"Nut Job, The" Soundtrack Lyrics

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“The Nut Job (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

What does a caper for kids sound like when the crooks are squirrels? A punchy, brass-forward score pushing momentum — then a pop jolt at the curtain call. The album is predominantly orchestral score with a few contemporary source songs; it keeps the heist moving and the jokes cleanly punctuated.

The narrative arc is blunt: arrival in crisis (food shortage), adaptation (a plan around Maury’s Nut Shop), rebellion (Surly going rogue), collapse and reset (park politics vs. city trouble). Music tracks that arc: bright, 50s-flavored big-band colors for chase and mischief; softer, harmonica-tinged cues for buddy beats; a knowingly out-of-world dance hit to finish.

Genres by phase — big-band swing and orchestral action for “the plan” (swagger); pop/hip-hop inflections for city energy (hustle); lullaby textures and small ensemble for remorse or regroup (vulnerability). The last impression is a pop-viral end-credits dance that winks directly at the audience.

How It Was Made

Original score by Paul Intson. He recorded with a ~62-piece orchestra and added a 13-piece Toronto big band for selected cues, aiming for a “50s soundstage” punch with harmonica-led lullabies for the gentler passages (as per trade press coverage and a composer release).

Music supervision credited to Julianne Jordan. The end titles include a run of contemporary needle-drops (indie/hip-hop cuts and a K-pop global hit), alongside a largely score-driven body album. The commercial soundtrack presents 41 score tracks — a compact, cue-by-cue narrative of the film’s beats.

Tracks & Scenes

“Gangnam Style (강남스타일)” — PSY
Where it plays: End credits. Animals — and a CG cameo of PSY — horse-dance through the credits montage. It’s staged as a curtain-call celebration after the heist resolves. Non-diegetic, full-screen gag, then background as titles roll.
Why it matters: A pop culture valve: kids exit buzzing, parents grin at the meme-era wink. It also stamps the film’s South Korea–Canada–US DNA.

“N.E.V.E.R.” — Alana D
Where it plays: Credited in the film; used as an upbeat source cut. Public documentation of a precise timestamp is scarce; on-screen use aligns with early upbeat city passages.
Why it matters: Pop sheen that frames Surly’s “me-first” mojo before teamwork lessons land.

“Fish Out of Water” — Leo Soul
Where it plays: Listed in end titles. Heard as a street-level groove underscoring out-of-park antics; exact minute varies by edit/territory.
Why it matters: Title mirrors Surly’s exile — city beats for a park problem.

“Oh Well” — Skully Boyz
Where it plays: Credited in the film and widely circulated with clips; paired to cheeky, mid-tempo mischief around scouting and small hustles.
Why it matters: A shrug-in-song for trial-and-error caper gags.

“Push Play” — Sixx Johnson (Sixx John)
Where it plays: Credited needle-drop, cut like a montage driver (planning or gearing-up beats).
Why it matters: Switch-on cue — tempo clicks up, team moves.

“Heist Man Trophy” — The L.A. Outfit
Where it plays: Credited in end titles; the track’s swagger aligns with the central nut-shop caper sequence.
Why it matters: Title says it — a trophy-pose vibe for a family-safe heist.

Library cues — Harry Bluestone (“Wonderful Sound”; “What’s Tomorrow’s Weather”)
Where it plays: Brief diegetic-style stings/bedroom-radio textures; credited from APM library.
Why it matters: Old-school light-music polish amid the modern palette.

Score cues — Paul Intson (selection)
Where it plays: The album’s 41 tracks map cleanly onto story beats like “The Chase Begins,” “Jet Propelled Nut Cart / Raccoon’s Proclamation,” “Surly’s Trial & Banishment,” and “Grayson’s Rescue.” These are precise, film-cut cues; titles reflect the on-screen actions.
Why it matters: This is a score-first album: action brass, brushed swing, and harmonic lullabies shape tone more than the handful of needle-drops.

