The following article contains major spoilers for the entire series of The Walking Dead.
For 11 seasons and multiple spin-offs, The Walking Dead was more than a horror television series, but a cultural phenomenon. Alongside Breaking Bad and The Sopranos, The Walking Dead is often credited with being part of the golden age of television. Especially before streaming took over as the dominant format. For 11 seasons, audiences tuned in to see Rick Grimes and his group of survivors attempt to protect themselves from hordes of zombies. Not to mention moral dilemmas and the thread of other living survivors.
As an avid reader of the comic, I was overall satisfied with AMC’s adaptation. Despite popularity somewhat waning late in its life, I was sad to see it come to an end. I followed these characters for years and became attached to them. I watched each week while going through plenty of real-life issues myself. From lost loved ones to depression, I watched with crushes, girlfriends, exes, and friends both on and offline. Throughout all 177 episodes, my life seemed to run parallel with the trials and tribulations of the survivors. Well, without zombies and a lot less death anyway.
We all love zombie action but the unexpected needle drops became one of my favorite elements of The Walking Dead.
With an atmospheric original score by the award-winning Bear McCreary, (you can read my interview with McCreary here) you would think there would be little room for source music. After all, the majority of the series takes place in a world without the luxury of electricity. Much less quality sound systems. But the sound department always found a way to elevate a scene with the perfect track from artists such as Tom Waits, Clutch, and The Mountain Goats to name a few!
Now that the main series has ended, I want to take a look at some of my favorite scenes that take advantage of a stellar collection of needle drops. So load your crossbows, slather yourself down with zombie guts, and aim for the head, this is The Walking Dead: The Soundtrack Of The Apocalypse!
The Walker Brothers – “The Sun Aint Gonna Shine Anymore” | Season 1 Episode 1: Days Gone By
This one is kind of a cheat seeing as it wasn’t used in an actual episode of the series but in the first trailer that debuted at the San Diego ComiCon leading up to the release. “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” has always been one of my favorite songs for its Phil Spector-esque production and melancholy longing. Having it used to advertise a zombie apocalypse show might sound a little weird at first. But for those who had been reading the comic years before the show, we all knew the main character wasn’t going to see many sunny days going forward.
Bob Dylan – “Tomorrow Is A Long Time” | Season 1 Episode 6: TS-19
The main goal of the survivors in season 1 was to reach the CDC in Atlanta, hoping for both sanctuary and answers regarding the dead returning to life. Unfortunately, the only answers anyone received were the kind no one in a time of crisis wants to hear: Everything is over and there won’t even be peace upon death.
After the CDC falls waste to a self-destruct panic button, the survivors find themselves back at square one. No food, no sanctuary, and no hope. Bob Dylan’s “Tomorrow Is A Long Time” bittersweetly plas as our would-heroes realize their journey has only begun.
Clutch – “The Regulator” | Season 2 Episode 8: Nebraska
Staying at Hershel Greene’s farm for an extended period wasn’t going to be easy. Especially when Hershel thought his zombified loved ones weren’t undead but sick. But when Rick and Glenn find Hershel sulking in an abandoned bar, realizing the error of his ways, their heart-to-heart is interrupted by a duo of questionable drifters.
To defuse the situation and prove his dedication, Rick eliminates the threat and wins Hershel over. “The Regulator” ends the episode as if flipping a switch on for the viewer. Rick is a family man but he isn’t above killing the living to protect his family. And man, is it cool.
Tom Waits – “Hold On” | Season 3 Episode 11: I Ain’t Judas
When the survivors make their new home out of a derelict correctional facility, they find themselves in the middle of a turf war with a megalomaniac who calls himself The Governor. Middle ways through the war, Rick hatches a plan to get more weaponry to take out his new nemesis. Meanwhile, Herschel’s daughter Beth tries to lift morale by wholesomely singing “Hold On”. As the episode ends, it gradually fades into the Tom Waits version. There’s something poignant about this scene and Waits gruff storytelling drives it home.
The Mountain Goats – “Up The Wolves” | Season 4 Episode 12: Still
Separated from the survivors during The Governor’s attack on the prison, Beth and Daryl find each other on the road. Camping out in an abandoned flop house, Beth’s hopefulness clashes with Daryl’s pessimism. The unlikely duo settle their differences and point out the hypocrisy in each other’s moral standings over a jar of leftover moonshine. The episode closes as Beth and Daryl metaphorically set fire to their stances and literally set fire to the flop house. The celebration of liberation is soundtracked to “Up The Wolves” in one of the most oddly hopeful scenes of the entire series.
