"Peter Rabbit" Soundtrack Lyrics

“Peter Rabbit (Original Motion Picture Score & Songs, 2018)” – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

Can a Beatrix Potter tale sprint on indie-pop legs? Peter Rabbit (2018) answers with a grin — a candy-colored mix of chart hits, clever classical drops, and a brisk orchestral score that plays like mischief in motion.

Peter’s feud with Mr. McGregor turns garden raids into action-comedy set pieces. Songs do the winking: radio bangers for chases and pratfalls, sun-dappled indie for cottage calm, and cheeky throwbacks for wow-that-escalated gags. Beneath the playlist, Dominic Lewis’s score keeps a British, storybook heart beating — plucky motifs, harpsichord twinkle, swoops of strings when chaos settles into charm.

What makes this soundtrack distinct is its two-lane character. One lane: needle-drops that feel like the rabbits’ own mischievous mixtape (Portugal. The Man, Vampire Weekend, Fitz and the Tantrums). The other: a tightly thematic score that treats Peter like a small, unstoppable folk hero. Phases by feel — indie-pop sprint (rebellion), orchestral bustle (capers), sentimental acoustic/choir (belonging), and a few sly classical quotes (surface elegance vs. dig-in-your-heels chaos).

How It Was Made

Composer: Dominic Lewis wrote the original score, recorded in Sydney with a big orchestra and choir. He shapes Peter’s world with British pop/classical DNA — harpsichord, bright brass, and song-like themes stitched into tight, two-minute cues. (Per album notes and coverage.)

Original song: “I Promise You” — co-written by Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend) with Will Gluck and Theodore Shapiro, produced by Lewis. Heard in multiple versions (James Corden’s film version, ensemble vocal, and Koenig’s demo), as reported widely around release.

Tracks & Scenes

“Feel It Still” — Portugal. The Man
Where it plays: Fast-cut garden raid: Peter zigzags through rows, swipes produce, jukes sprinklers. The bassline turns sneaking into dancing.
Why it matters: Defines the film’s tone — trouble as groove; rule-breaking as choreography.

“A-Punk” — Vampire Weekend
Where it plays: Town-run montage — baskets, bikes, and a smug rabbit grin. Quick edits + jangly guitars = Saturday-morning energy.
Why it matters: Jolt of collegiate indie that makes countryside errands feel urban-cool.

“We No Speak Americano” — Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP
Where it plays: Party chaos: bunnies trigger a Rube Goldberg of toppled platters and startled guests. Sly, brassy swing keeps it playful.
Why it matters: Vintage-sample swagger turns slapstick into a dance routine.

“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” — The Proclaimers
Where it plays: A breathless chase along hedgerows and lanes; feet (and paws) pound in time with the drums.
Why it matters: A sing-along classic reframed as cardio — funny, then triumphant.

“Steal My Sunshine” — Len (film & film-version mix)
Where it plays: Post-chaos cooldown: picnic sprawls, country sunlight, carrot-crumb smiles.
Why it matters: Dials the sugar rush down to summer haze — mischief with manners.

“Do Your Thing” — Basement Jaxx
Where it plays: Confidence montage: Peter over-commits to a big, bad idea. Cuts hit on every shout and clap.
Why it matters: Anthemic nudge into hubris — and the mess that follows.

“Time Bomb” — Rancid
Where it plays: Booby-trap build: string, springs, and a punk-ska stomp while the rabbits “engineer.”
Why it matters: Cheeky menace — the soundtrack winks that this could go boom.

“Remember the Name” — Fort Minor
Where it plays: A hare-brained heist plan gets a sports-montage frame. Rabbits mean business (sort of).
Why it matters: Comedy via swagger — overkill pride for undersized heroes.

“Fight Song” — Rachel Platten
Where it plays: A character paints through feelings while the chorus rises — unapologetically on-the-nose.
Why it matters: Earnest needle-drop that underlines “try again” after a fall-out.

“Roll Up” — Fitz and the Tantrums
Where it plays: Cottage reset: doors swing, snacks appear, the gang resets the board with pep.
Why it matters: Infectious handclap bounce = easy charm.

“M79,” “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance,” “Cousins” — Vampire Weekend
Where they play: Assorted cuts pepper errands and hustles — strings and trebly guitars make mischief feel weightless.
Why they matter: A signature band becomes the film’s unofficial rabbit-DJ.

Classical color: “Anvil Chorus” (Verdi), Albinoni Oboe Concerto; Schubert “Ständchen”
Where they play: Tongue-in-cheek “fancy” moments — table settings, slow-motion reveals — that the next gag happily ruins.
Why it matters: Polite surfaces vs. feral impulses — the movie’s whole joke in three quotes.

