And just like that, Rust Cohle and Martin Hart have disappeared from the psychosphere of our television sets, with HBO airing the final episode of “True Detective” season one last night. And everyone was watching. In fact, so many people hit the network’s HBO GO service that it crashed, leaving many fans looking at an endless load sign, as they took to the Internet to voice their fury. But by now, fans have caught up with the fate of Rust and Martin and their search for The Yellow King, and are left with that feeling of what to do next.
Well, we’ve got a solution that will hopefully hold you over until details of the second season emerge—all the music from “True Detective” season one. Unlike “Girls,” where music forms a part of the package that’s being sold around the show, the tunes in “True Detective” have always been about texture. In fact, it’s so deeply woven, we truly didn’t realize at the time that we were hearing songs by Wu-Tang Clan or School Of Seven Bells or Father John Misty. Indeed, the choices have been part of a fabric that includes lots of blues, gospel and old timey country.
So, if you’re sitting at home or in the office today and want to experience “True Detective” all over again, the songs below will be good ones to spin. Take a listen…
Opening: The Handsome Family “Far From Any Road”
Episode 1: “The Long Bright Dark”
Bob Dylan “Rocks And Gravel”
The McIntosh County Shouters “Sign Of The Judgment”
The Black Angels “Young Men Dead”
Episode 2: “Seeing Things”
John Lee Hooker “Unfriendly Woman”
John Lee Hooker “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”
Vashti Bunyan “The Train Song”
McIntosh County Shouters “Sign Of The Judgment”
Reverend C.J. Johnson and Family “You Better Run To The City Of Refuge”
Steve Earle “Meet Me In The Alleyway”
Cuff The Duke “If I Live Or Die”
13th Floor Elevators “Kingdom Of Heaven”
Episode 3: “The Locked Room”
The Staples Singers “Stand By Me”
Buddy Miller “Does My Ring Burn Your Finger”
Johnny Horton “I’m A One Woman Man”
Jo Ell Sonnier “The Heart That You Own”
Jo Ell Sonnier “Evangeline”
Episode 4: “Who Goes There”
Bo Diddley “Bring It To Jerome”
Melvins “The Brain Center At Whipples”
Boogie Down Productions “Illegal Business”
Blind Uncle Gaspard “Sur Le Borde De L’Eau”
Lucinda Williams “Are You Alright”
Slim Harpo “Rainin’ In My Heart”
Melvins “History Of Bad Men”
Primus “American Life”
Sleep “Holy Mountain”
Wu-Tang Clan “Clan In Da Front”
Grinderman “Honey Bee (Let’s Fly To Mars)”
Episode 5: “The Secret Fate Of All Life”
Kris Kristofferson “Casey’s Last Ride”
The Kinks “Tired Of Waiting For You”
Bosnian Rainbows “Eli”
Episode 6: “Haunted Houses”
Waylon Jennings “Waymore’s Blues”
Bobby Charles “Les Champs Elysee”
Father John Misty “Everyman Needs A Companion”
Glenn Gould “Goldberg Variations; BMV 988: Aria”
Emmy Lou Harris “The Good Book”
Ike And Tina Turner “Too Many Tears In My Eyes”
Meredith Monk “Core Chant”
Episode 7: “After You’ve Gone”
Juice Newton “Angel Of The Morning”
School Of Seven Bells “Trance Figure”
Gregg Allman “Floating Bridge”
Vincent & Mr. Green ft. Ravenbird “Red Light”
Black Rebel Motorcyle Club “Fault Line”
Richard & Linda Thompson “Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed”
Townes Van Zandt “Lungs”
Episode 8: “Form And Void”
“The Angry River” by The Hat ft. Father John Misty & S.I. Istwa
I've had this track playing in my head since the end of the series…. I'm going to try to play it via bluetooth to a speaker. Can't wait to listen to the others….
So cool!! Thank you!!
Thank you SO MUCH!!! This is amazing. Why can't they put these on a CD so I can buy it? Well, until then, I can visit this awesome website you've made. Thank you!
Hey!!! Thanks so much for this!!! Spent the whole afternoon listening to these songs :))) Great!!
Hi ! Does anybody know who composed / made the music of the 7th episode, which starts at 26'51", when Rust asks about how's Marty's life and ends at 27'52" , something like a piano tune. This is so beautiful… I LOVE that part and really would like to know who made it and where i could find it ! Thanks
Amazing. Thanks for this!
wow what a great selection of songs. i enjoyed the show but the music was amazing!
Thank u!!!
I just absolutely loved the music in this excellent series. If I liked this music, what kind of music do I like nowadays? I just turned 60 and don't really know where to look for or listen to new music, or a genre of older music since Bob Dylan was featured as well. I've just started listening to classical and have given up on the radio. But every now and then stumble onto something "new" that I really like. True Detective music, for instance.
Thanks! This is *exactly* what I was looking for, you've saved me so much time, I was expecting to have to spend hours tracking all this down.
Hello! I just wanted to let you know that I've featured your piece on my monthly round up of the best things on the web, which you can check out at Spikes and Stardust
This list is great ! thanx so much 😉
I can not find the song by Jo Ell Sonnier "The Heart That You Own" anywhere. I am wondering if this title is correct. Anyone? (I think it is "JoEl".)
This list was great, but would have been better still with small descriptors of the scene in question.
great stuff, the youtube format was the best idea, my fav
Far From Any Road
The Angry River
Casey's Last Ride
Missing from Ep.8: Neither the sound nor even the attribution of Errol's tune — (Not original, but slightly prophetic if not a freak idea of Mr. Fleschler).
Were all the videos on the page really necessary?
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…………………….seriously?!
what about all the good ambient music throughout? during the atmospheric shots of the hospital, the grass and the trees towards the end of the final episode?
JOE H. Thx, cos I checked every possible track and nothing.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
What's the song from the end of ep. 3?
What's the song when the two detectives drive to the first crime scene and during the scene of Rust's drawings?
For those of you looking for more songs, try Tunefind. There's a True Detective link up there…can't post it here unfortunately.
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART – CLEAR SPOT missing
The angry River – The Hat ft. Father John Misty & SI Istwa.
What's the song that plays in the end credits of episode 8. I tried Shazam and SoundHound. Neither brought up any results.
I know "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac was also in there somewhere.
Thanks so much for this. Helps with withdrawal symptoms….!
For example, what is the song from the "True Detective – Dora Lange Murder Scene 7 years later (2002)" clip on Youtube.
In addition to all the songs didn't this show also have an original score? I can't seem to find it anywhere.
Kris Kristofferson- Casey's Last Ride from the bar scene at the beginning of episode 5
You're missing Sign Of the Judgement by Cassandra Wilson.
There is at least one song missing the song played at the end of episode 5. I've been looking for it since it aired.