1961. - DirectorJohn BoormanStarsJon VoightBurt ReynoldsNed BeattyIntent on seeing the Cahulawassee River before it's dammed and turned into a lake, outdoor fanatic Lewis Medlock takes his friends on a canoeing trip they'll never forget into the dangerous American back-country."Dueling Banjos" by Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith, Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandel (1972)
Deliverance is a 1972 American thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman. Principal cast members include Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox, and Ned Beatty in his film debut. The film is based on a 1970 novel of the same name by American author James Dickey, who has a small role in the film as a sheriff. The screenplay was written by Dickey and an uncredited Boorman.Deliverance was shot in the Tallulah Gorge southeast of Clayton, Georgia and on the Chattooga River, dividing the states of Georgia and South Carolina. Additional scenes were shot as well in Salem, South Carolina and Sylva, North Carolina. A scene was also shot at the Mount Carmel Baptist Church cemetery, which now lies 300 feet under the surface of Lake Jocassee, South Carolina.[7]
John Boorman's gold record for the "Dueling Banjos" hit single was later stolen from his house by the Dublin gangster Martin Cahill, a scene Boorman recreated in The General (1998), his biographical film about Cahill. In addition to the movie's famous theme, there are also a number of sparse, brooding passages of music scattered throughout, including several played on a synthesizer. Some prints of the movie omit much of this extra music. Other than Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandel's credit for "Dueling Banjos", no one is credited for any of the incidental music.
The original stars slated to play the two main parts were Lee Marvin and Marlon Brando, who turned down the parts when they heard about the dangers of filming on the river, which gave chance for Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds.
In 2008, Deliverance was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". - DirectorKen ShapiroStarsKen ShapiroRichard BelzerChevy ChaseA collection of skits that make fun of 1970s television, featuring early appearances by Chevy Chase and Richard Belzer."Move On Up" by Curtis Mayfield (1974)
The Groove Tube (1974), written and produced by Ken Shapiro, was a low-budget comedy film. It satirized television and the counterculture of the early 1970s. The film was originally produced to be shown at the Channel One Theater on East 60th St. in New York, a venue that featured R-rated video recordings shown on three television sets, which was a novelty to the audiences of the mid 1970s. The film starred Richard Belzer and Chevy Chase, and featured "Move On Up" by Curtis Mayfield in the film's opening scene. The news desk satire, including the signature line "Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow" was later used by Chase for his signature Weekend Update piece on Saturday Night Live, although in the film he does not appear in this segment.
Among the skits were "The Dealers", a feature about a pair of urban drug dealers introduced by a wildly overdone, hip title segment, "Koko the Clown" featuring a jaded clown reading erotica to the kids, a public service announcement for venereal disease that covertly used a real penis, and a parody of sponsored television cooking shows (it bakes up an inedible "brick" while repeatedly using the fictitious "Kramp Easy Lube" shortening, a spoof of the "Kraft" name).
Several spoof TV commercials are featured, including a few for the mythical industrial conglomerate Uranus Corporation (pronounced "ur-AY-nuss" in the film). One Uranus commercial touts the amazing properties of its space-age polymer product "Brown 25" (which looks suspiciously like human feces): "It has the strength of steel, the flexibility of rubber, and the nutritional value of beef stew."
Buzzy Linhart appears in the film as an (eventually) naked hitchhiker. He also supervised the film's soundtrack. - DirectorPerry HenzellStarsJimmy CliffJanet BartleyCarl BradshawWishing to become a successful reggae singer, a young Jamaican man finds himself tied to corrupt record producers and drug pushers."Many Rivers To Cross" by Jimmy Cliff (1972)
The Harder They Come is a 1972 Jamaican crime film directed by Perry Henzell.
The film stars reggae singer Jimmy Cliff, who plays Ivanhoe Martin, a character based on Rhyging, a real-life Jamaican criminal who achieved fame in the 1940s. Other major roles in the film were played by Janet Bartley (Elsa), Basil Keane (Preacher), the late Ras Daniel Hartman (Pedro), Beverly Anderson, who eventually married Michael Manley who became the Prime Minister of Jamaica (Upper St. Andrew Housewife), the late Bob Charlton (Hilton), Jamaican actor Volair Johnson (Pushcart Boy), and well known Jamaican comedians Ed 'Bim' Lewis (Photographer), and Aston 'Bam' Winter (drunken husband).
The Harder They Come was released in February 1973 in New York City by Roger Corman's New World Pictures to little attention. It became more popular when it was played to midnight audiences nationwide the following April. The film is referenced in the Clash songs "The Guns of Brixton" and "Safe European Home". In 2005, it was developed into a stage musical by the Theatre Royal Stratford East and UK Arts International in the UK. Written and adapted by Henzell, it opened on 25 March 2006 boasting not only the original soundtrack but a couple of additions including The Ganja Song written by Geraldine Connor. The soundtrack to the film is considered a breakthrough for reggae in the United States.This is one of the few Cliff tracks to use an organ, which helps to supplement the gospel feel provided by the backing vocalists. Cliff released the song, with production work by Leslie Kong, on his 1969 album, Jimmy Cliff. It was released on the 1972 soundtrack album for the film The Harder They Come, in which Cliff also starred as an actor. Rolling Stone ranked it #317 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. - DirectorSidney J. FurieStarsDiana RossBilly Dee WilliamsRichard PryorThe story of the troubled life and career of the legendary Jazz singer, Billie Holiday."God Bless The Child" by Billie Holliday (1972)
Lady Sings the Blues is a 1972 American biographical film about jazz singer Billie Holiday loosely based on her 1956 autobiography which, in turn, took its title from one of Holiday's most popular songs. It was produced by Motown Productions for Paramount Pictures. Diana Ross portrayed Holiday, alongside a cast including Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, James T. Callahan and Scatman Crothers.
The movie was adapted by Chris Clark, Suzanne de Passe, and Terence McCloy from the book by William Dufty and Billie Holiday. It was directed by Sidney J. Furie.
It was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning none.[1] The nominations were for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Diana Ross), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Carl Anderson, Reg Allen), Best Costume Design, Best Music, Original Song Score and Adaptation (Gil Askey) and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay Based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Published or Produced.[2] The film was also screened at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival, but was not entered into the main competition.[3]
The same year, Motown released a successful soundtrack double-album of Ross' recordings of Billie Holiday songs from the film, also titled Lady Sings the Blues. The album became one of the Number-one albums of 1973 (U.S.) in the Billboard Hot 200 Album Charts,[4] in the weeks of April 7 and 14, 1973.Billie plays to a packed house at Carnegie Hall. Her encore, "God Bless the Child," is overlayed with newspaper clippings highlighting subsequent events: the concert fails to sway the Commission to restore her license; subsequent appeals are denied; she is later re-arrested on drug charges; and finally, "Billie Holiday Dead at 44." Nevertheless, the Carnegie triumph is frozen in time.