"Faintheart" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Faintheart (Original Soundtrack)" Soundtrack Description

Overview

How do you score a rom-com about Viking re-enactors? Faintheart answers with a wry, high-energy mix: 1980s synthpop and New Wave of British Heavy Metal sit next to Wagner and Mussorgsky, glued together by quirky original cues. The result swings from tender to thunderous in a beat—exactly the mood shifts the film needs.

The officially released compilation—Faintheart (Original Soundtrack)—landed on 26 January 2009 with 18 tracks (≈59–64 minutes depending on edition). It blends chart fixtures (“True,” “Don’t You Want Me”), cult bar-stompers (“Swords of a Thousand Men”), classic metal (Saxon; Michael Schenker Group), orchestral set-pieces (“Ride of the Valkyries,” “A Night on Bald Mountain”), and bespoke score by Mike Batt, with additional music from Tom Hodge. Album availability and timings are corroborated by AllMusic and Apple Music.

Questions & Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes. Faintheart (Original Soundtrack) was released 26 Jan 2009 with 18 tracks; label credits appear as Parlophone/EMI Catalogue on retail listings.

Who composed the score?

Mike Batt composed the film’s score; Tom Hodge contributed additional music.

Who handled music supervision?

Lol Hammond is credited as music supervisor.

Which big 1980s hits are on the album?

“Don’t You Want Me” (The Human League) and “True” (Spandau Ballet) are present, alongside Tenpole Tudor’s “Swords of a Thousand Men.”

Is Katie Melua’s “Toy Collection” in the film?

Yes—written specifically for the movie. It’s on the album and also appears on her compilation The Katie Melua Collection.

Are there songs in the film that aren’t on the album?

Yes—e.g., “It Must Be Love” is credited in the film’s soundtrack listings but isn’t on the retail album.

Where can I stream the album?

It’s available on major platforms (e.g., Apple Music, Spotify). Availability can vary by region.

Notes & Trivia

• Billed as the first “MySpace-made” feature; users also helped pick bands and songs for the soundtrack.
• Phil Lester (later known as AmazingPhil) appears in the cast—one of several MySpace-sourced contributors.
• The album’s orchestral “Ride of the Valkyries” is performed by Oslo Philharmonic conducted by Mariss Jansons.
• The retail album closes with The Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”—a neat thematic wink for a film about persistence.
• Track listings differ slightly across stores; EMI Catalogue EAN 5099923663022 appears on EU CD listings.

Genres & Themes

’80s synthpop (The Human League; Spandau Ballet) = romantic yearning with a wink. It signals soft-focus vulnerability for Richard and Cath without drowning the comedy.

NWOBHM and hard rock (Saxon; Michael Schenker Group) = self-mythologizing bravado. These cues play up the re-enactors’ cosplay heroics and rally-the-troops energy.

Punk/pub sing-alongs (Tenpole Tudor) = community and chaos—perfect for melee musters and montage mayhem.

Classical set-pieces (Wagner; Mussorgsky; “Greensleeves”) = mock-epic contrast, heightening the gap between ordinary life and Richard’s Viking fantasies.

Tracks & Scenes

“Run To the Funeral” — Mike Batt
Scene: Early sequence around the father-in-law’s funeral; compact, comedic tension as Richard collides with real-life obligations (album titles imply placement). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Establishes the film’s mix of embarrassment and empathy in under two minutes.

“Maggie In The Comic Shop” — Mike Batt
Scene: Quiet interlude inside Maggie’s store; character beats for Maggie and the kids. Diegetic ambience implied by the cue title; non-diegetic score supports it.
Why it matters: Softens the tempo and anchors the family subplot.

“Gary & Rich Fight” — Tom Hodge
Scene: The climactic duel at the public re-enactment when Gary confronts Richard; non-diegetic kinetic scoring.
Why it matters: Underscores Richard’s pivot from cosplay to real courage.

“Swords of a Thousand Men” — Tenpole Tudor
Scene: Viking muster/battle montage; needle-drop anthem with chanting hooks. Non-diegetic; crowd energy bleeds into diegetic cheers.
Why it matters: Comic-epic swagger that turns a LARP fracas into a “stadium moment.”

“Armed and Ready” — The Michael Schenker Group
Scene: Gear-up or road-to-battle run-up; guitars track the rising resolve. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Cast-iron confidence for a character who’s finally taking action.

“And the Bands Played On” — Saxon
Scene: Rallying montage during preparations; the brisk 2:48 runtime makes it a perfect cut-and-thrust sequence bed. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Propulsive tempo keeps the comedy tight and the stakes light.

