"Secret Life of Pets" Soundtrack Lyrics

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"The Secret Life of Pets (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

What if a city’s hum wagged its tail? The Secret Life of Pets turns New York into a swing chart — Alexandre Desplat’s score struts with clarinets, brass kicks, and cartoon percussion, then opens into orchestral warmth when the animals risk their hearts.

Arrival → adaptation → rebellion → collapse: Max’s perfect routine, Duke’s disruptive arrival, the alley-world’s rebellion, and a bridge back to home. The soundtrack mirrors that arc with Gershwin-leaning jazz for city bustle, caper-writing for escapes, and lyrical cues for unlikely friendships. And yes, there are pop needle-drops: a winky opener, disco strut, Beastie-bark energy, even a cheeky Grease cover.

Distinctives? It’s a score-forward album — 20+ cues from Desplat, plus a cast-performed “We Go Together” tag — while the film itself also deploys well-known songs (Taylor Swift, Bee Gees, Queen, etc.). As one outlet put it, the theme is “jazzy, Looney Tunes–adjacent,” and it fits the movie’s screwball heart.

Genres & themes by phase — Swinging jazz & big-band accents: city energy, pet POV. Orchestral chase writing: caper scale. Pop/disco/hip-hop drops: attitude and punchline. Lyrical woodwinds/strings: home, at last.

How It Was Made

Composer: Alexandre Desplat wrote a jazz-meets-orchestra score recorded in Los Angeles (Capitol/Eastwood stages). He described the palette as “George Gershwin meets Miles Davis” — clarinet leads, brass bursts, rhythm-section snap, and a full symphonic lift when the story deepens. Label: Back Lot Music issued the album in early July 2016; Japan’s edition added Leo Ieiri’s exclusive song “Brand New Tomorrow.”

Director Chris Renaud (with co-director Yarrow Cheney) leaned into classic cartoon grammar — rhythmic stings, chase scherzos — but let New York’s romance peek through. The album closes with the movie’s in-world gag: a sausage-factory chorus belting “We Go Together,” which doubles as a curtain call for the animals’ odyssey.

Tracks & Scenes

“Welcome to New York” — Taylor Swift
Where it plays: Opening city montage as owners head out and the pets take over; rooftops, stoops, and subway rumbles establish the playground (early minutes). Mostly non-diegetic, cut to quick visual gags.
Why it matters: Plants us in pop-bright NYC before Desplat’s jazz truly takes the leash.

Score: “Meet the Pets” — Alexandre Desplat
Where it plays: A bouncy, clarinet-led introduction cue weaving Max’s apartment routine with neighbors’ antics; each pet gets a motif-sized wink.
Why it matters: States the score’s language — swing rhythm, woodwind wit, and orchestral grin.

“Stayin’ Alive” — Bee Gees
Where it plays: Strut-through-the-streets gag; a disco needle-drop that turns sidewalk swagger into a punchline while the pack re-enters the city flow.
Why it matters: Disco as attitude: the animals act taller than they are.

“You’re My Best Friend” — Queen
Where it plays: A domestic-comfort beat — bowls, beds, and reconciled roommates — once Max and Duke recalibrate.
Why it matters: The lyric reads like the movie’s thesis in miniature.

“No Sleep Till Brooklyn” — Beastie Boys
Where it plays: Borough-hopping shenanigans — bridge runs, alley zigs — in the film’s mid-caper push.
Why it matters: Local pride turned into propulsion; pure New York punctuation.

“Lovely Day” — Bill Withers
Where it plays: Sunshine-and-reunion epilogue as owners return home; a soul-soother over satisfied pets and reset routines (closing stretch/credits).
Why it matters: A soft landing that feels exactly like a nap in a window patch.

Score: “Gidget Meets Tiberius” — Alexandre Desplat
Where it plays: Gidget’s rescue mission hits a hawk’s-eyerie debate; pizzicato scampers into noirish brass and back again.
Why it matters: Shows Desplat’s elastic comedy writing — cute meets dangerous without losing charm.

Score: “Rooftop Route” — Alexandre Desplat
Where it plays: Vertigo-joke chases above traffic — a kinetic scherzo with percussion taps that cut to edits.
Why it matters: Caper engine: orchestra as parkour coach.

“We Go Together” — (from Grease) — Sausage-factory workers
Where it plays: In-world fantasy and then the album’s closer; a chorus of food-factory singers sending the pets out on a bouncy benediction.
Why it matters: The silliest, happiest “curtain call” the movie could choose — and it works.

Notes & Trivia

• The commercial album centers on Desplat’s score; the pop tracks used in the film are not compiled on the score release.
• Japan’s release adds Leo Ieiri’s “Brand New Tomorrow” as a territory-exclusive tie-in.
• According to Entertainment Weekly, the main theme purposely channels classic cartoon energy with a modern big-band gloss.
• Critics singled out how the score keeps New York romantic even while the jokes go full screwball.

Music–Story Links

“Welcome to New York” frames the sandbox — bright, extroverted, disposable fun. Desplat then shrinks the frame: clarinet for curiosity, brushed kit for mischief. When the plot breaks wide (sewers, bridges, alley revolts), hip-hop and disco kicks punch in like exclamation points. Finally, soul warmth and a goofy show-tune reprise convert chaos back into home — which is the whole point.

