The upcoming film Baby Driver is actually driven by music.
In it, a talented, young getaway driver played by Ansel Elgort relies on his personal soundtrack to make him the best at his job. In a behind-the-scenes look at the project premiering here exclusively with Billboard, the Baby Driver cast and filmmakers explain how significant a role music played in the project.
“The whole movie was actually written around the soundtrack,” says Elgort.
To emphasize that point, actor Jon Hamm adds that “the script came with a little thumb drive with the music attached.”
Writer and director Edgar Wright explains that Elgort’s character, Baby, cannot live without music and that the 35 songs in Baby Driver all started with him listening to “Bellbottoms” by Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. The track’s two minute building intro, he says, felt like a perfect fit for a bank heist and then a getaway when the rock and roll really kicks in.
Similarly, throughout the film, the soundtrack choreographed the action sequences in different ways, meaning the cast and crew had to approach filming with precision tied to the accompanying music.
Baby Driver also stars Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Jon Bernthal, Eiza Gonzalez and Jamie Foxx. Check out the full soundtrack tracklisting below.
Baby Driver soundtrack tracklisting:
1. Bellbottoms – Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2. Harlem Shuffle – Bob & Earl
3. Egyptian Reggae – Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers
4. Smokey Joe’s La La – Googie Rene
5. Let’s Go Away For Awhile – The Beach Boys
6. B-A-B-Y – Carla Thomas
7. Kashmere – Kashmere Stage Band
8. Unsquare Dance – Dave Brubeck
9. Neat Neat Neat – The Damned
10. Easy (Single Version) – The Commodores
11. Debora – T. Rex
12. Debra – Beck
13. Bongolia – Incredible Bongo Band
14. Baby Let Me Take You (in My Arms) – The Detroit Emeralds
15. Early In The Morning – Alexis Korner
16. The Edge – David McCallum
17. Nowhere To Run – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
18. Tequila – The Button Down Brass
19. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby – Sam & Dave
20. Every Little Bit Hurts – Brenda Holloway
21. Intermission – Blur
22. Hocus Pocus (Original Single Version) – Focus
23. Radar Love (1973 Single Edit) – Golden Earring
24. Never, Never Gone Give Ya Up – Barry White
25. Know How – Young MC
26. Brighton Rock – Queen
27. Easy – Sky Ferreira
28. Baby Driver – Simon & Garfunkel
29. Was He Slow (Credit Roll Version) – Kid Koala
30. Chase Me – Danger Mouse featuring Run The Jewels and Big Boi