"The Secret Life of Pets 2" Soundtrack Lyrics

“The Secret Life of Pets 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Review

How do you score a sequel that splits into three mini-adventures — anxious terrier parenting, a kitty heist, and a superhero bunny fantasy — without turning the album into a jumble? Alexandre Desplat’s answer is jazz-inflected bounce and brisk orchestral capers, stitched to a few savvy pop injections that act like chapter headers. It’s spry, witty, and never condescends — the very vibe Illumination banks on.

The narrative wears three hats; the music gives each a color. Max’s farm jitters get bright woodwinds and plucked bass that twitch with parental worry; Gidget’s “cat lessons” swirl into slinky, harp-brushed cues; Snowball’s vigilante daydreams punch with brassy superhero pastiche before pivoting into hip-hop swagger. The licensed tracks aren’t just window dressing: a Jack Antonoff Paul Simon cover powers the family road trip, Stevie Wonder softens a major character beat, and a LunchMoney Lewis/Aminé update of Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day” sends the crowd home smiling.

Genres & themes, phase-mapped: big-band jazz and cartoon caper writing — city bustle, slapstick; folk-pop & 70s AM radio — road warmth, found family; hard rock & hip-hop — bravado gags and action release; bossa & classic themes — on-screen joke buttons. The arc holds because the album keeps the tone buoyant even when the pets’ fears are very real (to them).

How It Was Made

Desplat returned from the first film and leaned again into jazz-and-orchestra writing, recorded in 2019. Back Lot Music released the album on May 31, 2019, a week before the U.S. opening. Besides 20-plus score cues, the commercial release includes three marquee songs: “It’s Gonna Be a Lovely Day (The Secret Life of Pets 2)” by LunchMoney Lewis featuring Aminé (a Withers homage), Jack Antonoff’s cover of Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” and a comedic “Panda” performance by Kevin Hart in character as Snowball.

Tracks & Scenes

“It’s Gonna Be a Lovely Day (The Secret Life of Pets 2)” (LunchMoney Lewis feat. Aminé)

Where it plays:

End credits roll after the pets return to their routines; the track functions as a bright curtain call and trailer single. Non-diegetic; end credits.

Why it matters:

Turns the film’s small victories into a communal sing-along, modernizing Bill Withers’ sunny optimism for a kid-audience ear.

“Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” (Jack Antonoff)

Where it plays:

Katie, Chuck, baby Liam, Duke, and Max hit the highway for their country getaway — scrolling landscape, car window bliss, and quick comedy beats in the back seat. Non-diegetic; early road-trip montage.

Why it matters:

Instant Americana warmth — it reframes Max’s city neurosis as a family adventure before the farm tests him.

“I Was Made to Love Her” (Stevie Wonder)

Where it plays:

Max and toddler Liam bond through the seasons — hugs, first steps, dog-toddler mimicry. Non-diegetic; early-mid film.

Why it matters:

Softens Max’s anxiety arc; you feel why he’s afraid to let go.

“White Rabbit” (Jefferson Airplane)

Where it plays:

Playful early gag beat — the movie drops a psychedelic needle-drop within the first minutes as a quick, surreal wink. Non-diegetic; opening minutes.

Why it matters:

Signals the sequel’s willingness to throw unexpected, grown-wink music jokes amid the kid chaos.

“Empire State of Mind” (JAY-Z feat. Alicia Keys)

Where it plays:

New York establishing stretch — city pride under cutaways of owners and pets; the cue works as a fast title-card of place. Non-diegetic; early film.

Why it matters:

Reasserts the franchise’s NYC identity before the story splinters to the countryside and a traveling circus thread.

“La Grange” (ZZ Top)

Where it plays:

In a rescue push, the cat-lady (with Gidget and an impossible number of cats) peels out, classic rock blaring as she barrels into the plot. Source needle-drop; late-mid film.

Why it matters:

A growling, funny jolt that turns a side character into a momentary action hero.

“Ante Up (Robbin Hoodz Theory)” (M.O.P.)

Where it plays:

Same stretch — she rolls the window down and detonates the speakers; an aggressive, comic contrast to fluffy visuals. Diegetic from the car stereo; late-mid film.

Why it matters:

Leans into Illumination’s trailer-style humor: hard track, soft visuals, big laugh.

“Fantastic Voyage” (Coolio)

Where it plays:

Snowball and Daisy stroll the street after helping free Hu the white tiger — swagger in their step, mission accomplished. Non-diegetic; late film.

