Ranking All 10 Songs from the Stepmom Soundtrack
When you are watching a movie, and you get to see a casting that features Julia Roberts and the likes of Susan Sarandon, you can be sure that it will stir some emotions in you. The movie Stepmom was released on Christmas day of 1998, and although it starts slow, it might make you shed a few tears as it hits its climax. The movie tells a story of a terminally ill lady who has to deal with his husband’s new woman, who is set to be her kid’s stepmother.
The lady named Jacky struggles to co-parent her children, Anna and Ben, with her husband, Luke Harrison. On the other hand, Luke Harrison already has a new girlfriend, Isabel Kelly, who has never wanted to be a mother—despite her never wanting to be a mother, Isabel does her best to endear herself to Anna and Ben. The movie debuted at number 2 on the North America Box Office, narrowly missing out on the top spot to Patch Adams. The film made $19.1 million on the opening weekend and grossed more than $91 million from a budget of $50 million.
Mixed Reviews
The movie had mixed reviews from critics, with a 46% rating on rotten tomatoes. The movie earned Susan Sarandon a nomination for Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama. She also bagged the San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress, while Ed Harris won a National Board of Review award for his role in the movie. The movie contains a soundtrack with a total of 15 songs which were released on 12th August 1998 via Sony Classical Label. We have selected 10 of the best songs in the movie soundtrack. Read on, and let’s find out which song comes out on top.
10. Green Onions – Booker T. & the M.G.’s
Starting us off is a song unintentionally recorded by a group that never even intended to form a band. “Green Onions” is an iconic instrumental which was recorded in 1962. The instrumental is quite recognisable and has been featured in several other movies, including Happy Gilmore and The Sandlot.
9. Delicious – Pure Sugar
Although not many people know about them since they were short-lived, Pure Sugar’s fresh brand of house music revolutionised the music scene in the late eighties and the nineties. “Delicious” is a fun-filled song which will definitely get you in a dancing mood. The song, which was released in 1998, is contained in Pure Sugar’s self-titled album.
8. Rhythm of the Road – The String Cheese Incident
“Rhythm of the Road” by The String Cheese Incident was the most surprising inclusion on the entire Stepmom soundtrack. Personally, it was the first time I ever heard of the group, which caught me by surprise due to the quality of their performances and the general entertainment in their songs.
7. Il Signor Bruschino – Gioachino Rossini
“Il Signor Brushing” is an opera by Gioachino Rossini that was first performed in January 1813 in Venice, Italy. The “Il Signor Brushino” was short and was performed by five to eight singers, which always included a pair of lovers. The song is filled with elegance and incredible orchestration with some touching lyricism.
6. This Land Is Your Land – Woody Guthrie
Next up is the song “This Land Is Your Land”, which has been considered by many people as the alternative USA national anthem. Woody Guthrie composed this song after getting tired of listening to “God Bless America” by Kate Smith. He initially titled this song as “God Blessed America For Me” before renaming it to “This Land Is Your Land.” The song was ranked #229 on Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Best Songs of All Time.
5. If I Needed You – Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt’s 1972 album The Late Great Townes Van Zandt was his last with Poppy Records, and it contained some great hits such as the song, “If I Needed You.” The song has several similarities to the song “Would You Lay With Me” by Allan Coe.
4. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye
This song was written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson but was performed by Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell in 1966. The song was a massive hit in 1967, and in 1970, it resurfaced again as a hit after Diana Ross recorded her version.
3. Baby Love – The Supremes
The Supremes, which Holland-Dozier-Holland of Motown Productions produced. “Baby Love” was a song by The Supremes, and the three ladies sing it with so much class. The song was nominated for a Grammy Awards for Best Rhythm and Blues Recording, and what a great addition it was to the movie soundtrack.
2. Under Pressure – David Bowie
“Under Pressure” is a musical masterpiece that David Bowie wrote with the British rock band Queen while they were drunk. Despite the song being written by an intoxicated bunch of singers, there was no doubt about its quality. The song is incredibly powerful and poignant, and it has been sampled and covered by top artists such as Vanilla Ice in his song “Ice Baby”.
1. When the Lights Go Out – Five
“When the Lights Go Out” is one of Five’s most prominent international hits. However, it is the group’s first song to chart in multiple countries. This includes Australia and the US. The track peaked at #10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and is the group’s only song to achieve that feat. The song has a great beat, and the exceptional lyrics prove that the group should have more attention than they do.