Media and Music: ‘Over the Garden Wall’ has the Perfect American Gothic Soundtrack for Fall

Full of warmth and whimsy, the American Gothic-inspired soundtrack of animated series “Over the Garden Wall” embodies the cozy and spooky nostalgia that makes autumn so special.

In Media and Music, our writers take a deep dive into how movies use scores and songs to engage viewers, give new meaning and tone to some of our favorite scenes, and establish themes. It almost goes without saying, but there are spoilers abound.

Written by Caroline Harrison

Images courtesy of Cartoon Network

Funny, unnerving, and adorable all at once, “Over the Garden Wall” follows brothers Greg and Wirt on their journey through a mysterious forest called the Unknown. As they try to find their way home, the brothers realize they are not in the world they once knew.. Including wilderness anxiety, the supernatural, and morality, the series’ strange combination of history and fantasy heavily reflects American Gothicism that characterized the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. Incorporating plot-driven musical numbers reminiscent of the characters’ varying time periods, Over the Garden Wall’s soundtrack reflects Greg and Wirt’s navigation through this dark and mysterious setting of past and fantasy.  

Set in autumn and moving closer to winter in each episode, the approaching darkness of winter is made much more threatening as the Beast roams the woods searching for Greg and Wirt in hopes of turning them into Edelwood trees like other children before. Because of this looming danger for the brothers and other residents of the Unknown, many songs focus on the characters’ current fall environment and the impending winter.

Enhancing the American Gothic themes of the show’s plot through historically influenced musical techniques, the original soundtrack for “Over the Garden Wall” is specifically designed for autumn’s nostalgia and anxieties.

“Into the Unknown,” a recurring theme throughout the series, begins with haunting, contemplative piano and moves into Jack Jones’ bittersweet, ominous baritone vocals. Limited to piano and vocals, this song sonically represents the lonely and treacherous forest and the two brothers traveling through it. Singing “But where have we come? / And where shall we end? / If dreams can't come true / Then why not pretend?,” the song asks questions Greg and Wirt try to answer as they navigate the Unknown, getting more and more confused as they go on.

Parallel to many 19th century literary classics like Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, “Young Goodman Brown,” this track’s uncertainty and foreboding tone build the tension between man and nature, painting the forest in an antagonistic, corrupted light. With lines like “How the gentle wind / Beckons through the leaves / As autumn colors fall / Dancing in a swirl / Of golden memories / The loveliest lies of all,” the second verse is deceptively warmer and more peaceful as the Unknown manipulates all who enters into a false sense of security. Forlorn and mysterious, this track uses rhetorical questions, colorful imagery, and simple instrumentation to reflect the existential melancholy of autumn as we confront our own nature.

“You Have Beautiful Eyes” and “Half-Moon River” include dark instrumentation alongside whistles and howls to build an atmosphere of danger and unease similar to the first half of “Into the Unknown.”

With drab, brooding brass and an unnerving melody played on a metal musical saw, “You Have Beautiful Eyes” is off-putting without the help of morose lyricism. Similarly, “Half-Moon River” heavily relies on the theremin-like sounds of a saw, tuba, and trombone to create a spooky atmosphere. Violins lighten the industrial cadence, but before the song can reach a  complete resolution, the strings end on a dissonant chord, further enforcing the feeling of trepidation and anxiety.

As Greg and Writ encounter strange people and creatures from different time periods, Over the Garden Wall’s soundtrack takes on the musical style surrounding side character’s own place in time. 

The namesake song of the series, “Over the Garden Wall,” offers peace, warmth, and comfort as Greg’s pet frog, voiced by Jack Jones, sings richly about frogs making their own music in the night. Accompanied by drums, trumpet, tuba, bassoon, and an accordion, Jones creates a fun, calming sound reminiscent of the Dixieland jazz of New Orleans. The dark imagery of nature in lines like “At night when the lake is a mirror / And the moon rides the waves to the shore / A single soul sets his voice singing / Content to be slightly forlorn” builds a serene, yet slightly melancholy scene. With backing vocables of “Waa-ooh waa-ooh” from the other frogs, the marching band-like instrumentation, and the driving rhythm section, this song creates nostalgia for the listeners of a time never personally experienced, one of big bands, warm nights, and ferries floating down an untouched land.

Instrumental tracks like “McLaughlin Bros. Jug Band,” and “Money for School” share the same Dixieland jazz influence and ragtime musical styles that characterized American music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With a heavy accordion, clarinet, and guitar melody, “McLaughlin Bros. Jug Band” feels like stepping into the French Quarter of New Orleans or leisurely navigating down the Mississippi River. The track’s tuba and string bass adds a walking, energetic sound that creates warmth and body to the front line’s playful melody. “Money for School” begins as a classic ragtime tune with a springy piano before incorporating a big band sound with a trumpet soloist, heavy snare, and sustained cymbals. The oscillating melody shared by the piano and trumpet create a lively, dynamic tune reflective of a vaudeville show or phonograph record. 

The series’ soundtrack is also heavily influenced by American folk music conventions. Songs like “Old Black Train” and “Can’t You See I’m Lonely” share America’s historical focus on trains, traveling, and parting from loved ones. Using isolated vocals and acoustic guitar, these stripped-down tracks emulate the style of authentic folk music from the early 20th century of the characters singing.

Though favoring a slightly more ragtime style, the heartfelt “Send Me a Peach” also reflects the folk-like tone that permeates much of the soundtrack. With quivering vocals, Justin Rubenstein sings, “The wind here is ready for winter / It seems to turn everything blue / So just send me (Send me) send me one little peach / Just a sweet, sunny piece of you.” This wistful lyricism encompasses the lovelorn aspects of American Gothicism and dark romanticism of the mid-19th century. Singing of the changing seasons and longing for comfort, “Send Me a Peach” reminds listeners of the warm and cozy days of previous seasons and how comfort is found in other ways as winter creeps ever closer.

Incorporating American Gothicism and historical musical styles, “Over the Garden Wall” creates a diverse, yet cohesive sound of fall—its worries and comforts. Primarily utilizing American folk and jazz traditions, the soundtrack’s historical sound integrates nostalgia into every track, whether it is meant to be scary or sweet.

So as we settle into autumn, take this soundtrack as a little piece of adventure and comfort on the journey into your own Unknown.