"Epic" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Epic (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" Soundtrack Description

Overview

An animated forest war needs musical wonder, not noise. Epic gets there with Danny Elfman’s sweeping, woodwind-forward adventure writing and a handful of purpose-picked songs that slip between storybook awe and pop uplift. The core album is a 22-track Sony Classical release headlined by Elfman’s motifs for Leafmen heroics, Moonhaven ritual, and Boggan menace, then capped by Beyoncé’s end-title original “Rise Up.”

What distinguishes the soundtrack is its balance: nimble scherzos for hummingbird dogfights, hushed choral colors for the queen’s rites, and bright, human-world needle drops used sparingly so they register. The result is orchestral fantasy with clear leitmotifs, plus a few well-placed songs that ground the film’s “big world / tiny people” paradox. (See Apple Music and Film Music Reporter for official album details.)

Questions & Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes. Epic (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Sony Classical) — 22 tracks of Danny Elfman’s score plus Beyoncé’s “Rise Up.”

Who composed the score?

Danny Elfman composed the original score; Pete Anthony conducted, with orchestrations led by Steve Bartek.

What song plays over the end credits?

“Rise Up” performed by Beyoncé, co-written with Sia, produced by Hit-Boy and Chase N. Cashe.

What song is heard when M.K. rides in the taxi early on?

“Same Changes” by The Weepies underscores M.K.’s taxi arrival in the live-action world prologue.

Does Steven Tyler sing in the film?

Yes. He performs “Gonna Be Alright,” heard with his character Nim Galuu’s scene.

Which trailer songs should I know?

Snow Patrol’s “What If This Storm Ends?” (single version of “The Lightning Strike”) and Owl City’s “Shooting Star” were used in marketing; they’re not in the film.

Notes & Trivia

• This is the first Blue Sky Studios feature since Ice Age (2002) not scored by John Powell; Elfman takes the baton here.
• “Rise Up” reunited Beyoncé with big-screen music after Dreamgirls, pairing her with Sia on writing duties.
• Trailer music included Snow Patrol and Owl City; neither appears in the movie itself.
• Nim Galuu’s performer Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) also contributes the on-screen song “Gonna Be Alright.”

Genres & Themes

Orchestral fantasy & folk color — brisk strings, piccolo/woodwind runs, French horns, and choir sketch the Leafmen’s brisk discipline and Moonhaven’s ceremonial weight.

Source pop & retro swing — a handful of diegetic cues (“Gonna Be Alright,” classic New Orleans brass, and a vintage-style swing needle-drop) briefly shift the palette to warmth and whimsy without breaking tone.

Trailer anthems — modern alt-pop singles in marketing (Snow Patrol, Owl City) sell scale and wonder; the album stays focused on Elfman’s thematic writing.

Tracks & Scenes

“Same Changes” – The Weepies
Scene: Early in the film, as M.K. rides a taxi to her father’s house, this gentle indie track plays, situating us in the human world (approx. opening minutes; non-diegetic in scene, heard as background source to M.K.’s POV).
Why it matters: It frames M.K.’s estrangement before the plunge into Moonhaven’s scale and magic.

“Gonna Be Alright” – Steven Tyler
Scene: Heard with Nim Galuu’s sequence — a flamboyant, showman beat that fits the character’s mushroom-lounge aesthetics; functions like source music within his den.
Why it matters: A playful palette cleanser that signals Nim’s trickster mentor energy and gives Tyler a wink-to-camera moment.

“In the Sweet Bye and Bye” – Magnificent Seventh’s Brass Band
Scene: Brief New Orleans–style brass heard as a source needle-drop during a transitional beat; its funeral-parade cadence contrapuntally comments on loss and renewal motifs.
Why it matters: The hymn’s associations echo the story’s cycle-of-life theme tied to the queen and the forest.

“Hell” – Squirrel Nut Zippers
Scene: A short, sly swing interlude used as a cheeky underscore in a light moment; it’s quick but unmistakable to fans of the 1990s swing revival.
Why it matters: A dash of cabaret snark that punctures tension and adds textural variety between big orchestral cues.

“Rise Up” – Beyoncé
Scene: End credits. A modern R&B uplift cut written with Sia, produced by Hit-Boy and Chase N. Cashe; closes the film with a thematically on-nose message of perseverance.
Why it matters: The only pop song fully foregrounded; it’s the emotional send-off and the album’s marquee single.

Music–Story Links

Elfman’s Leafmen material uses bright, martial triplets and antiphonal brass to mark discipline; when Nod commits, the brass shifts from swagger to unity. Moonhaven ceremony cues add modal choir and celesta — a sonic signifier of stewardship — so Tara’s choices feel sacred, not decorative. “Same Changes” anchors M.K.’s doubt in a recognizably human register; later, the orchestral palette absorbs her, shrinking the gap between worlds. Nim’s “Gonna Be Alright” plays against danger with mischief — the score returns immediately after to reassert stakes. “Rise Up” reframes the battle’s cost as forward motion.

How It Was Made

Danny Elfman composed; Pete Anthony conducted; Steve Bartek supervised orchestrations (with additional orchestrations by Edgardo Simone and Dave Slonaker). The album was issued by Sony Classical. Beyoncé recorded “Rise Up” for the film and co-wrote it with Sia; production by Hit-Boy and Chase N. Cashe. (Business Wire announced the song; AllMusic and Apple Music document the album release; VGMdb lists key music credits.)

Reception & Quotes

Critical response to the score was positive, with reviewers noting both the rousing action writing and lyrical choral passages.

“By and large [the score] tries — and succeeds — to live up to its name.” Movie Music UK

“A good variety of music to anchor the animation.” Cinemotic review

Availability: the album is widely available digitally; physical editions were released alongside the film’s rollout. (See Apple Music; AllMusic.)

Additional Info

• Album release: digital announced for mid-May 2013; CD late May 2013; wide digital storefront availability followed.
• “Rise Up” is credited to Beyoncé & Sia (writers) with production by Hit-Boy & Chase N. Cashe; it plays over the credits.
• Marketing used Snow Patrol’s “What If This Storm Ends?” and Owl City’s “Shooting Star”; they aren’t in the film proper.
• The score album focuses on Elfman’s cues; only “Rise Up” appears as the featured pop track on standard digital editions.
• This title marked a Blue Sky feature scored by Elfman rather than John Powell (a studio first since 2002’s exception).

Technical Info

• Title: Epic (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2013
• Type: Original motion picture soundtrack (score + end-title song)
• Composer: Danny Elfman
• Orchestrations / Conducting: Steve Bartek (supervising orchestrator); Pete Anthony (conductor)
• Featured song: “Rise Up” — Beyoncé (co-written with Sia; produced by Hit-Boy & Chase N. Cashe)
• Label: Sony Classical
• Notable placements: “Same Changes” (taxi arrival), “Gonna Be Alright” (Nim Galuu sequence), “Rise Up” (end credits)
• Release context: Film released May 2013 (US); soundtrack issued in sync with theatrical run
• Album status: Available on major digital platforms; CD issued regionally

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Apple Music; AllMusic; Film Music Reporter; Business Wire; Mediastinger; Soundtrakd; Discogs; Wikipedia; VGMdb; Cinemotic.

November, 09th 2025