03.03.2025 SOUNDTRACKS: THE SONGS!!! With DANIEL SCHWEIGER!

Mar 3

**MONSTER PARTY HAS A SONG IN ITS HEART. NOW WE’LL NEVER GET IT BACK IN ITS JAR!**

**JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE**, and **MATT WEINHOLD**, get their toes a tappin’ for this monstrous music festival of an episode. Follow the bouncing ball as we present… **SOUNDTRACKS: THE SONGS!!!**
Soundtracks are usually remembered for the emotion-evoking melodies that gracefully punctuate the moments of a film. There are many masters of this remarkable craft: **Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, John Barry, Lalo Schifrin, Goblin, John Carpenter**, **Bernard Herrmann**, and countless others that only James Gonis could remember. But occasionally, plopped in the middle of all this symphonic pageantry, is an actual song with lyrics that makes us wish for a Karaoke bar strictly for nerds.
Get ready for a sinister sing-a-long as we chart the hits from campy sci-fi favorites like **The Blob** and **The Green Slime**, bawdy beach films, 70's and 80's horror classics, genre TV shows, classic kaiju films, the world of **James Bond**, **Star Trek** and **Star Wars,** an odd sampling of **Jerry Lewis** films, and sooooo much more!
Helping us DJ this shindig of shocks is a friend of the show, who was our last in-studio guest before COVID 19 screwed everything up. He’s a soundtrack journalist, editor, genre columnist, podcaster, and supervises soundtrack temp tracks for many films. He’s also a really great actor! Please welcome back… DANIEL SCHWEIGER! (FILM MUSIC LIVE, ON THE SCORE, FANGORIA, CINEFANTASTIQUE, HORROR FAN, THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF RECORDS, FILM SCORE MONTHLY, BUBBA HO-TEP, PHANTASM RAVAGER, HAPPY HORROR DAYS, BLOODY BLOODY BIBLE CAMP, PACIFIC BREEZE, HE’S FOR THE STREETS)
**THIS EPISODE IS SO CATCHY, IT MIGHT JUST RAISE DICK CLARK FROM THE DEAD! HE IS DEAD, RIGHT?**

Guest(s): Daniel Schweiger

Follow Daniel: Daniel Schweiger (@scorejournalist) | ABOUT - ON THE SCORE | Daniel Schweiger (@scorejournalist) • Threads, Say more

KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:

Focus on Songs vs. Scores: The hosts, along with guest expert Daniel Schweiger, specify that the episode's topic is movie soundtracks that feature prominent songs, as opposed to musicals or films with purely orchestral scores.
Genre-Spanning Favorites: The discussion covers a wide variety of genres, including classic horror songs from films like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween , sci-fi themes from Flash Gordon and Star Trek , and the long tradition of title songs in the James Bond series.
Repurposing Classic Songs: The panel explores the impact of using pre-existing popular songs in movies for ironic or atmospheric effect, such as using "Singin' in the Rain" in A Clockwork Orange or "Mr. Sandman" in Halloween II.
Evolution of Soundtrack Albums: They touch upon how soundtrack albums shifted in the late 1970s and 1980s, moving away from orchestral scores to become collections of pop songs, which also served as a major marketing tool for the films.
Japanese Monster Movie Music: The conversation includes a look at songs from Japanese tokusatsu films, mentioning themes for characters like Gamera and Godzilla, including the "Save the Earth" song from Godzilla vs. Hedorah.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:03:02: The guest, film music expert Daniel Schweiger, is introduced.
00:04:59: The discussion begins with songs from the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.
00:08:25: The hosts talk about the AC/DC soundtrack for Maximum Overdrive.
00:10:45: "Tubular Bells" from The Exorcist is brought up as a "game changer".
00:13:28: The group discusses the theme from The Green Slime.
00:18:01: The topic shifts to the massive 80s hit song from Ghostbusters.
00:20:02: The theme song from the 1950s classic The Blob is discussed.
00:21:29: The hosts explore songs from Japanese monster movies, such as Gamera and Godzilla.
00:24:40: The folk song "Riding Free" from Psychomania is highlighted.
00:26:23: The group praises the folk-horror soundtrack of The Wicker Man.
00:32:36: Blue Öyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" in the movie Halloween is mentioned.
00:39:10: The hosts talk about the prom song from Carrie.
00:39:34: The use of "Singin' in the Rain" in A Clockwork Orange becomes a topic of debate.
00:54:34: The classic "Puttin' on the Ritz" musical number from Young Frankenstein is celebrated.
01:03:00: The panel discusses the iconic tradition of James Bond theme songs.
01:06:53: The use of moon-themed songs in An American Werewolf in London is analyzed.
01:18:16: The songs performed by Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor are discussed.
01:24:44: Lon Chaney Jr.'s spoken-word theme for Spider Baby is mentioned.
01:27:31: The hosts praise the punk rock soundtracks for Repo Man and Return of the Living Dead.
01:34:19: Daniel Schweiger shares details about his recent and upcoming projects.
01:37:54: The "Listener Shout Out" segment focuses on "The Mushroom Song" from The Giant Gila Monster.

RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED:

Film

Repo! The Genetic Opera: Referenced as an example of a musical, a genre the hosts clarify they will not be focusing on.
Bubba Ho-Tep, Phantasm Ravager, Free Enterprise, and Happy Horror Days: Mentioned as films in which the episode's guest, Daniel Schweiger, has acted.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master: The first major film discussed, highlighted for its "pretty damn great rock and roll soundtrack" and the Sinéad O'Connor song "I Want Your Hands On Me".
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): Mentioned as having primarily a score rather than pop songs, with the exception of the "Freddy's coming for you" nursery rhyme.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors: Noted for its title song "Dream Warriors" by the metal band Dokken.
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives: Discussed for its Alice Cooper song, "He's Back (The Man Behind the Mask)".
Maximum Overdrive: Highlighted for its AC/DC soundtrack, which Stephen King handpicked. It is described as a "fun, bad movie".
The Exorcist: Discussed for its iconic theme "Tubular Bells," which was an existing song by Mike Oldfield, not music written specifically for the movie. The originally composed score by Lalo Schifrin was rejected but has since been released.
Sorcerer: Mentioned because its director, William Friedkin, used the band Tangerine Dream for the score after making The Exorcist.
The Green Slime: Praised for its memorable and "groovy" 1960s theme song, performed by Richard Delvey.
Barbarella: The hosts celebrate the film's entire soundtrack, composed by Charles Fox with songs performed by The Bob Crewe Generation.
Saturday Night Fever: Cited as the film that popularized the trend of releasing soundtrack albums filled with pop songs to sell records.
Ghostbusters: Discussed for its number-one hit song by Ray Parker Jr., which was the subject of a lawsuit from Huey Lewis and the News over melody similarities.
The Man Who Knew Too Much: Noted as an Alfred Hitchcock film where Doris Day had a hit song with "Que Sera, Sera".
The Blob (1958): Discussed for its upbeat pop theme song written by Burt Bacharach, which contrasts with the darker tone of the film.
Godzilla vs. Hedorah (aka Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster): The song "Save the Earth" from its English-dubbed version is praised as a fan favorite.
Psychomania: Highlighted for its acoustic folk song, "Riding Free," which is sung during a biker's funeral sequence.
The Wicker Man: Described as a film completely driven by folk songs, which contribute to its sense of dread.
The Birds: Discussed for its lack of a traditional score, instead using electronic bird sounds and a children's song to create menace.
Orca: Mentioned for its "beautiful" and "operatic" score by Ennio Morricone and its theme song, "We Are One".
The Poseidon Adventure: Known for its hit song "The Morning After".
The Towering Inferno: Mentioned as having the song "We May Never Love Like This Again," in an attempt to replicate the success of The Poseidon Adventure's theme.
Danger: Diabolik: Praised for its Ennio Morricone score and its repeating sexy theme song, "Deep Down".
Halloween (1978): Noted for its impactful use of Blue Öyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper".
Horror of Party Beach: Praised for its authentic beach party songs performed by the band The Del-Aires.
Class of 1984: Mentioned for featuring an Alice Cooper song, "I Am the Future," as well as the Canadian punk band Teenage Head.
Prom Night (1980): Described as having a "great disco soundtrack".
Seven (aka Se7en): The use of Nine Inch Nails' song "Closer" is called "enormously effective".
Cruising: Characterized as a slasher film with an "amazing collection" of punk and hardcore music.
Bedazzled (1967): Praised for its music, especially the song Peter Cook's character sings, "You Fill Me With Inertia".
Carrie (1976): The "beautiful" song "I Never Dreamed..." that plays during the prom sequence is highlighted.
A Clockwork Orange: A lengthy discussion is had over the film's controversial use of "Singin' in the Rain" during a violent scene.
Halloween II (1981): Its use of the 1950s song "Mr. Sandman" is cited as an example of adding a creepy texture to a horror film.
The Lost Boys: Called an "emblematic film of the eighties" for its many songs, though one host expresses a strong dislike for the movie and its music.
Ben: The Oscar-nominated title song sung by a young Michael Jackson for a movie about a rat is discussed.
Fright Night (1985): Mentioned for having "a ton of great songs," including its title song.
Cat People (1982): Noted for its "great song" by David Bowie, "Putting Out the Fire".
The Hunger: Praised for its amazing opening scene set to the Bauhaus song "Bela Lugosi's Dead".
Pet Sematary: Its theme song by The Ramones is called a "truly great original" horror song.
Young Frankenstein: Celebrated for its iconic "Puttin' on the Ritz" scene, which Gene Wilder insisted on keeping in the film.
The Omen: Discussed for its Oscar-winning score and its iconic satanic choir theme, "Ave Satani".
Return of the Jedi: The original Ewok celebration song, "Yub Nub," is debated, with hosts disagreeing on whether it or its Special Edition replacement is worse.
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome: Praised for its Tina Turner songs, which a host claims are better than the movie's plot.
Flash Gordon (1980): Its soundtrack by Queen is called "fantastic" and is praised for making the film stand out.
Highlander: Also noted for its Queen soundtrack, where the songs are considered essential to the film's story.
James Bond Films: The franchise is praised for its "fantastic tradition of songs". Several are named, including themes from Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, and A View to a Kill.
An American Werewolf in London: Described as a "song-driven horror masterpiece" for its clever use of various moon-themed songs.
Beetlejuice: Referenced for the memorable dinner party scene featuring Harry Belafonte's "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)".
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home: The scene featuring a punk on a bus with a boombox is recalled.
Yor, the Hunter from the Future: Described as an "ultimate cheese fest" with a ridiculous opening theme song.
The Nutty Professor (1963): Praised for its great big-band songs, including "That Old Black Magic".
The Day the Clown Cried: Jerry Lewis's famously unreleased and controversial film is a topic of conversation.
Spider Baby: Highlighted for its "amazing" theme song spoken and sung by star Lon Chaney Jr..
Batman (1989): Discussed for its Prince soundtrack, which one host feels did not fit the movie's tone.
The Crow: Its soundtrack is called a "seminal" example of 1990s movie music.
Repo Man and Return of the Living Dead: The hosts pair these two films as having great punk rock soundtracks.
Rock and Roll Horror Subgenre: Several films are mentioned, including Trick or Treat (1986), Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare, and Deathgasm.
Dracula A.D. 1972: A Hammer horror film noted for featuring the American rock band Stoneground.
Blade and Blade II: The vampire films are mentioned for their "cool" and experimental club music scenes. The second film is pointed out as the best in the series.
The Giant Gila Monster: The film featured in the "Listener Shout Out" segment, specifically for its bizarre "Mushroom Song".

