To legendary actor and director Clint Eastwood's chock-full resume, add another skill - songwriting. Music has been an intense, practically lifelong interest of his that has surfaced often in his films.
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Eastwood "taught himself piano by listening to Fats Waller records, and would regularly sneak into Oakland jazz clubs as a teenager to see his heroes play — greats like Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, and, of course, Charlie Parker," according to In Review Online.
Eastwood, now 94, evidently has an affinity for blues, jazz, classical, and country music. He penned the gorgeous scores of many of his blockbuster movies like Million Dollar Baby and Mystic River. He has also written songs for other artists. We did some checking into the musical aspect of Eastwood's stellar career to discover a few of his best songs. Several are from his movies. This is what we found.
Best Clint Eastwood Songs
"Unknown Girl of My Dreams," 1961
Absolutely worth giving a listen. Imagine yourself sitting on the porch on a blissful summer night with your special someone and you'll get the drift of this enchanting little musical gem.
"I would travel far and wide
Just to have you by my side
Unknown girl of my dreams
Take your hand and hold you near
Pledge my love would be sincere
Unknown girl of my dreams
Though we've never met
You're a dream I can't forget
We will build a world for two
There I'll stay so close to you
Unknown girl of my dreams..."
"When I Sing About You" (From Honkytonk Man, 1982)
This sweet, country-inflected tune is impossible not to love. Eastwood sings it himself, and his guileless voice just wins you over instantly. He sounds like he is singing it to you and only you - and that he genuinely means every syllable.
"Telephone, but I can't dial it
Hands are shakin'
I'll have to file it away
What I was wantin' to say
I love you, you'd think I could say it
Though it's true
I can't even pray it at night
Just never comes out right
But when I sing about you
Every word is at my command
My guitar comes alive in my hand
When I sing about you
When I sing about you..."
"Beers to You" (From Any Which Way You Can, 1980)
Eastwood shared the writing with Ray Charles, who crafted the lyrics. Jaunty and high-spirited, this song will entice you to sing along or happily strut to its beat on the dance floor.
"When Uncle Sam called us up,
We hit that Eastern Sand,
Fought like Hell for three long years,
In that South Asian Land,
We met a few foreign ladies,
Drank a lot of Lukewarm beer,
oh i remember,
But tonight in this old Tuscan bar
You know what? It's so damn good to see you here.
Beers to you, old Amigo, For all the good times,
And heres to all the women, that we've been through,
Lets set 'Em up my compadre,
Barstool to barstool
Shoulder to shoulder
All right! Beers to you!...."
"Claudia's Theme" (From Unforgiven, 1992)
Unforgiven was arguably one of Eastwood's most successful films. A Western, Eastwood's seemingly favorite go-to genre, it garnered four Oscars, including one for Eastwood for Best Director. He also produced and starred in it. The glorious, sensual music speaks for itself.
"Big Fran's Baby" (From A Perfect World, 1993)
Eastwood "captures both a sense of whimsy along with a grand expansiveness, successfully mirroring these qualities that are pervasive in the film," according to allmusic.com. Starting off with a waltz and transitioning to "a broad, lush orchestral passage," this music shows off Eastwood's flair for the unexpected. He worked on this with composer and arranger Lennie Niehaus.
"Doe Eyes" (Love Theme from The Bridges of Madison County, 1995)
I confess to having a particular fondness for this lush, lilting theme music. It perfectly suits the film, which Eastwood directed and stars in opposite Meryl Streep.
Adapted from the best-selling novel by Robert James Waller, Bridges depicts the hauntingly brief love affair between a lonely Iowa wife and mother and a National Geographic photographer who happens to stop at her farmhouse to ask for directions. Eastwood's swoony music captures the drama and beauty of their whirlwind romance as well as words ever could.
"Why Should I Care" 1999
Recorded by Diana Krall, this song has everything - a wonderful sax solo, tender lyrics, and the power to wrench your heart with its plaintive tone of yearning and loss. Eastwood shared the credit for writing it with Carole Bayer Sager and Linda Thompson. Irresistible.
"Was there something more I could have done?
Or was I not meant to be the one?
Where´s the life I thought we would share?
And should I care?
And will someone else get more of you?
Will she go to sleep more sure of you?
Will she wake up knowing you´re still there?
And why should I care?...."
Main Title (Mystic River, 2003)
Director Eastwood, who also co-produced, wrote the sound track for this film set in a gritty, working-class Boston neighborhood. Sean Penn won an Academy Award for his portrayal of an anguished man whose daughter is missing. Eastwood's score, especially the title track, is majestic, dignified, and elevates the entire film into the realm of something remarkable.
"Blue Morgan" (From Million Dollar Baby, 2004)
The tragic tale of a young female boxer played by Hilary Swank and her complex relationship with her trainer, portrayed by Eastwood, was hugely successful with audiences and critics. The music packs a punch, too. Eastwood masterfully proved yet again that he knows exactly how to reinforce the mood of a film through music.
Theme from Flags of Our Fathers, 2006
Based on the book by James Bradley and Ron Powers, Flags of Our Fathers tells the story of the U.S. Marines who bravely raised the American flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima during World War II.
Eastwood's score, particularly the film's theme, has a warmth and resonance that sticks with you. The melancholy music with its stately tempo conjures up visions of the famous photograph depicting this momentous flag-raising.
