Popular Songs Used in Movies Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Heat is On

Starring Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton, this 1984 movie grew into a trilogy. Murphy played a street-wise Detroit Cop, who headed to Beverly Hills to investigate the murder of his long-time friend. Much of the humour was based on culture shock between the two locations and Murphy's signature use foul language.

"The Heat is On" was written by Keith Forsey and Harold Faltermeyer for the movie. It was sung by Glenn Frey (formerly of the Eagles). The song rose to the number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1985 and was part of the soundtrack album that won the Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack Album.

Answer: I Will Always Love You

Released in 1992, "The Bodyguard" starred Whitney Houston as a major music and movie star who was receiving death threats, and Kevin Costner as the ex Secret Service Agent hired to protect her. Costner was hired after an explosion proved that the threats were real. Through various plot twists, including a very brief love affair, Costner killed the man trying to kill Houston, while she was performing, taking a bullet himself in the process. The song was sung by an emotional Houston in acknowledgement of their impossible love.

"I Will Always Love You" was written and released by Dolly Parton in 1973. It was a big hit for Parton, reaching the top of Billboard Hot Country Songs twice, in 1974 and again in 1982 when it was used in the movie "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas".
Whitney Houston's version of the song took the coveted number one position in the Billboard Hot 100 songs for an incredible 14 weeks. It also earned the title of the world's best selling single, in 1992, and won the Grammy for Houston for Record of the Year, in 1994.

Answer: Bohemian Rhapsody

"Wayne's World", starring Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey, was released in 1992. It started out as a comedy skit on "Saturday Night Live", with the same two actors playing the same two characters. One scene in the movie showed the two main characters, and friends, driving in their car singing along to "Bohemian Rhapsody" playing on cassette. As they got into the music they began 'banging' their heads in time to the beat.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" was written by Freddie Mercury for Queen's album "A Night at the Opera" (1975). The movie "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2018) showed the band arguing to make the song the first single release from the album. They got push back from a record executive (played by Mike Myers) saying that the song was not good enough to be a single because it was too long and included nonsense words. One little Easter egg for "Wayne's World" fans was when the executive said, "We need a song teenagers can bang their heads to in a car. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is not that song." They proved him wrong. The song did phenomenally well around the world, with many accolades to its credit, climbing the charts for a second time after the release of "Wayne's World".
In 2004 "Bohemian Rhapsody" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked it as number 17 of 'the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time' (2021).

Answer: My Heart Will Go On

Released in 1997, "Titanic" starred Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as fictional, star-crossed lovers aboard the fated ship's only voyage. The film started with a modern-day (at time of release) search for the diamond 'The Heart of the Ocean', recorded to have been onboard. The woman, now a centenarian, who had been sketched wearing that diamond, identified herself to searchers. Through her memories we were led back to the fateful voyage.

"My Heart Will Go On" was written James Horner, with lyrics by Will Jennings, for the movie "Titanic". Celine Dion recorded the song and it was released both on the soundtrack for the movie and Dion's album "Let's Talk About Love".
In 1998, the song won both the Oscar and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.

Answer: Danger Zone

Released in 1986, "Top Gun" was about Top Gun, a training school for Navy pilots where only the best of the best were invited to attend. Tom Cruise starred as one of the top pilots who went by the call name 'Maverick' and had little regard for rules and protocol. Kelly McGillis played his love interest. A sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick" was released in 2022.

"Danger Zone" was written for "Top Gun" by Giorgio Moroder, with lyrics by Tom Whitlock, at the request of producers Jerry Brukheimer and Don Simpson. Kenny Loggins recorded the song which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song can be heard at the beginning of the movie, immediately after the opening credits.

Answer: Now and Forever

During WWII, while the men were away at war, baseball club owners started the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League to give fans something to watch - this much is true. "A League of Their Own" (1992) was a fictionalised account about the start-up of the league and the troubles the girls had breaking out of the stereotype imposed on women. Tom Hanks brilliantly played one team's manager, who was as skeptical as everyone else, initially. Geena Davis, Madonna and Lori Petty played some of the baseball players on Hank's team.

"Now and Forever" was written and recorded by Carole King for the movie, at the request of director Penny Marshall. It was intended for the end credits of the film. However, Madonna's contract for the movie gave her the right to record the last song. Marshall liked King's song so much that she shot a new opening to the movie and "Now and Forever" plays over that.

Answer: You've Got a Friend in Me

Released in 1995, "Toy Story" was the first feature movie that was entirely computer animated. It told the story of Andy's toys, who came to life when no humans were around, and how their world, especially that of favourite Woody, was rocked by the addition of new favourite toy, Buzz Lightyear. Woody and Buzz were voiced by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen.

