Summary

• The
  Forrest Gump
  soundtrack is a diverse mix of iconic songs spanning multiple decades, enhancing the movie’s narrative and setting.
• Songs like “Hound Dog” and “Fortunate Son” directly impact the plot, reflecting key moments in Forrest’s life and American history.
• To relive the magic of Forrest Gump, the soundtrack is available for streaming on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, or for purchase on Amazon.

The Forrest Gump soundtrack features iconic songs from a wide variety of music artists, including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. The movie chronicles the life of the title character, a warm-hearted man from Alabama who takes a tour of 20th-century American history. Throughout his travels, he fights in the Vietnam War, meets a handful of U.S. presidents, invests in Apple on the ground level, and exposes the Watergate scandal. Along the way, Forrest Gump uses needle drops on its soundtrack to reflect the changing times.

Some songs on the Forrest Gump soundtrack are used to establish the period setting, like Jimi Hendrix and Buffalo Springfield underscoring scenes of the Vietnam War, while others are more integral to the plot, such as when Elvis sings one of his biggest hits to show off the dance moves he learned from Forrest. The soundtrack of Forrest Gump was a key reason the movie became so acclaimed, and was used as an essential narrative device to capture the many decades that the story of Forrest Gump‘s unbelievable life covers.

The Forrest Gump Soundtrack Full Tracklist

Forrest Gump Contains Almost 50 Hits From Across Multiple Decades.

To tie in with the decades that pass by in its epic narrative, Forrest Gump has one of the most jam-packed and diverse soundtracks in movie history. Six songs play during its running montage alone. Here’s every song on the Forrest Gump soundtrack, in order:

When Exactly Every Song Plays In Forrest Gump

The Songs In The Forrest Gump Soundtrack Underpin Dozens Of Memorable Moments

“Lovesick Blues” by Hank Williams — This song can be heard over the radio in the scene where young Forrest gets his leg brace stuck in a sewer grate.

“Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley – Forrest Gump portrays Elvis Presley performing this song on television after young Forrest inspires the King’s signature dance moves. First, though, Elvis plays a bit of the song in his scene with the boy while staying at the boarding house. It’s one of the songs in Forrest Gump that has a direct impact on the plot, as Forrest considers meeting Elvis and then seeing him perform the song as an essential moment of his childhood.

“Rebel Rouser” by Duane Eddy – This instrumental song can be heard on the Forrest Gump soundtrack as the title character is chased through by a group of bullies in a truck. It’s the perfect accompaniment to the scene, and captures the initial fear and subsequent emotional triumph Forrest feels as he outruns them.

“(I Don’t Know Why) But I Do” by Clarence “Frogman” Henry – This song plays in Forrest Gump when an enraged Forrest beats up Jenny’s abusive boyfriend Wesley on the college campus. The title is important, as it explains Forrest’s feelings for Jenny which, due to his below-average intelligence, he doesn’t fully understand.

“Walk Right In” by The Rooftop Singers – This song is playing when Jenny sneaks Forrest into her college dorm. Like “(I Don’t Know Why) But I Do”, the title is symbolic of what’s happening on screen at the time it plays in Forrest Gump.

“Sugar Shack” by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs — This song also plays in the scene where Forrest is in Jenny’s college dorm, specifically when the camera reveals her roommate.

“Hanky Panky” by Tommy James and the Shondells — This song is playing when Forrest enters the strip club where Jenny is performing. It’s an appropriate song for Forrest’s experience, as he’s clearly uncomfortable with nudity at this point in his life.

“Blowin’ in the Wind” by Robin Wright – Jenny plays a version of this Bob Dylan song when she’s performing naked in a stip club. Actress Robin Wright sings her own vocals in the scene, but the Forrest Gump soundtrack album features Joan Baez’s rendition.

“Land of 1000 Dances” by Wilson Pickett – This song plays as Forrest and Jenny are leaving the strip club. The title is a clear reference to the environment, just like “Hanky Panky”, though this time is more alluding to the strip-club world Forrest is escorting Jenny from.

“Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival — This politically charged rock ‘n’ roll classic, often used to underscore scenes of the Vietnam War, is playing when Forrest is flying into Vietnam by helicopter. It’s one of several songs in the Forrest Gump soundtrack which perfectly captures the era and historical event being portrayed, as it’s a sound many consider synonymous with the conflict.

“I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” by the Four Tops – This song can be heard on the Forrest Gump soundtrack as Forrest and Bubba arrive at their camp in Vietnam. Aside from the sound and the song suiting the era, the title is perfect for the moment, as many soldiers in the Vietnam war were conscripted and had no choice about fighting in the conflict.

“Respect” by Aretha Franklin – This song plays when Forrest and Bubba are introduced to Lieutenant Dan for the first time, reflecting the respect they have for their commanding officer.

“Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” by Bob Dylan — This folk song also plays while Lieutenant Dan is showing Forrest and Bubba around.

