B Side Presents, "Friday Gut Check - Run Forrest Run!"

I've been going strong on the Friday Gut Checks - and Heidi has been great helping me out. Today, an Anonymous reader suggested that I review the Forrest Gump Soundtrack. Now since it was without identification, I don't know if this person has been a long time reader or stumbled upon lately, so I'll add a little narrative. Back a while ago, Heidi and I did a Gut Check on soundtracks. Forrest Gump was my third favorite of all time. So, I'm a fan. When they asked me to review, I wanted to take it one step further...

I'm going to give you my Top 5 songs off the soundtrack (there are 32 songs total) and then my Top 5 favorite parts of the movie. (a film that I do enjoy quite a bit) Here is a complete list of the songs first - in case you don't recall:

Disc One
Hound Dog performed by Elvis Presley
Rebel Rouser performed by Duane Eddy
(I Don't Know Why) But I Do performed by Clarence "Frogman" Henry
Walk Right In performed by The Rooftop Singers
Land of 1000 Dances performed by Wilson Pickett
Blowin' in the Wind performed by Joan Baez
Fortunate Son performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) performed by The Four Tops
Respect performed by Aretha Franklin
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 performed by Bob Dylan
Sloop John B performed by Beach Boys
California Dreamin' performed by The Mamas & the Papas
For What It's Worth performed by Buffalo Springfield
What the World Needs Now Is Love performed by Jackie DeShannon
Break On Through (To the Other Side) performed by The Doors
Mrs. Robinson performed by Simon & Garfunkel

Disc Two
Volunteers performed by Jefferson Airplane
Let's Get Together performed by The Youngbloods
San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) performed by Scott McKenzie
Turn! Turn! Turn! performed by The Byrds
Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In performed by The 5th Dimension
Everybody's Talkin' performed by Harry Nilsson
Joy to the World performed by Three Dog Night
Stoned Love performed by The Supremes
Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head performed by B. J. Thomas
Mr. President performed by Randy Newman
Sweet Home Alabama performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd
It Keeps You Runnin' performed by The Doobie Brothers
I've Got to Use My Imagination performed by Gladys Knight & the Pips
On the Road Again performed by Willie Nelson
Against the Wind performed by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
Forrest Gump Suite composed and conducted by Alan Silvestri

I'm even going to take it one step further, here are songs in the film, but not on the soundtrack:

Lovesick Blues - Hank Williams
Sugar Shack - Jimmy Gilmer And The Fireballs
Hanky Panky - Tommy James and The Shondells
All Along the Watchtower - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Soul Kitchen - The Doors
Hello, I Love You - The Doors
People Are Strange - The Doors
Hey Joe - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Where Have All the Flowers Gone? - Pete Seeger
Love Her Madly - The Doors
Let's Work Together - Canned Heat
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree - Tony Orlando & Dawn
Get Down Tonight - KC & The Sunshine Band
Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Running On Empty – Jackson Browne
Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac

Okay, so here we go. Top 5 in each category - GO!

5. Ping Pong With Son - Toward the end of the film, Forrest is letting the audience know how things are going with his son. They have a part where they cut to them playing ping pong, and little Forrest smacks a point right past him. Funny, because he was a world class player for the US Army. Cute scene and fun.

4. Black Panther Fight - Jenny and her boyfriend at the time were at a Black Panther Party, showing their support for minority rights. Forrest came along in his Army uniform, which already riled up the attendees who didn't support an Army that allowed minorities to die on the front line, but not have equal rights back home. Well, the boyfriend slaps Jenny, Forrest rushes in and bloodies his nose. Shows Forrest's passion and his love for Jenny.

3. Not Enough Rocks - Forrest getting back together with Jenny, he takes her back to the shack she grew up in. Jenny stops, you can tell she's getting emotional just looking at the house. She picks up rocks, throws them in fury. Get one to break and window and collapses. There is a line, "sometimes there just aren't enough rocks". A great quote, great scene.

2. I GOTTA FIND BUBBA! - War in Veitnam. Charlie all over the place. Forrest runs out of the jungle to find he's outran everybody. He has to go back and find his dear friend Bubba. I just love this scene. He keeps going back, finding more army mates that need his help. Gets Lieutenant Dan out and then Bubba, who doesn't make it. Touching stuff.

1. You'll never sink this boat - Dan versus God. A battle of a man who lost his faith because he lost his legs and the big guy above. They're out on the shrimp boat and a nasty hurricane hits. Dan is perched up in the sails cursing at any power that exists above him. Bottom line, Dan finds his faith again - shrimp boat is the only one left standing.

Now on to the good stuff - the music. Here are my 5 favorites:

5. For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield: Comes out hard with the beat and and backdrop. Lyrically one of the better songs from its time too. I remember hearing this song when I was a kid and was hooked. Still enjoy it today.

4. Hey Joe - Jimi Hendrix: It's Jimi. This was the song that came on during the Black Panther scene too. The passion that Jimi brought forth when playing this track, always made me wonder what the real story behind it was. Hearbreak and revenge, to things that can make a song amazing.

3. Mrs. Robinson - Simon And Garfunkel: Yeah yeah, this song is also what made a certain Dustin Hoffman movie huge. I get it. But it's really good in this movie too. I think it simply speaks volumes of the song in general, very good and very identifiable for its time.

2. Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd: Okay, so you all know I adore this song. It's not a secret. It also was PERFECT for when Jenny seemed to be contemplating suicide jumping off a high balcony at a hotel. If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?

1. Against The Wind - Bob Seger: I'm a sucker for this song. It can be very emotional if you listen to the lyrics and take it all in. I think this came on when Forrest was running for no real reason across the country. I equate what he was going through an this song and it's just perfect. Hard to imagine a better song to sum it all up.


Well B Siders, I love this soundtrack and I love this movie. What do you think?