FX’s “The Bear” has always cooked with more than knives and chaos. Since Season 1, its soundtrack has functioned less like a playlist and more like a subconscious script — weaving pain, pressure, memory, and melancholy beneath the surface noise of sizzling pans and shouted orders.
Season 4, its most emotionally cracked and psychologically demanding run yet, doubles down on its sonic identity. It’s a carefully layered blend of dad rock, ‘60s girl group harmonies, classical motifs, ambient electronics, and Chicago soul — curated to mirror not just the atmosphere but the inner fragmentation of its characters. Music isn’t just heard in “The Bear”, it echoes through your soul!
Below, a full breakdown of Season 4’s soundtrack — episode by episode, track by track — with insights into how each moment hits, haunts, or heals. Featuring songs from St. Vincent, Oasis, Van Morrison, Paul Simon, Bishop Briggs, The Ronettes, Pretenders and more!
Episode 1 – “Groundhogs”
A season opener haunted by grief and repetition.
“That’s The Way” – Led Zeppelin
Gentle, melancholic, and quietly devastating. The track is used during a flashback with Mikey (Jon Bernthal); the acoustic strum and yearning lyrics mirror Carmy’s frozen grief.
“I Got You Babe” – Sonny & Cher
A recurring motif this season — both a nod to Groundhog Day and a symbol of Carmy’s emotional stagnancy.
“Getting in Tune” – The Who
Classic rock with a purpose. The lyrics double as a metaphor for the kitchen staff’s struggle to fall into rhythm again.
“Diamond Diary” – Tangerine Dream
A reprise from Season 3, this ambient track pulses under stress and silence alike, tethering the past to the present.
Episode 2 – “Soubise”
Nostalgia clashes with restlessness; the music glows with ’80s melancholy.
“Life’s What You Make It” – Talk Talk
A synth-laced reminder that Carmy’s life is one he’s still failing to consciously shape.
“The Chosen One” – Bryan Ferry
Lush, loungey sadness. Ferry’s croon overlays an episode grappling with identity and control.
“Most of the Time” – Bob Dylan
From 1989’s Oh Mercy, Dylan’s understated delivery mirrors Carmy’s internal denial when “most of the time” he’s okay, except when he’s not.
“Mystery Achievement” – Pretenders
Brash and restless, this track kicks energy back into gear as tensions mount.
Episode 3: “Scallop”
A richly nostalgic, emotionally raw chapter — full of longing.
“Slow Disco” – St. Vincent
Haunting and theatrical, it sets a sultry, melancholy tone that lingers.
“(The Best Part Of) Breakin’ Up” – The Ronettes
The girl group’s harmonies glide over a scene between Richie and ex-wife Tiffany, a saccharine contrast to the emotional fracture.
“Slim Slow Slider/I Start Breaking Down (Live)” – Van Morrison
Van at his most raw. The title says it all — breakdown is coming.
“Only You Know” – Dion
Old-school vulnerability, underscoring moments where words fail.
“Haunted When the Minutes Drag” – Love and Rockets
Dreamlike and dreary, this one paces the scene like a ghost.
“Finest Worksong” – R.E.M.
An angular, political track repurposed as an anthem of burnout.
Episode 4 – “Worms”
Sydney’s solo storyline introduces classical irony and identity friction.
“Ante Up (Robbin Hoodz Theory)” – M.O.P.
Explosively confrontational; played during a tone-deaf “woke” attempt by a business partner — and it’s as awkward as it sounds.
“Für Elise” – Beethoven (arr. Walter Rinaldi)
Classical elegance laced with anxiety; underscores Sydney’s inner perfectionism.
“STUCK” – Durand Bernarr feat. Ari Lennox
A soul-infused bop adding levity to Sydney’s flustered navigation.
“Wood” – Duval Timothy feat. Yu Su
Minimal, ambient — speaks to disconnection more than melody.
“Wings of Love” – Tsvia Abarbanel
Psychedelic and spiritual — a strange, floating moment of calm.
“Technova” – Towa Tei
Infectious, international, subtly futuristic.
“You Got Me Like” – SHAED & snny
Slick alt-pop beat meets emotional confusion.
“You Will Rise” – Sweetback
A subtle, soulful pick-me-up; unspoken encouragement.
“So In Love” – Curtis Mayfield
A gorgeous closer — Chicago soul that feels like home.
