Stephen Lawrence Winwood, known professionally as Steve Winwood, is an English singer and songwriter. Winwood was born on May 12th, 1948, in Handsworth, Birmingham, to a musician father who played mainly the saxophone and clarinet. Growing up around such a musical influence left an indelible mark on the young Winwood, and by the time he was four years old, he had started playing the piano, drums, and, soon afterward, the guitar.
Steve Winwood has sold over 50 million records throughout his career spanning five decades. Some of his works include “Back In The High Life Again,” “Can’t Find My Way Home,” “Higher Love,” “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” and “Valerie,” among a host of others. As a Grammy award-winning musician, Winwood has forged ahead successfully and continues to perform new and exciting material, some of which have been used as soundtracks in movies. On his music’s influence on movies, here are the best uses of Steve Winwood
7. Bumblebee (2018) – “Higher Love”
“Higher Love” was released in 1986 and quickly became Steve Winwood’s first #1 hit. Since its release, the tune has enjoyed continuous airplay on the radio as a prime example of the endurance of a catchy melody. The song speaks of love as an expression between two people while insinuating that a “higher love” must be the love between humans and a higher power. As one of the musical choices in Bumblebee, this song is perfect because it gives meaning to the love which Bumblebee (known for having the biggest heart among the Autobots) has for humans.
6. Balto (1995) – “Reach for the Light”
“Reach for the Light” is the main song from the 1995 animated adventure film Balto (1995). Barry Mann and James Horner wrote the music, while Steve Winwood performed the song. Appearing twice on the Balto soundtrack, “Reach for the Light” was played extensively during the film’s credits. As a musical number that talks about making it through adversity, it perfectly captures the movie’s tone, as Balto, the titular character, struggles through disappointments but still comes out victorious.
5. Days of Thunder (1990) – “Gimme Some Lovin”
The world of racing is a place that doesn’t take kindly to those that can’t put their foot on the gas and leave all excuses behind. But when Tom Cruise gets behind the wheel and drops the hammer, things get hairy pretty quickly. Days of Thunder is about youth, experience, and the difference between having natural gifts and using them. The song “Gimme Some Lovin,” though not originally performed as a single by Steve Winwood, he was part of the group, The Spencer Davis Group, which first recorded and released it in 1966.
4. Minions (2015) – “I’m A Man”
Another song recorded and released by The Spencer Davis Group, “I’m a Man,” was a big hit in the late 60s and early 70s. First released in 1967, it has been recorded by many other performers over the years. The computer-animated comedy film, Minions, showcases this song, and it makes for quite a match, given the irony of it. Given the strange language and expressive ways of the yellow blobs, which are far from being man-like, including “I’m a Man” in the film’s tracklist shows some very-well choreographed ironic comedy.
3. Flight of the Phoenix (2004) – “Gimme Some Lovin”
The hit song “Gimme Some Lovin” is featured for the second time on our list. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it at number 247 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and as such, it’s no wonder that it has been used as a soundtrack on more than one film production. Flight of the Phoenix tells a story about a group of people who survive an aircraft crash in the Gobi Desert and must build a new aircraft out of the old one to escape.
2. S.W.A.T.: Under Siege (2017) – “I’m a Man”
The movie is about strength, grit, and manliness. Released in 2017 as the third installment in the S.W.A.T film series, director Tony Giglio was sure to make it as action-packed as possible. While Steve Winwood’s “I’m a Man” may have been a little ironic for the Minions movie, it fits cozily into this gun-slinging, testosterone-pumping, bad-ass production of a film.
1. Our Friend (2021) – “Can’t Find My Way Home”
Our Friend (2021) is a biographical drama film starring Dakota Johnson (who also did a song for the movie), Jason Segel, and Casey Affleck. The movie explores a strong theme involving very close friendships in the face of uncertainty. “Can’t Find My Way Home” is a song about the meaning of life, even with the knowledge of impending death. It is a truly soulful number that accentuates the theme of the movie. Steve Winwood‘s songs will always have a place in movies for decades to come.