Why it matters:

Victory-lap funk for the B-plot’s unlikely buddy-cop duo.

“Panda” (performed by Kevin Hart as Snowball)

Where it plays:

Mid/end-credits stinger: Snowball — still high on his superhero delusion — performs a comedic rap riff on Desiigner’s hit until his owner walks in. Diegetic-fantasy; credits.

Why it matters:

Keeps kids in their seats; on album, it completes the movie’s hip-hop through-line.

Score Cues (Alexandre Desplat) — “Max’s Busy Bee,” “The Farm,” “Gidget’s Dream,” “Snowball’s Workout,” “Daisy’s Story/Meet Sergei,” “Children’s Heroes.”

Where it plays:

Character-tied motifs across the three plotlines: Max’s fretful pizzicato at the vet and on the farm, Gidget’s harp-gloss during cat training, Snowball’s brassy hero motif during rooftop theatrics and the tiger rescue.

Why it matters:

Desplat’s jazzy caper voice keeps the anthology structure feeling like one movie instead of three shorts.

Notes & Trivia

• The soundtrack album (Back Lot Music) dropped May 31, 2019 — a week before the U.S. release — and mixes 20+ Desplat cues with three marquee songs.
• “Lovely Day” is a new take built around Bill Withers’ classic, with Aminé guesting; it anchors trailers and plays over credits.
• Jack Antonoff’s “Me and Julio” is a full-cover, not a needle-drop of Paul Simon’s original — a rare modern-cover choice for a family film.
• Kevin Hart’s “Panda” bit extends a running joke into the credits; the film also includes a brief post-credits tag.
• Beyond the album, the movie features eclectic source songs — from Stevie Wonder and ZZ Top to bossa nova and the “Superman” theme — used as quick comic buttons.

Reception & Quotes

Reviewers praised Desplat’s jazzy writing — some heard a wink toward classic cartoon scoring — while noting the album plays like energetic vignettes rather than a single long melody line. Families gravitated to the end-credits single and the Antonoff cover on streaming.

“Jazz-inflected orchestrations with Tom & Jerry-era snap; undeniably melodic.” — trade review roundup

“A breezy, proficient caper of cues; approach with patience and a smile.” — score site capsule

“Three plotlines, one tone — the music is the glue.” — family-film critic note

Interesting Facts

• Sequel sound: The second film broadens the palette — haunted-house stings, circus menace, countryside ease — while keeping Desplat’s jazzy DNA.
• Japan edition: The Japanese release used a separate theme (“BREAKER” by Kaela Kimura) in marketing.
• Credit comedy: Yes, Snowball really raps through the credits — a bite-sized post-credits payoff.
• Trailer crates: Marketing leaned on additional songs (e.g., Miike Snow, The Killers) that aren’t in the film proper.
• Road-trip warmth: The “Me and Julio” cover choice tilts toward parents as much as kids — pure car-ride nostalgia.

Technical Info

• Title: The Secret Life of Pets 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2019
• Type: Animated film soundtrack — score + selected songs
• Composer/Producer: Alexandre Desplat
• Label: Back Lot Music
• Release date: May 31, 2019
• Selected notable placements: “It’s Gonna Be a Lovely Day” (end credits); “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” (road-trip montage); “I Was Made to Love Her” (Max & Liam bonding); “La Grange” / “Ante Up” (cat-lady rescue push); “Fantastic Voyage” (post-rescue stroll); “Panda” (Snowball credit gag)
• Availability: Streaming (Apple Music/Spotify), digital storefronts, CD release; region promos vary.

Questions & Answers

Who composed the score for the sequel?

Alexandre Desplat returned, leaning into jazzy big-band capers and sleek orchestral writing.

What’s the end-credits song?

“It’s Gonna Be a Lovely Day (The Secret Life of Pets 2)” by LunchMoney Lewis featuring Aminé.

Why is “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” a cover?

The production used Jack Antonoff’s new recording, which suits the film’s playful tone and licensing needs.

Is Snowball really rapping “Panda” in the movie?

Yes — Kevin Hart performs a comedic “Panda” bit during the credits as a final gag.

Are all on-screen songs on the album?

No — several source cues (e.g., ZZ Top, Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder) appear in the film but not on the retail album.

Key Contributors

Sources: Spotify & Apple Music album pages; Wikipedia (soundtrack & film entries); WhatSong scene listings; Discogs release; Illumination/Universal trailers; post-credits documentation; official clips.

November, 29th 2025