Originals & score cues — Dominic Lewis
Where they play: Across the film in short, punchy cuts: “Rascal Rebel Rabbit,” “Mr. McGregor’s Garden,” “Bunnies on Broomsticks,” “Dressing on the Side,” “Explosion,” “Sunrise.” Harpsichord sparkle, brisk strings, and brass tags keep momentum tight.
Why they matter: The glue. When the playlist rests, the score carries character and heart.

End/title uses — “I Promise You”
Where it plays: Multiple versions appear around the film’s warmest beats and credits — James Corden’s vocal leads; Koenig’s demo circulated during release week.
Why it matters: A simple, catchy promise-theme that doubles as the film’s lullaby.

Notes & Trivia

• The official score album (19 cues, ~30 minutes) was issued by Madison Gate Records in April 2018.
• “I Promise You” exists in three notable versions: James Corden (film), an ensemble vocal, and Ezra Koenig’s demo released during opening weeks.
• Several high-profile songs heard on-screen (Vampire Weekend cuts, “Feel It Still,” “We No Speak Americano,” etc.) are not on the score album.
• The music supervision lane mixes big-tent pop with cheeky classical quotes; garden slapstick meets salon polish by design.
• Dominic Lewis’s work won Australia’s AACTA for Best Original Music Score.

Music–Story Links

When Peter raids the garden, pop hooks make mischief feel weightless — a rebellion you can hum. When pride turns to fallout, the film swaps swagger for acoustic/choral warmth; Lewis’s themes tuck under contrition and friendship repairs. Classical drops garnish human spaces (a table, a parlor), then rabbits detonate the etiquette with ska or funk. It’s the joke every time: refined world, feral energy — and music is the fuse.

Reception & Quotes

Reception to the film was mixed-to-positive, but critics often singled out the “poppy” propulsion and the score’s melodic punch. The soundtrack became a stealth crowd-pleaser for family playlists.

“The poppy soundtrack keeps things moving along.” — Screen International

“Bombastic but effective when it counts.” — Variety on the score

“Expert craftsmanship… melodic hooks make it something really special.” — Film.Music.Media

Interesting Facts

• Album shape: Score album = 19 cues, ~30 minutes; there’s no retail “songs/various artists” album — fans compiled playlists.
• Garden punk: “Time Bomb” turns a booby-trap montage into a ska-punk music video.
• Sports hype, bunny-size: “Remember the Name” is used like a training montage gag — swagger for tiny saboteurs.
• Classical chuckle: Albinoni and Schubert pop up as polite wallpaper right before chaos.
• Theme DNA: Lewis cited big British influences; you can hear Beatles-esque harmony shapes inside the main theme’s lift.

Technical Info

• Title: Peter Rabbit — Original Motion Picture Score & Featured Songs (overview)
• Year: 2018
• Type: Live-action/CG family comedy — score-led with prominent licensed songs
• Composer: Dominic Lewis
• Original Song: “I Promise You” (Ezra Koenig, Will Gluck, Theodore Shapiro) — versions by James Corden; ensemble; Koenig demo
• Selected placements: Portugal. The Man “Feel It Still”; Vampire Weekend “A-Punk,” “M79,” “Cousins,” “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance”; Fitz and the Tantrums “Roll Up”; Len “Steal My Sunshine”; Basement Jaxx “Do Your Thing”; Rancid “Time Bomb”; Fort Minor “Remember the Name”; Rachel Platten “Fight Song”; Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP “We No Speak Americano”; classical quotes (Verdi “Anvil Chorus,” Albinoni, Schubert)
• Label/album status: Score released by Madison Gate Records (digital)
• Awards: AACTA Award — Best Original Music Score
• Availability: Score streaming widely; songs appear on artist catalogs and fan-curated playlists

Questions & Answers

Who composed the score?

Dominic Lewis composed the orchestral score, recorded with a large ensemble in Sydney.

Is there a “songs” soundtrack album?

No official various-artists album; the film releases a score album, while the pop cuts live on artist albums and playlists.

What’s the original song written for the film?

“I Promise You,” co-written by Ezra Koenig with Will Gluck and Theodore Shapiro; James Corden’s version is featured in the film.

Which tracks underscore the big garden raids?

“Feel It Still,” “A-Punk,” and other upbeat cuts (plus Lewis’s sprinty cues) supercharge the heists.

Any notable awards for the music?

Yes — Dominic Lewis won the AACTA Award for Best Original Music Score.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Wikipedia (film & soundtrack); Film Music Reporter; Pitchfork; IMDb Soundtracks.

November, 18th 2025