We decided to catch up on some old classic movies this past week (well, classic to me).
We watched Ace Ventura (still funny after all these years), Chinatown (Jack Nicholson is great), and Urban Cowboy.
What a roll John Travolta was on in the late 70s, early 80s. First, there was Saturday Night Fever, which got the whole country hooked on disco music. Then there was Grease, which made everyone long for the 50s. And Travolta wrapped it up in 1980 with Urban Cowboy, which got everyone into country music and wanting to go to Gilley’s.
Has any actor had that much impact on such a wide range of pop culture?
I loved each of those three Travolta movies, and have seen each one numerous times. But when I saw that Urban Cowboy was on Netflix this month, I knew it was time to watch it again. At this point, I know the story by heart, and many of the lines. So this time I was able to focus more on the music, and realize how many great songs are in the movie.
Here’s the complete list of songs and artists, followed by videos of a couple of my favorite tracks:
Side A:
- “Hello Texas” – Jimmy Buffett
- “All Night Long” – Joe Walsh
- “Times Like These” – Dan Fogelberg
- “Nine Tonight” – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Side B:
- “Stand By Me” – Mickey Gilley
- “Cherokee Fiddle” – Johnny Lee
- “Could I Have This Dance” – Anne Murray
- “Lyin’ Eyes” – Eagles
Side C:
- “Lookin’ for Love” – Johnny Lee
- “Don’t it Make Ya Wanna Dance” – Bonnie Raitt
- “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” – Charlie Daniels Band
- “Here Comes the Hurt Again” – Mickey Gilley
- “Orange Blossom Special” / “Hoedown” – Gilley’s “Urban Cowboy” Band
Side D:
- “Love the World Away” – Kenny Rogers
- “Falling in Love for the Night” – Charlie Daniels Band
- “Darlin'” – Bonnie Raitt
- “Look What You’ve Done to Me” – Boz Scaggs
- “Hearts Against the Wind” – Linda Ronstadt with J. D. Souther
It’s hard to narrow down such a list to just two or three songs, but I’ll do my best.
And one song that was in the movie but is not on the official soundtrack album:
OK, so I failed. I couldn’t stop at two or three songs. And I could keep going.
It’s no surprise that I enjoyed the movie so much with music like this.
Plus it’s got John Travolta and Debra Winger, what more could you ask for…
If you’ve never seen it, here’s the trailer:
*image from Rolling Stone
It’s been years since I’ve seen that Movie and forgot TimesLike These was in there… but I listened to All Night Long earlier this evening.
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It’s amazing how many songs this movie probably helped to popularize…
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I have watched the other John Travolta movies you mentioned but I realize, I have never seen Urban Cowboy!!! How could that be???? I’m going to have to watch it!!! As for the songs!! I love many of them, but Anne Murray and Eagles are tops in my book!
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it was tough leaving off the Eagles song, as well as one by Boz Scaggs and one by Jimmy Buffett. It’s a great soundtrack!
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Speaking of John Travolta, he is my father’s favorite. When he told me back when I was a kid I thought he invented the name, imagine my surprise when I saw Grease and Saturday Night Fever… I was like, “He’s real?!” 😳 😂
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Never seen it! I’ll add it to the list, especially with such a great soundtrack! (And who doesn’t love John Travolta?)🕊
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He has such a presence on the screen…
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He does. Have you ever seen Phenomenon? So good.
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Yes, but it’s been so long that I forget most of it. TIme to watch it again, I guess…
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It’s been several years for me, too. It definitely caught me by surprise, but I loved it.
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I like movies that make you think…
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I didn’t see the movie but love ones that have as much good music as Urban Cowboy. Good tunes add so much to a movie. I wonder how a song that appears in the movie is not on the official soundtrack. Maybe legal issues, and it depends on the definition of “official” I suppose.
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Yes, it was odd. I only noticed because it is one of my favorite songs from the movie…
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I wonder what it would be to look that good in a pair of jeans. Unfortunately, I’ll never know. I’d give the movie pretty high marks. This is a good soundtrack (love the Boz Scaggs song), but my preferred music soundtrack for a Travolta movie is Staying Alive.
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I am a huge fan of Boz Scaggs (it was the first date my wife to be and I had). Grease also has a great soundtrack…
And I’ll never know about the jeans thing either… 🙂
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There was some good ol’ country music in those days. That Gilley cover of Stand By Me is one of my favorites.
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And that same song is such a great part of the movie Stand By Me…
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Can’t say I’ve seen the movie. At least I’ve heard one song from it 🙃
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I think it’s a fun movie to watch, with some good music playing in the background. What was the song you’ve heard?
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This is a classic film, and though now a bit dated, its story still captures the heart. It has been forever since I have watched this movie, and although I am not the biggest Travolta fan, this is worth watching again! It is amazing the impact that movie scores can have on popular culture! Well written, Jim!
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Thanks, Brad! It is amazing what this film did for country music.
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i haven’t seen this movie in many, many years – thanks for the trip down memory lane, jim )
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It’s on Netflix… 🙂
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Omg I have to see this movie! I may like the “Stand by me” with Ben E King better, but that version wasn’t all that bad!