Reception & Quotes

Reviewers called the score “jaunty,” “cartoon-classy,” and smarter than it needs to be; awards bodies noticed too. Fans often cite the opening theme and “Gidget Meets Tiberius” as instant grin triggers, with that Grease tag as the movie’s most deranged delight.

“Desplat’s musical agility is on full display.” one album review noted

“Breakfast-at-Tiffany’s sparkle for a barking-mad caper.” as a trade review quipped

Interesting Facts

• The soundtrack dropped a week before the U.S. release to prime the theme — a common Illumination move.
• The score was performed by an 80-plus piece orchestra with added choir on select cues.
• Desplat later conducted a live “Pets” suite at the Hollywood in Vienna gala.
• The album’s closer is an in-universe performance — rare for a score-only release.
• Japanese marketing leaned heavily on the exclusive tie-in song, cut for local radio/promo.

Technical Info

• Title: The Secret Life of Pets (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2016
• Type: Feature film score (with one cast cover)
• Composer: Alexandre Desplat
• Label: Back Lot Music (world); Japanese edition features “Brand New Tomorrow” — Leo Ieiri
• Recording: Capitol Recording Studios & Eastwood Scoring Stage (Los Angeles)
• Select cues on album: “Meet the Pets,” “Gidget Meets Tiberius,” “Rooftop Route,” “Brooklyn Bridge Showdown,” “Rescuing Duke,” “We Go Together.”
• Notable licensed songs in film (not on score album): Taylor Swift — “Welcome to New York”; Bee Gees — “Stayin’ Alive”; Queen — “You’re My Best Friend”; Beastie Boys — “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”; Bill Withers — “Lovely Day”.
• Awards: Hollywood Music in Media Award (Animated Score) winner; Annie/IFMCA nominees.

Questions & Answers

Is there a separate “songs” soundtrack?

No — the official release is Desplat’s score. The pop/disco/hip-hop cues are licensed in-film only.

Who performs the “Grease” cover at the end?

On screen, the sausage-factory workers; on album, it’s included as a closing tag from the film mix.

What’s the opening pop track?

Taylor Swift’s “Welcome to New York,” which sets the city playpen before the score takes over.

Why does the score feel so “old New York”?

Desplat aimed for a jazz-orchestra blend — think Gershwin swing and mid-century cartoon sparkle.

Is there a region-exclusive song?

Yes — Japan’s release includes Leo Ieiri’s “Brand New Tomorrow.”

Canonical Entities & Relations

Subject	Relation	Object
Chris Renaud	directed	The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
Yarrow Cheney	co-directed	The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
Alexandre Desplat	composed score for	The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
Back Lot Music	released	The Secret Life of Pets (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Illumination Entertainment	produced	The Secret Life of Pets (film)
Universal Pictures	distributed	The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
Taylor Swift	performed	“Welcome to New York” (opening montage)
Bee Gees	performed	“Stayin’ Alive” (feature placement)
Queen	performed	“You’re My Best Friend” (feature placement)
Beastie Boys	performed	“No Sleep Till Brooklyn” (feature placement)
Bill Withers	performed	“Lovely Day” (feature placement)
Leo Ieiri	performed	“Brand New Tomorrow” (Japan theme)

Sources: soundtrack album pages & label notes; Entertainment Weekly theme preview; album reviews; scene-by-scene fan logs; studio trailers and official listings.

Only couple of days left to the official release of this new animation movie in 2016 in the US. From the entire voice cast you may know well only Kevin Hart, who voices in this film the main villain – abandoned Rabbit, who’s idea-fix is to make a revenge to entire human king for being once abandoned. The similar idea, but in much smaller capacity, was depicted in Toy Story 3 (when a toy was lost by a host, he got mad over this, and arranged a blood bath for new toys in the kindergarten). Despite the launch date is to come, this motion picture had managed to gather over USD 20 millions for now, with the budget of 70+. It is surely to recoup its investments. To support the idea of financial success, its musical producers have included in this soundtrack such big stars as Taylor Swift and Queen. Welcome To New York should be a title song, but it is only in the collection of these tunes, not in any of the existing trailers. Song Happy gives the overall idea of what is happening at the beginning of the plot. Though trailers introduce the beholders to the pets and link it to the Minions, the most part of the film will not be in the pink colors – pets will be lost, scared, captivated and freed, starving and filled-up, and then – reunited with their hosts. Fantastic graphics coupled with inimitable songs like Lovely Day, with fly lyrics and relaxing genres of the most part of the included songs give enjoyment with almost every minute of this tape. The versatility is added by a couple of freaky songs with the same lyrics as ‘Life After The End Of The World’ or Bounce by System Of A Down. Anyway, you will enjoy the animated pets that are so similar to yours. They will amuse you, you will have a huge compassion and you’ll experience more than an hour of wit, funny and laughable creation by Pixar that you will love!

November, 27th 2025

"The Secret Life of Pets" on IMDb, Wikipedia

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