Good Omens: all about its score

I know these have a lot of text, but I tried to put everything in a “chronological, this fits together” order. If you love music, you know how much the score of a certain series/ film adds to the feeling of it.

David Arnold is a genius. There is so much going on beneath the surface. All those little strings you might not pay attention to, they are ATTENTION worthy.

This is part 1. There is a part 2 here!

I also want to point out the one thing I did not add on the slides: there is a moment at the beginning of episode 6 of season 1 where Mark Kermode played the harmonica. (Just as a little cameo for you :) ) In the words of @neil-gaiman “ Ennio Morricone-style Western harmonica music”.

All of the information here was gathered from interviews with David Arnold. (Those include videos as well and the DVD commentaries). I will leave all my sources in part 2.

So @sayuri-of-the-valley and I were talking about the music in Good Omens 2 and particularly the similarities and differences in the music that happens 'Before the Beginning' (that's the song title) and at The Kiss (that's not the song title) and I have accidentally developed Theories and had Thoughts, so I’m gonna share them in case anyone else wants to weigh in.

First of all, the general musical structure is similar. They are both dramatic moments that start quietly, grow to a powerful crescendo at the Big Moment, and then resolve more quietly again, but with subtle changes that make them feel very different. Without actually going through and checking it, they sound to be at roughly the same tempo (around 140 BPM) and comparable time signatures.

Now, I'm treating these two dramatic moments and the surrounding music as two songs, although in the soundtrack the music surrounding The Kiss is actually divided into two songs itself: I Forgive You and Don't Bother, so that's. Fine. I'm normal about that. I'm sure dividing that in half doesn't Mean Anything at all. I'm NORMAL about it!!! Ah... anyways.

The instrumentation for both Before the Beginning and The Kiss is also very similar. Both songs start with orchestral winds and strings and add a powerful choral part (on the same pure round vowel sound, no less!) on the big crescendo. Both add orchestral chimes (bells) for that epic religious feel. Both the nebula creation and the kiss were a revelation. Something like a religious experience.

And then both songs resolve featuring wind and strings again, among other instruments. The "after" part of both songs also features more pitched percussion (harp, maybe a celesta, glockenspiel, possibly a dulcimer or some other fun, ethereal pitched percussion in Before the Beginning, but interestingly a piano in Don't Bother). Ouch. That hurts.

Now, to me: the piano is possibly representing the nightingale, Crowley and Aziraphale's love of Earth and humanity, whereas the glockenspiel and etc. may be more representative of heaven. Just a guess. I would have to do more careful listening for a more solid theory.

I don’t have perfect pitch so it’s hard to tell without getting out my instruments or transcribing the piece, but I’m willing to bet ‘I Forgive You’ is in the relative minor key to Before the Beginning’s mostly major key (I *think* ‘Before the Beginning’ might be mostly in the key of C major and ‘I Forgive You’ in A minor, but I could be wrong). Regardless, the former is major and the latter is more minor, but otherwise a lot of the chord structures, especially at the big moment, sound very similar.

More on instrumentation: ‘Before the Beginning’ uses more (ethereal?) flutes in the wind sections and The Kiss uses more reed-based, (earthy?) winds like clarinet, bassoon, oboe, etc. Different feel, but the same kind of structure. Both moments heavily feature a big string section for the nice full orchestral sound.

Before the Beginning has a lot going on musically before the crescendo and it intentionally feels kind of chaotic and unformed bc each instrument family is doing something a little different, building anticipation, etc. and then at the big crescendo, they all come together. Very powerful. Then after the crescendo, we get a subtle, playful reprise/variation of the Good Omens Main Theme. The strings and the winds are no longer entirely together at this point. They’re sort of playing off one another, leaving space. Having a conversation.

By comparison, in ‘I Forgive You’ the wind/strings start off playing together, in a sad version of unison before the crescendo (they both knew the conversation they were having wasn’t going to end well but they fundamentally *understand* one another now; they’ve been talking for millions of years). And AFTER the crescendo of The Kiss, the song ‘Don’t Bother’ DROPS the majority of the string section and gives the melody to a solo violin (alone!!!!). Even worse (better) the strings and the woodwinds and pitched percussion are no longer playing together. This time, they aren’t even having a conversation. They’re musically doing a separate lines. It feels extremely lonely (because it is). The violin is very exposed. The piano is very exposed. Even the chorus sounds exposed (smaller group of singers?). This ALSO includes a reprise/variation on the main GO theme, but instead of being playful it’s extremely sad (as though you didn't notice). The rest of the orchestra is still there, providing background, but it's not the same.

The Biggest Decision (the song after Don't Bother) has a lot more of those ethereally coded instruments again. Harp, pitched percussion. Full string section. Angelic chorus. Aziraphale is making the hardest/worst decision to return to heaven.

And to round it out, once we get to "The End?" we are back to piano. Our duo is separated. Now in place of the solo violin we have solo cello and piano. Gutting. We get notes of the ethereal celesta (I think). The piano keeps us grounded, but cello is a big focus. We also get more of that haunting chorus and violin runs. And then we end with solo piano playing the same 5-note run three times. Alone. After every other instrument has dropped out. Very lonely.

Just for fun, (and to end on a slightly more positive note), I went back and listened to the ox rib music as well, which was surprisingly consistent with some of my theories from up above and also not on the soundtrack so although I'm sure it has a name, I certainly don't know it.

In the ox rib section, there are more instruments before the first big moment (when Aziraphale tries the food) that are going back and forth. Again it sounds to me like they’re having a conversation… tempting and being tempted. Winds and strings (strings are tremoloing like at the kiss for that sweet, sweet tension), but also brass instruments. We have some more ethereal sounding pitched percussion, especially *before* he tries the food but afterwards it... switches to piano! Like I said: Earth!!!

The choir is on a different vowel altogether for this part (more aggressive and ominous, a taller Ah instead of a round Oh/Aw like the first two musical moments). The choir is also much more rhythmic. Again, increasing tension. And, of course, after he tries the food the music supports the tension of the scene by gradually building, getting louder and bigger after the key moment has already passed. It's super interesting that Aziraphale trying the food is actually quite quiet, but the music grows quickly afterwards. Sort of the inverse of how the other two scenes play out musically! Fascinating!!

Anyways, let me know what you think I got wrong and what I missed and if I thought something was a celesta when it was actually a glockenspiel or something. I am thrilled and devastated by this incredible music.

It's not 'discontinuity', it's just continued elsewhere...

The physical set of good omens is not just a set. It is also a series of clues. As I detailed in my previous good omens meta, the illustrated bible used in the Job flashback actually contains several more images than just the Job story. However, we can only see these images in the bookshop background - they are never shown close up on screen (and that’s why you may have missed them). If you’re not familiar with each of these illustrations please take a quick look at that post before you continue. A word of caution before you jump in - what I am about to share can have significant consequences for the season 2 plot. If you are averse to analyses that reinterpret the narrative of season 2, it might be better to skip this one. You have been warned.

So, in the last post, remember I mentioned how each illustration can be seen in a separate episode? Well, I omitted to include an important piece of information. The “Brazen Serpent” image can actually be seen in BOTH as you can see here: Actual image:

Episode 2, when Aziraphale put's on the record, reads the newspaper clippings and draws Gabriel:

Episode 3, starting around 1:15:

Oh hey, would you listen to that! Both times we are hearing "Everyday" by Buddy Holly. This is the part where I argue my case that things are not as they seem, just as others have already pointed out in excellent meta posts, such as this one:

There are many indications that what we are shown on screen might not be in the right order! Have you ever thought about all those references in season 2 to rearranging books, Aziraphale visiting the Whickber stores in the 'wrong' order, or (most blatantly) Crowley shouting that the demons are “Out of Order!!”. Well, whether you believe me or not, read on, because this is about to get interesting! (or quit now, if you don’t want to know, that’s legitimate too.

