Jackie Brown has one of Quentin Tarantino’s grooviest soundtracks, featuring songs by such iconic artists as Bobby Womack and the Delfonics. The movie revolves around a flight attendant who plays a notorious gun runner and a couple of ATF agents against each other so she can make off with their loot. From Mr. Blonde torturing a cop to the tune of “Stuck in the Middle with You” to the opening credits of Pulp Fiction kicking off to the tune of “Misirlou,” Tarantino is famous for his needle drops. His soundtrack choices are as crucially tied to his filmmaking style as his idiosyncratic dialogue and scenes of graphic violence.
Based on Elmore Leonard’s novel Rum Punch, Jackie Brown was Tarantino’s only adaptation of another writer’s work. It scored much-deserved career comebacks for Pam Grier and Robert Forster, with the latter earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his turn as bail bondsman Max Cherry. Music is even more integral in Jackie Brown than it is in most of Tarantino’s other films. Jackie and Max’s first flirtation is a discussion of “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” as they listen to the record. The soundtrack choices also point to the director’s blaxploitation influences.
This is every song on the Jackie Brown soundtrack, in order:
- “Across 110th Street” by Bobby Womack
- “Strawberry Letter 23” by the Brothers Johnson
- “Long Time Woman” by Pam Grier
- “Natural High” by Bloodstone
- “Tennessee Stud” by Johnny Cash
- “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” by the Delfonics
- “(Holy Matrimony) Letter to the Firm” by Foxy Brown
- “Inside My Love” by Minnie Riperton
- “Who is He (And What is He to You?)” by Bill Withers
- “Street Life” by Randy Crawford
- “Midnight Confessions” by The Grass Roots
- “The Lions and the Cucumber” by the Vampire Sound Incorporation
- “Monte Carlo Nights” by Elliot Easton’s Tiki Gods
This is every song in Jackie Brown not in the official soundtrack:
- “Jizz da Pitt” by Slash’s Snakepit
- “Cissy Strut” by The Meters
- “Baby Love” by The Supremes
- “Aragon” by Roy Ayers
- “Brawling Broads” by Roy Ayers
- “Exotic Dance” by Roy Ayers
- “My Touch of Madness” by Jermaine Jackson
- “La La La Means I Love You” by the Delfonics
- “Mad Dog (Feroce)” by Umberto Smaila
- “Undun” by The Guess Who
- “She Puts Me in the Mood” by Elvin Bishop
- “Escape” by Roy Ayers
- “Vittrone’s Theme – King is Dead” by Roy Ayers
- “Grazing in the Grass” by Orchestra Harlow
When Each Song Plays In Jackie Brown
“Across 110th Street” by Bobby Womack – This song, taken from the movie of the same name, plays over the opening titles as Jackie glides through LAX in an homage to an identical shot from The Graduate – one of Tarantino’s best opening shots. “Across 110th Street” plays once again at the end of the movie.
“Jizz da Pitt” by Slash’s Snakepit – This song is playing on the “Chicks Who Love Guns” video that Ordell Robbie is watching when he is first introduced.
“Cissy Strut” by The Meters – This song can be heard as Beaumont calls Ordell, Ordell goes down to Max’s office, and Ordell talks to Beaumont back at his house.
“Strawberry Letter 23” by the Brothers Johnson – This song creates a rather unnerving juxtaposition on the radio as Ordell puts Chris Tucker’s scene-stealing character Beaumont in the trunk of his car, drives to an empty lot, and shoots him dead.
“Baby Love” by The Supremes – This is the song that Simone (Hattie Winston) dances to when she performs for Robert De Niro’s character, Louis Gara.
“Aragon” by Roy Ayers – This track from the Grier-starring blaxploitation classic Coffy can be heard as Jackie puts the money in her bag in the toilet of the plane. It plays again later in the movie when Max comes out of the dressing room during the bag transfer.
“Brawling Broads” by Roy Ayers – This song, also from the Coffy soundtrack, plays as Jackie is stopped by the cops in the airport parking lot.
“Long Time Woman” by Pam Grier – This song from The Big Doll House soundtrack, performed by Grier herself, plays as Jackie is in jail.
“Exotic Dance” by Roy Ayers – This song, again from the Coffy soundtrack, can be heard during Jackie’s trial, when she goes to see the ATF agents, and when she talks to Ordell and Louis back at Melanie’s (Bridget Fonda) apartment.
“Natural High” by Bloodstone – This song can be heard as Max sees Jackie for the first time and she rides in his car.
“My Touch of Madness” by Jermaine Jackson – This song can be heard as Jackie and Max are talking in a bar.
“Tennessee Stud” by Johnny Cash – This song is playing when Ordell is sitting in his car, waiting for Jackie.
“Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” by the Delfonics – Jackie plays this song on her record player when Max comes over to pick up his gun. They discuss the album, beginning Jackie and Max’s love story. Later on, Max is seen listening to the same Delfonics album on tape in his car as he drives Ordell to his office.
“La La La Means I Love You” by the Delfonics – This is the second song that plays on the Delfonics album that Max and Jackie are listening to.
“Mad Dog (Feroce)” by Umberto Smaila – This song from the soundtrack of La Belva Col Mitra can be heard when Melanie is watching the movie on TV.
“(Holy Matrimony) Letter to the Firm” by Foxy Brown – This song can be heard when Max buys a tape of the Delfonics album that Jackie played for him.
“Inside My Love” by Minnie Riperton – This song can be heard playing when Jackie and Ordell are talking in a bar in one of Jackie Brown’s best music moments.
“Who is He (And What is He to You?)” by Bill Withers – This song is heard when Ordell and Louis talk about Melanie.
“Undun” by The Guess Who – This song plays as Melanie and an impatient Louis arrive late to the bag drop-off.
“She Puts Me in the Mood” by Elvin Bishop – This song can be heard as Ordell calls Louis and tells him he and Melanie are late.
“Street Life” by Randy Crawford – This song plays as Jackie is driving to the bag drop-off.
“Midnight Confessions” by The Grass Roots – This song is playing when Melanie and Louis are in the van. It plays again later in a shocking Tarantino movie death scene when Louis shoots Melanie in the parking lot, then jumps in the van and drives away.
“Escape” by Roy Ayers – This song from the Coffy soundtrack can be heard when Jackie rushes through the mall and calls Ray (Michael Keaton) the ATF agent, and when Ordell is in the van, figuring out that the bag is full of books and not money.
“Vittrone’s Theme – King is Dead” by Roy Ayers – This song, also from Coffy, is playing when Max picks up the bag that Jackie left in the dressing room.
“Grazing in the Grass” by Orchestra Harlow – This song can be heard when Ordell kills Louis.
“The Lions and the Cucumber” by the Vampire Sound Incorporation – This song plays when Max calls Ordell.
“Monte Carlo Nights” by Elliot Easton’s Tiki Gods – This song plays over the credits at the end of Jackie Brown.
Where To Listen To The Jackie Brown Soundtrack
The official soundtrack album for Jackie Brown, entitled Jackie Brown: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture, is available to stream on Spotify, Deezer, and Apple Music.