Brad Paisley and Randy Newman are among the artists who have contributed music to two Cars 3 soundtracks, due June 16th via Walt Disney Records. The Cars 3 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, features eight tracks—including original songs by Dan Auerbach and ZZ Ward, four covers by various artists, and two instrumental tracks from Brad Paisley. The Cars 3 Original Score Composed and Conducted by Randy Newman reunites the Cars franchise with the Oscar-winning composer. Both soundtracks are due the day the film is released nationwide.
“Lightning McQueen is on the journey of a lifetime—traveling cross-country, revisiting the past and looking into his own heart and soul to answer some big questions,” claims Cars 3 director Brian Fee. “Just like the music in the first two Cars movies, the songs and score in this film really help support the story we are telling.”
The Cars 3 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features “Run That Race,” an original song written and performed by nine-time Grammy winner Dan Auerbach that can be heard as the movie opens.
“The song is about never giving up and always trying your best,” states Auerbach, who met with filmmakers prior to penning the song. “They showed me the storyboards and ran through the plot. I was able to read some of the dialogue and from there I had enough to piece together a story in my mind for the song.”
The soundtrack also features “Ride,” an original end-credit song performed by Hollywood Records artist ZZ Ward, featuring musician Gary Clark Jr. Written by Ward, Evan Bogart and Dave Bassett, the song was released by Walt Disney Records as a digital single on April 14th. It was performed live by Ward April 17th on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.
The soundtrack also features four cover songs, including two bonus tracks. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ 1991 release, “Kings Highway,” makes a comeback courtesy of 23-year-old British singer-songwriter James Bay. Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 hit “Glory Days” gets a modern-day makeover by Grammy-nominated performer Andra Day, who voices Sweet Tea in the film—a performer in the Cotter Pin with a hairstyle reminiscent of Day’s signature look. The Beatles’ classic 1965 song “Drive My Car” is back on the road, compliments of Hollywood Records artist Jorge Blanco. “Freeway of Love,” made famous in 1985 by Aretha Franklin, is performed for the soundtrack by actress Lea DeLaria, who also provides the voice of Miss Fritter, a school bus-turned-demolition-derby-queen in Cars 3.
Three-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, guitarist and entertainer Brad Paisley was called on to create two instrumental tracks that are featured on the Cars 3 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. “Truckaroo” and “Thunder Hollow Breakdown” accompany the film’s action-packed Crazy 8 demolition derby sequence that puts Lightning and Cruz in the midst of total chaos.
“Brad Paisley was part of both Cars and Cars 2,” says Tom MacDougall, executive vice president of music at Disney. “We knew he could have some fun with a demolition derby, and he just killed it. His down-home country tracks really add to the scene’s action and humor.”
Newman, who was behind the Oscar-winning music in Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 and Monsters, Inc., composed the score for the first Cars movie and penned the Oscar-nominated song “Our Town.” For Cars 3, Newman created a score that reflects the heart and high-octane action of the film—21 tracks are included on the soundtrack.
“Randy has a real connection to the Cars world,” says MacDougall. “His ability to capture the feeling of this film, its characters, locations and the Americana theme throughout is extraordinary—the music is so naturally fluid and inspired. It really feels like Randy is coming home with this score.”
Newman used a 110-piece orchestra to record the score.
