For an entertainment writer, I’m sorely uninformed about the world of music. I don’t know what Cardi B is famous for, I’d blast Taylor Swift’s old-school country music over Reputation any day, and I can’t even go a minute of watching the Grammys without saying, “Who’s that?.” Sorry, guys – my beat is TV and film, but if you want to give me a Music 101 course, let me know.

But when it comes to music’s role in TV and film, I think some of the most standout moments are amplified by song. Depending on how powerful a certain movie or TV scene is, I can forever equate a certain song with those fictional moments. Whether those scenes be sweet, romantic, or victorious, music tends to convey the natural mood of that instance, and I wanted to share five of my favorite of these kind of TV and film moments.

“Forever” — Jesse and Becky get married on Full House

I know it’s cheesy and gimmicky and that everybody of a certain age got bored of the revival after about half a season, but Full House was like the sitcom for my sisters and me when we were much younger. It was one of our first true forays outside of Disney Channel and PBS Kids, and because of the role “Forever” played in the series and particularly in Jesse and Becky’s relationship, I still find the song one of the most romantic ever. I love the Beach Boys’ original version of it.

“How Long Will I Love You” — the ‘falling in love’ montage in About Time

Ugh, my heart. I cannot express how much I absolutely love this movie, this song, and this beautiful scene. I seriously can’t help but smile when I’m watching this and the montage starts. If you don’t get the appeal of Domnhall Gleeson, then you clearly haven’t seen About Time and his endearing character twirling Rachel McAdams around the Tube station. Plus, you know that I’m obsessed with the London Underground and the low-key romantic elements of it. This is also easily my favorite Richard Curtis film.

“Wash Away” — the survivors settle into their new reality on Lost 

Given how early in the series this scene was, it was probably the first moment of Lost to make me teary-eyed. Seeing characters learn to get along and genuinely like each other totally gets to me if handled sweetly, and to me, Lost was often at its best when it focused on the personal connections between the characters. Also, I think this song grew to become as synonymous with Lost as a proper theme song would be, so it stirs up a lot of feels for me. I’ve mentioned before that finishing Lost was truly what solidified my decision to chase after a career in entertainment journalism, so the series will always have a special place in my heart.

“Make Your Own Kind of Music” —  Sue graduates high school on The Middle

Sue Heck is definitely among the highest ranks as one of my fictional heroes, alongside the obvious choices of Hermione Granger and Anne Shirley. She’s never been the cool, popular girl, but that has never affected her confidence, positivity, and love for herself. Pairing this particular song with a montage of Sue’s less-than-graceful high school moments just emphasizes that you should just do what you want and what you like and feel assured that you’ll be rewarded for that further down the line. Creating a pattern of the song accompanying some of my favorite TV characters at one point or another, it also plays in Desmond’s introductory scene on Lost.

“Ain’t No Sunshine” — Will deals with his “breakup” from Anna in Notting Hill

Before my semester in London, the majority of city sights on my must-see list were inspired by movie scenes. Blame my determination to visit Portobello Road Market on this Notting Hill scene and the “Portobello Road” musical number in Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I’m a total sucker for the rolling narrative of this scene and how it takes Will and the viewer through the different seasons and passing time. Notting Hill was my favorite movie in high school, and I recently just experienced a career milestone that I was totally geeking out over because it reminded me of the movie’s first press junket scene.

What about you? What are some of your favorite musical moments in TV and movies?