32 Great Songs Featured In Forrest Gump

August 31, 2024 by Abir Khondaker

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Forrest Gump has an amazing soundtrack with a ton of songs that still get listened to today. In this list, we explore many of them, and talk about how they are important pieces of the classic movie. Sure, the music does help play into the idea that Forrest Gump comes across as a Baby Boomer fever dream, but we can also honestly say the soundtrack includes some of the best music of the 20th Century.

Robin Wright sitting by a window, looking at some flowers in Forrest Gump — (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Forrest, played, of course, by Tom Hanks, is from the great state of Alabama, so there was no way anyone could construct a soundtrack of classic rock and roll tunes and not include “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. For Forrest and for his lifelong friend Jenny (Robin Wright) Greenbow, Alabama is home sweet home.

Tom Hanks wearing an army uniform, in profile, in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Sloop John B – The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys surprised everyone with their 1966 masterpiece Pet Sounds and while the album wasn’t a hit initially, it has become one of the most beloved albums ever. One song from the album, “Sloop John B” pops up in the background just as Lt. Dan (Gary Sinise) is about to shower when Gump arrives in Vietnam.

Mykelti Williamson, Tom Hanks and Gary Sinise in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Respect – Aretha Franklin

There is no bigger icon from the 1960s than the late, great Aretha Franklin. Of course, she has to be included in any movie from the era, and she is with her classic “Respect” which is played as Gump and Bubba (Mykelti Williamson) first meet Lt. Dan.

Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump, covered in mud.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

On the Road Again – Willie Nelson

it’s a long road for Forrest Gump as he runs back and forth across America after his mother, played by Sally Field, dies. At one point, he even helps a man come up with the idea for the “Have a nice day” t-shirt. While he does, the great Willie Nelson song “On The Road Again” plays, which is all too appropriate.

Tom Hanks in full military garb walking up some stairs in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Volunteers – Jefferson Airplane

When Forrest finds himself in the middle of a huge anti-war protest on The Mall in Washington DC, the music in the background is perfect for the moment. “Volunteers” by Jefferson Airplane was an anti-way anthem in the ’60s and its chaotic nature fits the chaotic scene like a glove.

A young Forrest Gump runs away from a truck.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Rebel Rouser – Duane Eddy

Although the movie starts in the 1950s, there isn’t much music from that decade. There are a few exceptions, like “Rebel Rouser” by guitar great Duane Eddy. The fast-paced instrumental adds to the intense moment when Forrest is first told to “run” by Jenny as he’s chased by bullies in a truck.

Forrest Gump meeting Richard Nixon in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head – B.J. Thomas

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was a huge hit in 1969 and from it came a huge music hit, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” by B.J. Thomas. Right around that era in the movie, Gump meets his third US president, Richard Nixon, as the song plays in the background.

A group of runners running down a long highway in the desert

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Against the Wind – Bob Seger

A lot of great – and appropriate songs – play as Gump is running across America. “Against The Wind” by Bob Seger is certainly one of them, with the lyrics, “Against the wind, We were runnin’ against the wind, We were young and strong, we were runnin’ against the wind.”

Tom Hanks in a tent with a red light on, writing a letter in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

California Dreamin’ – The Mamas and the Papas

“California Dreamin'” by The Mamas and the Papas is a quintessential 1960s folk rock song. In Forrest Gump, it pops up as Gump explains how often he wrote Jenny while he was in Vietnam. Jenny is, at that point, living in California, so without realizing it, Gump is dreaming of the Golden State.

Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump playing ping pong in front of a huge Chinese flag

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Joy to the World – Three Dog Night

Gump gets to travel the world. As a world-class ping pong player, or all things, Gump ends up in China, bringing joy to the world, just like the classic by Three Dog Night pleads us all to do. It’s a stark contrast to some of the other songs in the sequence, which are most Doors songs, for some reason.

Robin wright waving goodbye from the back of a bus in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season) – The Byrds

“Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season) (1965)” by The Byrds is an iconic hippie anthem from the late ’60s, so there is no better choice of music for the scene when Jenny departs Washington and heads to California with her troublesome boyfriend. It’s a sad moment for Gump and he watches her wave goodbye from the bus after failing to convince her to return to Greenbow with him.

Tom Hanks, as Forrest Gump, wearing army fatigues in the jungle.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

For What It’s Worth – Buffalo Springfield

You be hard-pressed to find a more iconic song relating to the Vietnam era than Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.” The anti-war anthem is one of the most recognizable songs of the ’60s, so of course it has to be included in the movie while Gump is in the jungles of Vietnam.

Sally Field and a young Forrest Gump looking in the window of a store with the reflection of Elvis Presley on TV

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Hound Dog – Elvis Presley

One of the sillier scenes in Forrest Gump comes near the beginning when a young man from Mississippi is staying at the Gump’s boarding house. Of course, the man is Elvis Presley, though we never see his face – and his voice was actually done by Kurt Russell. He even learns to shake his hips by watching Forrest. Later, Forrest and his mother spot Elvis on TV performing “Hound Dog” on national TV.

A close up Robin Wright with curly hair in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Get Down Tonight – KC and the Sunshine Band

The 1970s are not kind to Jenny in Forrest Gump. She goes through some pretty dark times, but before things get really bad, she’s seen starting down that partying road at a nightclub as the KC and the Sunshine Band hit “Get Down Tonight” plays and she drinks and enjoys herself…maybe a little too much.

Forrest Gump meeting Lyndon Johnson on TV in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Mrs. Robinson – Simon & Garfunkel

Forrest Gump sure gets to meet a lot of Presidents and it seems whenever he does, a cool song is playing. When he meets Lyndon Johnson, the sweet sounds of “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel is playing in the background. That song, of course, is part of one of the all-time great movies of the ’60s, The Graduate.

