When director Spike Lee sent out a call a couple of years ago for songs that could be used in his Netflix series “She’s Gotta Have It,” Joe DeFilippo sent in a couple. When months passed and he never heard anything, the retired Baltimore County social studies teacher figured this particular shot at fame was a non-starter.

But in February, he got a phone call saying Lee was interested. Lee wanted to use DeFilippo’s song “Freedom Ride,” but not for the TV series.

“They said Spike was interested in the song for a film he’s working on,” DeFilippo, 62, remembers.

Now, as Lee’s latest, “BlacKkKlansman,” opens in theaters, “Freedom Ride” is on the soundtrack. Welcome to a taste of the big time, Joe DeFilippo (left in photo with Lee and band member Bill Pratt).

“It was very cool,” allows the songwriter, who got to see the finished movie at its July 30 premiere in Lee’s long-time stamping grounds of Brooklyn, N.Y.

“Freedom Rider” is credited to the R.J. Phillips Band.

— Chris Kaltenbach