Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 100 Greatest Soundtracks of All Time, representing a varied cross-section of films and musical genres. Click “Next Soundtrack” below to explore each soundtrack in the list or for easier navigation, view the full introduction & soundtrack index here.
About a Boy
Twisted Nerve/XL (2002)
Selected by Justin Chadwick
I’m willing to bet that scoring/soundtracking a Hugh Grant-led film about an incorrigible, commitment-phobic bachelor who befriends an awkward yet endearing pre-teen boy and his suicidal mother wasn’t necessarily what Damon Gough (a.k.a. Badly Drawn Boy) had in mind as his next career move, after his acclaimed debut album The Hour of Bewilderbeast took home the esteemed Mercury Prize in late 2000.
But it proved to be a savvy decision, as the film—an adaptation of Nick Hornby’s novel of the same name—exceeded expectations at the box office and Gough’s songs were an integral component of the storyline. While the two singles officially released from the soundtrack (“Silent Sigh,” “Something to Talk About”) are both stellar, it’s the acoustic “A Minor Incident” —written in the tone of a suicide note—that remains the most enduring highlight from this highlight-rich album.
LISTEN & WATCH: