Lady In The Lake Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play In Apple TV+'s Thriller Show

Summary

• Lady in the Lake features great music choices from the 1960s era, creating an immersive atmosphere in each episode.
• The series stars Natalie Portman in her first leading television role, alongside an exceptional cast that brings the story to life.
• With positive reviews and a 77% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Lady in the Lake is a captivating murder mystery with noir elements.

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Lady in the Lake.

There are some great music choices in the soundtrack of Apple’s new limited series Lady in the Lake. Based on the 2019 bestselling novel by Laura Lippman, Lady in the Lake stars Oscar winner Natalie Portman in her first-ever leading role in a television series. Portman leads an exceptional cast in Lady in the Lake which also includes rising star actress Moses Ingram, future Superman David Corenswet, and Mikey Madison, the star of this year’s Palme d’Or winner Anora by Sean Baker. Lady in the Lake has opened to positive reviews, earning a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Lady in the Lake episode 1 titled “Did you know Seahorses are fish?” and episode 2 titled “It Has to Do With the Search for the Marvelous” both feature a slate of excellent songs from the period in which the series is set, 1966 Baltimore. The first two episodes of Lady in the Lake became available to stream exclusively on Apple TV+ on Friday, July 19, 2024. A new episode of the 7-part series will be released on a weekly basis until its finale airs on August 23, 2024. Lady in the Lake was directed and written for television by Alma Har’el (Honey Boy, Dave, Shadow Kingdom).

Lady In The Lake Episode 1 Songs

“Did you know Seahorses are fish?”

“Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” by Sly And The Family Stone: This classic song has been covered by numerous singers and bands throughout the years but none are arguably more soulful than this rendition by funk group Sly and the Family Stone. “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” was first introduced in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) and was originally performed by actress Doris Day in the film. As the first song to appear in Lady in the Lake after the main title, it can be heard around the 12-minute mark as Cleo rides the bus.

“Funky Night Club” by The Soulsations: This funky party track plays around the 20-minute mark in Lady in the Lake episode 1 as Cleo comes home to find her husband Slappy having a good time with some friends and their two sons. Cleo is disappointed that Slappy is enjoying himself instead of being a responsible father and having the boys ready for Thanksgiving dinner. She ends up walking out on him by the end of the scene.

“Live Medley: Ain’t There Something Money Can’t Buy” by Young-Holt Unlimited: This song plays around the 34-minute mark in Lady in the Lake as Cleo walks into an underground room where Shell Gordon’s associates assemble large amounts of money. The classic track about money plays as Cleo unlocks the door and enters the room to update Gordon’s financial records since one of her jobs is as a bookkeeper. It also fittingly continues over the next scene in which Maddie pawns her jewelry in order to get an apartment.

“Back Stabbers” by The O’Jays: This groovy horn-heavy track plays around the 39-minute mark in Lady in the Lake episode 1 as Slappy walks the streets of downtown Baltimore looking to get into Shell Gordon’s popular club. He is interested in performing a live comedy set but is ultimately denied entry by Reggie for not being a club member and per Cleo’s request after their fight.

“Where Did Our Love Go” by The Supremes: The final song in Lady in the Lake episode 1 is performed at the end of the episode by Jennifer Mogbock as Dora Carter. The classic song by The Supremes was released in 1964 and is one of the group’s most popular tracks. Mogbock gives an incredible rendition to close out the first episode just before Maddie and Judith discover Tessie Durst’s body.

Lady In The Lake Episode 2 Songs

“It Has to Do With the Search for the Marvelous”

“I’ve Got to Do a Little Bit Better” by Joe Tex: This smooth song from 1966 plays around the 8-minute mark in Lady in the Lake episode 2. Reggie and Cleo carry an intoxicated Dora up to her room after the club has been closed. Cleo and Dora go on to have a conversation about Shell Gordon and Myrtle Summer.

“Gotta Move” by Barbra Streisand: This energetic Barbara Streisand track plays around the 21-minute mark in Lady in the Lake episode 2 as Maddie frantically tries to sell her car to pay rent on her apartment. The song’s lyrics perfectly portray Maddie’s desperation and unstable energy as she tries and fails repeatedly to sell her car without her husband’s signature. She also resorts to staging a robbery to collect the insurance money on her jewelry.

“Fried Neck Bones and Some Home Fries” by Willie Bobo: This cool track plays over an impressive tracking shot inside the floor of Gordon’s club around the 35-minute mark in Lady in the Lake episode 2. Gordon puts a fancy bright blue coat on Cleo, the same one she was wearing when she died, in the scene after she officially cuts ties with Myrtle Summer.

“Evil Ways” by Willie Bobo: Another classic song by Willie Bobo “Evil Ways”, which was also famously covered by the rock band Santana, plays at the end of Lady in the Lake episode 2. Cleo involuntarily drives a group of men who try to assassinate Senator Summer while Officer Ferdie and Maddie sleep together. It’s the perfect song to encapsulate the chaotic tone of the final scenes of the episode.

