My Top Fifteen

I took a more factual stance, here, trying to approach this from a perspective that analyzes the cultural, political, and social value of the songs to the country as a whole, as well as how well it was used in the film.

1. Amazing Grace (Silkwood) - The best known of all Christian Hymns, only in America could such a song have such resonance with people from all walks of life. It helps that Streep sings it so beautifully. Shame on AFI for excluding it.
2. Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Wizard of Oz) - Another song that could only become part of everyone's life in America. I didn't have too much of a problem with AFI selecting it as number one.
3. God Bless America (The Deer Hunter) - Between Deer Hunter's haunting rendition of the song and Kate Smith's legendary rendering, its one of the no-brainers for me.
4. As Time Goes By (Casablanca) - Just can't exclude this classic piece, end of story, lol.
5. Bohemian Rhapsody (Wayne's World) - Queen's magnum opus, this song's usage in the film rekindled Queen's "love affair" with the states years after the height of their fame in the US.
6. Leaning on the Everlasting Arms (Night of the Hunter) - Quintessentially American hym, it is used to haunting perfection at Night of the Hunter's climax.
7. Summertime (Porgy and Bess) - The signature song from the first great American opera.
8. My Man (Funny Girl) - Became both Streisand and Brice's tour de force. It made Brice a star, and it may have won Streisand the Oscar.
10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Meet Me in St. Louis) - I prefer this to A White Christmas, although both are quintessential Christmas songs. Only Bing Crosby can make the former sound appealing, IMO, while the latter sounds great from Sinatra, Garland, etc.
11. When You Believe (Prince of Egypt) - Beat Disney at their own game with a song chronicling the Exodus without being offensive, while utilizing the Hebrew language in the process.
12. I Got Rhythm (An American in Paris) - Gershwin's signature song, I also think this exhibits Gene Kelley's abilities better than Singin' in the Rain.
13. You'll Never Walk Alone (Carousel) - Rodgers/Hammerstein's most beautiful piece, in all of its incarnations it never ceases to move me.
14. Fight the Power (Do the Right Thing) - Key in Spike Lee's conveying his message, here. People deathly fear rap and continue to dismiss it as random gibberish, without ever stopping to listen to the words themselves.
15. Beauty & the Beast (Beauty & the Beast) - The signature song from the film that signalled the return to qualitiy animation in films. I am moved to tears upon viewing this scene each time I see it.