Piece By Piece Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play

The following contains spoilers for Piece by Piece, now playing in theatersPiece by Piece has an impressive soundtrack that spans the length of Pharrell William’s career. Animated in the style of The LEGO Movie, Piece by Piece is a music documentary exploring the life of Pharrell as he went from a music-obsessed kid in Virginia Beach to one of the biggest producers and musicians of the 21st century. Piece by Piece boasts an impressive cast of talented musicians who discuss Pharrell’s career and their connections to it.

Befitting the film’s focus on Pharrell and the music industry, Piece by Piece is packed to the brim with music. This ranges from the tracks Pharrell starred in to the ones he was primarily a producer, as well as some of the music that inspired him in the first place. The film even comes with some new original tracks, which help flesh out the story that Pharrell and Won’t You Be My Neighbor? director Morgan Neville brings to life. Here is every song in Piece by Piece and where to watch out for each track.

When Every Song On The Piece By Piece Soundtrack Plays In The Movie

Where Each Song Fits Into Piece by Piece

“It’s Happening” by Pharrell Williams: The first song in Piece by Piece, “It’s Happening,” helps establish the tone of the film. The song plays during the opening credits, and is one of the original songs made by Pharrell.

“Maybe” by N.E.R.D.: “Maybe” is the first song in Piece by Piece featuring Pharrell’s bandmates Chad Hugo and Shay Haley. The song plays during the introduction of Pharrell’s obsession with music as a child.

“I Wish” by Stevie Wonder: Portrayed as one of the songs that helped inspire Pharrell when he was a child obsessively listening to music and witnessing the colors they caused him to see, Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” is a retro throwback that illustrates Pharrell’s childhood.

“Funky Town” by Lipps, Inc.: “Funky Town” plays early in the film as the story is fleshing out the setting of Virginia Beach. This is where Pharrell (as well as many future collaborators) grew up together.

“God Bless Us All” by Charlie Wilson: “God Bless Us All” was a track originally performed by N.E.R.D, but is covered in gospel form in Piece by Piece. In the film, Pharrell hears a version of the song while attending church with his Grandmother. Charlie Wilson performs the vocals for the version of the song seen in the film.”

“Rock Star” by N.E.R.D.: After discovering music as an outlet and befriending Chad Hugo, the pair end up making music together. One of the songs played during this music explosion is “Rock Star” by N.E.R.D., an eventual early hit for their side-project from the Neptunes.

“Tubthumping” by Chumbawamba: A common song seen in comedies since it debuted decades ago, “Tubthumping” by Chumbawamba plays during the film’s exploration of Pharrell’s adolescence. This includes a period of slapstick comedy for the young future musician.

“My Prerogative” by Bobby Brown: The R&B song by Bobby Brown plays upon the arrival of music producer Teddy Riley in Virginia Beach. Upon his arrival, Riley sets up a studio space that entices Pharrell and his friends, but they are initially turned away from the space.

“Bonita Applebum” by A Tribe Called Quest: “Bonita Applebum” plays during Teddy’s move into Virginia Beach. The tonal shift helps illustrate how Teddy’s arrival is an unexpected turn for the town.

“Virginia Boy” by Pharrell Williams: “Virginia Boy” is one of the original songs for Piece by Piece, and is a collaboration with Tyler the Creator. The song is the one played by the Neptunes during their high school talent show, catching the attention of Teddy Riley.

“Everyone Nose (All The Girls Standing In The Line For The Bathroom)” by N.E.R.D.: “Everyone Nose (All The Girls Standing In The Line For The Bathroom)” is one of the songs that plays after Pharrell and his friends succeed at the talent show in front of Teddy Riley. The track is in the background as they are introduced to the realities of music production.

“Rump Shaker” by Wreckx-N-Effect: “Rump Shaker is one of the songs that is produced by Teddy Riley in Piece by Piece. It’s also where Pharrell first showed his potential as a producer, collaborating with Riley on the track.

“Nothin” by N.O.R.E.: “Nothin” was another early collaboration featuring Pharrell. The song is played during Pharrell’s excited spending spree after earning money for working with Teddy.

“Splash” by N.E.R.D.: “Splash” plays during Pharrell’s attempts to garner attention for his career. This includes moving to New York City and throwing themselves at several execs in an attempt to catch their attention.

“Señorita” by Justin Timberlake, “Lookin’ At Me” by Mase, “Knock Yourself Out” by Jadakiss, “Superthug” by Norega and “Shake Ya Ass” by Mystikal: These are all songs that play during a montage of Pharrell’s early career. Each of these songs involved Pharrell and his other collaborators with the Neptunes behind the scenes.

