"Despicable Me 2" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Despicable Me 2" Soundtrack Description

Questions & Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes. Despicable Me 2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released in 2013 by Back Lot Music with 24 tracks (songs + score).

Who did the music?

Heitor Pereira composed the score; Pharrell Williams wrote and performed the original songs (including “Happy”).

What song plays during Gru’s gleeful morning montage?

“Happy” — Pharrell Williams (approx. 0:56 into the film; used as a buoyant, non-diegetic montage cue).

Which songs power El Macho’s Cinco de Mayo party?

Pitbull’s “Don’t Stop the Party,” David Guetta’s “Where Them Girls At,” and Pitbull’s “Echa Pa’lla (Manos Pa’rriba).”

What plays at Gru & Lucy’s wedding?

The Minions perform “I Swear” (in Minionese) and lead a goofy “Y.M.C.A.” sing-and-dance.

Is every movie song on the album?

No. Several film-used tracks (e.g., “In the Summertime”) appear in the movie but not on the official album.

Did “Happy” win major awards?

It was an Oscar nominee and later topped charts worldwide; the 24-hour video and single became a pop phenomenon.

Overview

How do you score a villain who’s trying to be good and a swarm of Minions who can’t help being chaotic? Despicable Me 2 answers with a sugar-rush of pop and a bright, fizzy score. Pharrell Williams returns with earworm originals—most famously “Happy”—while Heitor Pereira’s orchestral writing supplies heart, capers, and a Latin-spiced bite for the new baddie El Macho.

The album blends chart-ready songs and nimble thematic score: jubilant neo-soul and disco gloss for Gru’s newfound optimism; mariachi and salsa colors for El Macho’s world; and Minion-choir silliness for the wedding payoff. It’s the rare family soundtrack that works as both narrative engine and stand-alone listen. (As Billboard and the Official Charts Company repeatedly noted, “Happy” broke out far beyond the film.)

Notes & Trivia

• “Happy” was reportedly approved only after multiple rejections of earlier attempts—then became the franchise’s signature pop moment.
• The 24-hour “Happy” video was touted as a first-of-its-kind interactive release.
• Music supervision on the film is credited to Rachel Levy.
• El Macho’s material leans on choir and Latin percussion to telegraph “larger-than-life luchador” energy.
• Not every source song heard on screen appears on the official album; some party/beach cues are film-only.

Genres & Themes

Neo-soul/disco-pop (Pharrell): radiates Gru’s post-date glow and dad-mode optimism—clean claps, hand-on-hip basslines, falsetto smiles. The vibe says: reformed villain, softie interior.

Latin flair (Pereira & party cues): trumpets, choir hits, and rhythmic guitars for El Macho and Cinco de Mayo revelry—swagger with a wink.

Comedy-capers orchestral (Pereira): nimble strings, pizzicato, and slapstick stabs pacing AVL spy beats and Minion hijinks.

Minion diegetics: novelty covers (“I Swear,” “Y.M.C.A.”) turn the wedding into communal karaoke—pure character texture, not just background.

Tracks & Scenes

“Fun, Fun, Fun” — Pharrell Williams
Where it plays: ~0:03. After the Arctic prologue, Gru hosts a backyard birthday party; the track runs diegetically as neighborhood chaos ensues.
Why it matters: Establishes the sequel’s brighter tone and Gru’s gentler role without losing slapstick momentum.

“Another Irish Drinking Song” — The Minions
Where it plays: ~0:32. The Minions get rowdy and belt in Minionese; fully diegetic.
Why it matters: Codifies the Minions-as-bar-band gag and shows how sound gags keep plot breathless between spy beats.

“Just a Cloud Away” — Pharrell Williams
Where it plays: ~0:43. At the mall, Margo locks eyes with a boy by the fountain; non-diegetic, tender pop sheen.
Why it matters: Teases teen feelings and shows the soundtrack’s willingness to soften the comic pace for character.

“Cielito Lindo” — Tito Puente & Eddie Palmieri
Where it plays: ~0:47. At the restaurant date, the owner dances; source music, diegetic.
Why it matters: Gives the scene cultural flavor while winking at El Macho’s broader Latin palette.

“In the Summertime” — Mungo Jerry
Where it plays: ~0:50. Beach romp with Minions; summer montage energy, non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Classic sunshine rock flips the film into pure vibe mode between plot reveals.

“Happy” — Pharrell Williams
Where it plays: ~0:56. Gru’s morning routine—shower, breakfast assembly line—after love takes root; non-diegetic montage that threads back in later moments.
Why it matters: The franchise’s defining feel-good needle drop; it reframes Gru’s arc through buoyant, communal joy.

