The ‘Forrest Gump’ soundtrack: A journey through the history of American music
How do you tell the story of America through music? Do you go through every single decade of the twentieth century and just cherry-pick the highlights, or do you sit with the music and see how certain songs affect people in the moment and still resonate today? The era of playlists may have made it easier to put such histories of music together, but Forrest Gump was the prime example of turning the sound of the USA into a compelling story.
Then again, getting any film soundtrack together is always a hard tightrope to walk. Outside of getting the rights to use copyrighted material on the soundtrack, there’s also the issue of putting together songs that are either left for the soundtrack or serve as nice musical accompaniment to whatever’s going on.
When Robert Zemeckis first came up with telling the tale of a young Forrest Gump, the real brainstorm moment came when putting the soundtrack together. Rather than go through the deepest parts of American history and make an album that would please baby boomers everywhere, the music department delivered songs that felt like the anthems of those particular times.
Since we’re seeing almost all of the movie through Gump’s eyes, it makes sense that everything reflects what was on the radio at the time. Starting in the 1950s, the double album starts with the sounds of Elvis Presley’s ‘Hound Dog’, introducing us to the world of the swinging sounds of rock and roll.
The compilation isn’t just concerned with providing a greatest-hits perspective on American music. While the use of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect’ is a good way to cover soul music, it’s important to understand where America was at the time. With the feminist wave now in full swing, it’s almost too perfect to have Franklin in the background, practically giving a voice to every woman who has ever demanded to be treated the same way as her man.
Even though the rise of The British Invasion bands in America is sorely missed in this version of the film, it doesn’t feel like it takes away from the experience. This is the story of an American man living as full an American life as someone can hope for, so American music is what you’re going to get.
As Gump transitions to life as a soldier, the music also drastically changes tone, turning towards psychedelic music with the sounds of The Doors and Jefferson Airplane. The movie isn’t shy about putting some dark humour into things, either. Once Forrest finds himself in the middle of the jungle fighting for his life, hearing Mike Love’s nasal voice singing “This is the worst trip I’ve ever been on” from The Beach Boys’ ‘Sloop John B’ is the kind of joke that makes you want to laugh and cry at the same time.
While the ending of the film is more poignant than anything else, hearing the joyful sounds of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Go Your Own Way’ and Willie Nelson’s ‘On the Road Again’ before crashing into the main theme is perfect. The life of a drifter like Nelson was never easy, and Fleetwood Mac was a hot mess, but even they knew that the music helped them through the hard times just like it would help Gump.
Although the movie is a catch-all for all kinds of Americanisms going through the 1960s and into the 1970s, the soundtrack provides a much better time capsule than anyone could have predicted. Compared to artists who try to tell their history by using songs that deliberately spell it out, these songs are more about illustrating the notes being played in between the dramatic moments. It might not tell one linear account from back to front, but you don’t need to have the right words if the music is telling the story for you.
The Forrest Gump soundtrack:
- ‘Hound Dog’ – Elvis Presley
- ‘Rebel Rouser’ – Duane Eddy
- ‘(I Don’t Know Why) But I Do – Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry
- ‘Walk Right In’ – The Rooftop Singers
- ‘Land of a Thousand Dances’ – Wilson Pickett
- ‘Blowin’ In the Wind’ – Joan Baez
- ‘Fortunate Son’ – Creedence Clearwater Revival
- ‘I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)’ – The Four Tops
- ‘Respect’ – Aretha Franklin
- ‘Rainy Day Women #12 and 35’ – Bob Dylan
- ‘Sloop John B’ – The Beach Boys
- ‘California Dreamin’ – The Mamas and the Papas
- ‘For What It’s Worth’ – Buffalo Springfield
- ‘What The World Needs Now Is Love’ – Jackie DeShannon
- ‘Break On Through (To The Other Side)’ – The Doors
- ‘Mrs Robinson’ – Simon & Garfunkel
- ‘Volunteers’ – Jefferson Airplane
- ‘Get Together’ – The Youngbloods
- ‘San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)’ – Scott McKenzie
- ‘Turn Turn Turn’ – The Byrds
- ‘Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In’ – 5th Dimension
- ‘Everybody’s Talkin’ – Harry Nilsson
- ‘Joy to the World’ – Three Dog Night
- ‘Stoned Love’ – The Supremes
- ‘Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head’ – BJ Thomas
- ‘Mr President’ – Randy Newman
- ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ – Lynyrd Skynyrd
- ‘Running on Empty’ – Jackson Browne
- ‘It Keeps You Runnin’ – The Doobie Brothers
- ‘I’ve Got To Use My Imagination’ – Gladys Knight and the Pips
- ‘Go Your Own Way’ – Fleetwood Mac
- ‘On the Road Again’ – Willie Nelson
- ‘Against the Wind’ – Bob Seger