Television

Film Music Live: This is the guest Daniel Schweiger's videocast, where he interviews film composers.
Star Trek: Enterprise: The hosts debate the show's theme song, with one calling it one of the "most hated songs ever". It is revealed the song was first used in the movie Patch Adams.
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: The folksy opening theme song, "Suspension," is debated, with one host loving it and another calling it the "nadir of science fiction".
Ultraman: Mentioned as one of the Japanese shows from the mid-to-late sixties where the main character had their own theme song.
Kamen Rider: A host notes his love for the theme song from this Japanese tokusatsu series.
South Park: Referenced for an early episode that parodied Japanese monster movies by having a character sing theme songs for everyone who appeared on screen.
Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: The Next Generation: Both are mentioned as having a history of great orchestral themes, making the choice for Enterprise more jarring.
Star Trek: The Original Series: The episode "The Way to Eden" is discussed for featuring "space hippies" who play folk songs.
Battlestar Galactica (original series): Referenced for a scene featuring alien singers with three mouths performing in a cantina.
Hawaii Five-0: The show's theme music is attributed to composer Morton Stevens.
Spider-Man (animated series): The original cartoon's theme song is called a classic.
Batman (1966 series): The iconic theme by Neal Hefti is mentioned.
Wonder Woman: Noted for its theme song, which was composed by Charles Fox.
Swamp Thing (cartoon): Mentioned for its theme song, which simply changed the lyrics of "Wild Thing" to "Swamp Thing".
The Comic Strip Presents: A British alternative comedy show whose cast members are featured in the movie Eat the Rich.

Print & Other Media

Fangoria, Cinefantastique, and HorrorFan: These magazines are mentioned as publications where the guest, Daniel Schweiger, started his career as a journalist.
Killing Me Softly: My Life in Music: The guest, Daniel Schweiger, mentions that in his autobiography, composer Charles Fox expressed his embarrassment over having written a song for a movie called The Green Slime.
The Great Gatsby: During a technical issue with a microphone, one of the hosts jokingly threatens to start reading aloud from the classic novel to fill the silence.