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I think I like your version better as well; loved the movie Stand By Me…
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Didn’t know there was a movie. I must check it out
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It’s a great coming of age movie…
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I’ve never seen the movie. Maybe I should!
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It’s a simple movie plot, but I like the two stars, and I loved the music…
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I’ll try and find it, but I don’t have Netflix and Prime wants me to pay for it!
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You may want to wait until you can watch it for free at some point. Now if it was Chariots of Fire, then I’d say it was worth the rental fee… 🙂
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I have that one on dvd, back from the days before streaming took over 😊
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I own that one as well; it’s my all-time favorite movie…
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My favourite is Easy Rider, though it hasn’t aged well!
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I just showed my son the clip from the diner scene in Easy Rider, after we had watched Chinatown the other day!
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Jack Nicholson has created some great characters. I guess they’d still get that kind of reception in some parts these days?
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I’m sure they would…
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The heavily armed morons protesting against lockdown come to mind…
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They probably would not take kindly to him and his kind…
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They don’t look the tolerant type, do they…
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I’m sure they wouldn’t be tolerant of me either – my views are likely the exact opposite of theirs…
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From the pictures I’ve seen I’d be surprised if their collective brain cell count reached double figures.
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What a great list of songs and you chose the ones I would have,especially Anne Murray. Except you left off the Eagles. Lyin Eyes is one of their best songs. 🙂
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It was tough leaving off the Eagles, one of my favorite bands as well. Peaceful Easy Feeling is among my top three favorite songs of all time, by any group. It’s the first song on my playlist…
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Oh yes, that one , Lying Eyes and Desparado are my top favorites of theirs.
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So many great songs…
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So many songs….so many books…..and so little time! 🙂
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I watched this movie for my country music class a few months ago!!
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Did you like it? What did the teacher have to say about it? I think it got strong mixed reactions from critics…
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He didn’t exactly give his opinion but I think he did not seem to like it because it stereotypes country music and moved it away from what it was. I personally did enjoy the movie. It also seems extremely influential so I’m guessing a lot of people liked it.
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I read that some people said that only about one or two songs in the movie were really country. I really don’t care what people call it, it was good music!
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Yeah I thought so too and honestly I think there are lots of different sub genres in country so it’s still technically country- I think the music in the movie is called countrypolitan if I remember correctly.
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I think I saw that term written somewhere – but I didn’t really quite get what it meant…
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Oh it’s when cosmopolitan people who have little to do with cowboys would act like cowboys on the weekend at the club for fun and pretend to be southern like John Travolta’s character in the movie. The music that was produced during the year this movie was realised and the next few years was for people like that to play at their “country clubs” which is why it’s called Countrypolitan
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Ahhhh… Now I get it. Thank you for the explanation. I think I vaguely recall trying to act like Travolta back then, minus the dancing… 🙂
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Omg you were technically part of the countrypolitan scene woohoo!! I kind of wanted to act all country after watching the movie too haha
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Yes-haw!
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One of the best movies ever…love this 😊💖
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Thanks! great actors, great music, great dancing – what’s not to love? 🙂
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Totally agree! It is one of those movies I watch over and over because you just can’t get enough! Travolta makes my heart go thump thump 🤣🤣 definitely a classic great post Jim 💖💜
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Thank you, glitzyritzymomy! I would also consider Grease and Saturday Night Fever among my favorite movies…
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Saturday night fever omg YES!!! AND STAYING ALIVE 🤗 Jim your spot on like your style ..this jersey girl knows her stuff 💪🤜🤛💋💖
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Surprisingly, I don’t think I saw Staying Alive, or if I did, it didn’t make too much of an impression. maybe I need to watch it (again). Jersey Strong! I assume you are a Springsteen fan as well…
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Look What You’ve Done To Me – Clearly on my list of music to make love to. I’m going to enjoy your blog Jim. Nice meeting you last evening! Doug Fine
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Boz is one of the best. It was nice meeting you as well, Doug!
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Jim fantastic movie watch it…classic 💖 Springsteen yes aka IN LOVE WITH A JERSEY GIRL 🤗 Bon Jovi too….jersey strong jersey pride 💪 no one does it quite like jersey 🤣🤣
South jersey 😉
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I’ll give it a look. And you mention one of Bruce’s classic songs… I’m from the Philly suburbs, so I certainly have great respect for Jersey!
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Jim your my neighbor 💖 cross the bridge to jersey and your at my door 💖 actually my family my grandmother was one of the original owners of Dibruno brothers now my cousins own it . If your from the beautiful streets of Philly you ninth street and chestnut etc…😉
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I’ve heard of the Dibruno Brothers for decades, and we have been to the South Philly location!
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I worked there a summer or 2 for a few days here and there with my grandmother back in the 80s never know jim may run into me sometime…never can resist dibruno cheese 😉 I will be back to see my cousins once the world goes back to normal 💖
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I think we are all waiting for that big day when the world returns to normal, or some new version of it… 🙂
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Totally agree jim….😊 so nice texting with you 💖
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same here…
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🤗💖
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