"Pokémon Detective Pikachu" Soundtrack Lyrics

“Pokémon Detective Pikachu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

What does a noir buddy-comedy sound like when one of the buddies is a 10,000-volt mouse? Pokémon Detective Pikachu answers with a neon-hued hybrid: Henry Jackman’s sleek, synth-forward score for Ryme City’s future-shimmer and a handful of glossy singles that bookend the ride. The score leans pulse and texture over big, hummable themes — appropriate for a story that prowls alleys, pokes at conspiracies, and then sprints.

On screen, Jackman splices orchestral muscle with analog/vintage synths; you hear twitchy electronics under mystery cues and full-orchestra surges when the legend wakes. Outside the narrative, the end credits pivot to radio: Kygo & Rita Ora’s “Carry On” lands the modern-pop curtain; another credits cut, “ELECTRICITY” from HONEST BOYZ® feat. Lil Uzi Vert (produced by Pharrell Williams), appears in versions tied to the Japanese release.

Distinctiveness lives in the contrasts. Café jazz and crate-digger swing brush up against EDM-adjacent cues; a plaintive in-universe “Jigglypuff” gag crashes a late-night scene; and yes, a tiny, rain-soaked Pikachu quietly croons the classic “Pokémon Theme” when he thinks he’s lost his friend. According to label notes and soundtrack listings, the official score album arrived via WaterTower Music/Sony Classical alongside the film’s release window.

Genres & themes in phases. Electro-orchestral score — sleuthing, kinetic chases, corporate menace. Pop/EDM end-credit singles — afterglow, victory lap. Retro/jazz source cuts — urban hum, off-beat charm.

How It Was Made

Director Rob Letterman reunited with Henry Jackman (their third collaboration) to build a soundworld that could sit between game nostalgia and live-action stakes. Jackman’s palette mixes full symphony with analog synths and drum machines; cue titles telegraph the playful tone — “Mewtwo Awakes,” “The Interrogation of Mr. Mime,” “Shock to the System.” Release-wise, the score album dropped digitally in early May 2019 with physical formats following in the film’s opening week.

On the songs side, “Carry On” (Kygo & Rita Ora) was commissioned as the marquee single and slotted into end credits; the film also uses “ELECTRICITY” (HONEST BOYZ® feat. Lil Uzi Vert) over credits in select regions, while several period-leaning café and club tracks sprinkle character color within the story beats (jazz combos, vintage swing, boutique electronica).

Tracks & Scenes

Score: “Catching a Cubone” — Henry Jackman
Where it plays: Early sequence in the countryside as Tim attempts a capture; playful, twitchy rhythm pivots to pratfall energy when things go sideways. Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Announces the score’s comic snap and hybrid electronics from the jump.

“Le Fantôme de Saint Bechet” — Glenn Crytzer’s Savoy Seven
Where it plays: Ryme City café/bar ambience; brushed snares and clarinet glide under dialogue while Pokémon mill about. Diegetic feel, needle-drop texture.
Why it matters: Vintage swing inside a future city — world-building by contrast.

“GOH” — What So Not & Skrillex feat. KLP
Where it plays: Over a sleek transition into nightlife/expo energy; the percussion slams as we cut across holograms and crowds. Non-diegetic montage glue.
Why it matters: Gives Ryme City its festival pulse — a modern, bass-forward identity.

Score: “The Interrogation of Mr. Mime” — Henry Jackman
Where it plays: The notoriously silent witness sequence; pizzicato and tongue-in-cheek bursts track visual gags while tension simmers. Non-diegetic, comedy-forward.
Why it matters: Jackman’s best trick here: suspense that winks.

“Jigglypuff” — Rachael Lillis (diegetic gag)
Where it plays: A club booth: Jigglypuff croons, a patron snores on cue. Diegetic, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it.
Why it matters: Deep TV-series muscle memory used as a one-shot joke.

“Kyoto Mist” — David Wahler
Where it plays: Ambient bed in a sleek interior; airy synths that feel like HVAC for neon architecture. Source-y texture.
Why it matters: Keeps the frame cool between chase beats.

Score: “Mewtwo Awakes” — Henry Jackman
Where it plays: Revelation and escape sequences: synth arpeggios under low brass and choir-like pads. Non-diegetic, high-stakes cue.
Why it matters: The score’s awe register — science tilting into myth.

“Pokémon Theme (Gotta Catch ’Em All)” — performed in-scene by Detective Pikachu
Where it plays: A rainy roadside: a dejected Pikachu shuffles along and quietly sings the chorus to himself. Diegetic; heartbreaker.
Why it matters: The movie lets nostalgia be character, not just branding.

