"House Bunny, The" Soundtrack Lyrics

"The House Bunny (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" Description

Overview

How do you turn a campus Cinderella story into a pop parade? The House Bunny leans on radio-ready bangers and makeover montages, stitched together by Waddy Wachtel’s bright, guitar-forward score. The cueing is literal: when Shelley (Anna Faris) boosts the Zeta house’s confidence, the soundtrack swings from twee to strut.

There was no retail “songs” album; instead, the film licensed 2007–2008 chart staples (Rihanna, The Pussycat Dolls, Metro Station, The Ting Tings) and a credits single—I Know What Boys Like—re-recorded for the movie by Katharine McPhee with cast cameos. Wikipedia and IMDb confirm the composer and licensing roster; scene-by-scene placements with timestamps come from soundtrack indexing sites.

Questions & Answers

Who composed the score?

Waddy Wachtel.

Is there an official “songs” album?

No. A single—“I Know What Boys Like” (Katharine McPhee with cast)—was released; the rest are licensed placements.

Who handled music supervision?

Brooks Arthur and Michael Dilbeck are credited as music supervisors.

Which artists headline the film’s needle-drops?

Rihanna, The Pussycat Dolls, The Ting Tings, Metro Station, Yael Naim, Boys Like Girls, Avril Lavigne, The Kills, Ashlee Simpson.

What songs were highlighted in marketing?

Trailers used P!nk’s “U + Ur Hand” and Jennifer Lopez’s “Do It Well” alongside movie cues.

Does the film use diegetic performances?

Yes—karaoke and in-scene singing (e.g., “Baby Got Back,” “Like a Virgin”) appear on camera.

Notes & Trivia

• The film features ~24 licensed songs across 97 minutes; several appear only in-film (no retail compilation).
• “I Wanna (House Bunny Mix)” by The All-American Rejects is an on-brand promo remix used for the Zetas’ calendar run.
• Music supervisors Brooks Arthur and Michael Dilbeck also worked on multiple Happy Madison titles the same year.
• Composer credit (Waddy Wachtel) and studio stack: Columbia/Relativity/Happy Madison.

Genres & Themes

Electro-pop & blog-era indie → glow-up confidence: The Ting Tings, Metro Station, and The Kills pivot the vibe from shy to showy.

Y2K/00s pop-rap & karaoke standards → party glue: “Baby Got Back,” “Like a Virgin,” and Avril’s “Girlfriend” make gags play to the back row.

Acoustic pop → sincerity beats: Yael Naim’s “New Soul” and The Cab’s “I’ll Run” score soft resets after chaos.

Tracks & Scenes

“I Want Candy” — Bow Wow Wow
Where it plays: 00:01, opening. Shelley in front of the Playboy Mansion; non-diegetic splash.
Why it matters: Establishes fizzy, candy-colored tone before the fall.

“When I Grow Up” — The Pussycat Dolls
Where it plays: 00:03, Shelley's life-at-the-mansion montage; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Glamorous ambition framed as bubblegum—sets up the contrast with Zeta life.

“Happy Birthday” — Altered Images
Where it plays: 00:05, Shelley’s birthday; source/non-diegetic blend.
Why it matters: Twee classic that the movie promptly undercuts with bad news.

“Be OK” — Ingrid Michaelson
Where it plays: 00:10, post–police station as Shelley tails the trio to campus; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: An optimistic reset before the misfit sorority enters.

“Boys” — Ashlee Simpson
Where it plays: ~00:23, car-wash fundraiser; non-diegetic hype.
Why it matters: Turns a desperate cash grab into a confidence montage.

“Baby Got Back” — Sir Mix-a-Lot
Where it plays: ~00:29, karaoke club; diegetic, sung by the guys.
Why it matters: In-world performance joke that spotlights who’s comfortable in public.

“Like a Virgin” — Madonna
Where it plays: ~00:33, karaoke response; diegetic, sung by the girls.
Why it matters: A knowingly cheesy counter—sisterhood as chorus line.

“Girlfriend” — Avril Lavigne
Where it plays: 00:37, makeover lesson + flirting 101; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Pop-punk bravado to push the shy Zetas into the open.

“Sour Cherry” — The Kills
Where it plays: 00:39, slo-mo campus walk; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Cool-kid swagger in a single riff; the gaze flips.

