"Definitely Maybe" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Definitely, Maybe" Soundtrack Description

Overview

How do you soundtrack a rom-com that’s also a mystery told to an 11-year-old? Definitely, Maybe (2008) splits the job in two: a warm, melodic score by Clint Mansell handles the story’s heartbeat, while a crate-diggers’ roll of pop, alt-rock, funk and soul marks each chapter of Will’s past. The needle-drops aren’t just wallpaper; they’re clues, alibis, and sometimes the punchline.

The movie shipped with two complementary releases: a multi-artist Music From the Motion Picture album (Working Title/Parlophone, February 2008) and Mansell’s Original Motion Picture Score (Lakeshore Records, 2008). The songs album gathers recognizable anchors like Sly & The Family Stone’s “Everyday People,” R.E.M.’s “Stand,” and The Flaming Lips’ “Yoshimi…,” while the score tucks nimble motifs around dialogue and flashbacks. (Trusted sources referenced here include Apple Music, AllMusic, Discogs, IMDb, and Wikipedia.)

Questions & Answers

Is there an official songs album and a score?

Yes. Definitely, Maybe (Music From the Motion Picture) released in February 2008 via Parlophone, and Clint Mansell’s Original Motion Picture Score arrived in 2008 via Lakeshore Records.

Who composed the score?

Clint Mansell, whose light, lyrical cues (“Will Hayes for President!,” “April (Come She Will)”) carry the film’s emotional through-line.

Who was the music supervisor?

Nick Angel (Working Title/Universal) oversaw music supervision.

Which song opens the film?

Will accidentally cues “Bitch Face” for a second, then switches to Sly & The Family Stone’s “Everyday People” over the opening walk/credits.

Does Nirvana appear in the movie?

Yes—“Come as You Are” underscores two key Will–April moments and is treated as a thematic thread.

What’s the song at Will’s birthday loft party?

Alabama 3’s “Ain’t Goin’ to Goa” leads into Finley Quaye’s “Even After All”; elsewhere at the party you hear Massive Attack’s “Safe From Harm.”

What plays during/after the ending?

Badly Drawn Boy’s “The Time of Times” takes the late emotional beat; Mansell’s “The Happy Ending Is You” closes the credits.

Notes & Trivia

• The songs album carries the credit line “Working Title Films Ltd under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd.”
• “Come as You Are” is used twice and even cited as a motif inside the story.
• Mansell’s cue titles mirror character beats: “For Emily (Whoever She May Be…),” “April (Come She Will),” “Jane Eyre.”
• Several needle-drops heard in the film (e.g., Massive Attack’s “Safe From Harm,” Jr. Walker’s “Cleo’s Mood”) aren’t on the core score album.
• Music supervision by Nick Angel ties the eclectic 60s/90s/00s palette to specific New York moments.

Genres & Themes

’60s/’70s soul & funk (Sly & The Family Stone, Jr. Walker, Vanessa Williams’ early-’90s adult-contemporary classic) = communal warmth and the “family gathering” vibe after big reveals.

’90s/’00s alt & indie (Nirvana, The Flaming Lips, Finley Quaye, Massive Attack) = the rough-edged, post-college texture of Will’s New York—romance with scuffs.

Melodic score (Mansell’s chamber-pop writing) = memory glue; short cues land scene “buttons” without stepping on dialogue.

Tracks & Scenes

"Bitch Face" — Imran Hanif
Where it plays: 0:01 — Will tries to pick the “perfect” song; this blasts for a beat before he bails. Non-diegetic gag.
Why it matters: Sets the film’s playful narrator tone right away.

"Everyday People" — Sly & The Family Stone
Where it plays: ~0:02 over the opening credits/walk to school; Will resets from the miscue. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: A democratic, everybody-together anthem fits a dad telling a many-sides story.

"Stand" — R.E.M.
Where it plays: ~0:08 as Will begins the backstory for Maya. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: On-the-nose title—he’s taking a stand to tell the truth, finally.

"Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (Pt. 1)" — The Flaming Lips
Where it plays: ~0:16 under a bar scene. Source-style ambience.
Why it matters: Quirky, technicolor optimism mirrors Will’s early-90s idealism.

"People Everyday" — Arrested Development
Where it plays: ~0:17 during the pool-table sequence while Will’s on the phone. Diegetic background.
Why it matters: Everyday bustle; the soundtrack says “this is lived-in New York.”

"Mannish Boy" — Muddy Waters
Where it plays: ~0:21 at Hampton’s apartment. Source cue.
Why it matters: Blues swagger frames Hampton’s performative charm.

"Cleo’s Mood" — Jr. Walker & The All Stars
Where it plays: ~0:22 at Hampton’s place as the hangover hits. Diegetic 45 RPM vibe.
Why it matters: Smoky sax undercuts the supposed sophistication of the night before.

"Unbelievable" — EMF
Where it plays: ~0:26 in a bar beat. Source cue.
Why it matters: Brit-dance fizz, a timestamp of the era Will is remembering.

