MSN Entertainment put together this short entertaining look at the five most overused songs in movies. Check out “Geeking Out On…The Most Overused Songs in Movies.”
In case you do not have the three minutes to watch the video, the songs are “Hallelujah,” “Bad to the Bone,” “Born to Be Wild,” “Let’s Get it On,” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” It does not seem to be a scientific survey, but those songs are good picks.
What do you think is the most overused song in movies? Leave your two cents in the comments.
A lot of readers have been curious about the version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” played over the ending of America’s Got Talent this week. Because we always want to give our readers information about pop culture, it was Il Divo from their 2008 album The Promise. Il Divo is an operatic “pop” group that was created by Simon Cowell and features the international voices of Sébastien Izambard, Carlos Marín, David Miller, and Urs Bühler. [For more recent uses of the song on America’s Got Talent, see below.]
We initially thought the version may be by Mark Vincent, the winner of 2009’s Australia’s Got Talent, which would make sense. He was 15 when he appeared on the show and has recorded several albums like My Dream – Mio Visione(2009), which includes his version of “Hallelujah.” But if you listen closely to the end of America’s Got Talent, you will notice there is more than one singer in that version. And if you listen to Il Divo, you should recognize it.
September 11, 2013 Update: Of course, it would not be a competition with singers unless at some point one of the competitors sings the overplayed and misunderstood “Hallelujah.” So, last night on America’s Got TalentBranden James did a nice job performing the Leonard Cohen classic (see video in comments).
June 10, 2014 Update: Once again, the song “Hallelujah” made a prominent appearance on America’s Got Talent when this week the 20-year-old Anna Clendening, who explained to the judges her struggles with anxiety and depression disorder, gave an emotional performance of “Hallelujah.” Check it out:
What is your favorite version of “Hallelujah”? Leave your two cents in the comments.
At the recent Emmy Awards, someone came up with the idea to sing Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah” while they showed images of the stars who died during the past year. It was an odd choice, showing that the producers had only listened to the single word of the title without listening to the words of the lyrics. People often comment that Cohen’s song is overplayed. While I have yet to grow tired of it, if you are looking for another outstanding song with “Hallelujah” in the title — or if you are just looking for a great catchy pop song — check out “Sounds Like Hallelujah” by The Head and the Heart.
“Sounds Like Hallelujah” has been on my iPod repeat playlist for more than a year, but I recently noticed that a local station, WFUV, has been playing it fairly often lately. It is a great song, and I cannot get it out of my head. So if your local radio station has not yet played it, give the song a listen.
Like the Leonard Cohen song, “Sounds Like Hallelujah” is not open to simple straightforward interpretation. While the sound is joyous, the lyrics reveal something more complex. One commentator has argued that the song is best understood in the context of the themes of the entire CD, providing an epiphany toward the end of the album. Momma don’t put no gun in my hand I don’t wanna end up like these men
I’m not walking away I’m just hearing what you’re saying For the first time Sounds like hallelujah for the first time
“Sounds Like Hallelujah” is off of the band’s self-titled self-released first CD. The band re-recorded the song for a remastered release of the CD this year, which partly explains the increase in airplay. Josiah Johnson and Jonathan Russell formed The Head and the Heart in 2009. The band, which is based in Seattle, includes Charity Rose Thielen, Chris Zasche, Kenny Hensley, and Tyler Williams.
What do you think of The Head and the Heart and “Sounds Like Hallelujah”? What do you think it means? Leave a comment.
. Il Divo is an operatic “pop” group that was created by Simon Cowell and features the international voices of Sébastien Izambard, Carlos Marín, David Miller, and Urs Bühler. [For more recent uses of the song on America’s Got Talent, see below.]
(2009), which includes his version of “Hallelujah.” But if you listen closely to the end of America’s Got Talent, you will notice there is more than one singer in that version. And if you listen to Il Divo, you should recognize it.
. The band