Songs that were supposed to be in movies

[Mazje]

Does anyone know of any songs written specifically for a movie, and then not used, but released by the band/artist anyway? The song that inspires this question is "A Girl Like You" by the Smithereeens, originally intended to be in "Say Anything."

So, any others?

[Tracer Bullet]

Pretty much the entirety of Belle & Sebastian's album Storytelling. It was all written for the movie of the same name, but very little of it actually made it in.

[Groucho]

The hit song "Maniac" from Flashdance was originally written for, but not used in, the slasher horror film Maniac.

(disclaimer, since sometimes people aren't sure: this post is not a joke)

[Mondo Kane]

The title song that you hear in Thunderball was supposed to be a song called "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" performed by Dionne Warwick. Warwick's vocals and lyrics were removed from this particular version, but you can still hear the horns saying "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang".

[The Infidel]

The entire album "Music from The Elder", by KISS. Actually, the movie itself was not used, either. ;)

[Fielding Mellish]

Elvis Costello's "Put Your Big Toe in the Milk of Human Kindness" was originally written for a Disney animated film.

[Giles]

I remember reading that the British band Stereophonics was supposed to do some songs for A Bug's Life - but I don't think anything was actually written nor included in the final cut (obviousily).

[Mike1055]

Neil Youngs album "After the Goldrush" was written for a movie. Alice Cooper a big James Bond fan wrote "The Man With The Golden Gun" for the Bond movie of the same name but they didn't use it.

[mtucker]

"Dead Man" by Pearl Jam was written for Dead Man Walking but not used, I think.

[oppie1]

Pearl Jam and Cypress Hill - Real Thing
and
Tool - Rage Against the Machine - Revolution

from Judgement Night sdtk

[cactusoly]

Alice Cooper wrote the title track for Man With The Golden Gun which was never used. It Showed up on the Muscle Of Love Album.

[Andalusia]

I always figured "Dazed and Confused" should've been in the movie of the same title. I heard Linklater couldn't afford the rights.

[Mondo Kane]

I always figured "Dazed and Confused" should've been in the movie of the same title. I heard Linklater couldn't afford the rights.

But he finally got a Zepplin tune for School of Rock. And they sure had to beg for it!

[grunter]

Zeppelin songs were supposed to permeate all of "Almost Famous" but Cameron Crowe couldn't get the rights. I think even one of the commentary tracks mentions exactly where at least one of the songs should have begun and ended.

[Rockmjd23]

"Who Let the Dogs Out" by the Baha Men was supposed to be in Titanic.

[The Infidel]

"Who Let the Dogs Out" by the Baha Men was supposed to be in Titanic.
You sure it wasn't "Ice Ice Baby"?

[Rockmjd23]

You sure it wasn't "Ice Ice Baby"?
That would make way too much sense....

[Decker]

Easily the greatest song to (sorta) fit this discussion is the Simon & Garfunkel classic "Mrs Robinson" which only appears in a rough, placeholder version in The Graduate. I don't know the story there, maybe they couldn't wait for Paul Simon to finish the lyrics before locking the print? The same thing with Nothing Is Good Enough by Aimee Mann. It's only an instrumental in Magnolia, but finished by her next album.

Also the original song from Moulin Rouge "Come What May" was ruled ineligible by the Academy, because it was written (but not used :hscratch: ) in Baz Luhrmann's previous film : Romeo + Juliet

[durden007]

Didn't The Pixies want "Bam Thwok" in Shrek2?

[Absolut]

Didn't The Pixies want "Bam Thwok" in Shrek2?
Yea, that's the one I was thinking. The movie people asked the Pixies to make some changes and they wouldn't do it.

I've also heard that Pink Floyd - Echoes was written for 2001. Not sure how true that one is though.

[dogmatica]

I'm pretty sure I've heard tale Ben Folds was told the update of the Grinch movie was going to be adult-orientated and dirty, so he wrote a nasty, swearing-filled Christmas song for it. Then he found out it was a family flick, and wrote the song that appears in the movie now.

[run1]

Bon Jovi's "always" was supposed to be in "Romeo is bleeding"

[jonnyrocks]

Another rejected song for a Bond film is Pulp's "Tomorrow Never Lies" (for Tomorrow Never Dies). Pulp eventually released the track as a B-side.

I also remember hearing that "To Sheila" by the Smashing Pumpkins was supposed to be in Cruel Intentions, but I don't think the song was written specifically for the film.

[JeffDoeXXX]

For Your Eyes Only-Blondie, but they went with the Sheena Easton song instead and the Blondie song wound up on their 1982 album THE HUNTER

[redhenry]

Erasure recorded "First Contact" for the Star Trek film of the same name but it ended up as a B-side track.

[dhmac]

The song "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (as performed by Shirley Bassey) was supposed to be the title song for the James Bond film Thunderball, but was dropped at the last minute for the Tom Jones sung "Thunderball" instead.

(And although an instrumental version of "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" appeared on the film's original soundtrack, Shirley Bassey's version was later released separately.)

[ChrisKnudsen]

There was a whole shit ton of songs not used for Empire Records. There was also a lot of songs that were used in the movies but it seemed like the studio had more control over what went into the soundtrack than what actually happened in the crappy movie. Big examples of tracks not appearing on the soundtrack (which would have been other hits off of Empire Records other than the Gin Blossoms and Edwin Collins of Orange Juice tracks or to a lesser degree, the Martinis on the Alternative radio market) are Dishwalla's huge hit "Counting Blue Cars" and the Ass Ponys' cult classic "Little Bastard."

[whaaat]

I've also heard that Pink Floyd - Echoes was written for 2001. Not sure how true that one is though.
From what I've heard, not exactly. The story goes that Kubrick wanted to use Atom Heart Mother in A Clockwork Orange, but didn't want to pay for the rights. The Floyd were also considered for the soundtrack of 2001, but didn't find out until after the movie came out. Being fans of the movie, and sci-fi in general, they were upset at the missed opportunity, and made Echoes as a 'secret soundtrack' to the last couple of scenes.

Whether true or not, it's a pretty impressive synch!

[whaaat]

Back on topic, I'd give my left nut to hear Lewis Taylor's cover of "I Saw The Light" that was recorded for, but not used in, Bridget Jones' Diary.