"Religulous" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Religulous (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

What does a globe-trotting argument sound like? Arrival — adaptation — rebellion — collapse: Religulous races through that arc with a jukebox of road songs, ironic pop, and sacred choral cuts that needle the images as much as they accompany them. It’s a documentary, but the soundtrack behaves like stand-up rimshots — punch line, sting, cut.

The official album is a 13-track compilation that swings from Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Jeff Beck Group to Ben Folds, the Doobie Brothers, Gnarls Barkley, Bob Dylan, and Talking Heads, with a Latin hymn from Voices of Ascension threaded between the rock cues. On screen, extra music pops in (Billy Bragg & Wilco; The Bangles), making the film’s soundscape broader than the disc.

Distinctive move: instead of original score themes, the film leans on recognizable hooks and a few liturgical textures to land jokes and contrasts — “party song” vs. “pilgrimage,” “pop classic” vs. “holy space.” The album mirrors that collage so it plays like a fast tour book: planes, pulpits, punch lines.

Genres & themes in phases. Phase 1 (arrival): road-rock & 60s/70s pop — forward motion and introductions. Phase 2 (adaptation): novelty and needle-drops — scenes get their comic tilt. Phase 3 (rebellion): classic rock anthems — louder claims, bigger ironies. Phase 4 (collapse/acceptance): hymnody & end-credits new wave — sober image, sardonic exit.

How It Was Made

Film & album. Directed by Larry Charles and fronted by Bill Maher, the documentary opened October 3, 2008 (U.S.). The companion soundtrack released mid-October 2008 as a various-artists set under the film’s production/distribution banners. Music duties in the credits include a music editor (Michael Dittrick), a music consultant (Richard Henderson), additional music (Neil Cross), and clearances by Chris Robertson.

Song choices. The tracklist mixes road staples (“Travelin’ Band”), pop chestnuts (“I Think We’re Alone Now”), winkingly titled cuts (“Jesus Is Just Alright,” “Highway 61 Revisited”), and a Marian antiphon (“Alma Redemptoris Mater”). The film adds a few not on the CD — e.g., “Walk Like an Egyptian,” “Christ for President,” and a novelty cut by Apollo (used for a quick comic jab).

Tracks & Scenes

“Travelin’ Band” — Creedence Clearwater Revival
Where it plays: Early travel montage: airport sprints, rental counters, dashboard shots — a visual drumbeat of departures and arrivals (non-diegetic).
Why it matters: Sets the film’s kinetic pace and stand-up-on-the-road rhythm.

“The Birds and the Bees” — Jewel Akens
Where it plays: Lightly ironic intercut over conversations about sexual morals; oldies sunshine against very modern arguments.
Why it matters: Sweet veneer, spiky context — the film’s humor in miniature.

“I Ain’t Superstitious” — The Jeff Beck Group
Where it plays: Cutaway cue for street-corner debates and roadside attractions — guitar snarl under skeptical quips.
Why it matters: A bluesy shrug that keeps the tone mischievous rather than dour.

“Wooly Bully” — Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs
Where it plays: Quick-cut gag music for carnival-ish tableaux — mascot costumes, museum dioramas, merch tables.
Why it matters: Party beat used as satire: fun soundtrack to very strange spectacles.

“Alma Redemptoris Mater” — Voices of Ascension
Where it plays: Vatican/chapel visuals — incense, marble, quiet — a sudden hush amid the quips.
Why it matters: The album’s purest sacred moment; the contrast sharpens the critique.

“Jesusland” — Ben Folds
Where it plays: Americana drive-bys — steeples and strip malls from the passenger seat; piano pop with a sigh.
Why it matters: Lyrical mirror for the film’s road-essay mood.

“Jesus Is Just Alright” — The Doobie Brothers
Where it plays: Trailer and a mid-film montage where enthusiasm and certainty go loud; harmony hooks, quick jump cuts.
Why it matters: Classic-rock familiarity makes the irony land without explanation.

“Crazy” — Gnarls Barkley
Where it plays: Trailer and stinger moments; a chorus deployed like a reaction shot to the most extravagant claims.
Why it matters: Pop shorthand for incredulity — the film’s go-to wink.

“Highway 61 Revisited” — Bob Dylan
Where it plays: Cut over roadside Americana and billboard theology; harmonica bite, camera rolling.
Why it matters: A pilgrimage of questions scored by rock scripture.

“I Think We’re Alone Now” — Tiffany
Where it plays: A tongue-in-cheek cue under interviews where intimacy and doctrine collide.
Why it matters: Bubblegum as rebuttal — the needle-drop does half the joke.