So, how do these scenes relate? Well, in S2 we see Aziraphale sitting down at his desk while Everyday is playing and reading newpaper clippings about the mysterious jukebox. He then starts a (quite good) illustration of Gabriel. End Scene. Episode 2 progresses and we see more of Aziraphale on screen. However, let’s jump over to episode 3. At about the 1:15 minute mark, we see the Brazen Serpent displayed and the song playing on the record player from exactly the same spot it left off! The scene progresses with the knock at the door and Muriel arriving. While Muriel and Aziraphale have tea, we can see the book still on this page. These two sections of the story are meant to be back-to-back but yet they were separated by the latter half of episode 2. Believe me, my mind was blown when I found this! So what do you think? Is there any other conclusion we can arrive at that isn’t the scenes being “out of order”? After all, these two scenes are still in the right order, just separated. But what about all the scenes that have been shown BETWEEN these two...? When did they happen? This is not just a continuity error. In my opinion, this is an explicit editing attempt which cuts a scene into two and then arranges it so the audience thinks that they have seen things in the right order. Could it just be only this scene that was split? I doubt it. If we accept that there are more, then we can start looking for other clues of discontinuous scenes in the show - and, let me tell you, I have found a LOT. I've posted about Gabriel's statue before but there are so many others - including road markings, and extra's clothing. If you want to see yet another (and it is hiding in plain sight!) check out my post below about a set of lights!

Thankyou to those whose work has contributed to me falling down the rabbit hole:

@ineffable-detective-agency, @embracing-the-ineffable, @postsforposting, @noneorother, @indigovigilance, @ineffableigh, @the-oaken-muse and many others.

okay Muriel has the best playlist:

not much explanation needed but I will give it anyway

1. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - they’ve been on Earth for maybe 24 hours and they’re already cultured af

2. Another One Bites The Dust - Crowley where are you??

3. Dancing Queen AND Let’s Groove - hell yeah, they’re already a disco queen

4. Get Lucky - Muriel definitely does not know what that song is about (probably hears Mexican money like the rest of us)

5. Walking On Sunshine - me too babe, me too

(WEIRD) GOOD OMENS PLAYLIST: A challenge for whoever wants to join. I want to make a playlist of music that fits with the narrative, and I welcome your suggestions - but!

The only rule is: You can’t have seen anyone else claim that song for the fandom. So, no Queen, Hozier or Velvet Underground. We have to dig deeper here, fellers.

Will publish the playlist if it gets at least 20 suggestions - otherwise it’s kinda… short?

GIVE ME YOUR WEIRDEST!

A song to get you going, maybe - read the lyrics! This one inspired my🔞1991🔞 minisode fic (where they make themselves young and go to a ✨chemical✨ warehouse thing and get really, really close)

If, by any chance, your suggestions inspired any of your fan work, do post a link, I want to see it. Maybe I’m creating a whole thing about this playlist - a lexicon of art and music and text (trying not to jinx it, it’s really hard when I get excited).

I hope everyone knows to listen through the credits after each episode—the closing music is arranged in a different style each time to fit the setting of the minisode (my favorite is Big Band). Don’t let Amazon automatically skip the credits and deprive you of extra delightful details of this show.

GUYS

I know we talk about the Berkeley Square/ angels dining in the Ritz connection, which is all very true snd valid but GUYS

Crowley lives in Mayfair...or did until his flat got taken.

I can't rn 😭

Nanny Ashtoreth's lullaby / Music during Crowley's bookshop cleaning scene: the same music!!

I noticed this several weeks ago but only now actually sat down to check both scenes side by side.

Give a careful listen to the scene where Nanny Ashtoreth sings a diplomat's child their lullaby (S1E1 starting at 36:19), and THEN play a short sequence of Crowley tidying up Aziarphale's bookshop after all the hullabaloo (S2E6 starting at 37:46). It's the same theme !!!

Also notice how at the very beginning of the Nanny scene a wind-up music box (??) or something like that with a small skeleton starts playing.

And then Nannie sings,

Go to sleep And dream of pain Doom and drakness Blood and brains Sleep so sweet My darling boy You will rule When Earth's destroyed

The melody of Nanny's words become the cello melody in the cleaning up scene. (Or it may be some other big string instrument, but you get the point).

For the bookshop sequence, notice how the melody lasts specifically during Crowley's tidying up.. And it stops once the talk with Nina and Maggie begins.

I am not sure what to do with this information yet tbh. It should be significant that this is specifically an Antichrist-themed bit of the melody.. Is there a link to the second coming in this? Why does it play specifically during the tidying up?

Further Parallels between Elspeth/Crowley and Morag/Aziraphale (respectively)

Alright fellow brainrot sufferers. I want to talk more about music today. And this one's a doozy - though I'm SURE it's been talked about already. Probably. But here we go anyway!

I started trying to listen for recurring musical themes, leitmotifs, that kind of thing, and noticed TWO recurring themes from The Resurrectionists episode that return at the end of episode 6, bookending the Final Fifteen.