Lady in the Lake Episode 3 Songs

“I was the first to see her dead. You were the last to see her alive.”

“Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye” by Bettye Swann: This classic R&B track from 1968 plays at the very beginning of Lady in the Lake episode 3. A younger Cleo walks into the bathroom where her father is suffering some type of injury that causes him to bleed. Cleo offers her father money because he appears to be in a tight place financially. She says she’s not giving it to him for free, so he starts to pretend to play the horn while she softly sings the opening lyrics for Bettye Swann’s song. The actual studio version of the song starts to play over the scene as it jumps back to 1960s Baltimore.

“See-Line Woman” by Toni Scruggs: This unmissable song is performed live by Dora Carter in Lady in the Lake episode 3 as Cleo shows up to Shell Gordon’s club ready to have a good time. Following the stressful events that happened to her leading up to this moment, which include her being involved in the assassination attempt of Myrtle Summer and her son Lionel, who has sickle cell amenia, waking up with yellow eyes, Cleo is ready to let loose. She ends up spilling a drink after intensely dancing to the song, trying to dance her troubles away before her husband Slappy finally brings her home, where Cleo tries to play the song again on vinyl. The wild song also plays over another sexual encounter between Maddie and Officer Platt.

“Don’t Play No Woman for No Fool” by L.C. Steels: This blues track plays on vinyl at Maddie’s apartment after she forces her son Seth to come visit her after showing up late to his college fair at his high school. Maddie tries to use the song to relax Seth and make him feel comfortable in her barebones apartment even though the song doesn;t appear to have any sentimental value between the mother and son. Regardless, the song plays in the background before Seth and Maddie get into an argument about her leaving, during which Maddie reveals a dark truth about Seth’s father.

“Promise Me Thomas” by Patti Page: This song plays towards the end of Lady in the Lake episode 3 when Maddie and Judith are visited by a male police officer who has taken a special interest in both of them. The conversation falls flat when Maddie points out that her earrings are bothering her in a clear attempt to dissuade the police officer from making any moves or sticking around much longer. Once the cop leaves, Judith and Maddie dance together in Judith’s father’s jewelry shop with the song playing in the background.

Lady in the Lake Episode 4 Songs

“Innocence Leaves When You Discover Cruelty. First In Others, Then In Yourself.”

“Precious Memories” by Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Although there are not many songs featured in Lady in the Lake episode 4, the three that are featured are powerful ones. This profound song by Sister Rosetta Tharpe appears around the 10-minute mark in the episode after Reggie forces Dora to unpack her things, telling her she’s not going anywhere. The song plays as Cleo gives a voiceover that reflects on her father and the future of her eldest son on a public bus. She also expresses her shame about abandoning her family, which does not end up happening as she had planned.

“Little Man” by Sonny & Cher: This memorable pop song by Sonny & Cher plays around the 14-minute 30-second mark in Lady in the Lake episode 4. The song plays as part of the performance going on in a dark theater as Officer Platt and Officer Davis chase down Duke, who runs into the theater trying to hide. Duke, of course, was responsible for setting up the assassination attempt on Myrtle Summer and was taken into custody in episode 4 after shooting and killing Officer Davis with a fatal bullet to the head. “Little Man” is one of the most popular songs by Sonny & Cher.

“Funkier Than a Mosquito’s Tweeter” by Nina Simone: This classic Nina Simone deep-cut track plays around the 32-minute 30-second mark in Lady in the Lake episode 4 and continues for nearly two minutes. It plays over a montage of Shell Gordon’s lottery as it happens in real-time, with the behind-the-scenes operations that would give Cleo the money she needed to leave her life in Baltimore behind for good. The montage continues as the lottery number is chosen, 366, and ends with an image of Cleo thinking she finally has an escape route. Had it not been for Reggie, and Shell Gordon’s instructions, she still likely would have gotten out of town in Lady in the Lake episode 4.

Lady in the Lake Episode 5 Songs

“Every time someone turns up dead in that lake, it does seem to lead to you.”

“Nobody Knows” by Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir: This powerful gospel song appears during Cleo Johnson’s funeral scene after her body was found in a fountain of a Baltimore lake more than a year after Cleo’s death. The song plays over an extended montage as Maddie, Slappy, Reggie, Shell, Ferdie, and many other funeral-goers attend Cleo’s close-casket funeral. The song features a profound chorus and alludes to the unnoticed death and hardship of Cleo, as well as members of her community. Maddie attends Cleo’s funeral with good intentions but her presence certainly stands out.

“Cha, Cha Seniorita” by Maria Koterbska: This pop song by Polish singer Maria Koterbska plays at the end of Lady in the Lake episode 5 after the shocking twist that Maddie gets stabbed by Stephan’s mother. Stephan’s mother also disturbingly takes her own life as the episode cuts to black and the credits roll as this song plays. The lively song creates an interesting juxtaposition after the most violent and startling scene of the entire series by far. Maddie reaches for the phone and passes out before she is able to communicate where she is. While it’s unlikely that she is dead, it appears that Maddie’s life is severely at risk by the end of Lady in the Lake episode 5.

