The soundtrack to Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1999 epic, Magnolia, is a unique collaborative masterpiece that forms the very emotional and structural backbone of the film. It is essentially a double album: a collection of nine original songs by singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, which inspired and informed the film’s screenplay, and an expansive, relentlessly driving orchestral score by composer Jon Brion that binds the disparate storylines together. This interwoven relationship creates a work where the music is not just accompaniment but a central character.
Listen
Explore the emotional soundscape with the full playlist of the original soundtrack and score selections.
Songs by Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann‘s lyrics often serve as a Greek chorus or internal monologue for the characters, articulating the deepest emotional turmoil they cannot express themselves.
Anderson literally lifted phrases from Mann’s songs and inserted them into the screenplay. The line, “Now that I’ve met you, would you object to never seeing each other again?” spoken by the character Claudia, is a slight twist on a line from Mann’s song “Deathly” and perfectly defines her fear of connection.
The movie contains two Aimee Mann songs “The Third Man Theme” and “It’s Not Safe” which are not included on the primary album release.
Original theme by Jon Brion (playlist)
For the score, Jon Brion used only acoustic instruments — no synthesizers — though he sometimes processed them to sound artificial.
The recording involved extensive use of acoustic percussion, including a marimba, which P.T. Anderson specifically liked.
Play it yourself
Transcribed versions of the primary themes are available for piano.
Sheet music
Purchase for your collection
Magnolia – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 3XLP
The definitive vinyl pressing separates the songs and the score, highlighting the distinct contributions of the two artists:
Disc 1: Songs by Aimee Mann
Side A
01. One (2:53)
02. Momentum (3:27)
03. Build That Wall (4:25)
04. Deathly (5:28)
Side B
05. Driving Sideways (3:47)
06. You Do (3:41)
07. Nothing Is Good Enough (Instrumental) (3:10)
08. Wise Up (3:31)
09. Save Me (4:35)
Disc 2 & 3 – Original Score by Jon Brion
Side C
01. A Little Library Music / Going To A Show (5:35)
02. Showtime (10:28)Side D
03. Jimmy’s Breakdown (4:24)
04. WDKK Theme (0:45)
05. I’ve Got A Surprise For You Today (6:12)Side E
06. Stanley / Frank / Linda’s Breakdown (11:00)Side F
07. Chance Of Rain (4:20)
08. So Now Then (3:51)
09. Magnolia (2:12)
About the movie: A film adapted from songs
The unconventional genesis of Magnolia saw director Paul Thomas Anderson (PTA for cinephiles) approaching the film not as an original screenplay, but as “an adaptation of Aimee Mann songs”. Having been inspired by her unreleased material and demos for her album Bachelor No. 2, Anderson wrote scenes and created characters directly influenced by the music’s themes of disappointment, regret, and the desperate longing for connection.
About the soundtrack by Aimee Mann
Director Paul Thomas Anderson praised her lyrical depth:
She is the great articulator of the biggest things we think about: ‘How can anyone love me?’… and the old favorite ‘Why would I love anyone when all it means is torture?'”
About the score by Jon Brion
Jon Brion’s music for Magnolia is a massive, full orchestral sound he had long sought to create for film. Writing the score was “a crash course in all the heavies” (legendary orchestral film composers), Brion confesses.
“No one commissions you to write pieces for a symphony.”
The resulting score by JB plays a structural role, giving the film’s sprawling, multi-character narrative a feeling of constant motion and unified purpose. The music communicates to the audience that all the stories are happening simultaneously, creating a sense of tension and a feeling that events are escalating towards something unavoidable (the “frog” climax).
Watch behind the scenes: Jon Brion scoring Magnolia
Discover the raw, in-the-room process, where Brion and the mixing engineer work to get the rhythm and arrangement right.
Jon Brion’s process
Described by Jon Brion himself:
“I like to just be in the room with the director, watching the movie together, and I play to it like somebody would play to a silent film.”
Analysis & Meaning of key songs
The songs by Aimee Mann follow a thematic arc of personal transformation. They collectively deal with themes of disappointment, self-sabotage, and the realization that things don’t get better until you change your own actions.
“Momentum”
Lyrically about being paralyzed and trapped in a destructive pattern of bad choices. The music, however, is a dynamic, jazzy piece with a big sound, creating a strong contrast between the energy and the lyrical despair.
“Build That Wall”
Directly addresses the depressed and resigned state of building an emotional “wall” to avoid pain, a central theme for many characters in the film.
“Deathly”
The line spoken by the character Claudia, “Now that you’ve met me, would you object to never seeing me again?,” is a slight twist on a lyric from Mann’s song “Deathly.”
“Wise Up”: The surreal sing-along
The film’s most famous musical moment, where all nine principal characters break into a surreal, non-reality sequence, singing along to the lyrics independently.
Mann originally wrote “Wise Up” for the film Jerry Maguire, but director Cameron Crowe felt the final version was “too big for the scene”. PTA. used this powerful ballad about self-acceptance and confronting one’s past to anchor his film’s emotional climax.
“Save Me”: The breakout hit
Described by Anderson as capturing the universal human fear of “How can anyone love me?” The song plays over the end credits as a final, emotionally resonant plea for connection, acting as the ultimate centerpiece of the soundtrack.
The Guardian ranked “Save Me” as Aimee Mann’s greatest song, calling it “a perfect three-and-a-half minutes of power-pop melancholy… so great it deserved to win the Oscar”.
The success of “Save Me” transformed Aimee Mann’s career, leading to a Grammy nomination, an Oscar nomination, and earning her a new level of mainstream recognition.
Awards
The Magnolia soundtrack received widespread critical acclaim and multiple awards recognition:
🏆 Academy Award nomination: “Save Me” (Music and Lyrics by Aimee Mann) was nominated for Best Original Song.
🏆 Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (Nominated: Jon Brion)
🏆 Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
🏆 Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (Nominated: “Save Me” – Aimee Mann)
🏆 Best Female Pop Vocal (Nominated: “Save Me” – Aimee Mann)
Commercial success: The album was officially certified Gold in the United States in 2001.