The Music of Orange Is The New Black

Like many of you I have been anxiously awaiting the Netflix release of the third season of Orange is the New Black. I watched my clock waiting for the midnight release on June 12th and freaked out with the rest of America when it started streaming several hours ahead of schedule. I’m not ashamed to admit that I am completely addicted to this series. But it’s not just about the heart wrenching (and sometimes shocking) back stories. It’s not just about the relationship/friendship dynamics between the inmates. It’s also about the music of Orange is the New Black.

The music of Orange is the New Black has consistently delivered a well thought out mix of songs from a wide variety of artists both new and old.  You can’t hear the theme “You’ve Got Time” by Regina Spektor without thinking of the show. Season one featured songs by artists that most of us are familiar with such as Nada Surf, The Velvet Underground, Pantera, and Kelis. It also brought us songs from lesser known artists like The Helio Sequence, Love As Laughter, Ace Reporter, and Explosions in the Sky. My favorite song that I discovered while watching Season 1, though , was “Walking Backwards” by Leagues.

The second season brought not only new problems for the characters but new music for the fans. Most of us recognized songs from artists like Plain White T’s, Pentatonix, and 50 Cent. It also introduced us to artists like Los Johnny Jets, Jessie Ware & Sampha, and Lynn Williams. Not to mention that our ears were also blessed by the sounds of Caputo’s band – Sideboob (thank you for that). But out of all of the new music in season two, my favorite song was an original instrumental piece called “Fly on Little Wing,” composed by the show’s own crew of songwriters – Gwendolyn Sanford, Brandon Jay & Scott Doherty.  Their songs are a common thread throughout the entire series and I highly recommend checking out their full length versions.

https://youtu.be/HF5IUN-BVvQ

After having watched all of the third season I can tell you that it is no exception on the musical front. It mixes the familiarity of songs from Gwen Stefani, Sir Mix A Lot, and The Offspring with the newness of underground releases from DumDum Girls, Women Folk and Katie Herzig. After much consideration, I have to say that the song that stood out the most for me from this season was “Hummingbird” by Miss E.

https://youtu.be/VlvCo73ZadI

Every season the music of Orange is the New Black has brought new and amazing choices to the masses. No matter what is going on in the show the creators always end up finding the perfect song for the moment. It is the cherry on top of an already intriguing and well written series. Whatever direction the storyline ends up going I know that I will always be able to count on the soundtrack. It will never disappoint. And now we wait for the already much anticipated fourth season which will no doubt be filled with not only more laughter but also a few tears. Bring on the music.