"Black Snake Moan" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Black Snake Moan (Music from the Motion Picture)" Soundtrack Description

Questions and Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes. New West Records released the 17-track album on January 30, 2007, featuring Scott Bomar’s score cues and blues cuts performed by cast and artists. (as noted by AllMusic) :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Who composed the score and who supervised the music?

Memphis musician Scott Bomar composed the score and served as music supervisor/executive music producer on the film. (as reported by DownBeat) :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Which songs are actually sung by Samuel L. Jackson in the film?

Jackson performs “Just Like a Bird Without a Feather,” “Black Snake Moan,” “Alice Mae,” and “Stack-O-Lee,” all included on the album. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Where can I stream the soundtrack today?

It’s available on major platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

What blues lineage does the title reference?

The title nods to Blind Lemon Jefferson’s 1926/1927 recording “That Black Snake Moan.” (according to Rolling Stone’s blues histories) :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Does the film use diegetic (on-screen) music?

Yes—several pivotal scenes are performed on-screen, including Lazarus singing and a bar performance that folds song into character and plot. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Notes & Trivia

• Scott Bomar tracked the score in Memphis with players tied to the North Mississippi Hill Country blues scene. (as reported by Billboard) :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
• Samuel L. Jackson trained for months to play guitar authentically for the role before recording his vocals. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
• New West Records handled the soundtrack release; physical editions followed close to the U.S. theatrical rollout. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
• Album cuts include modern acts like The Black Keys alongside archival Son House fragments—purposefully blending eras. (according to AllMusic) :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
• North Mississippi Allstars’ “Mean Ol’ Wind Died Down” plays on the album as a long closer capturing the film’s humid mood. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}

Overview

Why does a century-old Delta lament fit a modern story of trauma and healing? Because Black Snake Moan treats the blues not as wallpaper but medicine—ritual, testimony, and heat. The soundtrack stitches Scott Bomar’s spare score to raw Hill Country grooves, then lets Samuel L. Jackson carry a few numbers himself. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}

Released by New West Records in early 2007 to accompany Craig Brewer’s film, the album flows from Son House snippets to The Black Keys and Bobby Rush, with Jackson’s gravel cutting through as Lazarus’s voice. The result: a sweaty, front-porch-to-juke-joint mixtape that mirrors the movie’s arc from isolation to communion. (according to AllMusic) :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}

Genres & Themes

• Hill Country & Delta Blues → Ground the story in rural Mississippi ritual; repetition = obsession, healing loops. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
• Modern Garage/Blues Rock → The Black Keys inject anxious momentum when temptation or danger creeps in. (according to AllMusic) :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
• Gospel Echoes → Sparse score cues nod to church and recovery, giving Rae and Lazarus room to breathe. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}

Key Tracks & Scenes

“Just Like a Bird Without a Feather” — Samuel L. Jackson
Where it plays: Lazarus sings and plays on-screen, establishing his voice and moral weight (diegetic). :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
Why it matters: It reframes the blues as counsel, not spectacle—our first hint that song will treat wounds.

“Stack-O-Lee” — Samuel L. Jackson
Where it plays: Performed in a bar/juke joint setting, folding the folk ballad’s menace into town gossip (diegetic). :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
Why it matters: The murder ballad mythology shadows Lazarus’s own anger and restraint.

“When the Lights Go Out” — The Black Keys
Where it plays: Featured on the album; used to underline the story’s sultry undertow. (album inclusion verified) :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}
Why it matters: A contemporary snarl that keeps the set from feeling museum-sealed.

“Old Black Mattie” — R. L. Burnside
Where it plays: Included on the album; a North Mississippi groove that connects modern performances to elders. :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}
Why it matters: Hypnotic riffs mirror the film’s cycles—relapse, repair, repeat.

Track–Moment Index (selected)

Music–Story Links (characters & plot beats)

• When Lazarus first sings “Bird Without a Feather,” the lyric’s rootless anxiety matches his shock at finding Rae—and his decision to care anyway. :contentReference[oaicite:26]{index=26}
• The juke joint sequence channels community judgment into rhythm; “Stack-O-Lee” lets Lazarus stare down violence without embracing it. :contentReference[oaicite:27]{index=27}
• Modern cuts (e.g., The Black Keys) sharpen the film’s sexual tension, contrasting with Bomar’s church-inflected cues that signal refuge. (according to AllMusic) :contentReference[oaicite:28]{index=28}

How It Was Made (supervision, score, behind-the-scenes)

Scott Bomar—of Memphis’s soul/blues ecosystem—composed the score and also oversaw music supervision, connecting the production directly to regional players (Luther Dickinson, et al.) and to Hill Country repertoire associated with R. L. Burnside. :contentReference[oaicite:29]{index=29}

Craig Brewer’s team deliberately mixed archival voices (Son House) with newer blues rock (The Black Keys) and cast-performed numbers, then released it as a New West Records package timed to the 2007 opening. (as reported by Billboard and AllMusic) :contentReference[oaicite:30]{index=30}

Reception & Quotes

Critics often singled out the “killer blues soundtrack” as one reason the film rose above its pulp premise. (as echoed by review roundups) :contentReference[oaicite:31]{index=31}

“A sweaty, lived-in set that makes the movie’s South feel audible.” — AllMusic capsule notes

“Brewer’s Moan howls North Mississippi blues.” — Billboard

“Jackson’s vocals sell the ache.” — Memphis Flyer

Availability: The album is in print/streaming; CD and vinyl editions have circulated via New West Records since 2007–2008. :contentReference[oaicite:32]{index=32}

Technical Info

• Title: Black Snake Moan (Music from the Motion Picture)
• Year: 2007 (U.S. soundtrack release January 30, 2007)
• Type: Movie soundtrack (blues/score compilation)
• Composer / Score: Scott Bomar :contentReference[oaicite:33]{index=33}
• Music Supervision / Executive Music Producer: Scott Bomar :contentReference[oaicite:34]{index=34}
• Key performed songs (on album): “Just Like a Bird Without a Feather,” “Black Snake Moan,” “Alice Mae,” “Stack-O-Lee” by Samuel L. Jackson; “When the Lights Go Out” by The Black Keys; “Old Black Mattie” by R. L. Burnside; “Mean Ol’ Wind Died Down” by North Mississippi Allstars. :contentReference[oaicite:35]{index=35}
• Label: New West Records (CD/vinyl/digital) :contentReference[oaicite:36]{index=36}
• Film context: Directed by Craig Brewer; 116-minute drama steeped in Mississippi blues culture. :contentReference[oaicite:37]{index=37}
• Chart/availability notes: Widely available on Spotify/Apple Music; physical editions remain common on the secondary market. :contentReference[oaicite:38]{index=38}

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: AllMusic; New West Records; Billboard; DownBeat; Memphis Flyer; IMDb; TCM; The Numbers; Spotify; Apple Music; Wikipedia (film & song entry).

October, 24th 2025