I am a movie buff and I also enjoy good music. Back then before Spotify existed (and before I had my kids), there were many good songs that I had discovered from watching a movie or a television series, and these songs are not typically played on mainstream radio or MTV, this means most of it goes relatively unknown to the majority of people as it was only featured in these films. So I compiled a list of my Top 5 songs discovered from movies or TV series below, and I will share how I found it and provide a brief explanation of its background.
I’ve linked the Youtube videos for each song below (refer to the linked fonts in red) for you to check them out. Give them a listen and maybe you may like it too and add it to your Spotify playlist.
1. Bloodstream by Stateless – TV series The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017)
I heard this song on the first season finale of the Vampire Diaries series. My recommendation is to listen to this at night, as this is a melancholic song and best to be listened to when you need to wind down, or are in a pensive mood. Keep an ear out for the additional sounds of a creaky swing gate that’s included in the background music, it adds a nice although slightly eerie feel to the song. Links below:
Stateless – Bloodstream (Official studio version)
There’s also an unplugged live version with great harmonization here : Bloodstream by Stateless (Unplugged)
2. This Time by Jonathan Rhys Meyers -Movie August Rush (2007)
This song was sung beautifully by its main character in the movie played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The movie is about a musically gifted boy who is trying to find his parents, who did not know of his existence due to circumstances during his birth. This is one of the songs in the movie that stood out for me. Linked below:
This time (August Rush soundtrack) – by Jonathan Rhys Meyers
3. La Même Histoire ( We’re all in The dance) by Feist – Movie Paris, je t’aime ( Paris, I Love You )
This is a French film I discovered in my 4th year of university as I had to study a foreign language, and I choose French ( due to my first choice which was the German language was fully booked that semester). We had an assignment to showcase the culture in France and I found this lovely movie that comprised of unique short stories. This song was the main feature song of the film and sang by a popular Canadian singer called Feist. There’s an English version that’s translated to the title “We’re all in The Dance”. This song is one of my all-time favorites, it’s both heartwarming and whimsical. If I ever do a cover of a foreign song, this would be my pick.
La Même Histoire ( We’re all in The dance) by Feist
There’s also a great cover done by these 2 French girls with lovely harmonization, check it out here.
4. Black Sheep by Metric – Movie Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)
This may the only fast song on this list. This song has the oomph, attitude, and drive of a good rock song that’s sung by a female lead, however, I actually preferred the version of the song covered in the movie compared to the original version of the song itself. This movie itself is a gem, directed by the famous Edgar Write (fans will know of his creative style of directing movies). The story follows a boy who is on a quest to beat the seven ex-boyfriends of a girl to finally be with her. It’s an artsy and fun-packed film, and this song is what I took from it and I still play it even up to this day.
View the version covered by Brie Larson in the movie here Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World – Black Sheep [HD] – YouTube
5. Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova – Movie Once (2006)
This is a duet song from an Irish romantic musical drama. In the movie the male and female leads are musicians, and the song is introduced when they are in a music store browsing through the musical instruments. They then sat down on a piano together to try out a new song. This song is emotion-filled and sung beautifully by both of them and accompanied mainly by the piano. This movie has a ‘sad’ ending, showcasing some of the reality of poverty in the community and their limited opportunities, in my opinion. Guess what, this song won the Best Original Song at the Oscars that year. Link to the song below:
Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
Let me know what you think, and if you have your own recommendations for good movie songs or soundtrack, feel free to share with me.