"You've Got a Friend in Me" was written and performed by Randy Newman for the first "Toy Story", but has been used for sequels "Toy Story 2", "Toy Story 3" and "Toy Story 4". It charted on the Adult Contemporary Chart, reaching number ten.

Answer: Dueling Banjos

"Deliverance" was a 1972 film about everything that could go wrong when slick city men came up against mountain men, while on a canoeing vacation in the wilds of Georgia. It was a violent, disturbing movie.

"Dueling Banjos" was originally called "Feudin' Banjos" by song writer Arthur 'Guitar Boogie' Smith, in 1954. It was played on "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1963.
In "Deliverance", a version was presented as a duel between a local boy on banjo and one of the city slickers on guitar. The movie version went up the Billboard Hot 100 chart to the number two. However Arthur Smith was not given writing credit so he sued, and won, getting credit as well as royalties.

Answer: Stayin' Alive

Released in 1977, "Saturday Night Fever" featured John Travolta as a young man who only really came to life when he was dancing at the disco on the weekends, where he could try and forget the ordinariness and social problems of his daily life. The movie had a huge cultural impact, giving credibility to the disco movement and spawning a 1983 sequel called "Staying Alive".

"Stayin' Alive" was one of six songs contributed to the soundtrack by the Bee Gees (written and recorded by them). It climbed to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the Bee Gees' second number one hit in what would become a string of six consecutive ones.

Answer: Everybody's Talkin'

This 1969 film starred Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman as (respectively) a cowboy turned sex worker and a street hustler known as Ratso, with poor health. While the relationship started off as a business (sort of) the two men became friends, bonding together as life beat each of them down.

Written and originally performed by Fred Neil in 1966, the song was recorded for "Midnight Cowboy" by Nilsson. "Everybody's Talkin'" won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Male. Nilsson's rendition rose to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Answer: Old Time Rock and Roll

Released in 1983, "Risky Business" starred Tom Cruise as a young man who got into all sorts of trouble when he became involved with a prostitute (played by Rebecca de Mornay) while his family was on vacation and he was at home alone. In one memorable scene, he slid across the wooden floor in his socks, shirt and underwear, wearing sunglasses and lip-syncing to "Old Time Rock and Roll".

Written by George Jackson and Thomas E. Jones, "Old Time Rock and Roll" was recorded and released by Bob Seeger in 1979. It reached number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. After the release of "Risky Business" it had another surge up the chart, reaching number 48 this time.
The song has become a classic and has been used in many different ways and venues.

Answer: Mad World

Released in 2001, "Donnie Darko" was a psychological thriller with science fiction elements. It had a large cast, including Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore and Patrick Swayze. Jake played a teenage boy plagued with dreams and encounters with a large, stuffed rabbit-like creature who told him that the world was going to end in a very precise time. Certain bizarre events seemed to give credence to that prediction.

"Mad World" was written by, and released in 1982, by British band Tears for Fears, becoming their first international hit. The version recorded for the movie "Donnie Darko" was recorded by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules.

Answer: You're the One That I Want

Released in 1978, "Grease" starred Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in a musical about a summer romance forced to face reality when the two unexpectedly found themselves at the same high school. Danny (Travolta) was a leather-wearing, tough greaser and Sandy (Newton-John) was a clean-cut, good student. Somehow they made it work.

Written by John Farrar and performed by Newton-Jon and Travolta, "You're the One that I Want" was performed near the end of the movie, when the two realised they were meant to be together and Newton-John donned a skin-tight cat suit.
The single hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified platinum the same year as released.

Answer: Lara's Theme

Set in Russia during the end of WWI and the beginning of the Russian Civil War, "Dr. Zhivago" was released in 1965. It starred, amongst others, Omar Sharif, Julie Christie and Alec Guinness. It wove a complicated tale of love, despair and loss in very harsh times and conditions.

"Lara's Theme" started out as just that - the theme music to be played whenever the character was seen onscreen. It was composed by Maurice Jarre. It was well-respected around the world. Paul Webster wrote some lyrics for the theme and it become "Somewhere My Love". Ray Conniff's version of the song (1966) rose to number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Connie Francis also recorded a version which did well internationally, but not so well in the US.

Answer: Don't You (Forget About Me)

Released in 1985, "The Breakfast Club", a coming-of-age film about a group of disparate, high school kids serving a Saturday detention at their high school, starred members of what was known as 'the Brat Pack'. The film starred Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy. Given an assignment to write an essay, they soon learned to focus on what they had in common with each other, rather than their differences.

"Don't You Forget About Me" was written by Steve Schiff and Keith Forsey for the movie, while they were scoring the movie. It was recorded by the group Simple Minds, who were originally reluctant to record it because they had not written it. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart (and other places around the world). It played over both opening and closing credits.