“Sloop John B” by the Beach Boys – This song kicks in toward the end of Forrest, Bubba, and Lieutenant Dan’s first interaction, with these lyrics reflecting the situation: “Let me go home/Why don’t they let me go home? This is the worst trip I’ve ever been on.” The title may not suit what’s happening, but the words of this song in the Forrest Gump soundtrack definitely do.

“All Along the Watchtower” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience – This psychedelic cover of the Bob Dylan classic plays after the welcome speech at the Vietnam base and is one of the best uses of a Jimi Hendrix song in a movie. It’s another song that many consider culturally synonymous with the Vietnam war, and so an excellent choice for this scene in the Forrest Gump soundtrack.

“Soul Kitchen” by The Doors – This classic Doors song can be heard on the Forrest Gump soundtrack over the montage of Forrest journeying through the jungles of Vietnam as the rain starts to pour. The Doors’ music has been associated with the Vietnam War since Francis Ford Coppola used “The End” over the opening scene of Apocalypse Now.

“California Dreamin’” by The Mamas & the Papas – This song is playing when Forrest writes a letter to Jenny while in the pouring rain in Vietnam. It perfectly suits Forrest’s mood in this moment, as his mind is firmly on life back in the United States.

“For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield – This song plays on the Forrest Gump soundtrack toward the end of the Vietnam sequence when the rain stops and the battle commences. The title is suited to the moment in a particularly chilling way, as the Vietnam war was often criticized due to most American citizens not being entirely sure why the US was involved in the conflict.

“What the World Needs Now is Love” by Jackie DeShannon – This song can be heard when Forrest is introduced to ping pong. This represents a pivotal moment in both Forrest’s life and his place in the world, as he’s on the cusp of learning a skill that he’ll eventually use to improve diplomatic relations between China and the US.

“Hello, I Love You” by The Doors – This Doors song can be heard as Forrest is taught how to play ping pong.

“People Are Strange” by The Doors – The Doors’ music continues on the Forrest Gump soundtrack as this song plays while Forrest practices ping pong and gets better and better as time goes on. “People Are Strange” is incredibly apt for Forrest Gump, as he often finds the behavior of others odd.

“Break On Through (To the Other Side)” by The Doors – Another Doors song plays when Forrest becomes a ping pong prodigy. This is yet another incredibly apt song in the soundtrack for Forrest Gump, as he’s breaking on through to the other side in his own way, as it’s through ping pong that he becomes a national celebrity (for the first time, at least).

“Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel – This use of a Simon & Garfunkel song — originally written for another movie’s soundtrack, The Graduate — can be heard when Forrest is awarded the Medal of Honor by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

“Volunteers” by Jefferson Airplane – This song plays when Forrest accidentally finds himself giving a war protest speech in Washington, DC. It’s from the album of the same name, which caused controversy at the time for being filled with anti-war lyrics, making it perfect for this moment in Forrest Gump.

“Hey Joe” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience – This song plays when Forrest apologizes for getting into “a fight in the middle of your Black Panther Party.” It’s poignant due to the abuse Forrest witnessed Jenny receive at the hands of her boyfriend, as the lyrics detail a man fleeing to Mexico after he found his wife was unfaithful and shot her.

“Where Have All the Flowers Gone” by Peter, Paul & Mary – This song plays on the Forrest Gump soundtrack when Forrest and Jenny are walking together after the incident at the Black Panther event. It’s incredibly symbolic of not Forrest’s mood at the time, but Jenny’s, as spending time with Forrest reminds her of better times and makes her reflect on the direction of her life.

“Let’s Get Together” by the Youngbloods – This song plays over the montage of Jenny in California. This is another song in the Forrest Gump soundtrack whose title is suited to the moment, as seeing Jenny and Forrest unite is clearly where the story will eventually head (and the likely outcome viewers want, especially after seeing Jenny and how vulnerable she is at this point in time).

“San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” by Scott McKenzie – This song can be heard before Jenny boards the bus to Berkeley. It’s considered a soung that epitomizes the hippy movement, and so incredibly well suited to Jenny at this point in Forrest Gump.

“Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season)” by The Byrds – This song plays as Jenny gets on the bus to Berkeley and waves to Forrest as it drives off. It’s a song that speaks to Forrest’s uncertainty, and his despair at saying goodbye to Jenny again — and also foreshadow’s that Jenny and Forrest will have their time together, but now isn’t the right moment.

“Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” by The 5th Dimension – This song is playing when Forrest’s magnificent ping pong skills distract people from the Moon landing. It’s appropriate for the moment, as Forrest manages to bring levity and light to the worlds of viewers who understand that the Moon landing — while an important milestone — is also just one aspect of the incredibly terrifying reality of the Cold War.

“Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night – This song plays on the Forrest Gump soundtrack when Forrest is competing in a ping pong tournament in China. The appropriateness here is obvious, as bringing joy to the world is exactly what Forrest does by being so unbelievably good at ping pong.

“Everybody’s Talkin’” by Harry Nilsson – This classic song plays when Forrest and Lieutenant Dan are wandering through the streets of New York City in a nod to a famous scene from Midnight Cowboy.

“Stoned Love” by The Supremes – This Supremes hit plays when Forrest and Lieutenant Dan are drinking at a bar. It’s a song that was originally written as a call to peace and an end of conflict, and is incredibly fitting for Lieutenant Dan growing to forgive Forrest and accept him as an important part of his life through their shared trauma in Vietnam.

“Love Her Madly” by The Doors – Another Doors song plays when Jenny leaves another abusive man. It’s one of several songs in the Forrest Gump soundtrack with lyrics about dysfunctional relationships used incredibly well to highlight her turbulent romantic life before settling down with Forrest.

“Let’s Work Together” by Canned Heat – This song kicks in when Lieutenant Dan furiously kicks the women out of his hotel room after one of them calls Forrest “stupid.” The title is a clear reference to the partnership Lieutenant Dan has found in Forrest.

“Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” by B.J. Thomas – This song from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid plays when Forrest meets President Richard Nixon for his ping pong achievements and Nixon invites him to stay at the Watergate Hotel on the eve of the scandal. The title is a fun nod to the incredibly number of historical events Forrest finds himself being in close proximity to.

“Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” by Dawn – This song plays as Nixon resigns from office and Forrest is discharged from the armed forces. The lyrics are about a man leaving prison after a lengthy sentence, and in the context of Forrest Gump, this is a clear metaphor for Forrest’s time in the army.

“Jesus on the Mainline” by Alan Silvestri — This song, which is featured on the Forrest Gump original score album rather than the soundtrack, is written by the movie’s composer, Alan Silvestri, with vocals sung by Donny Gerard. It can be heard when Forrest visits Bubba’s family and gravesite.

“Get Down Tonight” by KC and the Sunshine Band – This song plays on the Forrest Gump soundtrack when Jenny is partying while Forrest thinks about her on his shrimping boat.

“Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd – This classic Lynyrd Skynyrd track plays when Jenny is out on the balcony, about to jump. “Free Bird” has been used in so many movies that it’s become something of a meme, with the joke being that it fits over almost any scene — and this moment in Forrest Gump is no exception.

“Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man)” by Randy Newman – This song is playing when Forrest and Lieutenant Dan are searching the ocean for shrimp to no avail. This is another Forrest Gump soundtrack entry with an appropriate title for the scene, as Forrest and Lieutenant Dan face many hardships when they first start life as working men in their shrimping boat.

“Plant My Feet on Higher Ground” – This gospel song is sung by the choir of the church that Forrest donates money to.

“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd – This song plays when Forrest is dancing with Jenny. It’s importance and appropriateness is relatively clear, as being from Alabama is one of the things Forrest is most proud of, and he speaks of his affinity for his home state multiple times throughout the movie.

“Running on Empty” by Jackson Browne – This is the first song that plays in the running montage as Forrest runs from one side of America to another. While Forrest has an incredible amount of energy and is far from “empty” in the physical sense, he is emotionally, which is both what started his running period in the first place and why this son is so appropriate for the Forrest Gump soundtrack.

“It Keeps You Runnin’” by the Doobie Brothers – This is the second song that plays in the running montage, as Jenny watches the impromptu marathon on TV. Like several songs in the Forrest Gump sountrack, the title alone makes it clear why this song is incredibly appropriate for the scene in which it appears.

“I’ve Got to Use My Imagination” by Gladys Knight & The Pips – This is the third song that plays on the Forrest Gump soundtrack during the running montage. The song and its title speak to Forrest’s emotional state at the time, as he remains unable to see a fulfilling life ahead of him.

“Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac – This is the fourth song in the running montage as other people join Forrest on his cross-country journey. There’s a hint of irony to this song selection, as Forrest’s followers aren’t going their own way at all, but following his.

“On the Road Again (Live)” by Willie Nelson – A live recording of this track is the fifth song in the running montage. Like many of the songs in this incredibly memorabel sequence, its relevance is clear as the movie descends into many shots of Forrest and his gaggle of supporters running endlessly across the many roads of the US.

“Against the Wind” by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – This is the sixth and final song in the Forrest Gump running montage when Forrest finally decides to go home.

Where To Stream The Forrest Gump Soundtrack

The Forrest Gump Soundtrack Can Be Found Online At Multiple Locations

The Forrest Gump soundtrack is one of the best selections of songs to accompany a movie. It’s no surprise that many fans of the movie also are interested in where to listen to it, as it contains dozens of hits from across multiple decades. The Forrest Gump soundtrack is available to listen to on a variety of platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music, and can also be purchased on Amazon.