"Dom Hemingway" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Dom Hemingway" Soundtrack Description

Overview

What happens when a swaggering London safecracker gets a mixtape equal parts 1980s anthems, Brit-indie grit, chanson melancholy and a Puccini aria? Dom Hemingway answers with a soundtrack that treats needle-drops like character reveals. It opens loud and cocky, then tilts toward tenderness as the anti-hero stumbles through reckoning.

Rolfe Kent’s score (plus vivid source cues) frames three worlds: the boozy St-Tropez high life, the hangover back in London, and the fragile space where Dom tries to face his daughter. Big, recognizable songs—Motörhead, Primal Scream, Pixies—announce his bluster; a bar-room cover of “Fisherman’s Blues” answers with earned vulnerability.

Questions & Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes. A digital album arrived in November 2013 (Metropolis Movie Music), followed by an expanded 14-track edition in July 2014 (Atlantic Screen Music).

Who composed the score?

Rolfe Kent composed the original score; additional club cues are by Chad Hobson.

What song plays as Dom leaves prison?

“The Stand” — The Alarm.

What song Emilia Clarke performs in the pub?

She sings “Fisherman’s Blues,” originally by The Waterboys (her version is on the soundtrack).

Is Primal Scream’s “Rocks” in the film?

Yes—“Rocks” is used in the soundtrack and also featured in the UK trailer.

Do Pixies appear on the soundtrack?

Yes—“Debaser” appears.

Is “In a Big Country” used?

Yes—the Big Country track closes the official 2014 album and appears in the film.

Notes & Trivia

• IMDb credits Alistair South as music supervisor.
• Pittsburgh City Paper singled out The Alarm’s “The Stand” over Dom’s prison exit.
• Universal Music Publishing confirms Pixies’ “Debaser” and Primal Scream’s “Rocks” are featured.
• Emilia Clarke’s pub performance of “Fisherman’s Blues” is diegetic and included on the album.
• Two official album variants exist: a 2013 digital issue and a longer 2014 edition.

Genres & Themes

Alt-rock & post-punk (Primal Scream, Pixies, The Godfathers) — signals Dom’s bravado, the rude-boy posture he performs for friends and foes.

Classic rock & metal (Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades”) — adrenaline hits for criminal momentum; the gambler’s creed in song form.

Chanson & bar-room folk (“La Fanette”; “Fisherman’s Blues”) — nostalgia and regret, the places where Dom’s mask slips.

Opera (Puccini’s “O mio babbino caro”) — a wry, elegant contrast; beauty cutting through the film’s profanity.

Score (Rolfe Kent; club cues by Chad Hobson) — connective tissue: nervy pulses for heists, woozy textures for comedown scenes.

Tracks & Scenes

Notes: placements are documented from reputable credits and reviews; where exact timestamps vary by cut, we specify the story moment.

“The Stand” — The Alarm
Scene: Opening movement as Dom exits prison in his ill-fitting suit; sets a strutting, defiant tone.
Why it matters: Frames the character’s self-mythologizing from minute one.

“Fisherman’s Blues” — Emilia Clarke
Scene: Pub performance by Dom’s estranged daughter Evelyn; diegetic, intimate; mid-film reconciliation attempt.
Why it matters: The film’s emotional hinge—vulnerability breaks through bluster.

“Rocks” — Primal Scream
Scene: High-energy source cue associated with Dom’s hedonist stretch; also used in the UK trailer.
Why it matters: Pure swagger; the track is a shorthand for reckless celebration.

“Debaser” — Pixies
Scene: Featured as a source cue in the film’s needle-drop tapestry during Dom’s chaotic nightlife passages.
Why it matters: Punkish abandon that mirrors Dom’s self-sabotage.

“Ace of Spades” — Motörhead
Scene: Heard in the film as a blast of propulsion during Dom’s criminal hustle (source cue).
Why it matters: Gambling metaphors and velocity—exactly Dom’s worldview.

“La Fanette” — Jacques Brel (or licensed cover)
Scene: An aching chanson moment that colors the French sojourn with bittersweet romance.
Why it matters: Nostalgia and fatalism—two currents always tugging at Dom.

“O mio babbino caro” — Puccini (soprano: Alexia Voulgaridou)
Scene: Classical counterpoint woven as source; a momentary oasis of elegance amid chaos.
Why it matters: Irony and contrast—the soundtrack’s slyest grin.

“In a Big Country” — Big Country
Scene: Late-film/credits use; cathartic release after the narrative’s bruises.
Why it matters: Big, open-hearted refrain to see Dom off.

“I Want Everything” — The Godfathers
Scene: A brash, on-the-nose statement track echoing Dom’s appetite for excess.
Why it matters: Title doubles as character thesis.

“Comin’ Back” — Citizen Cope
Scene: On-album cut that underlines the film’s cycle of return and relapse.
Why it matters: A rueful pulse beneath the bravado.

“Fire and Rain” — James Taylor
Scene: Used in-film; a tender classic that shades the father-daughter thread.
Why it matters: Softens edges without sentimentalizing.

Music–Story Links

Dom’s re-entry to the world is scored like a victory lap until it isn’t: “The Stand” blares confidence, but the later folk and chanson cues reveal a man running out of poses. When Evelyn sings “Fisherman’s Blues,” the diegesis forces Dom to listen; it’s the first time the movie withholds swagger on purpose. “Rocks” and “Debaser” supercharge the Riviera detour—needle-drops that make the hangover inevitable. And “In a Big Country” acts like a cracked anthem for second chances.

How It Was Made

Score by Rolfe Kent, with club-forward cues by Chad Hobson. Music supervision by Alistair South. The soundtrack album mixes Kent’s score with licensed songs; Emilia Clarke’s pub rendition of “Fisherman’s Blues” was recorded for the film and included on the official releases.

Trusted sources referenced in this section: Film Music Reporter; IMDb full credits.

Reception & Quotes

Critical response was mixed on the film overall, but the music moments—especially Clarke’s number and the audacious opening—drew notice.

“Dom leaves prison… to the cheesy strains of The Alarm’s ‘The Stand’.” Pittsburgh City Paper

“Jude Law is a larger-than-life safecracker… drawn back to the perils and pleasures.” The Hollywood Reporter

“Clarke… sings a swingy ‘Fisherman’s Blues.’” Vanity Fair

Additional Info

• Album releases: 2013 digital (Metropolis Movie Music); 2014 expanded (Atlantic Screen Music).
• Notable syncs confirmed by the publisher: Primal Scream “Rocks” and Pixies “Debaser.”
• The soprano on “O mio babbino caro” is Alexia Voulgaridou (licensed recording).
• “In a Big Country” appears as the album’s closer on the 2014 edition.
• The prison-exit cue (“The Stand”) is specifically cited in contemporary reviews.

Technical Info

• Title: Dom Hemingway (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2013 (album, initial); film premiered 2013
• Type: Compilation + Original Score
• Composers: Rolfe Kent; additional cues by Chad Hobson
• Music Supervision: Alistair South
• Selected Placements: “The Stand” (prison exit); “Fisherman’s Blues” (pub performance); “Rocks” & “Debaser” (party/nightlife sequences); “In a Big Country” (late/credits)
• Labels: Metropolis Movie Music (2013); Atlantic Screen Music (2014)
• Availability: Major digital platforms; two official variants
• Release context: UK/Canada festival play in 2013; general releases followed

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Film Music Reporter; IMDb; Universal Music Publishing (UK); Spotify/Apple album listings; Pittsburgh City Paper review; The Hollywood Reporter; Vanity Fair.

November, 08th 2025