Episode 5 – “Replicants”
Carmy tours an architectural landmark; the music mirrors facade and foundation.
“Let Me Live In Your City (Work in Progress)” – Paul Simon
A love letter and a lament. Wistful, yearning, place-focused — fits the tour’s metaphor perfectly.
“Slip Away (A Warning)” – Lou Reed & John Cale
Disquieting, ambient — Reed and Cale channel unease with avant-garde polish.
“Hope The High Road” – Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
Gritty Southern rock with a thread of cautious optimism.
“Looking Into You” – Jackson Browne
Honest, gentle, melancholic — a mirror turned inward.
“Pull the Cup” – Shellac
Brutal and unrelenting; the sound of a system buckling under pressure.
Episode 6 – “Sophie”
Songs of memory and soft grief return.
“Walking in the Rain” – The Ronettes
A vintage sound used to express modern isolation.
“Remember Me” – Otis Redding
Soul-drenched ache — loaded with unspoken things.
“I’m Always in Love” – Wilco
Jittery yet affectionate — emotional contradictions at their best.
“Stay Young” – Oasis
A deep cut that feels like a sigh — hopeful but fading fast.
Episode 7 – “Bears”
A 69-minute wedding episode full of nostalgia, heartbreak, and DJ-perfect curation.
“Walls (Circus)” – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Nostalgic and bittersweet — about as “wedding family drama” as Petty gets.
“Susanne” – Weezer
Slack-rock yearning, pure Richie energy.
“Tenderness” – Oberhofer
Joyful but reflective — it’s in the name.
“Nothing But Love” – James
Anthemic vulnerability.
“Still The Night” – BoDeans
A forgotten gem that feels eerily fitting.
“Style” – Taylor Swift
A signal track in Richie’s bond with his daughter.
“Sad Song” – Lou Reed
Starkly titled, starkly felt.
“Apron Strings” – Everything But The Girl
Subtle, maternal, aching.
“My Lovely Sad Eyes” – Them
Old-school sorrow with raw bite.
“Why Not Me” – The Judds
Pure country melodrama — emotionally honest.
“A Beginning Song” – The Decemberists
The centerpiece. A slow-build crescendo of hope.
“Shelter” – Maria McKee
Power ballad longing.
“(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry” – Darlene Love
Ironic placement with layered implications.
“Throw Your Arms Around Me (Live)” – Pearl Jam
Earnest and trembling.
“Tougher Than The Rest” – Bruce Springsteen
A song about real love in a world that rarely allows it.
Episode 8 – “Green”
A surreal Sydney fantasy — comfort becomes confusion.
“Song of The Barefoot Contessa” – Hugo Winterhalter
Whimsical and campy, sets the fake cooking-show vibe perfectly.
“I Got You Babe” – Sonny & Cher (again)
Back in the loop — the emotional repetition continues.
“Baby, I Love You” – Ramones
Punk doo-wop chaos. It fits.
“Square One” – Tom Petty
Fragile, raw — like waking from a dream.
“Long Ride Home” – Patty Griffin
Grief in acoustic form.
“Strange Currencies” – R.E.M. (reprise)
The show’s emotional Rosetta Stone.
“Western Ford Getaway” – Elton John
Vintage and rarely heard — a deep cut for deep introspection.
Episode 9 – “Tonnato”
A quieter build as past themes return.
“Save It for Later” – The English Beat (Eddie Vedder cover)
Sorrow laced with movement.
“The Show Goes On” – Bruce Hornsby & The Range
Aptly titled. The emotional show never stops.
“New Noise” – Refused
The unofficial anthem. Explosive, angry, perfect.
Episode 10 – “Goodbye”
Silence, then spark.
“Fast Slow Disco” – St. Vincent (2018 remix)
An electric kiss goodnight. The season closes not with a whimper — but a pulse.
In “The Bear” Season 4, music isn’t just seasoning but the main ingredient. Each track pulses with intention, not merely accompanying the drama but propelling it forward with texture, tension, and heart. From classical to punk, pop to alt-rock, the soundtrack weaves emotion into every frame, blurring the line between sound design and storytelling.
Few series uses music quite like “The Bear” does, emotionally literate, narratively integrated, and always a little offbeat. It’s not just what you hear — it’s what lingers, long after the kitchen falls silent.
Stream “The Bear” on Hulu and Disney+ internationally!
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