"The Hero of Color City" Soundtrack Lyrics

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"The Hero of Color City (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

What does a world built by crayons sound like? Like recess — bright, bouncy, and a little earnest. The Hero of Color City leans on original songs and a compact, candy-colored score by Zoë Poledouris-Roché and Angel Roché Jr. to follow timid Yellow and her box-mates on a rescue quest. Vocals from the voice cast pop up diegetically, while the underscore paints motion with plucked strings, hand percussion, and simple, hummable motifs.

The album packages that approach: kid-friendly singalongs (“Color City Song,” “Heave Ho”), a pep-talk single (“Why Am I So Scared” by LOONER), and cleanly titled cues that mirror the plot beats (“Ben’s Room,” “Crayon Portal,” “Welcome to Color City”). In-film, a handful of licensed drops also sneak in — the most eyebrow-raising being Empire of the Sun’s “Alive,” used to give certain scenes a grown-up polish — but the vibe stays firmly Saturday-morning storybook.

Genres & themes in phases: classroom singalong — belonging and bravery; cartoon musical patter — teamwork and problem-solving; gentle adventure score — discovery and “try again”; glossy pop needle-drop — confidence boost for wide-eyed action.

How It Was Made

Director Frank Gladstone kept the music in-house with a songwriting/score team of Zoë Poledouris-Roché and Angel Roché Jr. They wrote both the songs and instrumental cues, with a few tracks featuring cast vocals (Tara Strong, Rosie Perez, Jess Harnell, David Kaye) and a small chorus of elementary-school singers on the opener. Varèse Sarabande issued the official soundtrack in late October 2014 on CD/digital, with 28 tracks (~45 minutes). Streaming editions credit Exodus Film Fund I, LLC under exclusive license to Varèse.

Tracks & Scenes

“Color the World” (Zoë Poledouris-Roché & Angel Roché Jr., feat. The Willard Elementary School “Rising Stars” Chorus)

Where it plays:

Opener over title cards and first steps into Ben’s room (early minutes). Kids’ chorus + handclaps set a “we can do this” pace as Yellow’s day begins. Non-diegetic, but it feels like a class warm-up.

Why it matters:

Mission statement: art belongs to everyone, and teamwork spreads the color.

“Why Am I So Scared” (LOONER)

Where it plays:

Montage before the first portal jump (early-mid). Yellow cycles through “what ifs” as the gang rallies; the song’s pop sheen gives her nerves a beat to walk on.

Why it matters:

Turns fear into a singable feeling — a kid-level emotional cue that pays off later.

“Heave Ho (Boat Song)” (Tara Strong, Jeremy Guskin, Jess Harnell, David Kaye & Rosie Perez)

Where it plays:

Mid-adventure river crossing. A simple work-song call-and-response as the crayons “row” a makeshift craft through a foggy stretch — characters singing in scene (diegetic).

Why it matters:

Teaches rhythm-as-teamwork; the gag beats land on the chorus downbeats.

“Color City Song” (Tara Strong)

Where it plays:

Introduces the city proper: Yellow narrates buildings and busy crayon life with a jaunty melody, like a field trip guide.

Why it matters:

World-building via song — easy words, easy map of stakes.

“Ben’s Room (Main Title)” / “Crayon Portal” (score)

Where they play:

Early cue pair: soft mallets and pizzicato in Ben’s bedroom; a little “whoosh-and-sparkle” motif as the box opens and the portal flares.

Why they matter:

These two cues define the show’s palette — curiosity first, then adventure.

“Welcome to Color City” (score)

Where it plays:

Arrival montage: bustling streets, rainbow falls, and friendly faces. Reprises later as a “home again” button.

Why it matters:

Anchor theme for place — kids remember this hook after one pass.

“You’re Not Monsters” (score)

Where it plays:

Yellow finally takes a breath and addresses the Unfinished Drawings with empathy (late). Strings and gentle pads soften the standoff.

Why it matters:

The film’s thesis in miniature: kindness reframes “scary” into “unfinished.”

“Alternate End Theme” (score)

Where it plays:

End credits variant — same melodic shape as the main theme with a brighter drum kit; used on certain masters/edits.

Why it matters:

Leaves kids on a bounce; doubles as a tidy suite of the score’s ideas.

Also heard / additional songs (not all on the OST):

“Alive” (Empire of the Sun) — glossy pop lift in the feature; “Ring a Little Bell” (Zoë Bright) — a gentle kid-pop insert; a brief source sting titled “Hawaii” turns up in the Town Hall sequence on album notes.

Notes & Trivia

• The album collects 28 tracks (~45 minutes) — short cues tailored to young listeners’ attention spans.
• Cast members (Tara Strong, Rosie Perez, Jess Harnell, David Kaye) sing on the diegetic “Heave Ho” and “Color City Song.”
• The opener features the Willard Elementary “Rising Stars” Chorus — an on-brand community touch.
• Composer duo credit is consistent across film and album; a Town Hall cue includes an assist from Gabrial McNair.
• Varèse Sarabande released the soundtrack the week of October 27–28, 2014 (US retail/streaming).