The Bee Gees – “Spicks & Specks” | Season 5 Episode 13: Forget
After months on the road, the survivors find sanctuary in the Alexandria Safe Zone. While the small, suburban-lite community seems to be running safely and smoothly, the survivors find it difficult to fall back in line with rules and regulations. The Bee Gees’ ode to past girlfriends plays as Rick politely waves at fellow Alexandrians before running over to investigate a sound coming from one of the protective walls. He places his hand on the wall and feels the presence of a walker on the other side.
The scene signifies the first time in the series that the viewer begins to question Rick’s motives as a survivor. The group had been on the run for so long that it’s almost as if he missed being in control of who or what lives or dies. It’s an interesting idea that gets explored in the episodes that follow.
Knife Party – “Internet Friends” | Season 5 Episode 14: Spend
Glenn leads a routine supply run that goes awry no thanks to the arrogance of the sheltered Alexandrians. Knife Party’s “Internet Friends” blasts on the stereo of the crew’s van as they leave the safety of home. Obnoxious dubstep represents a perfect contrast between the devil-may-care attitude of the inexperienced Alexandrians and Glenn’s calculated apprehension. The back and forth between worlds comes to a head with the most violent character death in the entire series.
Collapsable Heart Club – “Easy Street” | Season 7 Episode 3: The Cell
To weaken Rick’s crew, Negan and the Saviors hold Daryl prisoner at their bass. Daryl is forced to eat dog food and stare at photos of the mutilated remains of his dead friends. Despite hearing “Easy Street” cranked in his cell 24 hours a day, Daryl is defiant and doesn’t break. If anything, it fuels his hatred for Negan and his determination to escape. A few episodes later, Eugene is brought to the compound where at point, willingly vibes with the song on his stereo. I suppose what’s torture to some can be a complete vibe to another.
Bright Eyes – “At The Bottom Of Everything | Season 8 Episode 9: Honor
One of the most shocking episodes of The Walking Dead was easily the death of Carl Grimes. I remember my heart sank when he revealed he was bitten. But during a flashback, set to “At The Bottom of Everything”, we see that Carl didn’t spend his final day fearing his inevitable death. Instead, he kept his fate secret spending the day helping the community and playing with his baby sister Judith. He not only accepted his fate but made the most of his final hours like the hero we watched him grow up to be.
Motorhead – “Eat The Rich” | Season 11 Episode 10: New Haunts
At the seemingly safe and comparatively somewhat luxurious Commonwealth, the survivors ease into a normal routine. Early into their stay, Judith is gifted a Motorhead record by one of her new friends. While it’s hilarious to think of a 10-year-old girl being excited about a mid-era Motorhead album, the scene where she and Daryl drop the needle on “Eat The Rich” is the perfect transition for the following scene.
Daryl and Rosita get selected to be part of the military that acts as a sort of police for the Commonwealth. The song continues to play as we see Rosita break into the apartment of a recently arrested resident, only to find anti-propaganda art. Of all things to be considered dangerous, an upset between the working class and the elite has the survivors questioning the safety of the Commonwealth.
Living Colour – “Cult Of Personality” | Season 11 Episode 24: Rest In Peace
After winning the war between the working class and the politicians of the Commonwealth, the survivors find themselves in a perilous position. The residents of the Commonwealth have brought their concerns about the revolution to the front door of the establishment’s president. While President Milton is safe behind walls outside her protected home, an evolved zombie herd has found its way inside.
Once the conclusion to the war is made official, the survivors hatch a plan to lore the herd inside the contained walls of the elite’s compound. They use the Commonwealth’s oil supply to make an acre-sized bomb to rid the compound of the herd once inside. With the timer set to “Cult Of Personality”, the survivors and what’s left of The Commonwealth make it to safety just in the nick of time.
Not only is the explosion epic in scale, but the soundtrack drives the point home: the living have always been scarier and more dangerous than zombies have ever been. A fitting conclusion to the main series of The Walking Dead.
Looking back, it’s surprising to see how well source music worked throughout The Walking Dead. I could’ve gone on for much longer.
Johnny Cash’s “I See A Darkness” comes to mind as well as Nine Inch Nail’s “Somewhat Damaged”. A few other honorable mentions would be the iconic “Space Junk” by Wang Chung in the pilot, The Jam’s “Town Called Malice”, and “Lazy Bones” by Wooden Shjips. Even deep cuts like Ronnie Dee Dawson’s “Action Packed” and “Care of Cell 44” by The Zombies worked perfectly in their respective scenes.
Aside from most of these being decent songs, my biggest takeaway is how they were used. Like any good score, music can set the mood of a particular scene. Be in tension or release. But secular music brings a more personal element bringing the gap between characters and the audience. If we can identify and even relate to the character, the story becomes more impactful. Even if they’re fighting off hordes of the undead. For a series where major character deaths were not just inevitable but a major element of its storytelling, that intimacy was all the more important.
Who knew slaughtering walkers and dealing with the human condition could sound so good?
The Walking Dead is currently streaming on Netflix