"Over The Hedge" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Over the Hedge (Music from the Motion Picture)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

How do you score a suburban heist pulled by raccoons and a caffeinated squirrel? Over the Hedge (Music from the Motion Picture) answers with two engines: Ben Folds’ bright, wry songs and Rupert Gregson-Williams’ caper-friendly score. The album dropped May 16, 2006 — just before the film’s release — and plays like RJ’s hustle: charming, quick on its feet, and sneakily sincere.

Arrival → adaptation → rebellion → collapse: Folds greets the animals’ post-hibernation world with a pep talk, then pushes into montage-tempo mischief (“Heist”), stumbles into remorse (“Still”), and kicks the credits with a re-written “Rockin’ the Suburbs.” Meanwhile, the score keeps the sneaks tight, the gags buoyant, and the bear (Vincent) menacing without scaring off the kids.

Distinctives: Folds contributes three originals (“Family of Me,” “Heist,” “Still”), a Clash cover (“Lost in the Supermarket”), and a new, film-specific version of “Rockin’ the Suburbs” featuring William Shatner in the movie cut. According to the film’s music notes and album listings, Gregson-Williams handles the original score with Hans Zimmer as executive music producer — a sleek DreamWorks combination that favors melody over noise.

Genres & themes by phase. Piano pop — optimism and group bonding. Indie-adjacent covers — culture clash (woodland vs. cul-de-sac). Orchestral caper — small stakes played big. Credit-sequence alt-pop — a wink on the way out.

How It Was Made

Composer: Rupert Gregson-Williams (music credit on the film). Songs: Ben Folds wrote/recorded new material, re-cut “Rockin’ the Suburbs” for the film, and covered The Clash. Album: Released by Epic/Sony Music Soundtrax on May 16, 2006; 13 tracks (~48 minutes). The film itself opened theatrically May 19, 2006.

Editorially, the team leans on a simple rule: when the animals need character, use Folds; when the scam needs snap, use score. According to label and retail metadata, DreamWorks and Epic kept the album tight — a few choice score cues among the songs — so it would play like a brisk pop record rather than a cues dump.

Tracks & Scenes

“Family of Me” — Ben Folds
Where it plays: Early in the film after RJ’s disastrous opener with Vincent, as the foragers wake from hibernation and meet their changed neighborhood. Non-diegetic montage near the start.
Why it matters: Establishes the movie’s heartbeat — optimism that outruns fear.

“Heist” — Ben Folds
Where it plays: The first big neighborhood-raiding montage: carts, garages, kitchens, and RJ’s smooth patter as the team graduates from scavengers to suburban cat burglars. Non-diegetic caper montage, mid-film.
Why it matters: Turns food theft into choreography — it’s the movie’s mission-statement song.

“Lost in the Supermarket” — Ben Folds (The Clash cover)
Where it plays: A retail-aisle sweep and other human-world interludes; the lyric reframes suburbia as maze rather than paradise. Non-diegetic, used as connective tissue.
Why it matters: Thematically nails the film’s joke: animals adapt faster than consumers.

“Still” — Ben Folds
Where it plays: RJ’s crisis of conscience before the final push — attachment versus survival as he weighs telling the truth. Non-diegetic reflection ahead of the climax.
Why it matters: The movie’s emotional hinge; cynicism gives way to care.

“Rockin’ the Suburbs (Over the Hedge Version)” — Ben Folds feat. William Shatner (film version)
Where it plays: First end-credits song. The album’s version features Shatner’s cameo; the film’s credit mix trims his spoken section.
Why it matters: Sends viewers out laughing, remixing a 2001 hit into a 2006 suburban spoof.

Key score cues — Rupert Gregson-Williams
“Let’s Call It Steve” / “RJ Enters the Cave” etc.: Short, rhythm-forward cues that punch jokes and stealth beats — woodwinds for skitters, pizzicato for sneaks, brass for bear trouble.
Why it matters: Keeps the movie fast and readable for kids without losing caper shape.

Notes & Trivia

• The film’s score is by Rupert Gregson-Williams, with Hans Zimmer as executive music producer.
• The official soundtrack album was released by Epic/Sony Music Soundtrax on May 16, 2006, three days before the U.S. theatrical premiere.
• Folds’ “Rockin’ the Suburbs” was rewritten for the film; the album presents the Over-the-Hedge version, and the movie’s end credits use a slightly different mix.
• The album bundles 13 tracks (~48 minutes): Folds’ songs plus select Gregson-Williams cues.

Music–Story Links

When RJ sells the dream, piano leads — bright chords equal confidence. When the crew begins to move like one, “Heist” clicks them into rhythm. Human-world detours cue the Clash cover, underlining how they navigate a labyrinth built for us. And when choices get heavy, “Still” lowers the lights so RJ can choose found family over fear.

Reception & Quotes

Critics tagged the film as clever, fast, and family-aimed; the music carries a lot of that bounce. Album rundowns also highlighted the novelty of a Ben Folds mini-songbook inside a studio animation release, with DreamWorks’ caper score keeping things tight.

“Rupert Gregson-Williams composed the original score while Ben Folds contributed new songs and a reworked ‘Rockin’ the Suburbs.’” album/film summaries

“A suburban satire with a spring in its step — and the soundtrack is half the spring.” contemporary notes

Interesting Facts

• Label DNA: The CD lists Epic/Sony Music Soundtrax; digital listings clock 13 tracks / ~48 minutes.
• Credit tweak: The end-credits “Rockin’ the Suburbs” trims William Shatner’s spoken bit compared to some album/alt versions.
• Score sprinkles: The retail album includes a handful of Gregson-Williams cues so the play-through reflects the film’s shape.
• Global quirk: Some international dubs added localized pop tie-ins, but the U.S. album remained Folds-forward.

Technical Info

• Title: Over the Hedge (Music from the Motion Picture)
• Year: 2006
• Type: Film soundtrack (songs + select score)
• Composers / Artists: Rupert Gregson-Williams (score); Ben Folds (songs; “Family of Me,” “Heist,” “Still,” “Lost in the Supermarket,” “Rockin’ the Suburbs” — Over-the-Hedge version)
• Label / Release: Epic/Sony Music Soundtrax — May 16, 2006
• Album length: ~48 minutes; 13 tracks
• Notable placements (film): “Family of Me” (opening montage); “Heist” (first big neighborhood raid montage); “Still” (RJ’s turning-point reflection); “Rockin’ the Suburbs” (end credits)

Questions & Answers

Who wrote the film’s songs?

Ben Folds — three originals, a Clash cover, and a reworked “Rockin’ the Suburbs.”

Who composed the score?

Rupert Gregson-Williams composed the original score heard throughout the film and on select album cues.

Is William Shatner on the album version of “Rockin’ the Suburbs”?

Yes — the Over-the-Hedge version features Shatner; the film’s credit mix trims his spoken part.

How many tracks are on the official album?

Thirteen, running about 48 minutes.

When was the album released?

May 16, 2006, the week of the U.S. theatrical release.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Wikipedia film page (music/credit summary); Apple Music album listing (date/length/tracks); Discogs release entry (label/credits); IMDb Soundtracks (song credits & notes); Spotify listings (track variants); trailer archive for figures.

November, 18th 2025