"Charlie Bartlett" Lyrics

"Charlie Bartlett (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" Soundtrack Description

Questions & Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes — Lakeshore Records released the album; a digital release is documented for July 31, 2007, with a later CD edition, and it remains available on major platforms. (AllMusic; Lakeshore/Apple listings). :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Who composed the score?

Christophe Beck composed the original score cues woven through the film and album. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

What song plays over the end credits?

“Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living)” — Eels. It’s explicitly credited in the film’s production notes and widely reported in soundtrack Q&A listings. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Who sings “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” in the movie?

A cast performance: Anton Yelchin, Kat Dennings, Hope Davis and Ali Dee — confirmed in the official production notes; Dennings’ performance is also singled out in coverage. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Are the indie songs in the movie on the album?

Many are, including tracks by Spiral Beach, The Subways, Eels and Tom Freund; credits confirm all of them appear in the film, though some cues surfaced in different editions/releases. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

What label released it?

Lakeshore Records (the album’s rights holder across its primary releases). :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Overview

What happens when a polite teen con man finds catharsis in a high-school bathroom and the movie scores that with buoyant handclaps, 70s soul and scrappy indie rock? Charlie Bartlett answers with a track mix that’s equal parts wink and warmth. Composer Christophe Beck keeps cues brief and rhythmic, letting needle-drops do punchline duty or carry the feels. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

The album’s backbone is Beck’s brisk motifs (“Tennis,” “First Kiss”), but the film’s personality pops through licensed picks: Eels (twice), The Subways, and a heavy dose of Toronto outfit Spiral Beach. It’s all corralled by Lakeshore Records, with credits and production notes confirming who sings what, when. (AllMusic; Lakeshore/Apple; official production notes). :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

Additional Info

• Release timeline: digital release documented July 31, 2007; a CD edition followed (U.S. release entries exist) — both under Lakeshore Records. (AllMusic; Discogs). :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
• End-credits closer: “Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living)” by Eels. (Production notes; SoundtrackINFO Q&A). :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
• Cast sings on screen: “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” is performed by Anton Yelchin, Kat Dennings, Hope Davis & Ali Dee; “Yankee Doodle” and the All in the Family theme (“Those Were the Days”) also appear as diegetic sing-alongs. (Official production notes; IMDb credits). :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
• Toronto fingerprints: Multiple Spiral Beach tracks (“Voodoo,” “New Clouds, Not Clouds,” “Day OK,” “Close to Midnight”) underscore party and hallway energy. (Production notes). :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
• Score-to-songs ratio: The album alternates under-two-minute Beck cues with punchy rock/soul placements — a design noted by reviewers at MovieMusic UK. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
• Label of record: Lakeshore Records maintains the canonical album listing; AllMusic also tracks the release. Trusted source names: Lakeshore Records, AllMusic. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}

Notes & Trivia

• The production notes include a cheeky end-card: “NO TEENAGERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS MOTION PICTURE.” :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
• Bonnie Greenberg is credited as Executive in Charge of Music (for SKE), with Alexandra Nickson among the music coordinators. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}
• Eels show up twice — “Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues” and the end-credits “Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living).” (Production notes). :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
• Cat Stevens’ classic (“If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out”) gets a cast cover in the film; the song’s use pays wry homage to Harold and Maude. Trusted source name: IMDb. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
• The Subways’ “Oh Yeah” is licensed via Sire/Reprise/Warner — a burst of mid-2000s indie swagger. :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}

Genres & Themes

Indie rock cues (The Subways, Spiral Beach) color the teen-rebel mischief — distortion and brisk tempos telegraph confidence and peer-group momentum. :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}

70s soul/funk (Curtis Mayfield’s “Pusherman”) frames the story’s taboo subject — meds and money — with sly irony, while folk-pop classicism (“If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out”) stands in for vulnerability and a yearning to choose your path. :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}

Tracks & Scenes

Timings can vary slightly by cut; placements below are drawn from credits and documented scene-ID resources.

“Unnecessary Trouble” — Hard-Fi
Where it plays: As Charlie first heads into (and asserts himself at) Western Summit High — a swaggering entrance cue (non-diegetic). Documented by fan Q&A trackers. Why it matters: Instantly sets Charlie’s “fake-it-till-you-make-it” bravado. :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}

“If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” — Anton Yelchin, Kat Dennings, Hope Davis & Ali Dee
Where it plays: Performed in-story (diegetic) during a school performance, with an earlier intimate sing-along; the production notes credit all four vocalists. Why it matters: A warm, disarming homage to Harold and Maude that reframes rebellion as self-definition. (Production notes; ScreenRant survey of teen-movie soundtracks). Trusted source name: Discogs. :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}

“Voodoo” — Spiral Beach
Where it plays: At the night party sequence — specifically noted as the moment a girl with a mic appears on screen. Why it matters: Local Toronto energy; a DIY, student-scene vibe that fits the film’s high-school underground. :contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23}

