Image via Complex Original
The joys of singing in the car are boundless. From top 40 hits to ’80s power ballads, anything and everything is socially acceptable when you’re belting it out on the drive. Whether you’re karaoke-ing the Spice Girls with your crew or screaming along to Journey by yourself, your problems melt away when you have a good audio system and lose yourself in a song behind the wheel. For visual proof, just look to the movies. So crank up your system, roll down your windows, and reminisce with us over the 10 most epic car sing-alongs in movie history.
Almost Famous’ “Tiny Dancer”
For everyone who calls Almost Famous his or her favorite movie, this is the scene. Coming down from an epic night partying with local suburban kids, Stillwater lead singer, Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup), and teen journalist William Miller (Patrick Fugit) are rescued by his band, which is putting itself back together again after a falling out at their previous show. Sitting quietly in the bus, the crew soaks in the sounds of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.” Once their drummer starts tapping along to it, the whole gang slowly joins in to sing the song. It’s a feel-good scene capped by a line that encapsulates the moment from Penny Lane (Kate Hudson)—when Miller tells her he needs to get home, she simply says: “You are home.”
Wayne's World's "Bohemian Rhapsody”
According to Mike Myers on WTF Podcast, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” almost never made it into the film. Instead, producers were pushing for a Guns N’ Roses song, considering the band’s popularity at that time. However, Myers insisted on Queen, telling Marc Maron, “Queen, at that point—not by me and not by hardcore fans, but the public had sort of forgotten about them. Freddie had gotten sick, the last time we had seen them was on Live Aid, and then there were a few albums after where they were sort of straying away from their arena-rock roots. But I always loved ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’… And at one point I said, ‘Well, I’m out. I don’t want to make this movie if it’s not ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’” If you ever seem ‘em, be sure to thank Queen for the existence of the Wayne’s World movie.
White Chicks’ “A Thousand Miles”
Sorry, Vanessa Carlton, but “A Thousand Miles” will always be associated with White Chicks. The Wayans Brothers, impersonating a couple of identical, rich white girls as part of their undercover FBI mission, attempt to fit in with their covers’ friends. Their ruse is almost blown when their BFFs start rocking out to Carlton’s hit single. The bros just can’t get with it, and they change the dial. What starts blasting is Notorious B.I.G. and 50 Cent. The twins’ insane turn up is enough for their friends to forget the “Thousand Miles” flub in the first place.
Office Space’s “No Tears”
Forget jamming to Michael Bolton. Michael Bolton (the fictional character, played by David Herman) is into gangsta rap. In the opening of Office Space, Bolton is shown rapping along to Scarface’s “No Tears” like the dude was up on stage himself. He powers through, while, ironically, locking his doors when a flower salesman walks by his car. It’s a quintessential example of the legendary character’s short fuse that helped make the droll comedy iconic.
Tommy Boy’s “Superstar”
The late Chris Farley left us a lot to smile about. Among the millions of characters we could mention, there’s Matt Foley, the Lunch Lady, and, of course, Tommy. Here, Tommy and his pal Tom (played by partner in crime David Spade) croon the Carpenters’ classic with all the love in their heart (you can tell because Farley’s neck veins are literally pulsating as he sings). Essentially, this is classic Farley being Farley.
American Beauty’s “American Woman”
Needs tips on how to quit your job with true authenticity? Take a page outta Kevin Spacey’s playbook. Absolutely done with his dull suburban life, Spacey’s Lester Burnham dumps it all in an epic fashion. He ethers his boss while quitting his dumb job, and lets loose on the car ride home, jamming out to Lenny Kravitz’s “American Woman” all the way to a fast-food drive through. It’s a big middle finger to his manicured life, crazy wife, and everything in between.
Pitch Perfect’s “Party in the USA”
The Barden Bellas are a mess of an a cappella group—at least, that’s how they begin. They’re a ragtag team of singers who can’t, for the life of them, harmonize or stop bricking bland classics. Here, on their way to regionals, the group proves they can get past show tunes and ladies-of-the-’80s hits by jamming out to Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.”
Jerry Maguire's "Free Fallin'”
Confident he just landed the client of a lifetime, top-ranking sports agent Jerry Maguire is in the mood to celebrate his success. Flipping the dials through a couple of duds, Maguire finally lands on Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’.” What follows is Cruise on his A-game, belting out the 1989 hit like he’s exorcising his own demons.
Step Brothers’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine”
If you think your family is scary, at least your dad doesn’t make you sing family a capella. Here, Adam Scott plays Will Ferrell’s insufferable younger, more successful brother Derek who micro-manages every detail of his life, not the least of which his car tunes. More than it is impressive, it’s actually a little terrifying—think Stepford Wives terrifying—watching Derek’s little minions harmonizing over Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine” with daddy dearest. Meanwhile, his wife Alice (Kathryn Hahn) provides a little nod to the audience, with a look that tells us just how over it she truly is.
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle’s “Hold On”
No scene with a Wilson-Phillips’ impromptu sing-along can be bad. Just watch Bridesmaids. And, for further proof, just watch this. Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn), on their adventure to the elusive White Castle, pop in Cole’s Extreme Mix Volume 5 for some tunes, only to be met with a barrage of late ’80s/early ’90s power ballads. So which is the one that finally gets them going? Well, obviously Harold and Kumar belt out “Hold On” with a vocal passion only reserved for frat guys at a Kid Rock concert. It’s awe-inspiring, really.