“True (Single Edit)” — Spandau Ballet
Scene: Romantic olive branch—apology/longing beat for Richard and Cath (precise timestamp not publicly documented). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Earnest soft-focus warmth to counter the helmets and hubris.

“Don’t You Want Me” — The Human League
Scene: Light-hearted, ‘80s-soaked town/party sequence (album carries the original version; on-screen timestamp not published). Non-diegetic, played for irony.
Why it matters: Call-and-response duet mirrors the couple’s push-pull dynamic.

“Toy Collection” — Katie Melua
Scene: Late-film reflection and/or end-credits (written for the film). Non-diegetic ballad.
Why it matters: Gives the story a gentle exhale after the comic crescendo.

“Ride of the Valkyries (concert version)” — Oslo Philharmonic / Mariss Jansons
Scene: Mock-operatic punchline under aerial-style or muster visuals; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: The grandest tongue-in-cheek cue in a movie about pretend war.

“A Night on the Bare Mountain” — Mussorgsky (orch. Rimsky-Korsakov)
Scene: Darkly comic build ahead of the showdown; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Adds scale and shadow to a fundamentally sunny film.

“Greensleeves” — Dennison String Quartet
Scene: Medieval-fair ambience; likely diegetic source at an event.
Why it matters: Period flavor that nods to the hobby’s love of pageantry.

“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” — The Proclaimers
Scene: Heard late in the movie; the album uses it as the closer (screen placement can vary by version). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Persistence as punchline—and promise.

Music–Story Links

Richard’s arc toggles between fantasy and responsibility; the music does the toggling for him. Metal and pub-punk bellow during his bravura bluffs (“Armed and Ready,” “Swords of a Thousand Men”), while ‘80s synth-softness punctures his ego during sincere attempts to fix things (“True,” “Don’t You Want Me”). Classical cues inflate the play-fights into mock-operas so the final, real decision reads louder. Melua’s “Toy Collection” then shrinks the canvas back to home.

How It Was Made

Score by Mike Batt; additional music by Tom Hodge. Music supervision by Lol Hammond. The project’s MySpace origin meant fan input extended to picking bands; that’s how a playlist of ‘80s staples, metal cuts, and classical chestnuts ended up side-by-side with bespoke cues. Katie Melua wrote and recorded “Toy Collection” specifically for the film during its post-production window.

Reception & Quotes

• “Watchable, by-the-numbers romantic comedy with a few decent gags and a strong performance from Eddie Marsan.” ViewLondon

• “By Odin, it’s a totally unexpected hoot.” Sky Cinema

• “Not a bad movie… but it aims curiously low… cardboard characters in a balsa-wood plot.” The Guardian

Album availability and track data are consistently listed by AllMusic, Apple Music, and retail catalog entries.

Additional Info

• Retail EU CD listings carry EAN 5099923663022; label credits appear under EMI Catalogue/Parlophone.
• “It Must Be Love” is credited for the film but omitted from the retail album.
• Two Saxon cuts (“Never Surrender,” “And the Bands Played On”) underline the film’s keep-going theme.
• Oslo Philharmonic/Mariss Jansons entries provide licensed concert recordings for the classical moments.
• As of late 2025, UK streaming availability has cycled via Channel 4 (ad-supported); check current listings.

Technical Info

• Title: Faintheart (Original Soundtrack)
• Year: 2009 (film premiered 2008; UK release 2009)
• Type: Compilation (songs + score)
• Composers: Mike Batt (score); additional music by Tom Hodge
• Music Supervision: Lol Hammond
• Key placements (album): The Human League — “Don’t You Want Me”; Spandau Ballet — “True (Single Edit)”; Tenpole Tudor — “Swords of a Thousand Men”; Saxon — “And the Bands Played On”; The Proclaimers — “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”
• Orchestral licenses: Oslo Philharmonic / Mariss Jansons (“Ride of the Valkyries”); Mussorgsky/Rimsky-Korsakov concert version (“A Night on the Bald Mountain”)
• Release/Label: Parlophone / EMI Catalogue (varies by territory/storefront)
• Album identifiers: EAN 5099923663022 (EU CD); 18 tracks, ≈59–64 minutes
• Availability notes: Widely streamable (Apple Music, Spotify); physical CD appears in EU retail catalogs and secondary markets

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: AllMusic; Apple Music; IMDb; ScreenDaily; Wikipedia; Discogs; bol.com; Amazon UK; Tom Hodge (composer site); JustWatch; DVDfever; Plex Reviews.

November, 09th 2025