The Little Shop of Horrors soundtrack is full of 60s Motown and rock and roll flair. Here is a ranking of all 13 songs in the comedy horror film.
Summary
- Little Shop of Horrors is a lively movie musical with an upbeat soundtrack that brings the dark story to life.
- The musical is set in the 1960s but features early rock and roll, doo-wop, and Motown influences in its music.
- The songs range from lively and energetic to more romantic and show-tune-like, immersing the audience in the world of Skid Row.
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Little Shop of Horrors is full of lively upbeat songs that bring this dark movie musical to life, and here is our ranking of every song in the film. The Little Shop of Horrors movie musical came out in 1986 and was an adaptation of the 1982 Off-Broadway show. Both musical versions were based on the 1960 film. The story follows Seymour Krelborn, who discovers a sentient, bloodthirsty carnivorous plant. The movie stars Rick Moranis as Seymour, Ellen Greene as Audrey, and Levi Stubbs as the voice of Audrey II.
Although the musical premiered in the 1980s, the narrative takes place in the 1960s, infusing the music with early rock and roll, doo-wop, and early Motown feel. Three female singers form a “Greek chorus,” narrating the story, bringing non-stop energy. Audrey II has soulful vocals, reflecting the R&B style of the era. Additionally, the musical features songs with a more show tune-like sound, with “Somewhere That’s Green” and “Suddenly Seymour.” Little Shop of Horrors possesses a high-energy soundtrack that immerses the audience into the world of Skid Row. Here is the entire movie soundtrack from worst to best.
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13 “Da-Doo”
“Da-Doo” comes towards the start of the film, providing a pivotal backstory on how Seymour came to bring Audrey II into Mr. Mushnik’s Flower Shop. As Mr. Mushnik’s business is in jeopardy, Seymour proposes showcasing the peculiar plant he purchased from a Chinese flower shop, during a solar eclipse. The song maintains the doo-wop feel, with the trio of women echoing the events that led to Audrey II. As the song primarily serves as mere exposition, it is one of the least compelling tracks in the movie.
12 “Prologue: Little Shop of Horrors”
“Prologue: Little Shop of Horrors” kicks off the film, setting the stage for the story to unfold. A God-like voice narrates, as credits roll over the screen, describing how the human race suddenly encountered a deadly threat to their existence. Following this narration, a lively trio in fancy blue dresses emerges, juxtaposed against the grimy and run-down backdrop of Skid Row. While the song lays the foundation for the musical’s style, it doesn’t significantly advance the storyline or resonate beyond the initial scene.
11 “Some Fun Now”
“Some Fun Now” is another song that is sung by the “Greek chorus,” which is sandwiched between two of the more iconic songs in the musical. This song serves as an overlay to a montage of Seymour taking care of Audrey II by feeding it his blood. The song provides context to the challenges Seymour faces, showcasing his efforts to sustain the flower shop’s newfound prized plant. The women’s singing is ironic, highlighting the supposed fun Seymour is experiencing when nursing the plant
10 “Grow For Me”
“Grow for Me” is sung by Seymour to Audrey II when the plant begins to wilt. After Audrey II brings ample business to Mushnik’s shop, Seymour must find a way to keep it healthy. At the end of his song, he pricks his finger, discovering that Audrey II needs blood to survive. This song takes on a more traditional musical theater sound, while also keeping in the essence of the show. While this song doesn’t stand out the most, it does provide significant information to the plot.
9 “Suppertime”
“Suppertime” comes at a tense moment in the story, as Mr. Mushnik holds Seymour at gunpoint, demanding him to admit to causing Orin Scrivello’s death. This song is sung by Audrey II, as he embodies Seymour’s thoughts on how to handle Mr. Mushnik. As Seymour slowly backs Mr. Mushnik up to the plant, Audrey II sings in a soulful R&B style about how it’s suppertime. The song showcases the tension among all three characters, ultimately culminating in Mr. Mushnik’s demise.