A lullaby theme: We first hear it when Crowley and Aziraphale meet Wee Morag, very subtly in the background. I want to focus on the scene we next hear it - Wee Morag's death. I'll get to why afterward.

This theme returns at the end of S02 E06 when Crowley is tidying up the bookshop during The Chinwag. It's not exactly the same, but you can really hear it calling back to the above theme. I feel it's very deliberately drawing a parallel between Aziraphale/Morag and Crowley/Elspeth.

I wasn't sold on this connection until I noticed the cello is the leading voice in both cases - the cello seems to consistently be Crowley's instrument, when he's being emotionally vulnerable/honest. You get the electric guitar in scenes of bluster/passion/anger, yes, but when his guard is down, you have cello at the forefront. Conversely, Aziraphale's is the violin (see themes immediately after The Kiss, which I'll get to in another post).

In Morag's death scene, this theme transitions into a cycling melody of strings playing climbing triplets, and I knew I'd heard it somewhere before... it plays at the end of the credits for episode 6.

However, where Morag's death theme remains morose, final, and resolves immediately, with a brief callback to their lullaby theme in Elspeth's cello, the version in the credits of episode 6 have a notably greater tempo, continue to climb, and most importantly DON'T resolve at the end. The melody DOES NOT sound like it's ended. It's not over yet.

I think we're supposed to draw these parallels, to hear Aziraphale leaving for Heaven being equated with Morag's death. Morag just wanted to help Elspeth, and paid the ultimate price due to Heaven's unfairness, much like Aziraphale is likely paying a high price to keep Crowley safe.

TLDR: David Arnold is a master composer and also a monster (affectionate), there is SO MUCH HERE to analyse.

I plan to use the Good Omens theme for my wedding and been listening/planning it in my head non stop.

Theme Song- Bridal Party/Groom

Theme that got left in the car- My entrance/Bride music

I hope it will be epic!

If you’re a snakey boi with glasses clap your hands!

*clap, clap*

If you’re a snakey boi with glasses clap your hands.

*clap, clap*

When you’re snakey and you know it, and you really want to kiss him.

If you’re a snakey boi with glasses clap your hands.

*clap, clap*

OMENS CODED SONG!!!

I'm sure I'm not the first to make this association. However, I just had a moment of like "Unconcious Mind Creative Manifestation"

Was editing an angsty post s2 breakup omens note and was trying to think of a working title.

Immediately thought "Do You Have to Let it Linger?"

No idea where that came from, but I was like wait isn't this a Cranberries lyric? Yes it was, so I looked it up and read the rest of the lyrics and omg!

'If you could return

Don't let it burn

Don't let it fade'

>>>>

'I swore, I swore I would be true

And honey so did you...'

>>>>

'Is that the way we stand?

Were you lying a the time?

Was it just a game to you?

But I'm in so deep

You know I'm such a fool for you

You got me wrapped around your finger

Do you have to let it linger?'

AND

'Oh, I thought the world of you

I thought nothing could go wrong

But I was wrong, I was wrong.'

LIKE?!? are you kidding me???

I love the Cranberries but until a few moments ago I could not have told you what they lyrics to this song were.

BUT APPARENTLY THE GOOD OMENS WORMS IN MY BRAIN KNEW?!

Like the lyrics perfectly reflect the state of mind Crowley has in the draft im working on?!?!

Actually insane

We all know that in season one of good omens, Crowley had a disc in the Bentley of the greatest hits of a band called "The Velvet Underground". I was listening to some of their songs, and one of the most listened is one called "Pale Blue Eyes" that really fits with the "Crowley is totally in love with Aziraphale" mood.

i shouldn’t even be surprised anymore that every song relates to them

Something that’s been on my mind for a while regarding Good Omens season 3 is Michael and Uriel’s reaction to having Aziraphale as their Archangel. Michael and Uriel were bickering throughout season 2 about who was archangel since Gabriel was missing, and considering how much they already dislike Aziraphale, there will definitely be some tension that I am very excited to see.

Good Omens Playlists

My Good Omens playlists are finally ready on Spotify! As per the results of the poll, I have one that’s more lighthearted, one angstier post-s2, and one that is the two combined! Lighthearted:

Angst:

Combined:

I listen to these when I clean, work, and write, so they’re pretty long 😂

Enjoy!