End Credits: “Carry On” — Kygo & Rita Ora
Where it plays: First credit slot in most territories; tropical-house shimmer and anthemic lift.
Why it matters: A breezy bow after heavy reveals; also the campaign’s flagship single.

End Credits (select versions): “ELECTRICITY” — HONEST BOYZ® feat. Lil Uzi Vert (prod. Pharrell Williams)
Where it plays: Credits rotation tied to Japanese release materials; officially announced but not widely issued as a standalone single.
Why it matters: Cross-market identity: a hip-hop/Pharrell sheen for the franchise’s biggest territory.

Notes & Trivia

• The score album is by Henry Jackman — digitally released just ahead of opening weekend, with CD/vinyl following.
• Rita Ora not only sings “Carry On” — she also appears in the film as a lab scientist.
• Jackman arranged elements from classic game music for credits use; the album itself sticks to original score cues.
• That sleepy café gag is canon: Jigglypuff’s lullaby shows up diegetically, complete with a snoring victim.
• Several vintage-styled jazz/swing tracks (e.g., Glenn Crytzer cuts) were licensed for Ryme City’s ambience.

Music–Story Links

Clubby source cues make Ryme City feel lived-in; they’re the crowd noise the story swims through. When the plot turns, Jackman’s electronics tighten the frame — he uses synth ostinati like a heartbeat monitor, then lets the orchestra in when the mythic stuff (Mewtwo, origins) arrives. The end credits hand the baton to pop, on purpose: once identity is settled and family restored, the film sends you out humming something you’ve heard on the radio.

Reception & Quotes

Critics were mixed-to-positive on the movie and generally upbeat on the soundtrack’s “EDM-meets-orchestra” approach. Fans called out the Mr. Mime cue and the sad-humming Pikachu as needle-perfect choices; reviewers singled out “Carry On” as a tidy close.

“A rollicking, riotously fun soundtrack… befitting the surprisingly terrific movie.” — Polygon

“Fun and boppy… keeps you in Ryme City long after you leave the theater.” — Bustle

Interesting Facts

• Two-label spine: WaterTower Music and Sony Classical partnered on the score album rollout.
• Ryme City’s heartbeat: Producers dotted scenes with boutique electronica (e.g., What So Not/Skrillex’s “GOH”) to give nightlife texture.
• Unreleased curiosity: The HONEST BOYZ®/Lil Uzi Vert credits track was announced but never broadly released as a single.
• Vinyl extras: Limited vinyl editions arrived with poster/booklet ephemera for collectors.
• Composer catalog deal: Reservoir later acquired rights to Jackman’s score catalog, including this film.

Technical Info

• Title: Pokémon Detective Pikachu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2019
• Type: Film soundtrack — original score + licensed songs (end credits and source)
• Composer: Henry Jackman
• Labels: WaterTower Music; Sony Classical (score album)
• Notable songs: Kygo & Rita Ora — “Carry On” (end credits); HONEST BOYZ® feat. Lil Uzi Vert — “ELECTRICITY” (credits, select versions); Glenn Crytzer — “Le Fantôme de Saint Bechet”; What So Not & Skrillex feat. KLP — “GOH”; David Wahler — “Kyoto Mist”; “Jigglypuff” (diegetic gag).
• Availability: Digital, CD, and vinyl; single “Carry On” issued separately from the score album.

Questions & Answers

Who composed the score?

Henry Jackman wrote the original score, blending orchestra with vintage/analog synths.

What plays over the end credits?

“Carry On” by Kygo & Rita Ora in most territories; “ELECTRICITY” by HONEST BOYZ® feat. Lil Uzi Vert appears in select versions.

Is “Carry On” on the score album?

No. It’s a standalone single; the album focuses on Jackman’s instrumental cues.

Does the movie use classic Pokémon music?

Yes — Pikachu briefly sings the TV “Pokémon Theme” diegetically, and Jackman nods to legacy game motifs in credits arrangements.

Were any real-world songs used inside scenes?

Yes: vintage jazz/swing (e.g., Glenn Crytzer), boutique electronica like “GOH,” ambient cuts such as “Kyoto Mist,” and the Jigglypuff lounge gag.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Wikipedia (soundtrack entry); Bulbapedia (album details & vinyl notes); WaterTower/Sony Classical release listings; ScreenRant (song list overview); Bustle (score/EDM lens); trailer channels on YouTube.

November, 19th 2025