3 Major Hit Songs You Definitely Still Remember That Were Almost Left Off Movie Soundtracks

A movie’s soundtrack can make or break an entire film. For decades, music has provided an emotional tone, created a dramatic atmosphere, and evoked emotion for both actors and viewers. Music has made ordinary movies memorable, and gives unforgettable films unmistakable sounds to remember them by. But filmmakers almost left some of the most iconic and enduring songs out of their films. Here are a few major hit songs you definitely remember, but were almost left off movie soundtracks. 

“Somewhere Over The Rainbow” From ‘The Wizard Of Oz’

Written for MGM’s 1939 film The Wizard Of Oz, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” sets the tone for the movie in the first ten minutes of the film. The song represents Dorothy’s longing to escape her dreary life on an old farm in Kansas.

Harold Arlen composed the music and Yip Harburg wrote the lyrics. Yet executives nearly cut this Academy Award-winning song from the film because they felt it slowed down the opening ten minutes and worried audiences would find it boring.

The associate producer of the movie saw the song’s worth and insisted it be kept in, giving the ultimatum that if the song goes, he goes, according to Far Out Magazine. Ultimately, producer Louis B. Mayer decided it wasn’t worth the fight and told them to keep it in.

“My Heart Will Go On” From ‘Titanic’

It’s nearly impossible to think of James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic without hearing Céline Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” But the filmmakers almost left this song about endurance after death off the soundtrack, which would have made the film even more heartbreaking by removing its biggest note of comfort.

At first, Dion simply didn’t like the song. “It didn’t appeal to me,” she said in a 2019 interview with Andy Cohen. “I was probably very tired that day — very tired. My husband [René Angélil] said, ‘Let’s hold on.’ He talked to the writer and he said, ‘Let’s try to make it, like, a little demo.’”

But it wasn’t just Dion who had qualms about adding the song. According to an interview with Vogue, Cameron didn’t want any type of music in the movie. But Dion’s demo of the track swayed Cameron to include it in his film anyway.

“Don’t You (Forget About Me)” From ‘The Breakfast Club’

Simple Minds made musical history with their collaboration in John Hughes’ 1985 movie The Breakfast Club.

Their song “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” transformed into a cultural anthem that defined 1980s coming-of-age movies. The song is played in both the opening and iconic closing of the film. But at first, Simple Minds refused to record the song.

“It was presented in the wrong fasion,” Lead singer Jim Keer said.

The song was given to them already written, but Simple Minds insisted on writing their own songs. To them, the song sounded like somebody trying to sound like Simple Minds, so the band declined. But writer of the song and Simple Minds fan Keith Forsey refused to give up, and eventually, the band agreed.