Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Before!
Apple TV+ Before includes very few songs on the soundtrack, making them even more impactful and meaningful when they appear. The psychological thriller follows the mysterious connection between a widowed child psychologist named Eli and a troubled young man in the foster care system named Noah. After its release, the Billy Crystal show received extremely divided responseswith critics almost unilaterally demoting the show as boring, slow and repetitive. The only part of the show they enjoy is Billy Crystal, the main cast member of Before.
However, viewers were much more positive towards Before, praising the slow pace and central mystery. One element that wasn’t discussed much by either group is Before’s soundtrack. The reason this was mostly ignored is because there are almost no songs in the original Apple TV+ show, which is an unusual choice. Instead of, Before It mainly uses a score that increases tension and suspense. Still, the few songs that appear in each episode have a stronger influence on the plot and characters.
Before Episode 1
“The Impostor”
“So Close” by Brook Benton: The song “So Close” plays when Eli gets out of bed, lets his pug out, and makes an espresso.
“Only You” by Platters: Eli looks at his wife’s photo of a farmhouse as “Only You” plays in the background and the lights begin to turn on and off. He then places an image of a farmhouse under a craft mat.
Before Episode 2
“The Scientist”
“I’ve Got You Under My Skin” by Frank Sinatra: Frank Sinatra’s classic jazz song plays as Eli feeds the dog food and puts the roses he plucked from the ground back into the earth during his rage episode in Before episode 2.
Before Episode 3
“The Liar”
“I’m Looking Out the Window” by Cliff Richard & The Shadows: The song “I’m Looking Out the Window” plays as Eli looks through the closet at his wife’s clothes and goes downstairs.
“You Are My Sunshine” by Jimmie Davis: In the climax of Before episode 3, Denise sings “You Are My Sunshine” when Noah becomes scared of his dark water hallucination to help him feel safe and comforted. This moment shows the emotional bond between Noah and his adoptive mother.
Before episode 5
“Folie à Deux”
“What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong: The song “What A Wonderful World” plays for the first time in Before episode 5 for a moment when he’s in the elevator. Later, Lynn’s mother, Ruth, plays a cassette tape of Louis Armstrong’s music when Eli comes to visit her at her house, and he hallucinates dancing with his mother-in-law.