Peaky Blinders soundtrack guide: A complete list of all songs in BBC's period crime drama

Actor Cillian Murphy shined as Thomas Shelby in the BBC drama Peaky Blinders, which followed a criminal gang on the streets of Birmingham in the 1920s.

The drama series is based on an actual gang that operated in the 1880s and was known for their style, especially titled caps, tailored jackets, and buttoned waistcoats, which the series aptly captured.

The show also owes a lot to its electrifying soundtrack, which adds to the overall aesthetic of the show. Introducing the streets of Birmingham and the tough Shelby brothers are the tunes of artists like Nick Cave, The Bad Seeds, Arctic Monkeys, and many more, who add to the show's aura.

Let's explore the soundtrack of Peaky Blinders.

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Red Right Hand: Exploring Peaky Blinders theme song

Every fan became a fan of Nick Caves' Red Right Hand since they saw Thomas Shelby slowly approaching on his horse in Peaky Blinders Season 1. While many fans would like to believe that the song was actually written for Murphy's Thomas, that is not the case.

Red Right Hand was written in 1994 by Nick Cave and his fellow bandmates Mick Harvey and Thomas Wydler. The song, which opens almost every episode of the series, fits perfectly with Thomas' aesthetic and introduces the grim, post-WW1 world.

The 'tall handsome man' in a 'dusty black coat' walking through a 'gathering storm' paints a vivid picture of the ruthless gang leader as he slowly walks on the streets of Birmingham. In an interview with The Sun, Amelia Hartley, the Head of Music at Endemol, discussed how the music choices in the show align with its protagonist's mind:

"We’re very much driven by the idea that the commercial music we use is what’s inside Tommy’s head...''

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What other popular tracks are featured in Peaky Blinders?

While nothing can top Red Right Hand, Peaky Blinders also features many hit numbers throughout its six seasons. Here is a list of some popular tracks:

Season 1-

Nick Cave

• Bring it On
• God is in the House
• Abattoir Blues
• Brother, My Cup is Empty
• Zanastra
• The Proposition
• Martha's Dream

2) I Think I Smell a Rat by The White Stripes

3) The Raconteurs by The Raconteurs

4) Tom Waits by Tom Waits

5) The Prowl by Dan Auerbach

6) Red Right Hand by Patti Smith

Season 2-

1) PJ Harvey

• Before Departure
• Man-Size
• Before Departure
• Broken Harp

2) Arctic Monkeys

• Only Ones Who Know
• Do You Wanna Know?
• Arabella
• One for the Road

3) Fried My Little Brains by The Kills

4) All My Tears by Ane Brun

Season 3-

1) Breathless by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

2) Dangerous Animals by Arctic Monkeys

3) You and Whose Army by Radiohead

4) Don’t Sit Down Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair by Arctic Monkeys

5) You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen

Season 4-

1) Saved These Words by Laura Marling

2) Pyramid Song by Radiohead

3) Beat the Devils Tattoo by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

4) Further On Up The Road by Johnny Cash

5) The Longing by Imelda May

6) Alas Salvation by Yak

Season 5-

1) Lady Grinning Soul by Anna Calvi

2) Ballad of a Thin Man by Bob Dylan

3) Never Fight A Man With A Perm by IDLES

4) Climbing Up The Walls by Radiohead

5) Uber Capitalist Death Trade by Cabbage

6) Black Blood by The Pearl Harts

Season 6-

1) All the Tired Horses by Lisa O'Neill

2) Marilyn Monroe by Marilyn Monroe

3) Lacrimosa by Mozart

4) Sinead O'Connor by Lullaby for Cian

5) Sixteen Men Swinging by Count Basie

6) Kill Them With Kindness by IDLES

Also Read: 5 things from Peaky Blinders that could have been illustrated more closely aligned to the original incidents

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