"Dedication" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Dedication (Film Soundtrack)" Soundtrack Description

Overview

What happens when a tender indie romance is wired with noise-rock nerves? Dedication (2007), Justin Theroux’s feature debut, answers with a soundtrack that zigzags between prickly art-pop (a heavy dose of Deerhoof), vintage blues, laptop-electro jolts, and Edward Shearmur’s warm orchestral cues. The mix mirrors the film’s opposites-attract core: Henry’s jagged interior life runs into Lucy’s steadier pulse.

The official album—issued by KOCH Records in September 2007—collects scene songs by Cat Power, The Strokes, Fischerspooner, Lightning Bolt, Au Revoir Simone, classic blues cuts by Buddy Moss and Dr. Isaiah “Doc” Ross, plus two Shearmur suites. It’s a small, 13-track compilation that feels hand-curated rather than wall-to-wall needle-drops, letting sharp stylistic pivots comment on character beats.

Questions & Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes. Dedication (Film Soundtrack) was released September 11, 2007 by KOCH Records with 13 tracks (cast/various artists plus two Edward Shearmur cues).

Who composed the original score?

British composer Edward (Ed) Shearmur wrote the film’s original score; two suites from it appear on the album.

Which artists are featured on the album?

Deerhoof (several cuts), Cat Power (“Back of Your Head”), The Strokes (“Ask Me Anything”), Fischerspooner (“A Kick in the Teeth”), Lightning Bolt (“Forcefield”), Au Revoir Simone (“Stay Golden”), Buddy Moss (“Red River Blues”), and Dr. Isaiah Ross (“My Bebop Gal”), among others.

Was every song from the film included on the retail album?

No. Contemporary coverage noted at least one Joanna Newsom piece used in the film that didn’t make the disc.

Where can I listen to the album today?

It’s available on major platforms (e.g., Apple Music and Spotify) under the title Dedication — Soundtrack/Cast Album.

Who chose so much Deerhoof?

Director Justin Theroux, a longtime Deerhoof fan, leaned into their catalog; the film famously uses a cluster of their tracks.

Notes & Trivia

• Theroux’s eclectic taste steers the lineup: Deerhoof and Lightning Bolt sit next to chamber-pop and classic blues.
• The retail CD/streaming album was released by KOCH (later eOne); the film opened August 24, 2007 in limited release.
• Au Revoir Simone’s “Stay Golden” closes the album and is widely associated with the film’s coda/end-credits vibe.
• Two concise score suites (“Dedication Suite One/Two”) are the only orchestral cues on the commercial album.
• The soundtrack was singled out by music outlets in 2007 for its sharp stylistic contrasts.

Genres & Themes

Indie art-pop & noise-adjacent rock (Deerhoof, Lightning Bolt) give Henry’s spikier edges a musical analogue—fractured rhythms, start/stop jolts that match his neuroses.

Lo-fi/indie folk & downtempo pop (Cat Power, Au Revoir Simone) soften the film’s angles around Lucy, sketching late-night, big-city hush and cautious optimism.

Classic blues (Buddy Moss; Dr. Isaiah “Doc” Ross) adds grit and lineage, a reminder that messy hearts long predate social-media confessionals.

Orchestral score (Edward Shearmur) stitches it together—strings and woodwinds that breathe, offering respite between the louder needles.

Tracks & Scenes

Note: public cue sheets for precise timestamps aren’t widely published. The placements below reflect on-screen usage noted by reviews/credits and the film’s home-video chaptering; they avoid exhaustive, second-by-second detail.

“Matchbook Seeks Maniac (Dedication Mix)” — Deerhoof
Where it plays: A prominent early-film placement underscores Henry’s agitated routine and the story winding into motion (non-diegetic montage energy).
Why it matters: Announces the soundtrack’s jittery pulse and Theroux’s Deerhoof-forward taste.

“Back of Your Head” — Cat Power
Where it plays: Intimate, late-night interiors and reflective beats between Henry and Lucy, heard non-diegetically.
Why it matters: Lets the film exhale—a bedroom-quiet counterweight to the noisier cues.

“A Kick in the Teeth” — Fischerspooner
Where it plays: City movement/streets and work-montage momentum; used non-diegetically as a tempo reset.
Why it matters: Electro snap and polish, pushing the narrative through professional deadlines.

“Red River Blues” — Buddy Moss
Where it plays: Needle-drop flavor during transitional scenes; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Historic grit that grounds the otherwise 2000s-hipster palette.

“Ask Me Anything” — The Strokes
Where it plays: Melancholy interlude over character reflection; non-diegetic, matching the film’s quieter confessionals.
Why it matters: A resigned drone and mantra-like lyric that suit Henry’s looping inner monologue.

“Forcefield” — Lightning Bolt
Where it plays: A briefer blast that spikes tension/energy; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Its noise rush is an expressive jolt—Henry’s brain on overload.

“Stay Golden” — Au Revoir Simone
Where it plays: End-credits/coda association, easing the story out with tender synth-pop.
Why it matters: After so much abrasion, this is the warm afterglow the characters earn.

“Dedication Suite One / Suite Two” — Edward Shearmur
Where it plays: Score set-pieces that track the beach-house work stretch and emotional pivot points (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Shearmur’s cues tie disparate source tracks into a single emotional arc.

Music–Story Links

Theroux uses Deerhoof’s darting rhythms whenever Henry’s coping mechanisms flare—jagged meter as a stand-in for compulsions. When Lucy opens Henry up, the needle drops soften: Cat Power’s hushed intimacy and Au Revoir Simone’s featherweight synths tilt the film toward vulnerability. Shearmur’s score behaves like connective tissue, smoothing hard edits and letting small grace notes land between arguments and apologies.

How It Was Made

Director Justin Theroux (a onetime Fugazi roadie) leaned into left-field indie curation—Deerhoof, Lightning Bolt, Fischerspooner—then counterweighted it with classic blues, mid-2000s NYC staples (The Strokes), and Shearmur’s lyrical score. KOCH handled the retail album, which distilled a larger in-film palette to 13 tracks; two score suites were included to represent the orchestral throughline.

Reception & Quotes

While the film drew mixed notices, the soundtrack’s deliberately “schizophrenic” blend was praised for mapping two clashing personalities within one story. A few snapshots:

“Shows off eclectic musical taste… switches between thorny songs and flowery orchestral pop, capturing the protagonists’ different personalities.” AllMusic editorial blog

“Final tracklist… Deerhoof, Cat Power, The Strokes, Lightning Bolt, Au Revoir Simone; Joanna Newsom used in-film but not on the disc.” The Playlist

“Cast: Billy Crudup, Mandy Moore… Music by Ed Shearmur.” IMDb / FilmMusic.com listing

Trusted source mentions (text-only): The Playlist; Discogs; Apple Music; FilmMusic.com.

Additional Info

• The album’s retail sequence ends with Au Revoir Simone, mirroring the film’s soft landing.
• Deerhoof contributions span multiple eras of the band’s catalog; the movie reportedly uses a cluster of their cuts.
• Lightning Bolt’s “Forcefield” is a rare noise-rock cameo in a rom-com—memorable by design.
• KOCH issued the soundtrack the same month as the film’s platform run; streaming editions retain the 13-track lineup.
• Edward Shearmur’s score exists beyond the two suites, but only those cues are commercially represented here.

Technical Info

• Title: Dedication (Film Soundtrack)
• Year: 2007
• Type: Movie soundtrack (compilation + score cues)
• Composer (score): Edward (Ed) Shearmur
• Key Artists: Deerhoof; Cat Power; The Strokes; Fischerspooner; Lightning Bolt; Au Revoir Simone; Buddy Moss; Dr. Isaiah “Doc” Ross
• Label: KOCH Records
• Release date (album): September 11, 2007
• Notable placements (album tracks): “Matchbook Seeks Maniac (Dedication Mix),” “Back of Your Head,” “My Bebop Gal,” “A Kick in the Teeth,” “Red River Blues,” “Ask Me Anything,” “Forcefield,” “Stay Golden,” plus “Dedication Suite One/Two.”
• Film release context: Premiered Sundance 2007; limited U.S. theatrical release August 24, 2007.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: The Playlist; Apple Music; Spotify; Discogs; FilmMusic.com (Soundtrack.Net); IMDb; AllMusic editorial blog.

November, 04th 2025