“Don’t Stop the Party (feat. TJR)” — Pitbull
Where it plays: ~1:03. First song at El Macho’s Cinco de Mayo party; loud, fully diegetic.
Why it matters: Announces El Macho’s maximalist world; rhythmic density amps suspicion under the fiesta.

“Where Them Girls At (feat. Nicki Minaj & Flo Rida)” — David Guetta, Flo Rida & Nicki Minaj
Where it plays: ~1:04. Second party cue; bass and synths punch through dialogue; diegetic.
Why it matters: Keeps the party’s pop veneer gleaming while the plot noses around back rooms.

“Echa Pa’ lla (Manos Pa’ rriba)” — Pitbull
Where it plays: ~1:12. Third party cue as Gru checks on the girls and bails; diegetic.
Why it matters: Latin pop swagger undercuts Gru’s parental anxiety with dance-floor insistence.

“I Swear” — The Minions
Where it plays: ~1:27. Wedding performance in Minionese (“Underwear” gag); diegetic.
Why it matters: The series’ most gleefully silly cover doubles as sincere emotional release.

“Y.M.C.A.” — The Minions
Where it plays: ~1:29. Post-vows dance-off; diegetic singalong led by Minions.
Why it matters: Credits-adjacent catharsis that turns end titles into a party with the audience.

“Scream” — CeeLo Green
Where it plays: ~1:30. End credits; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: A last jolt of pop sheen to send families out buzzing.

Music–Story Links

Gru’s heart grows in four steps, each cued by the songs: the party warmth (“Fun, Fun, Fun”), a spark at the mall (“Just a Cloud Away”), domestic bliss (“Happy”), and the communal promise of the wedding (“I Swear”). El Macho’s world speaks in rhythm and horns—party bangers that hide a villain’s plan in plain sound. And the Minions? Their diegetic covers transform plot beats into participatory rituals—you don’t just watch the finale; you hum it on the way out.

How It Was Made

Composer Heitor Pereira and songwriter/producer Pharrell Williams reteamed after Despicable Me. Pereira’s brief: write new themes (Lucy, purple Minions, El Macho) and integrate Pharrell’s song DNA into the orchestral fabric. Pharrell’s brief: deliver bright, uplifting pop that could stand alone and carry montage storytelling.

“Happy” famously emerged after a string of rejected attempts; its 24-hour video rollout was a marketing swing that paid off. Music supervision (Rachel Levy) and Back Lot Music’s release strategy bridged film cues and an accessible album for families. According to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, the sequel’s charm rests partly on how it lets Minions run wild without losing the movie’s heart—music is key to that balancing act.

Reception & Quotes

Critics pegged the sequel as brisk, gaggy, and buoyed by its pop sheen, while “Happy” escaped the film to rule radio and charts. TIME and Billboard chronicled its chart-topping run; Pitchfork spotlighted the 24-hour video’s stunt value.

“This endearing sequel devises an expanded role for the Minions without letting them abscond with the show.” Variety

“Despicable Me 2 is a sweet-natured family film.” The Guardian

“At the Oscars, Pharrell performed his Oscar-nominated single ‘Happy.’” Pitchfork

“‘Happy’… topped the Billboard Hot 100 by February 2014.” TIME

Additional Info

• Official album label: Back Lot Music; release year 2013; 24 tracks (songs + score).
• Album artists of record: Heitor Pereira & Pharrell Williams.
• Not all film songs are on the album (e.g., “In the Summertime” is heard in the film but absent from the soundtrack).
• “Happy” later appeared on Pharrell’s solo album G I R L (2014).
• US release of the film: July 3, 2013 (summer tent-pole frame).
• Billboard Top Soundtracks peak (album): top-3; US 200 peak: #86.
• Oscar nomination: Best Original Song (“Happy”).
• Music supervisor credit: Rachel Levy (Universal Pictures).

Technical Info

• Title: Despicable Me 2 — Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
• Year: 2013
• Type: Animated feature (“cartoon”) — soundtrack (songs + score)
• Composers: Heitor Pereira (score); Pharrell Williams (songs & themes)
• Music Supervision: Rachel Levy
• Label: Back Lot Music
• Key pop placements: “Happy,” “Just a Cloud Away,” “I Swear” (Minions), “Y.M.C.A.” (Minions), party cues by Pitbull/David Guetta
• Release context: Film opened July 3, 2013 (US); album released summer 2013
• Availability: Digital retailers/streamers; physical editions issued in select regions
• Chart/awards: US Billboard 200 peak #86; Top Soundtracks top-3; “Happy” Oscar nomination & multi-country #1 single

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Billboard; Official Charts Company; Variety; The Hollywood Reporter; The Guardian; TIME; Pitchfork; Apple Music; Spotify; Metacritic; Film Music Reporter; Collider; Soundtrackradar; Despicable Me Wiki.

November, 05th 2025