“Great DJ” — The Ting Tings
Where it plays: 00:40, calendar photo shoot; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Metronomic chant fits camera shutters and pose-cue rhythm.

“I Wanna (House Bunny Mix)” — The All-American Rejects
Where it plays: ~00:45, selling calendars; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Branded energy for the Zetas’ first real win.

“Shake It” → “Shut Up and Let Me Go” — Metro Station / The Ting Tings
Where they play: 00:51–00:55, party triple-shot; non-diegetic club run.
Why it matters: A seamless escalation that keeps the social spike airborne.

“New Soul” — Yael Naim
Where it plays: 01:00, Shelley goes back to school; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Sincerity cue—she’s trying for real, not just posing.

“Take a Bow” — Rihanna
Where it plays: 01:10, letter to Oliver + Playboy pivot; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Public breakup song used as private reckoning.

“The Great Escape” — Boys Like Girls
Where it plays: 01:13, rush event + kiss; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Hands-in-the-air catharsis as the Zetas rally for recruits.

“Think You Want It” — DJ Colette
Where it plays: 01:16, Playboy photo shoot; source/club gloss.
Why it matters: Sleek edge contrasts Shelley’s growing self-respect.

“I’ll Run” — The Cab
Where it plays: 01:24, Courtney joins; non-diegetic uplift.
Why it matters: A gentle chord change into the reconciled third act.

“I Know What Boys Like” — Katharine McPhee (feat. cast)
Where it plays: 01:27+, end credits; non-diegetic single cut for the movie.
Why it matters: Winks at the premise while letting every character exit smiling.

Trusted source mentions: IMDb Soundtracks lists the film’s music roster; Wikipedia documents the lack of a retail OST and the credits single; SoundtrackRadar provides timestamps and scene notes.

Music–Story Links

Montage logic rules: each social upgrade gets a hooks-first anthem, while quieter turns (school, apologies) use softer textures. Diegetic karaoke numbers let the Zetas practice being seen; later needle-drops confirm they’ve learned how to be looked at on their own terms. Even the credits single reframes “what boys like” as a joke the women now control.

How It Was Made

Score: Waddy Wachtel’s cues keep tempo brisk between song placements.

Supervision: Brooks Arthur and Michael Dilbeck balanced blog-era indie with Top-40. (Trade/credit pages confirm both in the music department.)

Single: The Waitresses’ “I Know What Boys Like” was re-recorded for the film by Katharine McPhee (with Emma Stone, Kat Dennings, and Rumer Willis contributing), produced by Chad Hugo.

Reception & Quotes

Reviews were mixed on the film, but its ear for 2008 pop is a time capsule—Ting Tings chants, electro-emo hooks, and Rihanna power balladry in one go.

“No official soundtrack album, but a cast-led ‘I Know What Boys Like’ single hit digital stores.” industry summaries

“The bops do a lot of heavy lifting in the glow-up.” capsule commentary

Additional Info

• Trailers leaned on P!nk (“U + Ur Hand”) and Jennifer Lopez (“Do It Well”).
• Calendar sequence uses multiple quick cuts; syncs are short but punchy.
• Several cues are source-in-world (karaoke, clubs, photo shoots).
• A few listed tracks circulate via fan playlists; rely on official credits for confirmation.

Technical Info

• Title: The House Bunny — Songs & Score overview
• Year: 2008 (release Aug 22, 2008)
• Type: Feature film soundtrack (licensed songs) + original score
• Composer: Waddy Wachtel
• Music Supervision: Brooks Arthur; Michael Dilbeck
• Studios/Release: Columbia Pictures / Relativity Media / Happy Madison; distributor Sony Pictures Releasing
• Selected placements: “I Want Candy” (Bow Wow Wow); “When I Grow Up” (The Pussycat Dolls); “Sour Cherry” (The Kills); “Great DJ” / “Shut Up and Let Me Go” (The Ting Tings); “Shake It” (Metro Station); “New Soul” (Yael Naim); “Take a Bow” (Rihanna); “The Great Escape” (Boys Like Girls); “I Know What Boys Like” (Katharine McPhee & cast)

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: IMDb Soundtracks; Wikipedia (film & music section); SoundtrackRadar (scene timestamps); Metacritic credits; The Numbers (crew credits).

November, 10th 2025