Notes & Trivia

• Score composer: Paul Intson; the commercial album is almost entirely his cues.
• Music supervision: Julianne Jordan (credited in production/technical listings).
• PSY appears in animated form during the credits performing “Gangnam Style.”
• The film is a Canada–South Korea–US co-production; the pop cameo mirrors that mix.
• Track names on the album mirror on-screen plot labeling (e.g., banishment, rescue, proclamation).

Music–Story Links

When Surly schemes, brass and traps drive in short bursts — score as stopwatch. During team beats with Andie or Buddy, the band softens and lets woodwinds and harmonica carry feeling. The nut-shop set-piece layers rhythm hits under slapstick — every spill gets a cymbal kiss. And the end-credits dance? That’s the film telling you, outright, that tone outruns plot: the last memory is rhythm.

Reception & Quotes

Critics were cool on the film but noted the competent action scoring and the meme-era credits gag. The soundtrack itself is straightforward: a long score album plus a handful of credited songs.

“This very ordinary effort… limps through every imaginable U-rated nut joke.” The Guardian

“Merely shrill and frantic, chock-full of uninspired characters and tedious wackiness.” The Wrap

“Muddy-colored… plot feels too stretched out… more flatulence jokes than anyone deserves.” The New York Times (capsule)

Interesting Facts

• The soundtrack album carries 41 cues; digital stores list ~68 minutes total.
• Apple storefronts date the album to mid-January 2014 with ℗ credit to Paul Intson.
• The composer mixed orchestral recording with a separate 13-piece big band for bite.
• “Gangnam Style” in credits is officially licensed; the cameo is part of the film text.
• Several songs in end titles come from production libraries/bridge labels (e.g., APM, Bridge Compositions).

Technical Info

• Title: The Nut Job (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year / Type: 2014 — film soundtrack (original score with select songs)
• Composer: Paul Intson
• Music Supervision: Julianne Jordan
• Label / Release: Digital storefront release mid-Jan 2014; 41 tracks (digital/streaming)
• Notable placements: PSY — “Gangnam Style” (end credits); Alana D — “N.E.V.E.R.”; Leo Soul — “Fish Out of Water”; Skully Boyz — “Oh Well”; Sixx John — “Push Play”; The L.A. Outfit — “Heist Man Trophy”; APM library cues by Harry Bluestone.
• Availability: Streaming on major platforms; digital purchase widely available.

Questions & Answers

Who composed the score?

Paul Intson. The album is primarily his orchestral/big-band score cues.

Who handled music supervision?

Julianne Jordan is credited as music supervisor.

Is PSY actually in the movie?

Yes — an animated PSY appears during the end credits dancing to “Gangnam Style.”

Does a physical CD exist?

The widely documented release is digital/streaming; retail listings center on download/stream editions.

What’s distinctive about the score?

Hybrid recording: full orchestra plus a separate 13-piece big band for punchy, caper-style cues.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Subject	Verb	Object
Peter Lepeniotis	directed	The Nut Job (2014)
Paul Intson	composed	The Nut Job original score
Julianne Jordan	supervised	music for The Nut Job
PSY (Park Jae-sang)	performed	“Gangnam Style” (end-credits cameo)
Alana Da Fonseca	sang	“N.E.V.E.R.”
Leo Soul	sang	“Fish Out of Water”
Skully Boyz	performed	“Oh Well”
Sixx John (Sixx Johnson)	performed	“Push Play”
The L.A. Outfit	performed	“Heist Man Trophy”
Open Road Films	distributed	The Nut Job in the U.S.
ToonBox / Redrover / Gulfstream	produced	The Nut Job

Sources: Film Music Reporter; Apple Music; Spotify; The Numbers; Wikipedia (film page); Soompi; Soundtrakd; JH Movie Credits (Fandom); The Guardian; The Wrap.

November, 17th 2025

'The Nut Job' is a 2014 3D computer-animated heist-comedy film. Read more on Wikipedia and Internet Movie Database

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