Music can make or break a movie. If the music is disappointing, a movie can go from being great, to being just okay. A good needle drop, though, can make me burst into applause.
Movie scores and songs written for a movie are different from when an already existing song is borrowed for a TV show or movie. Here are three examples of songs that have been featured in visual media, where they each serve different purposes.
Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush in Stranger Things (2022)
Season 4 of Stranger Things saw the resurgence to popularity of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill. The iconic tune serves to emphasise the storyline for the character Max (Sadie Sink). Following her in the aftermath of her brother’s death, the song is used as a way for her to both grieve and ground herself.
The lyrics of the song are integral to her storyline for the season serving as a repeating motif through which she explores her grief. ‘And if I could I’d make a deal with God/And I’d get Him to swap our places’. She blames herself for his death, and she even wishes she could change places with him, so that he could live on. She has immense survivors’ guilt, and the song emphasises this.
I was first exposed to the wonders of Kate Bush and Running Up That Hill by my parents throughout my childhood. However, before Stranger Things I had never considered the song so much, both lyrically and instrumentally, until that scene. I think this is part of what I find so special about music in visual media—it can give the song a new meaning.
The coinciding dates of Bush’s release of Running Up That Hill, in her album Hounds of Love in 1985, and the 1986 setting of season 4 allows for a sense of ‘historical accuracy’, as well as introducing the artist to a younger audience. We could all use a little more Kate Bush in our lives.
Father Figure by George Michael in Babygirl (2024)
Following the release of the movie Babygirl, George Michael’s Father Figure, started making rounds on social media. Originally released in 1987, Harris Dickinson gave the song a new lease of life by dancing shirtless in front of Nicole Kidman.
In the instance of Babygirl, the song is not really there to create depth for the characters or the plot, a complete contrast to Running Up That Hill. Harris Dickinson dances shirtless to arouse Nicole Kidman. It’s about making the scene sexy. The song itself is about wanting someone, and the movie is centred around these two people who want each other (even though they know it is not right). The song features as a way to further push the theme of wanting and lust. And when you’re using George Michael, you can’t fail.
Director Halina Rejin wrote the song into the first draft, and music coordinator Meghan Currier, made it a priority to secure the rights for the song. The sole purpose of Father Figure being used to add to the attractive aura of Harris Dickinson, and acknowledging how much intention went into it, makes me appreciate the song choice that much more.
Something in the Way by Nirvana in The Batman (2022)
When Matt Reeves' The Batman came out in 2022, Nirvana’s Something in the Way regained social media popularity. Reeves told in an interview that he wrote parts of the film with the song in the background, and it inspired his re-interpretation of the character. Rather than “the playboy version we’ve seen before, there’s another version who had gone through a great tragedy and become a recluse.” In the same vein as Running Up That Hill, the song adds depth to the character's story.
The song comes in during the scene where the mayor of Gotham has been found dead. Batman (Robert Pattinson) is informed by a detective that the mayor's child had found him. The kid comes into the shot, sitting sunken in a chair, quiet, silent. Batman, who also lost his parents at a young age, sees himself in the child. There is a pain that only the two of them can understand out of everyone else in that room. The song builds up further as Batman rides through the city of Gotham on his motorcycle, whispering: ‘I wish I could say I’m making a difference, but I don’t know. [...] The city is eating itself. Maybe it’s beyond saving, but I have to try.’ When Nirvana’s lead singer, Kurt Cobain, was writing the song, he said he was imagining himself living under a bridge, sick and unable to move. The pain written into the song is reflected in Batman as he looks on at a fatherless child, feeling hopeless in his job to protect the city. Using the song to build a different interpretation of such a famous character amplifies the gloomy and dark cinematography and aesthetic of the film.
All three instances have had different reactions and receptions. Many enjoy the idea of giving a song new meaning and life. Some feel that it draws the wrong kind of attention, and worry that their favourite song will be forever entangled with the TV show or movie. Running Up That Hill has now become intrinsically linked to Stranger Things, imagery of teens in the 80s and sci-fi battles potentially detracting from Bush’s masterpiece. However, artists like George Michael, Kate Bush and Nirvana will live forever. No matter how big any of these movies or TV shows are, the sheer stardom of these artists will always eclipse popular media of the day.
All in all, music coordinators do not get nearly enough credit for the hoops and gymnastics they go through to make our favourite TV shows and movies special. A good needle drop can truly make a movie Oscar-winning for me.
What are some of your favourite featured songs in movies/TV shows?
