3 Charting Songs by World Famous Actresses

Oh, to be multitalented. To have Oscar wins and be able to sing songs that also chart on Billboard. To be beautiful and famous and rich and to have songs that chart on Billboard. To be one of the world’s most famous screen presences and, yes, still have songs that chart on Billboard. For some, life is a bowl of cherries.

And that’s what we wanted to explore here below. Three songs from three of the world’s most famous actresses. A trio of tracks that not only come from these talents but also appeared on the Billboard Hot 100. Because for some, life is about having all the skill in the world!

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“Mamma Mia” by Meryl Streep from Mamma Mia! (2008)

This song, which hit No. 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2008, was recorded by Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep for the hit 2008 movie Mamma Mia! Originally written and recorded by the Swedish band ABBA, Streep brought her fun, performative style to the track, earning her a spot on the charts. And on the song, she sings,

I was cheated by you and I think you know when
So I made up my mind, it must come to an end
Look at me now, will I ever learn?
I don’t know how, but I suddenly lose control
There’s a fire within my soul

“Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)” by Lindsay Lohan from A Little More Personal (Raw) (2005)

This song, which hit No. 57 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2005, recalls the likes of pop-punk artists like Avril Lavigne. It’s hard to understate just how big and popular Lindsay Lohan was in the 2000s. Indeed, she not only boasts marquee movie roles but has two studio LPs to her name, too. She recorded her vocals for the song while shooting the 2004 movie Herbie: Fully Loaded. And on the offering, which describes negative feelings she has toward her father, Lohan sings,

I wait for the postman to bring me a letter
I wait for the good Lord to make me feel better
And I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders
A family in crisis that only grows older

Why’d you have to go
Why’d you have to go
Why’d you have to go

Daughter to father, daughter to father
I am broken but I am hoping
Daughter to father, daughter to father
I am crying, a part of me is dying and
These are, these are
The confessions of a broken heart

“Country Strong” by Gwyneth Paltrow from Country Strong (2010)

This song, which hit No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2011, was recorded by Gwyneth Paltrow for the movie of the same name, Country Strong. On the acoustic-driven number, Paltrow sings about a country protagonist trying to make it in the music business. Not only is Paltrow an Oscar-winning actress (and former wife of Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin), but she boasts a good voice on this twangy offering, pulling off the role of country crooner well. And on the tune, she sings,

I know you see me
like some wide eyed dreamer
that just rolled in of a dust
and mid west bugs
yeah on the outside
I look fragile
but in the inside something you can’t crush

Cuz I’m country strong
hard to break
like a ground I grew upon
you may fool me
and I will fall
but I wont stay down long
cuz I’m country strong

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