Reception & Quotes

Reviews of the film were mixed-to-negative, but parents and kid-music bloggers tagged the soundtrack as “sunny and simple,” calling out the usefulness of the songs in car-ride playlists.

“A tidy, kid-sized album — singalongs plus bite-size cues.” Soundtrack roundups

“‘Why Am I So Scared’ is a sweet pep talk with training wheels.” Family-music blogs

Availability: Streaming on Apple Music/Spotify; physical CD via Varèse Sarabande (2014).

Interesting Facts

• All-in-one team: The same duo wrote both songs and score, keeping the musical language consistent.
• Mini-cues win: Most instrumentals clock 60–150 seconds — perfect for scene-first storytelling.
• Cast cameos: Hearing the voice actors sing helps kids map who’s who in busy scenes.
• Pop sparkle: Dropping a mainstream track like “Alive” adds a surprise “big movie” sheen.
• End-theme variant: Some releases tag an “Alternate End Theme,” a brighter wrap than the main.

Technical Info

• Title: The Hero of Color City (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2014
• Type: Animated feature — original songs + original score; a few licensed additions in the film
• Composers/Songwriters: Zoë Poledouris-Roché; Angel Roché Jr.
• Key vocals (selected): Tara Strong (“Color City Song,” ensemble on “Heave Ho”); Rosie Perez, Jess Harnell, David Kaye (ensemble on “Heave Ho”); LOONER (“Why Am I So Scared”)
• Label/album status: Varèse Sarabande (CD/digital, late Oct 2014); streaming via Apple Music/Spotify
• Selected notable placements: “Color the World” — titles/early setup; “Why Am I So Scared” — pre-portal pep montage; “Heave Ho” — river crossing (diegetic); “Color City Song” — first tour of the city; “You’re Not Monsters” — reconciliation scene; “Alive” — glossy pop lift (feature)

Key Contributors

Entity	Relation	Notes
Zoë Poledouris-Roché	Composer/Songwriter → Film & Album	Co-wrote songs and score; album artist credit
Angel Roché Jr.	Composer/Songwriter → Film & Album	Co-wrote songs and score; album artist credit
Tara Strong; Rosie Perez; Jess Harnell; David Kaye	Vocal Performers → On-screen songs	Lead/ensemble vocals on diegetic numbers
Frank Gladstone	Director → Film	Song-forward kids’ adventure
Varèse Sarabande	Record Label → Soundtrack	2014 CD/digital release
Exodus Film Fund I, LLC	Publisher/Licensor → Album	Licensing line on streaming editions

Questions & Answers

Who wrote the music?

Zoë Poledouris-Roché and Angel Roché Jr. wrote both the songs and the score.

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes — a 28-track album (~45 minutes) on Varèse Sarabande, released in late October 2014 and now on major streamers.

Do the characters actually sing?

Yes. “Heave Ho” and “Color City Song” are performed by the characters on screen; a kids’ chorus appears on the opener.

Are there any well-known pop songs?

Empire of the Sun’s “Alive” appears in the film; most of the album consists of originals by the composing duo.

What track closes the credits?

An end-theme variant appears on some releases as “Alternate End Theme.”

Sources: Varèse Sarabande release notices and retail listings; Apple Music & Spotify album pages; IMDb Soundtracks; SoundtrackCollector & SoundtrackInfo track listings; press notes announcing the soundtrack; official trailer uploads.

Animation movie, very children's, very exciting for kids under the age of 8 years at most, when they are very worried about the sorts of stories that are childish and cute. And it is not related in any way to reality. Because in the real, adult world, such events just cannot take place – the animated crayons, who want to stop under-colored drawing, so it does not build a dam on a mountain waterfall of colored streams, from where heroes of the kingdom receive their colors, in which world they exist somehow. All the intricacies of the plot will crash on the coasts of the harsh reality on their first turn. Music is very well matched for everything that happens on the screen – like a cartoon characters, it is not so very alive either. The collection mainly consists of compositions of classical genre, which cause little emotion, if you are over 10 years old. Color The World, Gentle Blushing Flower / I Was Used Today and You're Not Monsters – all these are of classic genre, or, with a big stretch, of pop, in which there is a little what to listen. Ear has to catch a little of that – all the songs in the vast majority are instrumental classic, but not memorable. The entire collection was done by two persons – Zoë Poledouris and Angel Roché Jr. Whether they are novices in their work, or just not very much inputted the soul – who knows. But it turned out not so decent and not very active, shapeless heap of dissimilar sounds. Assessing its overall quality, based on the experiences and emotions that remain, we will give the collection 4 out of 10. Everyone can appreciate its sound, and feelings that are provided by it, themself – iTunes helps you with this.

November, 28th 2025

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