“Pusherman” — Curtis Mayfield
Where it plays: Heard early as Charlie’s “practice” comes into focus — lyrics (“I’m your pusherman…”) are audibly referenced; this cue is credited in the official notes. (Scene timing inferred from the on-screen lyric reference; credits confirm usage.) Why it matters: Mayfield’s classic undercuts the morality of the scheme with sly social critique. :contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24}

“Oh Yeah” — The Subways
Where it plays: A high-energy montage/party moment, licensed via Sire/Reprise/Warner; widely noted as featured in the film. Why it matters: Injects mid-2000s UK-indie crunch, mirroring Charlie’s popularity spike. :contentReference[oaicite:25]{index=25}

“Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues” — Eels
Where it plays: Used within the film per production notes as an upbeat counterpoint in transition. (Placement generalized from credits; exact timestamp varies by cut.) Why it matters: Balances cynicism and buoyancy — very “Charlie.” :contentReference[oaicite:26]{index=26}

“Seat on This Train” — Tom Freund
Where it plays: A quieter interlude underscoring reflection (credited in notes). Why it matters: Gives breathing room between capers and consequences. :contentReference[oaicite:27]{index=27}

“New Clouds, Not Clouds” / “Day OK” / “Close to Midnight” — Spiral Beach
Where they play: Across hallway/party textures (credited cluster). Why they matter: Thread a consistent student-band grain through the story world. :contentReference[oaicite:28]{index=28}

“Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living)” — Eels
Where it plays: Roll-out of the end credits. Why it matters: An upbeat epilogue that nudges the audience toward hope without denying the chaos that came before. Trusted source name: AllMusic. :contentReference[oaicite:29]{index=29}

Music–Story Links

• Confidence vs. compassion: Hard-Fi’s “Unnecessary Trouble” frames Charlie’s early bluster; the later reprise of communal singing (“Sing Out”) marks his pivot from bravado to responsibility. :contentReference[oaicite:30]{index=30}
• Means vs. ends: “Pusherman” isn’t just period cool — it’s a mirror held up to the ethics of Charlie’s bathroom consultancy. :contentReference[oaicite:31]{index=31}
• Community vibe: Spiral Beach cues stitch the hallway, party, and talent-show atmosphere into one contiguous student-world — the social fabric Charlie tries to fix (or game). :contentReference[oaicite:32]{index=32}
• Epilogue tone: Eels’ closer says “learn the lesson, keep the spark,” which is essentially the movie’s thesis. :contentReference[oaicite:33]{index=33}

How It Was Made

Jon Poll’s teen-comedy debut leans on Christophe Beck’s nimble score — most cues are sub-two minutes — to set jokes and transitions, while the sync team layers recognizable indie/soul to signal mood shifts quickly. Lakeshore packaged the hybrid album with dialogue snippets, an approach reviewers called “all over the map” but apt for the film’s jump-cut energy. (MovieMusic UK; album listings). Trusted source name: Lakeshore Records. :contentReference[oaicite:34]{index=34}

Music credits list Bonnie Greenberg as Executive in Charge of Music (for SKE) and Alexandra Nickson among coordinators; vocal/piano coaching is credited to Elaine Overholt — helpful context for those crisp diegetic performances. :contentReference[oaicite:35]{index=35}

Reception & Quotes

“Rock and jazz collide … a fun concoction of brisk score cues [and] catchy anthems.” FilmMusic.com album page

“This CD is a mess … jerked into a piece of rock music … then another piece of dialogue …” MovieMusic UK

“Key performances and endearing energy make it … a minor position in the pantheon of great teen comedies.” F This Movie!

Availability: Streaming/digital storefronts list the album under Lakeshore; physical CD editions circulate via 2008 U.S. release entries. (AllMusic/Apple; Discogs). :contentReference[oaicite:36]{index=36}

Technical Info

• Title: Charlie Bartlett (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2007 (album release window; the film opened wide in 2008)
• Type: Movie soundtrack (score + songs)
• Composer: Christophe Beck
• Music supervision / exec music: Bonnie Greenberg (Executive in Charge of Music, SKE); coordination by Alexandra Nickson et al. :contentReference[oaicite:37]{index=37}
• Label: Lakeshore Records (digital July 31, 2007; CD release documented in 2008 entries). :contentReference[oaicite:38]{index=38}
• Notable placements (film-credited): “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” (cast); “Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living)” (end credits); “Pusherman”; “Oh Yeah”; Spiral Beach cluster. :contentReference[oaicite:39]{index=39}
• Release context: Album preceded the U.S./Canada theatrical release; digital/physical availability persists via major services. (AllMusic; FilmMusic.com). :contentReference[oaicite:40]{index=40}

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Official production notes; AllMusic; Lakeshore Records; FilmMusic.com; Discogs; Apple Music; IMDb; Cat Stevens (official site); SoundtrackINFO.

October, 27th 2025