Music in movies usually just sits there. It’s background noise, right? It’s meant to tell you "hey, feel sad now" or "get ready, here comes the bad guy." But Richard Curtis treats music differently. Honestly, the about time film soundtrack isn't just a collection of songs; it’s basically the heartbeat of the whole movie. If you’ve seen the film, you know it’s not really about time travel, even though that’s the hook. It’s about the small stuff. The tea, the rain, the awkward walks. And the music captures that better than almost any rom-com in the last twenty years.
It hits. Hard.
The way Nick Laird-Clowes curated this—and wrote the score—is kind of a masterclass in emotional manipulation, but the good kind. You aren't being forced to cry. You're just... invited to. From the upbeat indie vibes of the early 2010s to the soul-crushing (in a beautiful way) orchestral moments, the soundtrack is a literal time capsule.
The Song Everyone Remembers: Ellie Goulding and "How Long Will I Love You"
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the song in the Underground.
Ellie Goulding’s cover of the Waterboys’ "How Long Will I Love You" is the soul of this movie. Most people don’t even realize it’s a cover at first. The original Waterboys version actually appears in the film too, which is a weirdly meta choice by Curtis, but it works. It shows the passage of time in the London Underground—the buskers change, the seasons shift, but the sentiment stays exactly the same.
It’s simple.
The lyrics don't try to be clever. "As long as stars are above you." It’s basic, but in the context of Tim and Mary’s life, it feels profound. It’s worth noting that Mike Scott, who wrote the song, actually praised the way the film used it. It wasn't just a pop tie-in; it was the narrative glue.
That Wedding Scene and the Italian Pop Surprise
Everyone expects a wedding in a British rom-com to feature something traditional. Maybe some Pachelbel’s Canon? Not here. When Mary (Rachel McAdams) walks down the aisle in that iconic red dress—seriously, why don't more people wear red to weddings?—we get "Il Mondo" by Jimmy Fontana.
It’s loud. It’s chaotic. It’s incredibly Italian.
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Richard Curtis actually mentioned in interviews that he wanted something that felt like a "wall of sound." He wanted the audience to feel the joy and the wind and the rain hitting the marquee. "Il Mondo" represents the unpredictability of life. Even if you can travel back in time to fix a speech or a conversation, you can't control the weather, and you can't control the sheer, messy energy of a family celebration. The song peaks just as the umbrella blows inside out. It’s perfect.
Ben Folds and "The Luckiest"
If "Il Mondo" is the energy, "The Luckiest" is the philosophy. Ben Folds is known for being a bit of a sarcastic piano rock guy, but this track is his most sincere work. It’s used during the montage where Tim realizes that maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t need the time travel anymore.
"I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you."
The piano is sparse. It feels like someone sitting in a living room at 2:00 AM. That’s the vibe of the whole about time film soundtrack. It’s intimate. It doesn't sound like it was recorded in a giant studio with a hundred violins; it sounds like a secret shared between the screen and the viewer.
A Tracklist That Doesn't Make Sense on Paper
Look at the artists involved. You have The Cure sitting next to Amy Winehouse. You have Groove Armada followed by Ron Sexsmith. Usually, a soundtrack like that feels like a mess, like someone just hit "shuffle" on a very moody iPod in 2013.
But it works because the film is about a life lived.
Our lives aren't one genre. We have "Friday I’m In Love" moments when we're walking through London feeling invincible. We have "Back to Black" moments when we realize we’ve messed up a relationship so badly that no amount of time travel can fix it.
- The Mid-Tempo Mood: Tracks like "Push the Button" by Sugababes provide that early 2000s nostalgia that grounds the film in a specific era of British culture.
- The Emotional Heavyweights: Arvo Pärt’s "Spiegel im Spiegel" is used toward the end. If you want to talk about "expert" music choices, this is it. Pärt is a minimalist composer, and this piece is a recurring loop of violin and piano. It mimics the repetitive nature of Tim’s final days with his father. It feels infinite. It feels like a goodbye that never quite ends.
Why This Music Scores Better Than a Traditional OST
Most "Original Soundtracks" (OSTs) rely heavily on a single composer's motifs. Think John Williams or Hans Zimmer. Nick Laird-Clowes did write a beautiful score for About Time, but he stepped back to let the licensed songs do the heavy lifting.