Tom Hanks in a military uniform walking and talking to Robin Wright in front of the White House in Forrest Gump.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Get Together – The Youngbloods

The anthem “Get Together” by The Youngbloods pleads with people to come together for the good of everyone. Ultimately, that is what Forrest is trying to do too. He wants everyone to come together, whether he realizes that he does or not.

Tom Hanks in profile, wearing an army helmet in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

All Along The Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix

Bob Dylan wrote “All Along The Watchtower,” but Jimi Hendrix is responsible for the definitive version of it. Of course, it pops up in the Vietnam segment of Forrest Gump, as it became one of the defining songs of the era and of the war in Southeast Asia.

A group of runners on a stretch of highway in the desert.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac’s album Rumours is one of the highest-selling albums of all time and nothing says the 1970s quite like the songs on the album. As Forrest is running, one of the biggest hits from the record, “Go Your Own Way” plays as he and his newfound running friends do, indeed, go their own way. The song may be about a relationship falling apart, but it still fits the moment perfectly.

Tom Hanks on the left speaks to Robin Wright before she boards a bus in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) – Scott McKenzie

The summer of 1967 in San Francisco is known as the “Summer of Love” and to celebrate that, some record company execs came up with the idea to exploit that with a song like “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” by Scott McKenzie. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t execs, but the song still reads as a cheesy pop hit trying to be cool. It works in the movie though… kind of.

Forrest and Bubba riding in a helicopter in Vietnam in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival

It’s become a pop culture trope – Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” playing over scenes from the Vietnam War in every movie about the war. It turns out, though, that the song doesn’t really show up in them like we think it does. The whole trope really just comes from the scene in Forrest Gump when Forrest and Bubba arrive in the country by helicopter, which is one of the only times it has actually been in a Vietnam War movie.

A group of people watch people playing ping pong in front of an American flag in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In – The 5th Dimension

The musical Hair was a cultural phenomenon in the late ’60s and a cover version of one of the songs from it, called “Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine” by The 5th Dimension became a massive hit. It’s a little out of place in Forrest Gump as it plays over one of the ping-pong scenes, but it’s certainly period-appropriate.

A street scene in New York City with a lot of taxis in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Everybody’s Talkin’ – Harry Nilsson

The late ’60s were a rough time for Lt. Dan after he lost his legs in the war. In one scene, when he reunited with Forrest in New York City, Harry Nilsson’s “Everybody’s Talkin'” is playing as they struggle with his wheelchair. It’s a contrasting song for the chaotic scene, but somehow it just works.

Mykelti Williamson, Tom Hanks in army fatigues in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) – Four Tops

When Forrest and Bubba first arrive in Vietnam, there are a bunch of classic mid-’60s songs that play. Songs that were pretty typical to hear on the radio in Vietnam it seems. One of those, “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” by the Four Tops is a stone-cold Motown classic to this day.

Tom Hanks in full running gear and a very long beard in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

It Keeps You Runnin’ – The Doobie Brothers

Of course, while Forrest is running around the country, you just knew the filmmakers would have to include The Doobie Brothers’ classic “It Keeps You Runnin’.” Sung by the great Michael McDonald, the song has that perfect late-’70s vibe that fits the moment so well in the movie.

Gary Sinise with an open shirt, atop a the mast of a boat with an American flag behind him in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man) – Randy Newman

When Forrest and Lt. Dan set out to become shrimp boat captains, things don’t really work out for them at first. Appropriately, “Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man)” by Randy Newman plays as they try desperately to find shrimp to fish.

A lone runner on a road in the middle of wheat fields

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Running On Empty – Jackson Brown

During the running scenes in the movie, the filmmakers really try to make sure they cram in every song about running from the late ’70s. Jackson Brown’s “Running On Empty” just had to be included, though it might have been better for the end of the segment, rather than the beginning.

The behind of a man crawling into a tunnel in Vietnam

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Hello I Love You – The Doors

We will concede that The Doors were one of the biggest bands of the late ’60s, but they seem over-represented on the soundtrack for Forrest Gump. A bunch of Doors songs are featured, including “Hello I Love You” which is played as Forrest dives headfirst into a tunnel while in Vietnam on the orders of Lt. Dan.

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright speaking to another man in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix

The scene featuring “Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix in the movie is one of the harder scenes in the movie to watch as Jenny is hit by her sketchy boyfriend, triggering a violent response from Forrest as he wants to protect her. It’s an example of his unrequited love getting the better of him.

Tom Hanks in full military uniform, looking uncomfortable with a New Years Hat near him in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Let’s Work Together – Canned Heat

One of the most chaotic moments of the movie comes after Forrest goes back to Lt. Dan’s squalid apartment in New York on New Year’s Eve. The music over the scene, “Let’s Work Together” by Canned Heat ratchets up the tension well, and as viewers, we really just out of the situation.

Tom Hanks in an all-white suit in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Jesus On The Mainline – Alan Silvestri & Donny Gerrard

We’ve left all of the original score off of this list, of course, but it feels important to include one song by the score’s composer Alan Silvestri. “Jesus On The Mainline” is a traditional gospel tune that Silverstri reworked for the scene when Forrest meets Bubba’s family for the first time. It’s sung beautifully by Donny Gerrard.

Two feet in high heels standing on the ledge of a building in Forrest Gump

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Freebird – Lynyrd Skynyrd

One of the most distressful scenes in the movie is when Jenny, at her wit’s end with the chaotic partying and everything else in the late seventies, stands on the ledge of a building in her high heels. It’s a terrifying scene that almost leads to disaster and the stress is bolstered by the scintillating guitar solo from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird” as it happens.