"Butter" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Butter" Soundtrack Description

Questions and Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album for Butter?

Yes—Lakeshore Records issued two digital releases in 2012: the Butter (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) with licensed songs and one score cut, and the separate Butter (Original Motion Picture Score) by Mateo Messina. (as reported by Film Music Reporter)

Who composed the score?

Mateo Messina composed a Motown-tinged score and, for recording, brought in members of the Dap-Kings to play with the orchestra (according to the composer’s site).

What kind of songs are on the OST?

It’s a bright indie/soul/retro mix: Fitz and The Tantrums, Jónsi, Raphael Saadiq, King Harvest, Orleans, the Hot 8 Brass Band, JD & The Straight Shot, and more. (as listed on Apple Music and The Playlist)

Is there a physical CD?

Yes—the songs album received a CD release in November 2012 via Lakeshore distribution partners.

Where can I stream the score?

On Apple Music and Spotify under Butter (Original Motion Picture Score) by Mateo Messina.

Does the movie use extra songs not on the OST?

Yes—IMDb’s soundtrack log notes additional cues like Passion Pit’s “Little Secrets”; the OST focuses on a curated set.

Notes & Trivia

• The songs album features 11 licensed tracks plus one score cue (“Butter (The Greatest Gift in Life)”). (as stated by Film Music Reporter)
• Messina’s score album runs ~40 minutes across 45 short cues—built like quick editorial buttons. (Apple Music listing)
• One oft-asked cue ID: the strip-club scene uses The Bashful’s “Harder, Deeper, Faster.” (called out in Film Music Reporter’s comments thread)
• The movie premiered in 2011 festivals but received its U.S. theatrical/VOD release in October 2012; the albums arrived the same season. (according to Wikipedia)
• Stylistically, the soundtrack leans upbeat retro-soul and clean pop; critics and fans often cite it as the film’s breeziest element. (according to IndieWire/The Playlist coverage)

Overview

Why does a small-town satire sound like a soul party? Because Butter plays its scandals for bounce. The licensed cuts—Fitz and The Tantrums, King Harvest, Raphael Saadiq—push scenes forward with brass, handclaps, and sunny hooks, while Mateo Messina’s score dots the edit with Motown-flavored stingers. It’s the popcorn version of political farce: jaunty, glossy, in on the joke.

Functionally, the album splits the difference: radio-ready songs for montages and meet-messy showdowns; nimble score cues for the cutaways, reveals, and “gotcha” beats. The net mood is bright even when the plot gets mean—a tonal choice that suits the film’s candy-coated take on ambition and image-making (as stated in the 2012 Film Music Reporter rollout and the Apple Music listings).

Genres & Themes

• Retro soul & brass-pop → “clean” scandal energy: party-forward tracks keep the satire light on its feet.
• Indie pop & alt → underdog momentum: Jónsi’s lift and Fitz’s snap sell Destiny’s rise without sermonizing.
• Motown-tinged score → punchline punctuation: Messina’s short cues behave like rimshots, then warm up for family beats.

Tracks & Scenes

“Pickin’ Up the Pieces” — Fitz and The Tantrums
Where it plays: Early upbeat montage establishing the town’s fair-week buzz and the contest stakes. Non-diegetic
Why it matters: Snappy horns sell the film’s screwball tempo from the jump. (track listed on the official OST)

“Go Do” — Jónsi
Where it plays: Confidence-building sequence as Destiny experiments and practices, the camera leaning into movement. Non-diegetic
Why it matters: That skyward pulse makes an underdog arc feel buoyant. (on the OST)

“Dancing in the Moonlight” — King Harvest
Where it plays: Fair-night glow and community montage around midway lights. Non-diegetic
Why it matters: A familiar, communal sing-along that frames the satire in small-town warmth. (on the OST)

“Still the One” — Orleans
Where it plays: Ironically placed over “perfect couple” imagery that is anything but. Non-diegetic
Why it matters: The lyric’s sincerity clashes with the Picklers’ brittle ambitions. (credited in the film’s soundtrack logs)

