"Fun Mom Dinner" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Fun Mom Dinner (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" Soundtrack Description

Overview

What if a moms’ night out sounded like the mixtape they grew up with—and the life they’re barely holding together? Fun Mom Dinner leans into big-hook 80s/early-90s pop and new wave to fuel a messily cathartic comedy. Rhino’s compilation drops The Go-Go’s, The Cars, The Jam, Pretenders, Pat Benatar, INXS and more between scenes, while Julian Wass’s score stitches the night’s chaos into something warm.

The album arrived alongside the U.S. release (August 4, 2017) and plays like a neon jukebox: high-energy cues for misadventures, soft-focus nostalgia for fragile reconciliations. A veteran music supervisor approach shows—needle drops land on character beats rather than just vibe. Variety later noted the film’s nomination at the Guild of Music Supervisors Awards, a tidy receipt that the placements weren’t accidental.

Questions & Answers

Who handled songs vs. score?

Compilation album by various artists (Rhino); original score by Julian Wass.

Who supervised the music?

Howard Paar; he earned a Guild of Music Supervisors Awards nomination for this film.

When did the album release and on which label?

August 4, 2017; Rhino Entertainment Company.

Is the tracklist all 80s?

Largely 80s/alt-pop and rock, but there are later cuts (e.g., Warpaint) and a classic R&B slow jam (Peabo Bryson) to round the palette.

Are there songs in the film not on the physical poster art or marketing one-sheets?

Yes—“Start a Fire” (Tim Myers) appears in the film’s music documentation even though it’s not a marquee marketing hook.

Where did the film premiere?

Sundance Film Festival, January 27, 2017; it opened in the U.S. August 4, 2017.

Is the soundtrack mostly non-diegetic?

Yes. Most songs are scene-scored; a few moments play with in-world listening/singing, but the big needle drops function as commentary.

Notes & Trivia

• The needle-drops skew “parents’ teen years,” making the music a character—nostalgia as coping mechanism.
• INXS’s “Disappear” closes the film on a lighter, arms-around-friends energy instead of a sappy ballad.
• Peabo Bryson’s “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again” is deployed as tonal contrast—a syrupy pause before the next comic left turn.
• Howard Paar’s placement strategy threads recognizable hooks with a couple of crate-diggier cuts (Warpaint, Fever High).
• The compilation is Rhino-curated; clearances lean on catalog strength to keep costs sane on an indie budget.

Genres & Themes

New wave & power-pop → momentum, decision-energy; fits impulsive detours and “we’ve still got it” bravado.

Women-fronted 80s rock → agency with sparkle; signals the moms owning the night (Go-Go’s, Pretenders, Pat Benatar).

Alt/indie sheen → modern edge (Warpaint) so the mix isn’t just retro cosplay.

R&B slow jam → comic tenderness and reconciliation space (Peabo Bryson cue).

Tracks & Scenes

“Head Over Heels” — The Go-Go’s
Where it plays: Early montage as plans flip from routine to “out-out.” Non-diegetic kickstart.
Why it matters: Signals that the night will be powered by female-fronted pop confidence.

“Let’s Go” — The Cars
Where it plays: Emily leaves home, shaking off domestic inertia.
Why it matters: Literal instruction set; the synth-guitar snap gives the outing velocity.

“Town Called Malice” — The Jam
Where it plays: Jamie darts into a bar after the Walgreens mishap.
Why it matters: Mod-revival punch for a comic scramble; it hard-cuts the scene into motion.

“Boy” (2016 Remaster) — Book of Love
Where it plays: Jamie heads to the bar for help and meets Luke (the disarming bartender).
Why it matters: Flirty cold-wave shimmer under an awkwardly charming meet-cute.

“Message of Love” (2009 Remaster) — Pretenders
Where it plays: Bar banter shifts from snark to sincerity.
Why it matters: Chrissie Hynde’s tone sharpens the scene’s grown-up flirt without dropping bite.

“Heartbreaker” — Pat Benatar
Where it plays: On the boat, Melanie and Kate plunge into the water looking for Emily.
Why it matters: A tongue-in-cheek action anthem; the title winks at the weekend-warrior stakes.

“New Song” — Warpaint
Where it plays: Night deepens; the crew’s confidence crests.
Why it matters: A modern, hypnotic pulse keeps the soundtrack from being a pure nostalgia reel.

“If Ever You’re in My Arms Again” (Remastered) — Peabo Bryson
Where it plays: Quiet regroup on the boat; confessions land without cynicism.
Why it matters: Soft-focus slow dance for comic tenderness and reconnection.

“Disappear” — INXS
Where it plays: Finale on the school yard; friends flop on the pavement, night-after glow.
Why it matters: Upbeat closer; celebrates surviving the chaos intact.

“If You Were Here” — Thompson Twins
Where it plays: Car ride and reconciliation beats for Emily and her husband.
Why it matters: John Hughes-era romantic shorthand—melancholy synths = “we’re okay.”

Also noted in film materials but not front-and-center on the album art: “Start a Fire” (Tim Myers) appears in the official soundtrack documentation. Trailer spots use energetic cuts that match the catalog tone, rather than bespoke trailer songs.

Music–Story Links

Calling cards double as character maps. The Go-Go’s and Pretenders cues project a borrowed bravado the moms try to grow into; the joke lands because the songs still slap. When the night wobbles, Peabo Bryson smooths edges so characters can actually talk. INXS’s “Disappear” keeps the ending buoyant—problems remain, friendships hold. Even the brief Thompson Twins needle-drop points to a teen-movie fantasy of romance the film tweaks into adult reality.

How It Was Made

Score by Julian Wass; the song side is a Rhino compilation. Music supervision by Howard Paar, whose nomination at the Guild of Music Supervisors underscored the craft behind the placements. The curation balances recognizable 80s hits with a few modern and deeper cuts (Warpaint, Fever High) to avoid a pure nostalgia wall.

Reception & Quotes

Critics were mixed on the film but repeatedly flagged the soundtrack as a bright spot. The album was released day-and-date with the theatrical/VOD bow. Trade coverage and listings (Rhino/Amazon/Apple) confirm the set’s artist mix and sequencing.

“Rhino releases a hooky, 80s-leaning set for Fun Mom Dinner.” Film Music Reporter

“Guild of Music Supervisors nod goes to Howard Paar for Fun Mom Dinner.” Variety

“Composer: Julian Wass; needle-drops carry much of the tone.” IMDb listing

Additional Info

• Album availability: digital on major platforms; 12 tracks in the official release.
• Clearances leverage catalog depth (Rhino/WMG), keeping recognizable hits within an indie budget.
• End-credit and late-act cues favor uplift; the sequencing avoids mopey fade-outs.
• Several scene placements match character POV shifts (meet-cute, panic, regroup, closure).
• Not every in-film cue is foregrounded in marketing; some appear only in cue sheets/credits.

Technical Info

• Title: Fun Mom Dinner (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2017 (album release: Aug 4, 2017)
• Type: Compilation soundtrack (songs) + original score
• Score Composer: Julian Wass
• Music Supervision: Howard Paar (GMS Awards nominee)
• Label: Rhino Entertainment Company
• Premiere/Release: Sundance (Jan 27, 2017); U.S. theatrical/VOD (Aug 4, 2017)
• Selected notable placements: “Head Over Heels,” “Let’s Go,” “Town Called Malice,” “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again,” “Disappear”

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Film Music Reporter; Variety; IMDb; Wikipedia; Apple Music; Amazon Music; Spotify; WhatSong.

November, 09th 2025