"Garfield" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Garfield: The Movie — Music From and Inspired by the Motion Picture" Soundtrack Description

Overview

A jukebox built from cat puns and crowd-pleasers: the 2004 Garfield soundtrack packages vintage hits (“Hound Dog,” “What’s New Pussycat?”), rock-and-soul staples (James Brown, Elton John), and novelty-adjacent cuts (“Stray Cat Strut,” “Cats vs. Dogs”) into a playful companion to the CGI/live-action comedy. It’s less a die-hard score album and more a family-aimed “mix” that signposts gags and character beats.

The commercial release carries the “music from and inspired by” tag and arrived on CD in October 2004 via Bulletproof/Rykodisc with Fox Music involvement. A separate orchestral score exists for the film (composer: Christophe Beck). Retailer listings and music databases corroborate the 14–15 track program; IMDb Soundtracks corroborates key on-screen cues. Trusted sources: Discogs, SoundtrackCollector, Apple/Spotify album pages.

Questions & Answers

Is the album “songs only” or is there score?

It’s a songs compilation (“from and inspired by”). Christophe Beck’s score was issued separately/elsewhere.

Who handled music supervision?

Spring Aspers is credited as music supervisor on the film.

What opens and closes the movie musically?

Opener: Baha Men’s “Holla.” Finale/credits: James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good).”

Does Garfield actually sing in the film?

Yes—he parodies Billy Joel with “New Dog State of Mind” when he’s stuck outside.

Are all album tracks heard on screen?

No. Several are “inspired by.” The LP pulls a cat/dog theme together for cohesion beyond the film.

Is this the animated 2024 soundtrack?

No—this page covers the 2004 hybrid film. The 2024 animated feature has a different, newer album.

Notes & Trivia

• Retail album crediting: Bulletproof / Rykodisc (catalog RCD 10800) with Fox Music branding on some editions.
• “New Dog State of Mind” is a Garfield-sung parody of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind.”
• Matthew Sweet contributed the on-theme original “Cats vs. Dogs.”
• Several cues on the disc are album-only and not heard in the movie’s final cut.
• Composer Christophe Beck scored the film; the song album is separate from his orchestral score program.

Genres & Themes

• Old-school R&B/soul (James Brown, Rufus Thomas) → victory dances, feel-good curtain calls.
• Classic pop & crooner humor (Tom Jones, Sammy Davis Jr.) → wink-and-nod cat jokes; kitsch as comedy fuel.
• Rock & rockabilly (Elton John, Cheap Trick, Stray Cats) → mischief energy; “strut” motifs for Garfield’s ego.
• Funk (George Clinton) → canine chaos and broad slapstick set-pieces.

Tracks & Scenes

Verified placements note the moment and diegesis; album-only entries are flagged. Times are approximate when stated.

"Holla" — Baha Men
Where it plays: Opening minutes (~00:01). Non-diegetic main-title energy as Garfield introduces his world.
Why it matters: Establishes a bouncy, kid-friendly tone before the Odie rivalry kicks in.

"I Got You (I Feel Good)" — James Brown
Where it plays: Final celebration/end credits (~01:17). Non-diegetic; Garfield dances.
Why it matters: Pure release after the rescue; a victory strut and a wink to parents in the audience.

"New Dog State of Mind" — Bill Murray (as Garfield)
Where it plays: On the backyard fence after Garfield is locked out. Diegetic parody performance.
Why it matters: Character gag that literalizes jealousy—Garfield turns a standards classic into a canine complaint.

"Honky Cat" — Elton John
Where it plays: Mid-film mischief montage; non-diegetic (light source ambience in some edits).
Why it matters: Title pun + brassy piano suits the swaggering, not-quite-domesticated vibe.

"What's New Pussycat?" — Tom Jones
Where it plays: Playful interlude around Garfield’s preening/cutaways; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: On-the-nose feline gag that lands because of Tom Jones’s camp gusto.