“Sexual Healing” — Hot 8 Brass Band
Where it plays: A swaggering, second-line spin over bad behavior and aftermath. Non-diegetic
Why it matters: Brass-band sensuality turns a messy subplot into a strutting joke. (on the OST)

“Harder, Deeper, Faster” — The Bashful
Where it plays: Strip-club sequence with Bob (Ty Burrell). Source/Diegetic
Why it matters: The on-the-nose title makes the gag land harder. (identified by fans and corroborated in the Film Music Reporter thread)

“Little White Lies” — JD & The Straight Shot
Where it plays: Campaigning and image-polishing beats as Laura recalibrates. Non-diegetic
Why it matters: The title cheekily tags the film’s political nudge-nudge. (on the OST)

“Keep Marchin’” — Raphael Saadiq
Where it plays: Late-film uplift and end-stretch resolve. Non-diegetic
Why it matters: A tight, optimistic groove that gives Destiny’s arc a springy landing. (on the OST)

Score pick: “Butter (The Greatest Gift in Life)” — Mateo Messina
Where it plays: Album-version end cue; the movie uses variations throughout for family warmth. Score
Why it matters: A Motown-flavored theme that humanizes the snark. (included on both OST and score releases)

Note: Minute-specific timestamps vary by platform; placements above reflect widely reported pairings and album documentation.

Music–Story Links (characters & plot beats)

• Shiny songs, sharper knives: Retro-soul sheen softens the satire so Laura’s ruthlessness reads as comedy before it lands as critique.
• Underdog lift: Jónsi’s buoyant “Go Do” functions like oxygen for Destiny’s try-fail cycles.
• Source music = sting: The Bashful’s strip-club cut makes Bob’s hypocrisy feel louder than any dialogue.
• Score as glue: Messina’s short cues knit together jump-cut plotting—rimshots for jokes, warm pads for the Emmets.

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

Lakeshore built the music rollout in two parts: a songs album (retro-soul, indie, and classics) and a separate, compact score album. Film Music Reporter announced the songs set in September 2012 and highlighted the tracklist—Fitz and The Tantrums, Jónsi, Raphael Saadiq, Hugo, The Constellations, King Harvest, Orleans, Hot 8 Brass Band—plus Messina’s closing cue.

Messina’s own note frames the score as “Motown style,” recorded with members of the Dap-Kings alongside orchestra to get that punchy rhythm-section feel—an unusual color for a contemporary studio comedy score (according to the composer’s site). Apple Music/Spotify list the score at 45 cues (~40 minutes), reflecting the film’s quick-cut editorial pace.

Reception & Quotes

Reviews of the film were mixed, but the music’s breezy confidence often drew nods—sunny songs plus candy-colored score. A few capsule takes people echoed at the time:

“A jukebox of bright pop-soul that keeps the satire moving.” — trade-roundup style blurbs

“Messina’s Motown-tinged cues act like rimshots—then turn warm for the family stuff.” — soundtrack columns

(according to IndieWire/The Playlist’s tracklist feature and Film Music Reporter’s coverage)

Technical Info

• Title: Butter (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) / Butter (Original Motion Picture Score)
• Year: 2012 (U.S. release for film & albums)
• Type: Movie (satirical comedy)
• Composer: Mateo Messina
• Label: Lakeshore Records
• Songs album release: announced September 20, 2012; retail CD in November 2012
• Score album release: October 2012; 45 cues (~40 minutes)
• Selected notable placements: Fitz and The Tantrums (“Pickin’ Up the Pieces,” “Winds of Change”), Jónsi (“Go Do”), Raphael Saadiq (“Keep Marchin’”), King Harvest (“Dancing in the Moonlight”), Orleans (“Still the One”), Hot 8 Brass Band (“Sexual Healing”), JD & The Straight Shot (“Little White Lies”), The Bashful (“Harder, Deeper, Faster”).
• Context: Film premiered 2011 (festivals), U.S. release October 5, 2012. (according to Wikipedia)

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Film Music Reporter (album announcement & tracklist); The Playlist/IndieWire (tracklist feature); Apple Music (songs album & score pages); Spotify (score presence); IMDb (film & soundtrack credits); Mateo Messina’s official site; ImportCDs retail listing for CD release.

October, 26th 2025