The weekend came and went again (sigh), and many had probably seen Mike Flanagan’s new Netflix offering, The Fall of the House of Usher. A perfect show for the upcoming Halloween, the series has received rave reviews thanks to its creator’s superb storytelling, screenplay, and the actors’ excellent performances. But aside from the show itself, the series has also carefully picked the best songs played at the perfect time.
So, if you want to know which songs are played in which scenes, you come to the right place. Here’s The Fall of the House of Usher soundtrack.
Warning: The following content contains major spoilers. Read at your own risk.
The Fall of the House of Usher Episode 1 A Midnight Dreary
The Fall of the House of Usher starts perfectly, with Pink Floyd’s 1979 rock opera classic Another Brick in the Wall playing in the background. As the song protests corporal punishment, it’s the perfect way to show how things have changed for Madeline and Roderick Usher’s career paths during New Year’s Eve of 1979.
The first episode also features The New Brothers’ At Last. As Roderick attends the funeral of his three kids in the church and comes to the spectacle of the paparazzi, the song starts to play in the background, making things more intense.
Another 1970s song added to the show is Ace Frehley’s New York Groove. As the original by the glam rock band Hello came from 1975, Frehley covered the track for his 1978 solo album of his namesake, making it more known in the U.S. This song is featured in the flashback scene where Roderick and Madeline enter the pub and meet Verna.
And to make things darker and teasing than it already is, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Symphony No. 7 In a Major, Op. 92 II: Allegretto is played during the end of the first episode. Considering this track has captivated a lot worldwide, playing it in the first episode of The Fall of the House of Usher is every inch witty.
The Fall of the House of Usher Episode 2 The Masque of the Red Death
After introducing the pillars of the Usher family, it’s time to meet the diverse children. The second episode, The Masque of the Red Death, features the Usher kids, and every song played is perfectly hip and downright.
It starts with DuoSync Music’s Run to the Club, which plays while Camille watches Tamerlane’s husband, William, workout stream. It’s followed by 10,000 Emerald Pools by BORNS, when Camille’s assistants, Toby and Tina, update her about what’s happening in Victorine’s lab.
This episode has featured several new songs from recent years, including Madeux’s Me & U, proving it’s for the young. Played when Prospero’s party starts getting livelier, this one is the perfect track to make everyone feel alive without knowing what danger is about to happen.
Next is Wicked Game by The New Brothers. This song is superbly chosen to feature the introduction of Verna in the series as she enters Perry’s wild party and gets his attention. And to show the first death of an Usher kid, Siobhan Sainte’s Midnight plays in the second episode’s closing arc, as Perry returns to the party, goes wild with his friends as he looks for Vecna after leaving her, and turns the sprinklers on.
Little does he know that the water he hopes to get their spirits high during the celebration will cause their acidic death.
The Fall of the House of Usher Episode 3 Murder in the Rue Morgue
After the death of Perry, it’s business as usual for the Usher family, but Napoleon is trying to move on with the help of some substances. He enjoys it with his heartless sister, Camille, while Miel de Montagne’s Trop Vite plays in the background.
As part of a flashback scene, the 2012’s I Wish I Knew the Man I Thought You Were by Karen Blacks plays as Roderick tells Madeline about his disappointing pay raise. As Madeline also complains, his wife, Annabell, tries to comfort her husband, saying it’s already a big help for them, making this song perfectly depict Roderick’s real personality in The Fall of the House of Usher.
The Fall of the House of Usher Episode 4 The Black Cat
Though this episode mainly focuses on Napoleon and his battle against the cat he adopts that eventually leads to his death, the song featured here is played during Wilson’s scene. While starting his new workout stream, Starship’s We Built This City plays. Wilson strategically changes the lines, saying, “We build this body with work and soul.”
This is continuously played as Napoleon sits on his gaming chair with a dead pigeon brought by the cursed black cat. From there, his haunt for the possessed feline begins.
The Fall of the House of Usher Episode 5 The Tell-Tale Heart
This episode centers on Victorine and mostly plays songs from the yesteryears. It first features Listen to the Music by The Doobie Brothers as Roderick meets Verna and sees the Raven for the first time.
The next song played is Bonnie Tyler’s 1995 hit song Total Eclipse of the Heart as Alessandra finally confronts Victorine after forging her signature to start the latter’s planned human trial without her knowing in The Fall of the House of Usher.
As the intense turnout of events continues, another opera music plays, Le nozze de Figaro, K. 492: Act III: Duettino, by Judith Halasz and Nicolaus Esterhaz. At the same time, Frederick and Lenor bring Morelle home after the tragic burning event. And for the last scene, which marks the death of Victorine, Kingsborough’s Hardon the Heart is strategically played as the Usher family patriarch arrives at his daughter’s house only to see her kill herself.
The Fall of the House of Usher Episode 6 Goldbug
Episode 6 only features one song, but it’s perfect and timely as Goldbug shows the death of Tamerlane, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 Tempest: III. Allegretto plays in the background. This is featured in the opening episode’s opening and closing arc, which perfectly syncs with this epic thriller’s exceptional sequences.
The Fall of the House of Usher Episode 8 The Raven
And for The Fall of the House of Usher’s final episode, The Raven has featured several great tracks, like Amii Stewart’s Knock on Wood. This song plays when Rufus welcomes Madeline and Roderick to Fortunato during the New Year party, not knowing their sinister plan against him.
Once again, the show plays a Pink Floyd classic, Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2, as Madeline, Roderick, and Verna talk about their menacing deal. And for the last song, The Newton Brothers is back with A Shorter Elevator Ride, marking the series’ end and playing throughout the end credits.
Flanagan and the rest of the people behind the show have carefully picked and thoroughly added the perfect feature throughout the eight episodes of The Fall of the House of Usher. This shows that from a great story, they also have the taste for the best music.
