Movie Music Monday – Cannonball

Ok, this is a bit of a stretch, but it all does tie in together. Actor Jamie Farr celebrates his 90th birthday today. He will always be remembered as Klinger from TV’s M*A*S*H.

In 1981, he was one of many stars who had a role in the 1981 comedy, The Cannonball Run. The movie starred Burt Reynolds, Dom Deluise, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Bert Convy, Adrienne Barbeau, Farrah Fawcett, Jack Elam, Jackie Chan, Mel Tillis, Terry Bradshaw and many others. Jamie played Sheik Abdul Ben Falafel and raced in a Rolls Royce. He reprised his role in the sequel, as well.

I was 11 when I first saw this movie and I have loved it ever since. The movie opens with a “cartoon” car chase during the well known 20th Century Fox film opening. After Burt Reynolds offers up his trademark laugh, the movie’s theme song.

It was many years later that I realized that it country singer Ray Stevens who sings the opening song. According to one article, Burt Reynolds reached out to Ray to ask him to write and perform the opening song for the film. While Ray does not appear in the film, he has two songs on the soundtrack.

The scene opens with a Lamborghini speeding down the highway. At one point, it stops past a 55 mph speed limit sign. A beautiful woman gets out and spray paints an “X” through the sign and hops back in the car. A police chase begins and you can guess who is faster. Ray’s “Cannonball” plays under the sequence as the opening credits roll.

It really fit the movie’s opening scene well and really is just a great song.

Happy Birthday, Jamie Farr!

From the soundtrack

Opening credits

Bonus – 20th Century Fox Intro