“Road to Nowhere” — Talking Heads
Where it plays: End credits — marching beat, smiling dread, and a last visual punchline.
Why it matters: The perfect walk-off: upbeat, ominous, memorable.

Also heard in the film but not on the OST: “Walk Like an Egyptian” (The Bangles), “Christ for President” (Billy Bragg & Wilco), and Apollo’s novelty cut “Party in My Pants” — quick, scene-specific gags and transitions.

Notes & Trivia

• The album is a various-artists compilation — no separate “original score” album was issued.
• Release date falls mid-October 2008; the film opened October 3, 2008 in the U.S.
• End credits roll to Talking Heads’ “Road to Nowhere.”
• Film-only extras include The Bangles and Billy Bragg & Wilco; the CD tightens to 13 tracks.
• Music department credits list a music editor, consultant, additional music, and a dedicated clearances lead.

Music–Story Links

Road-rock → restless inquiry. “Travelin’ Band” and Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited” frame the movie as motion — questions need miles.

Oldies & bubblegum → contrast engine. “The Birds and the Bees” and “I Think We’re Alone Now” flip tone against subject — sugar over friction.

Hymnody → pause button. The Marian antiphon collapses the wisecracks into silence; images earn a beat of reverence before the jokes resume.

New wave exit → unresolved verdict. “Road to Nowhere” sends the audience out smiling and thinking — exactly the brand of sting the film prefers.

Reception & Quotes

The film drew mixed-to-positive notices and solid box office for a topical doc; the album functions as a souvenir of those cues and gags. As critics summed up, it’s less “score” than a curated set of buttons that keep the satire buoyant.

“Funny and offensive in equal measure … meant to spark conversation.” Review consensus summaries

“A collage of hooks and hymns that underline the jokes without smothering them.” Album rundowns

Interesting Facts

• The official OST runs 13 tracks; streaming mirrors that program.
• Two of the film’s best-known cues (“Crazy” and “Jesus Is Just Alright”) are spotlighted in marketing cuts.
• “Alma Redemptoris Mater” (sung by Voices of Ascension) is the lone liturgical track on the CD — a sharp texture shift by design.
• The credits list “additional music” rather than a sole composer, reflecting the compilation approach.
• Several retail copies note both the production company (Thousand Words) and distributor branding on the back cover art.

Technical Info

• Title: Religulous (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2008 (album); film released October 3, 2008
• Type: Various-artists compilation (no standalone original score album)
• Key placements on album: Creedence Clearwater Revival — “Travelin’ Band”; Ben Folds — “Jesusland”; Doobie Brothers — “Jesus Is Just Alright”; Gnarls Barkley — “Crazy”; Bob Dylan — “Highway 61 Revisited”; Talking Heads — “Road to Nowhere”; Voices of Ascension — “Alma Redemptoris Mater”
• Film-only notables: The Bangles — “Walk Like an Egyptian”; Billy Bragg & Wilco — “Christ for President”; Apollo — “Party in My Pants” (short gag use)
• Music credits (film): Music editor — Michael Dittrick; music consultant — Richard Henderson; additional music — Neil Cross; music clearance — Chris Robertson
• Label/Release: 2008 commercial CD/digital (various retail listings)
• Availability: Streaming (13 tracks) and on CD via retailers/secondary market

Questions & Answers

Is there an original score album?

No — the release is a various-artists compilation; the film credits list “additional music” rather than a full score program.

What song plays over the end credits?

Talking Heads’ “Road to Nowhere.”

Which trailer songs stand out?

Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and the Doobie Brothers’ “Jesus Is Just Alright.”

Are there songs in the film that aren’t on the OST?

Yes — e.g., The Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian” and Billy Bragg & Wilco’s “Christ for President.”

Who handled the film’s music logistics?

Music editor Michael Dittrick, music consultant Richard Henderson, additional music by Neil Cross, and clearances by Chris Robertson.

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: AllMusic (album entry); Spotify album page; The Playlist (song list & film-only cues); Wikipedia (film overview, release); Metacritic credits (music dept.); retail listings (album date & packaging); YouTube trailer.

According to The Playlist’s track rundown, the 13-track OST includes CCR, Ben Folds, the Doobie Brothers, Gnarls Barkley, Bob Dylan, Talking Heads, and Voices of Ascension, while film-only cues include The Bangles and Billy Bragg & Wilco; as AllMusic/retail pages show, the album streeted mid-October 2008 and streams as a 13-track set; per Metacritic’s credits, the film lists a music editor, consultant, additional music, and clearances.

November, 19th 2025