"Struck by Lightning" Soundtrack Lyrics

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"Struck by Lightning (Original Score & Songs from the Film)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

How do you score a teen blackmail comedy that opens with a death? Struck by Lightning answers with a compact, character-first score by Jake Monaco and a handful of smart needle-drops that keep the vibe in hallways, gyms, and cafeterias. The music walks a tonal tightrope — sardonic, then suddenly sincere — just like Carson Phillips’ narration.

There wasn’t a wide commercial soundtrack album; instead, Monaco’s cues surface in film-only form while curated tracks (Patrick Watson to a UCLA marching-band cover) sketch in the campus soundscape. The result feels like pages from a high-school lit mag: wry, earnest, occasionally spiky.

Genres & themes in phases — chamber-like indie score = Carson’s interior voice; collegiate/marching-band funk = school ritual; indie-pop/folk = fragile hope after the snark; classic soul-ballad (cover) = memorial closure.

How It Was Made

Composer Jake Monaco wrote a set of short cues (e.g., “Theme from ‘Struck by Lightning,’” “Clubbing,” “Carson’s Footprint,” “One Final Story”) that editors could drop between rapid-fire scenes and narration. Licensed songs were chosen to feel plausibly diegetic (band room, pep rally, car stereos) while giving the picture a lived-in American-high-school texture.

Tracks & Scenes

“Theme from ‘Struck by Lightning’” (Jake Monaco)

Where it plays:

Opening/early sections around Carson’s narration. A nimble motif threads from locker rows to staff lounges, setting the reflective-but-barbed tone.

Why it matters:

It’s Carson’s inner monologue in music — brisk, a little spiky, but capable of warmth when the mask slips.

“Play That Funky Music (White Boy)” — UCLA Bruin Marching Band (arranged cover)

Where it plays:

Diegetic school-spirit setting (pep-rally/stands vibe) that cuts across quick campus montages and crowd noise.

Why it matters:

Plants us squarely in a high-school world: the brass-and-drumline gloss that sells a Friday afternoon.

“The Great Escape” (Patrick Watson)

Where it plays:

Reflective interlude when Carson’s big literary ambitions collide with small-town limits; a soft-lit breather after snarky volleys.

Why it matters:

Lets a little vulnerability in — a melodic counter to the cynicism.

“Downtown” & “Sound of an Amp” (Michael Van London)

Where they play:

Source-style background around plotting-and-blackmail business: corridors, parking-lot cutaways, and classroom prep beats.

Why they matter:

Low-stakes indie-rock texture that keeps momentum between Monaco’s cues.

“Riding My Unicorn Through the Sunset” (Loren Gold)

Where it plays:

Lightly whimsical montage beat as schemes snowball — a playful palate cleanser before consequences hit.

Why it matters:

Tilted, almost satirical optimism — exactly Carson’s MO until reality intervenes.

“It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” (classic soul ballad — cover)

Where it plays:

Memorial/funeral context near the end — the lyric’s cultural weight does fast narrative work in the goodbye sequence.

Why it matters:

It reframes the story from snappy plot to lasting impact — the song’s history pulls genuine feeling from a spiky comedy.

Notes & Trivia

• Composer: Jake Monaco. His site lists cue titles used in the film; no separate score album was widely issued.
• The film premiered at Tribeca on April 21, 2012; U.S. theatrical release followed in January 2013.
• Several licensed songs are campus-diegetic by design (e.g., marching-band “Play That Funky Music”).
• Performers include Michael Van London (two cuts) and pianist/composer Loren Gold.

Music–Story Links

• Monaco’s main motif mirrors Carson’s essays — brisk, clipped, then unexpectedly warm when he talks about writing.
• Band-room brass cues drop a school-ritual frame over otherwise caustic scenes, making the satire feel lived-in rather than abstract.
• Indie selections (“The Great Escape,” etc.) arrive whenever the film lets its armor down, especially in moments with Malerie or in lone-wolf walk-and-think beats.
• The funeral ballad compresses the film’s thesis: after the storms, the writing — and the effect on others — remains.

Reception & Quotes

Critics were mixed on the film overall but singled out the cast and the writing’s bite; the music was noted more for fit than flash — cues that serve story first.

“A teen comedy with a sting — sharp dialogue cushioned by gentle, unshowy scoring.” — review capsules

Availability: There is no official, all-in-one soundtrack album. The licensed songs are available on their respective releases; Monaco’s cue titles are documented by the composer.

Interesting Facts

• Struck by Lightning was written by and stars Chris Colfer; the film’s music credit is to Jake Monaco.
• Yes, that’s a real marching-band arrangement of “Play That Funky Music” — used to anchor the school setting.
• Patrick Watson’s “The Great Escape” turns up in numerous film/TV placements; here it’s the empathy valve.
• Michael Van London provides two cuts (“Downtown,” “Sound of an Amp”) that function like diegetic wallpaper for schemes-in-progress.
• Monaco later scored studio and streamers’ projects; this early feature credit shows his lean, character-led approach.

Technical Info

• Title: Struck by Lightning
• Year: 2012 (Tribeca premiere 2012; U.S. theatrical January 11, 2013)
• Type: Original score + licensed songs (no full OST album)
• Composer: Jake Monaco
• Selected licensed songs: “Play That Funky Music (White Boy)” — UCLA Bruin Marching Band (arr. cover); “The Great Escape” — Patrick Watson; “Downtown” — Michael Van London; “Sound of an Amp” — Michael Van London; “Riding My Unicorn Through the Sunset” — Loren Gold; “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” — cover version.
• Distributor/Studio: Tribeca Film / Permut Presentations
• Album status: No official commercial soundtrack release; individual tracks available on artist releases.

Questions & Answers

Who composed the score?

Jake Monaco, whose site lists cue titles used in the film.

Is there an official soundtrack album?

No full OST. Songs are available individually; Monaco’s score wasn’t widely released as an album.

What’s the marching-band song in the movie?

A campus performance/arrangement of “Play That Funky Music (White Boy),” credited to the UCLA Bruin Marching Band.

Which song closes the memorial scenes?

A cover of the soul standard “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday,” used for the film’s farewell tone.

Any notable indie cuts?

Patrick Watson’s “The Great Escape” and two tracks by Michael Van London stand out; Loren Gold adds a playful montage piece.

Key Contributors

Entity	Relation
Brian Dannelly	Director — shaped the tone and music placement
Chris Colfer	Writer/Star — narrative voice that the score mirrors
Jake Monaco	Composer — original score cues
Patrick Watson	Artist — “The Great Escape”
UCLA Bruin Marching Band	Performers — “Play That Funky Music (White Boy)” arrangement
Michael Van London	Artist — “Downtown,” “Sound of an Amp”
Loren Gold	Artist — “Riding My Unicorn Through the Sunset”
Tribeca Film / Permut Presentations	Distributor / Production company

Sources: Wikipedia film page (credits, dates); Jake Monaco’s project page (cue titles); Ringostrack title index (song list and performer/writer attributions); Soundtrakd (song credits incl. “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” cover); official trailers (YouTube ID).

November, 27th 2025

'Struck by Lightning': Learn about this movie on IMDb, Wikipedia

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