Lady in the Lake Episode 6 Songs

“Is That All There Is?” by Peggy Lee: This circus-themed song plays right at the beginning of Lady in the Lake episode 6 after Maddie is stabbed by Stephan’s mom. It begins with a spoken word recollection by the lead singer Peggy Sue before it breaks fully into song, which acts as the background music for a party that Maddie and Alan Durst both attended around 1952, judging from Maddie’s costume. The song plays in the background and Alan talks to Maddie after having too much alcohol.

“Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” by Pink Martini: This classic song appears once again in Lady in the Lake after previously appearing in an episode with a focus on Cleo as sung by The Temptations. This song appears during one of Maddie’s nightmare visions while she’s in the hospital, eerily playing over the hospital intercom speaker as she follows Cleo and then Reggie down a dark hospital hallway. The song is all about imagining a life for oneself and then accepting the outcome regardless of hope and disappointment, which is why Maddie envisions who Reggie and Cleo truly are beneath the surface.

“Go Down Moses (feat. Sy Oliver Choir & The All Stars)” by Louis Armstrong: This powerful religious song plays during one of Maddie’s lucid dreams while she’s in the hospital. It’s a song about persecution and oppression based on religious beliefs and tells the story of the Hebrews’ Exodus out of Egypt. Several women dressed in Cleo’s blue coat appear in an interpretive dance that takes place in the department store where Maddie bought the yellow coat from Cleo in the first place. While this is all a part of Maddie’s imagination, the nightmare feels very real.

“Me And My Shadow” by Peggy Lee: This smooth song plays during another one of Maddie’s dream sequences in which she and Ferdie Platt dance together in a sea of colored lights. This could be interpreted as Maddie’s “shadow self” based on the implications in the lyrics of the song, the truer side of herself that she has to hide due to the divisive racial climate of the time period. She and Ferdie are given a moment to be truly free and flourishing in this dance scene before Maddie is brought back to reality.

“The Impossible Dream” by Shirley Bassey: This powerful and inspirational song plays as Maddie envisions Cleo being the star she was born to be, swinging around in the air dressed in gold on a hula-hoop before plunging into the lake below. Maddie, true to form, dives in after her thinking she has some type of responsibility of saving her and pulls her up to the surface. The song continues as Maddie wakes up and discovers that Cleo Johnson isn’t actually dead and she’s standing right in front of her at the end of Lady in the Lake episode 6.

Lady in the Lake Episode 7 Songs

“Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye” by The Manhattans: This classic love song by The Manhattans is sung by both Cleo Johnson and Dora Carter in the opening scene of the Lady in the Lake series finale. They sing the song acapella before heading into Shell Gordon’s nightclub through the back door, sneaking in so they can get a shot of performing onstage. This reveals that Cleo and Dora were both singers and sang in a duet before Sleo took a backset so that Dora could take up the spotlight.

“Love For Sale” by Natalie Jacobs: This romantic song is sung by actress Natalie Jacobs in the Lady in the Lake series finale. It is performed by the actress on stage during a flashback scene that shows the origin story of how Dora Carter came to be one of the resident singers at Shell Gordon’s nightclub back in the 1950s. The song is available to stream on the Lady in the Lake soundtrack that’s currently streaming on Apple Music.

“Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye” by Bettye Swann: This is the same song that was originally sung by the Manhattans but was also covered by Bettye Swann. Dora sings this solo version of the song that she and Cleo had been rehearsing outside before getting into Shell Gordon’s club. Dora performs the track beautifully and it leads to her becoming a regular at Shell’s club while Celo watches from teh crowd with tears in her eyes, looking to help Shell out with his bookkeeping.

“Why Can’t We Live Together” by Timmy Thomas: This tension-building song plays in the background as Cleo disguises herself as a man to break into Shell Gordon’s private office full of his dirty books. It further reveals how she and Reggie have been working together ever since that Christmas Eve night where they dumped Dora’s body into the lake and made it seem like Cleo’s. Cleo makes sure that Reggie will make good on his end of the deal before they head into Shell’s club.

“Sinnerman” by Nina Simone: This classic Nina Simone track is the perfect song choice to portray the downfall of Shell Gordon towards the end of the Lady in the Lake series finale. Cleo sneaks into Shell’s private office disguised as a new bookkeeper before revealing her true identity to Vernon, one of Shell’s accountants. The electric energy of the song fuels Cleo’s secret operation and she puts everything on the line to take Shell down once and for all. It plays over the iconic shot of Cleo watching Shell’s clean books get eviscerated in the fire.

“Feeling Good” by Moses Ingram: This classic track is performed by Moses Ingram as Cleo Johnson in the final scene of the Lady in the Lake series finale. Cleo successfully took her money and fled to Paris where she built a life with her husband Slappy and her children far away from Baltimore after Reggie took the fall for her “murder” so that she could be free. The song also plays over Maddie’s scenes that show how she took Cleo’s story and made it into a popular book but in the end feels unhappy with her life and the path she chose.