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8 “Somewhere That’s Green”
“Somewhere That’s Green” is one of the more hopeful songs in the movie, as Audrey sings of her dreams to marry Seymour and move to the suburbs. Audrey is trapped in an abusive relationship with her sadistic biker boyfriend, Orin Scrivello, who continuously harms her. The song transports her out of the dreary world of Skid Row to a beautiful suburban fairytale. “Somewhere That’s Green” is light and dreamy, as Audrey paints a picture of her life, imagining joyful moments of Howdy Doody and serenading birds.
7 “Finale (Don’t Feed The Plants)”
The alternate ending of Little Shop of Horrors shows the devastation that the alien plants are causing on Earth, as a chorus of people passionately belts out the song, “Don’t Feed The Plants.” When the song plays, Audrey II buds are shown becoming a worldwide craze, with their owners giving in to greed to feed the plant’s blood. The sequence showcases these buds evolving into a monstrous army of plants, taking over the Earth. They obliterate cities, eat humans, and even burst through the movie screen, lunging at the viewers. The song encapsulates the fear felt by humanity, as Audrey II takes over the planet.
6 “The Meek Shall Inherit”
“The Meek Shall Inherit” is the Faustian dilemma within the story, as Seymour wrestles with doing what is right or continuing on the path of fame and fortune. This song has many layers, as it is sung by agents trying to get him to sign publicity contracts to Audrey II, Seymour, and the “Greek chorus.” The lyrics and score amplify the gravity of the decision Seymour is making. As the song comes to a close, Seymour decides to sign away his own soul to maintain the success and love Audrey II has given him.
5 “Mean Green Mother From Outer Space”
“Mean Green Mother From Outer Space” underscores the climatic battle between Seymour and Audrey II. In this number, Seymour learns that Audrey II is actually an alien from outer space, who has tricked Seymour into helping him grow strong. This song was written exclusively for the 1986 film and features a high-energy Motown feel. The showdown culminates with Seymour using an electrical wire to blow up Audrey II and the whole flower shop.
4 “Suddenly, Seymour”
“Suddenly, Seymour” is the romantic duet sung by Seymour and Audrey, as they finally confess their feelings for one another. This song marks a significant transformation for Audrey, who has always been submissive to her partners. With Orin out of her life, Audrey discovers her true potential and realizes that the love she receives from Seymour empowers her to be strong and authentic. This song gives hope to the audience, that the lovers will escape the horrors that flood the streets of Skid Row, and make a life for themselves in the suburbs.
3 “Skid Row (Downtown)”
“Skid Row (Downtown)” is a fantastic song, which lays the foundation for all the individual stories that the viewers will be following. This song highlights how harsh life is to live on Skid Row, as Seymour speaks on how he has always been poor, growing up as an orphan on the streets. Audrey and Seymour sing out about their longing to find a way out of their desolate and dangerous home. This song perfectly sets up the desperation the characters have to do anything necessary to find a “way out of Skid Row.”
2 “Dentist!”
“Dentist!” is sung by Orin, who describes how he is a sadist, which made him into the successful dentist that he is. Steve Martin brings loads of humor to this eccentric character, as he is shown working on people’s teeth, deriving pleasure from their pain. Orin provides a backstory to how he has always behaved this way, as he shot puppies with BB guns and poisoned guppies. This song emphasizes the dangerous nature of Orin, stressing the importance of Audrey leaving that relationship, while also being full of laughs.
1 “Feed Me (Git It!)”
“Feed Me (Git It!)” is the catalyst for the musical, as Audrey II suggests that Seymour murder someone to catapult them both to fame and fortune. Audrey II offers up Orin as that perfect victim, as he continuously abuses Audrey. The song is jazzy and powerful, as Audrey II slowly manipulates Seymour to feed him human meat. When Seymour finally decides to go along with Audrey II’s plan, he sings along in fantastic harmony, which showcases the shift in Seymour’s character. This is the best song of Little Shop of Horrors, as it not only is musically brilliant but is also the turning point for the story.
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