"Come as You Are" — Nirvana
Where it plays: ~0:38 as April opens up about her Jane Eyre collection; returns later. Non-diegetic/needle-drop thread.
Why it matters: The lyric’s invitation doubles as their unspoken question—“come as you are?”

"Cigarettes and Coffee" — Otis Redding
Where it plays: ~0:39 during the copy-girl kiss and confessions. Source-like intimacy.
Why it matters: A hush of grown-up soul for a messy, premature moment.

"Save the Best for Last" — Vanessa Williams
Where it plays: ~0:45 in the campaign office celebrations after Clinton’s win. Diegetic sing-along energy.
Why it matters: Cheesy? Sure. But it captures naïve optimism—the movie needs that.

"Don’t Stop" — Fleetwood Mac
Where it plays: ~0:45 over the same post-election high. Non-diegetic lift.
Why it matters: “Tomorrow will be better” is the euphoric lie the 90s told.

"Connected" — Stereo MC’s
Where it plays: ~0:48 under Will’s riff about everyone in Manhattan being on their phones/internet. Source vibe.
Why it matters: Title-as-thesis about modern ties and missed connections.

"I’ve Got a Crush on You" — (sung in-scene)
Where it plays: ~0:54 when Summer performs the standard during a walk. Diegetic performance.
Why it matters: A classic torch-song wink that complicates Will’s triangle.

"Ain’t Goin’ to Goa" — Alabama 3
Where it plays: ~1:11 as April brings Will into his birthday loft party. Diegetic party banger.
Why it matters: A swaggering entrance that tees up combustible feelings.

"Even After All" — Finley Quaye
Where it plays: ~1:12 at the party table scene; politics and flirtation swirl. Source.
Why it matters: Laid-back groove while everyone pretends nothing’s tense.

"Safe From Harm" — Massive Attack
Where it plays: around the elevator/loft party entry. Source.
Why it matters: Urban trip-hop cool announcing that the night may not be safe at all.

"The Time of Times" — Badly Drawn Boy
Where it plays: ~1:42 over the late reconciliation beat before credits. Non-diegetic.

"The Happy Ending Is You" — Clint Mansell
Where it plays: end credits closer; solo-piano glow. Non-diegetic.

Also heard (spot placements): The Lightning Seeds — “The Life of Riley”; Belle & Sebastian — “The Boy With the Arab Strap”; Morphine — “In Spite of Me”; Simon Boswell — “Shallow Grave Theme”; Madeleine Peyroux — “Summer Wind”; Bark Psychosis — “Pendulum Man”.

Music–Story Links

• Soundtrack as timeline: Early-90s alternative and campaign anthems timestamp Will’s formative NYC era; later cues mellow as his adult compromises set in.
• Motifs that return: Nirvana’s “Come as You Are” shadows Will and April—invitation, then regret, then a door creaking open again.
• Diegetic honesty: Party/source music lets truth slip out between hooks; when the score takes over, characters finally say the quiet part.

How It Was Made

Composer: Clint Mansell recorded a nimble, lyrical score built from short cues that land scene buttons without crowding dialogue. Music supervision: Nick Angel coordinated the film’s eclectic source palette under Working Title/Universal’s music team, with studio music exec Kathy Nelson credited on the Universal side. Album-wise, the songs compilation carries Working Title/Parlophone credits, and the score arrived on Lakeshore Records.

Reception & Quotes

“Sweet, melodic numbers that often seem to lack only a lyric to turn them into pop songs.” —AllMusic on Mansell’s score

“A nimble and winning little romance.” —The New York Times

The film’s music is frequently praised as functional, flavorful support; the two-album approach makes it easy to relive either the needle-drops or Mansell’s themes. (See: AllMusic; Wikipedia’s music section.)

Additional Info

• Music From the Motion Picture lists 14 tracks; not every in-film cue appears there—several are film-only placements.
• The score CD (Lakeshore LKS 33985) runs ~34 minutes across 18 cues.
• Several scene IDs fans still trade online: the cell-phone “Connected” gag; the loft party triple-header (A3 → Quaye → Massive Attack).
• “Come as You Are” is explicitly referenced in narrative dialogue, not just dropped in the background.
• The songs album credits Working Title Films Ltd. with an exclusive licence to Parlophone—handy for collectors tracking pressings.

Technical Info

• Title: Definitely, Maybe — Music From the Motion Picture / Original Motion Picture Score
• Year: 2008
• Type: Movie
• Composer: Clint Mansell
• Music Supervision: Nick Angel (Working Title)
• Labels: Parlophone (songs album, under licence from Working Title Films Ltd); Lakeshore Records (score)
• Notable placements: “Everyday People,” “Stand,” “Yoshimi…,” “Come as You Are,” “Cigarettes and Coffee,” “Connected,” “Ain’t Goin’ to Goa,” “Even After All,” “Safe From Harm,” “The Time of Times.”
• Availability: Songs and score available on major streaming services; original CDs issued in 2008.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Apple Music; AllMusic; Discogs; IMDb; SoundtrackINFO; SoundtrackRadar; The Numbers; Wikipedia.

November, 04th 2025