I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me) by Jay-Z: Similar to the prior few songs, “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)” is a highlight of Pharrell’s early career. The song is given extra focus, along with an interview from Jay-Z discussing the musician.

“L’EGO Odyssey” by Pharrell Williams: “L’EGO Odyssey” plays in the background as Pharrell’s career continues to take off. This is another one of the original tracks Pharrell recorded for the film.

“Hot in Here” by Nelly: “Hot in Here” was one of Nelly’s biggest tracks, and plays after Pharrell and the Neptunes have found their groove in the music industry. The song highlights the kind of talent Pharrell was attracting.

“Hella Good” by No Doubt: “Hella Good” by No Doubt gets an extended focus in Piece by Piece, including a recounting from Gwen Stefani. The sequence highlights how well she and Pharrell were able to work together.

“Drop It Like It’s Hot” by Snoop Dogg: “Drop It Like It’s Hot” is one of the biggest hits of Snoop Dogg’s career, and the earliest collaboration between Pharrell and Snoop. Similar to the “Hella Good” sequence, Piece by Piece spends some time recounting how Pharrell and Chad’s initial meetings with Snoop went.

“Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani, “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke, “Like I Love You” by Justin Timberlake & “Pass the Courvoisier, Part II” by Busta Rhymes: Snippets from all three songs play in a montage. This scene is used to illustrate the increased attention and success that the Neptunes were achieving.

“Grindin’” by Clipse: “Grindin’” was a major comeback song for Clipse member Pusha T, who had been friends with Pharrell in Virginia Beach. The musician’s story of being called by Pharrell about the song and being forced to sprint across town to make the track is recreated in Piece by Piece.

“Frontin’” by Pharrell Williams: “Frontin’” plays as Pharrell takes more and more of the spotlight. The song also plays while Pharrell is partying.

“Beautiful” by Snoop Dogg: Another collaboration between Pharrell and Snoop Dogg. The song comes around the time Pharrell and the Neptunes break apart, and signifies a major shift in Pharrell’s career.

“I’ve Seen the Light / Inside of Clouds” by N.E.R.D.: “I’ve Seen the Light/Inside of Clouds” plays as Pharrell meets and courts Helen Lasichanh. Helen eventually becomes Pharrell’s wife, although they are briefly pushed apart by his career.

“Sooner or Later” by N.E.R.D.: “Sooner or Later” plays during the lowest point of Pharrell’s story, when he loses sight of himself amidst personal loss and professional problems. This is visualized by a tidal wave crashing into his recording studio.

“Get Lucky” by Daft Punk: After this professional low point, Pharrell bounced back with his Daft Punk collaboration, “Get Lucky.” A brief snippet of the music video is recreated in LEGO.

“Happy” by Pharrell Williams: Released as a tie-in song for Despicable Me 2, “Happy” became a monster hit for Pharrell. The film shows the origins of the song, Pharrell’s initial difficulties in composing it, and recreates some of the videos people sent the musician of performing the song.

“Alright” by Kendrick Lamar: A collaboration between Pharrell and Kendrick Lamar, “Alright” was released amid the protests against police brutality. The sequence is notably recreated in black and white in comparison to the rest of the film’s more colorful palette.

“Pure Imagination” by Gene Wilder: A snippet of “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory plays towards the end of Piece by Piece. It’s treated as a reflective moment while Pharrell looks out to the sea.

“Piece by Piece” by Pharrell Williams: Another original song from Pharrell composed for Piece by Piece, the song serves as the grand finale for the film. It’s the song featured during a big concert in Virginia Beach, with many of the other musicians from the film appearing in the sequence.

“For Real” by Pharrell Williams: “For Real” is the last song of Piece by Piece, and the fifth original song made for the film. The track plays during the credits of the movie.

Where To Listen To Piece By Piece’s Soundtrack

Piece by Piece will be receiving an official soundtrack to coincide with the film’s theatrical debut on October 11th. The album, which will feature 21 prominent tracks from the album, includes all five of Pharrell’s original songs for Piece by Piece. The track sharing a name with the film was released early, however, and can be found online on sites like YouTube and Spotify. Fans of 21st century’s biggest hip-hop and pop will find plenty to love in Piece by Piece‘s massive musical selection.

Piece by Piece is an animated musical biography film directed by  Morgan Neville. The film explores the life and career of musician and performer Pharrell Williams, who, through LEGOS, shows the evolution of his creative process throughout his life.

Director

Morgan Neville

Release Date

October 11, 2024