The AFI's Top 100 Movie Songs - #41-50

#41 Theme from New York, New York
from On The Town

Warner Bros. Studios

A landmark film starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, "On The Town" was the first musical to shoot on location. And who could forget "The Bronx is up, and the Battery's down. The people ride in a whole in the ground. New York, New York! It's a wonderful town!" A great pick for the list and a fine movie to boot!

#42 Luck Be A Lady
from Guys and Dolls

Warner Bros. Studios

Based on the Damon Runyon novel and the Broadway play, "Guys and Dolls" was an enormous hit in the 1950's and became a staple of television as well. Its star-studded cast gave moviegoers a real treat - stars they knew in a fast-paced, glib Broadway comedy. Amazingly, the AFI chose to honor this song, croaked out by Marlon Brando over the much snappier and appropriate pick "I Got The Horse Right Here" featuring Frank Sinatra (a singer of some note) and Stubby Kaye (a veteran of the stage and screen), or the charming ballad "Adelaide" by Sinatra alone. Here's a great movie to take a chance on.

#43 The Way You Look Tonight
from Swing Time

RKO Studios

Its another Fred and Ginger classic, featuring one of the most romantic movie songs ever written - "The Way You Look Tonight" by legendary songwriter Jerome Kern. Many believe this was the best of the Fred and Ginger movies, and I'd be hard-pressed to disagree. The film also includes Kern's "A Fine Romance." Its a movie that certainly deserves the label "classic."

#44 Wind Beneath My Wings
from Beaches

Walt Disney Studios

I've never seen this film, so I can't comment beyond noting that it was well-received by critics and audiences.

#45 That's Entertainment
from The Band Wagon

MGM Studios

Fred Astaire's favorite dance partner was his co-star in this film, Cyd Charisse. The catchy tune became the theme for a series of films produced by MGM to celebrate the history of the movies. All in all, this is a combination that deserves mention on the AFI list.

#46 Don't Rain On My Parade
from Funny Girl

Columbia/Tri-Star

Jule Stein gives "Funny Girl" Barbara Streisand one of her biggest hits in "Don't Rain On My Parade." The movie is a fun bit of fluff. Not one of my favorites, but certainly noteworthy in the history of the movies.

#47 Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
from Song Of The South

Walt Disney Studios

This 1947 Disney film was controversial when it was released and has remained so to this day. Its the only Disney film that has never been released to home video in the United States - although it has been released in Europe and Asia - because of the Steppin' Fetchit-style character Uncle Remus the legendary black man who told tales with a thick dialect. The uplifting song from the movie, "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" is one of the Disney Studio's most popular songs of all time. Sadly, this film remains largely unknown to American audiences for fear of the controversy it would spark.

#48 Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)
from The Man Who Knew Too Much

Columbia/Tri-Star

This Hitchcock film (a remake of his 1934 film) starred box office favorites Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day. Its a gripping thriller, worthy of Hictchcock, despite the presence of Doris Day. The song "Que Sera, Sera" was one she became the theme song for her 1960's television series and was very popular way back when. Let's put it this way - the film is ocean's better than this song.

#49 Make 'em Laugh
from Singin' In The Rain

MGM Studios

"Singin' In The Rain" had many great songs, including this hillarious sequence featuring Donald O'Connor bouncing around the stage. Its one of my favorite movie scenes and I'm obviously not alone in this opinion. Its just a shame that Donald O'Connor never got more roles of this quality. Much as I enjoyed the "Francis, The Talking Mule" movies, they were pretty much responsible for keeping Donald O'Connor in the role of comic relief.

#50 Rock Around the Clock
from Blackboard Jungle

MGM Studios

Hollywood tackles racism and juvenille deliquency in this staggeringly boring movie featuring Glenn Ford and Sidney Poitier. Bill Haley's classic "Rock Around The Clock" was thrown in just to get kids to go see the film. Its a landmark song in an eminently forgettable movie.