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This is a very specific British filmmaking style. Think High Fidelity or Love Actually. The music is a character.
There's a scene where Tim and his dad (the legendary Bill Nighy) are listening to records. They aren't just background elements; the act of listening is part of their bond. The about time film soundtrack respects the audience enough to know that we associate our own memories with songs. When Tim listens to "Into My Arms" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at his father's funeral, it’s a moment of shared grief. Cave wrote that song as a plea to a god he didn't believe in. It’s complex. It’s messy. It fits.
The Technical Brilliance of the "Underground" Sequence
The montage in the Maida Vale tube station is the peak of the movie's editing. It shows Tim and Mary’s relationship evolving over months. The buskers in the background are actually performing "How Long Will I Love You."
This is what we call diegetic music—music that the characters can actually hear.
By making the film’s "theme song" something that is physically happening in the world of the characters, Curtis makes the romance feel grounded. It’s not a fairy tale. It’s a guy and a girl meeting at a station. The busker, Jon Boden (of Bellowhead fame), brings a folk grit to the song that Ellie Goulding’s polished pop version lacks. Having both versions on the soundtrack was a stroke of genius. It gives you the "radio hit" and the "soul of the street."
Impact on the 2010s Indie Landscape
When this movie came out in 2013, the "stomp and holler" folk-pop movement was at its peak. Think Mumford & Sons or early Lumineers. The soundtrack tapped into that perfectly.
It didn't just follow trends; it helped define the "comfort watch" aesthetic.
Even now, on TikTok and Instagram, you see people using "The Luckiest" or "How Long Will I Love You" for wedding videos or tributes to their parents. The movie has had a long tail, and the music is 90% of the reason why. It’s safe but emotional. It’s sophisticated but accessible.
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How to Experience the Music Properly
If you're just listening to a playlist on Spotify, you're missing half the story. The about time film soundtrack is meant to be heard in context.
However, if you want to really "get" the curation, you have to look at the lyrics of the deeper cuts. Take "All the Things She Said" by t.A.T.u.—it's played during a party scene. It’s a jarring, aggressive pop song that highlights Tim’s social anxiety. Or look at "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers. It’s the ultimate British party anthem, even though the band is from Las Vegas.
The soundtrack is a map of human interaction.
What Most People Miss About the Score
While the pop songs get the glory, Nick Laird-Clowes’ score is doing the invisible work. He uses a lot of "open" chords. In music theory, these are chords that don't feel fully resolved. They feel like a question.
This is intentional.
Since the movie deals with the "what ifs" of time travel, the music shouldn't feel finished. It should feel like it’s waiting for the next version of the timeline. The track "The Arrival" is a great example of this. It’s delicate. It’s hopeful. It sounds like a new beginning every time it plays.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Re-Watch
If you're going to dive back into this movie, do it with an ear for the soundscape. It’ll change how you see the story.
- Watch the "Underground" sequence with headphones. Notice how the busker's audio is mixed. It’s not a studio recording; it has the reverb of the tunnel. It makes the scene feel "real" despite the time-travel premise.
- Listen for the silence. Richard Curtis is great at knowing when to turn the music off. The most emotional scenes—like Tim’s final conversation with his father on the beach—don't have a swelling orchestra. They just have the sound of waves. The contrast makes the music more powerful when it returns.
- Compare the two versions of "How Long Will I Love You." The Jon Boden folk version represents the daily grind of the relationship. The Ellie Goulding version represents the idealized, "movie" version of their love.
- Look up Nick Cave’s "Into My Arms" lyrics. Understanding the desperation in that song makes the funeral scene ten times more impactful. It’s about the desire to protect someone even when you know you can't.
The about time film soundtrack isn't just a playlist. It’s a guide on how to live. As Tim says at the end, the goal isn't to change the past, but to live the present so well that you wouldn't want to. The music reflects that shift from wanting "more" to being satisfied with "now." It’s an incredibly rare feat for a rom-com to have a soundtrack that feels this essential to its DNA.
Whether you're a fan of Ben Folds or you just like a good cry to some Arvo Pärt, this collection of songs remains the gold standard for how to score a life well-lived. Go back and listen to "The Luckiest" one more time. You'll see what I mean.