"Hound Dog" — Elvis Presley
Where it plays: Dog-centric sequence (Happy Chapman/televised showcase). Non-diegetic needle-drop.
Why it matters: Cultural shorthand for “dogs on parade,” doubling the film’s TV-show satire.

"Stray Cat Strut" — Stray Cats
Where it plays: Garfield roaming outside after he’s put out; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Rockabilly cool sells the “solo nocturnal prowl” fantasy.

"Cats vs. Dogs" — Matthew Sweet
Where it plays: Rivalry montage in the first act; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Title says it all—pop-rock bounce for tit-for-tat pranks.

"Walking the Dog" — Rufus Thomas
Where it plays: Jon and Odie sidewalk bit; source-style background.
Why it matters: A 60s staple that makes a simple stroll feel like set-piece choreography.

"Atomic Dog" — George Clinton
Where it plays: Pound/pet-chaos stretch and transitional beats; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Funk royalty underscoring canine mayhem—cartoonish but irresistible.

Album-only highlights frequently associated with marketing or scene trims:
“Wild Thing” — Cheap Trick; “Talk to the Animals” — Sammy Davis Jr.; “Fat Cat Keeps Getting Fatter” — Squirrel Nut Zippers; “Happy Together” — The Turtles; “You’ve Got a Friend” — Al Green; “More Than a Friend” — All Too Much.

Music–Story Links

Song choices telegraph the rivalry-to-bond arc. Early swagger (“Holla,” “Honky Cat”) frames Garfield as the monarch of a tiny kingdom; “Cats vs. Dogs” and “Hound Dog” lampoon the turf war as TV-ready spectacle. Once stakes turn toward rescuing Odie, funk and soul (“Atomic Dog,” then James Brown) flip the tone to communal celebration—Garfield wins by acting like family, not a diva.

How It Was Made

Score vs. songs. Christophe Beck wrote the film’s orchestral score. The retail disc is a label-cleared compilation aimed at family appeal and radio familiarity; Spring Aspers served as music supervisor for the film.

Licensing logic. Cat/dog puns (“Stray Cat Strut,” “Hound Dog”) sit alongside evergreen feel-goods (James Brown, Tom Jones). Retail listings (Rykodisc/Bulletproof) and database entries (SoundtrackCollector, Discogs) align on a ~50-minute program. Several inclusions are “inspired by” and not all appear on screen in full.

Reception & Quotes

“Murray’s fence-song spoof ‘New Dog State of Mind’… the film’s low point.” Associated Press

“Final scene shows Garfield dancing to ‘I Feel Good.’” Nick the Movie Critic

Contemporary reviews focused more on the film’s humor than its music, but the soundtrack’s pun-friendly curation made it a recognizable family CD in 2004 big-box aisles. Availability remains broad across digital stores. (Retail confirmations: Apple Music, Spotify.)

Additional Info

• Label & catalog often listed as Bulletproof/Rykodisc RCD 10800; runtime ~50 minutes (14–15 tracks depending on edition).
• Some pressings/retail pages title it “Original Motion Picture Soundtrack”; others use “Music From and Inspired By.”
• Score material by Christophe Beck later paired with the 2006 sequel on dedicated physical releases.
• “New Dog State of Mind” is not on the retail album; it’s a film-only gag.
• Track presence may vary by territory; streaming line-ups mirror the core CD.

Technical Info

• Title: Garfield: The Movie — Music From and Inspired By the Motion Picture
• Year: 2004 (album); film released June 11, 2004
• Type: Various-artists songs compilation (separate orchestral score by Christophe Beck)
• Music Supervisor (film): Spring Aspers
• Composer (score): Christophe Beck
• Labels: Bulletproof / Rykodisc (with Fox Music branding)
• Signature on-screen placements: “Holla” (opening); “New Dog State of Mind” (fence parody); “I Got You (I Feel Good)” (finale/credits)
• Availability: Streaming (Spotify/Apple) and CD; listings confirm catalog RCD 10800

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Discogs; SoundtrackCollector; Apple Music; Spotify; IMDb Soundtracks; The Oklahoman; Wikipedia (film & song pages).

November, 09th 2025