Terminator 2: Judgment Day is renowned for its white-knuckle action, enduring catchphrases, and, of course, its high-octane swaggering soundtrack. At the top of the musical heap sits George Thorogood & The Destroyers’ “Bad to the Bone,” which Radio X just ranked one of the greatest uses of classic rock in movies, placing the moment at No. 8 on its all-time list.
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Released in theaters on July 3, 1991, Terminator 2: Judgment Day is the follow-up film to James Cameron’s original 1984 Terminator, both starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a cybernetic assassin sent back in time by the rogue artificial intelligence Skynet.
Some argue the sequel, which was a massive success at the box office–becoming the highest-grossing film worldwide the year it was released and shattering the original’s payday–is that rare unicorn that’s better than the original, but that’s for another story. One thing that’s not up for debate is the role of classic rock in this futuristic film.
“Bad to the Bone,” one of the film’s few licensed rock songs, couldn’t have been chosen more perfectly. Contrasting human emotion with cold machines and using Thorogood’s anthem to define the T-800’s tough persona was a stroke of genius.
“Arnold Schwarzenegger swings into action to the sound of Thorogood’s blues classic in Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” Radio X wrote about the iconic moment that happens early in the film (see above).
The ultimate cinematic introduction of an anti-hero, the scene shows Schwarzenegger step out in a sleek black leather jacket, dark sunglasses, and heavy leather boots. “Bad to the Bone,” meanwhile, soundtracks the scene, perfectly shifting the Terminator from the nightmare-fuel monster in the original film to the cool, leather-clad protector he is in the sequel.
Released in September 1982, “Bad to the Bone” was the title track on George Thorogood & The Destroyers’ fifth studio album and served as a major milestone for the band because it marked their major-label debut after signing with EMI America Records.
According to Songfacts, the blues-rock anthem is based on Bo Diddley’s “I’m a Man.” Laying the track with heavier guitar sounds, Thorogood’s song is full of the swagger and testosterone needed for the film that JustWatch declared the greatest action film of all time.
Cameron’s four-time Academy Award-winning film wasn’t the only project to make good use of the rock track. From films like The Parent Trap remake, Major Payne,Christine, andProblem Child to TV series includingTop Gear, South Park, Nurse Jackie, My Name Is Earl, Miami Vice, and Married… With Children—three times—everyone wanted to go B-B-B-B-bad.
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“The song didn’t really take off immediately,” Thorogood said in an interview with radio personality Joe Rock. “It took about eight years for that song to catch on. … We really owe it to classic rock radio to give it wings.”
The longtime rocker is correct. “Bad to the Bone” was not an overnight smash on the charts. Its parent album peaked at No. 43 on the Billboard 200, with the title track reaching No. 27 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
But through heavy MTV airplay, classic rock radio, and one unforgettable entrance in Terminator 2, “Bad to the Bone” became the generation anthem it was B-B-B-B-born to be.
Related: 1980 Hit Song Featured in an Iconic Drama Ranked No. 2 Best Use of Classic Rock in Movies
