Hey girl — it’s Ryan Gosling’s 32nd birthday today! While he might have been unjustly overlooked as People’s Sexiest Man of the Year, the actor is still #1 in our hearts. For his birthday, here’s a playlist of the key songs from his best movies.
1. College f/ Electric Youth “A Real Hero”
Who didn’t fall in love with this song, which became the unofficial theme song of Drive, playing every time Gossling appeared on screen. The song embodies the Ryan Gosling we all want to be in love with: a real human being and a real hero.
At the Cannes premiere of Drive — May 20, 2011
(Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
2. Jimmy Durante “I’ll Be Seeing You”
When Ryan and Rachel McAdams sparked up and set their chemistry on fire for The Notebook, the whole world couldn’t help rooting for them (and crying at that movie — heartbreaker). “I’ll Be Seeing You” is a song from 1938 covered by many, but this film featured the iconic version by Jimmy Durante as the song for Noah and Allie.
The Notebook premiere in Los Angeles — June 21, 2004
(Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
3. Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”
Not only was Crazy, Stupid, Love great for showing us a shirtless Ryan Gosling (as Emma Stone said, “Seriously? It’s like you’re Photoshopped!”) but it also brought us the revelation that his character’s big pick up move was doing the lift from Dirty Dancing.
Crazy, Stupid, Love premiere in New York City — July 19, 2011
(Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
4. Dead Man’s Bones “In The Room Where You Sleep”
You did know Gosling has his own band, right? Oh yes. They perform with the Silver Lake Conservatory of Music Children’s Choir in Los Angeles. Sounds sweet…just don’t listen to the lyrics too closely.
At the Palme d’Or Winners Press Conference, Cannes Film Festival — May 22, 2011
(Francois Durand/Getty Images)
5. Ryan Gosling “You Always Hurt The One You Love”
We knew the movie was going to be another heartbreaker, but Gosling’s performance of the old classic “You Always Hurt The Ones You Love,” on a ukelee no less, in the trailer for Blue Valentineis just so charming. The song was made popular in 1944 by the Mills Brothers and has been covered by many artists — although not so much since the late 1950’s.
Blue Valentine premiere in New York City — December 7, 2010
(Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for The Weinstein Company)
-Courtney E. Smith, CBS Local
