The Devil’s Music: How “Lucifer” Uses Sound to Augment Narrative Part 1

It’s no secret that many average TV shows pay little attention to music outside of trying to hook a catchy theme song or trotting out the same tried and tired tracks for ultimately lackluster emotional impact. By contrast, Lucifer has built an entire character, and much of the show’s own branding and identity, around an ever-evolving soundscape of modern songs. Lucifer uses music boldly to convey its title character’s emotional state, personal growth, and the disparity between the narrative of “Lucifer” most people know and the nightclub-owning angel. Music is such an important part of the show that ever major decision-maker involved in putting it together seems to be perfectly on the same page as to how it should be handled (unfortunately not the most common feat in the entertainment industry).

The Devil Himself, in front of classic nightclub neon lights that spell his name.

Why does Lucifer knock it out of the park where so many series fail? That could have something to do with powerhouse Music Supervisor Alexandra Patsavas, who has worked on Supernatural, The Hunger Games, Grey’s Anatomy, and more. Clearly the lady aint a three time Grammy®Award nominee for nothin’.

Patsavas’s process and creative contributions make a big impact on the feel of the show. She pulls together modern and classic rock and pop, 1940’s tunes, and even some off the wall indie jams into a clean, logical soundtrack. The tracks almost always add to both the narrative and emotional resonance of the scene, rather than being a distraction, or fading entirely into the background. It’s an incredibly difficult balance to strike, but it works beautifully.

Music is so essential to the identity of the show that Lucifer’s lead actor, who plays the titular character, Tom Ellis cited the show creators’ musical choices as one of the things that drew him to the part.

According to Ellis, the real selling point was when the original draft of the pilot suggested the series open up to “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones. By the time the pilot wrapped that song had been dropped (“it was far too expensive to use”). But it had inspired Ellis to create his own playlist for the character.

It was in this initial (if ultimately futile) decision to use a song like “Gimmie Shelter” that show runner Joe Henderson and the other Powers That Be (TPTB) at Fox show how interesting musical choices can really build excitement and brand identity for a show. The originality of the choice stems from the fact that The Devil is not often a character that one considers to be in need of shelter. There is an implied sense of sympathy inherent in a character asking for shelter, even by implication. By imbuing a sense of vulnerability to a supposedly sinister figure, the show has, by the time the opening credits have rolled, created and complex and intriguing basis for a narrative to unfold around. And all that without bashing viewers over the head with something as on-the-nose as “Sympathy for the Devil”. Subtlety, being as it is, the trademark of craft.

It would have been a beautiful opener.

The theme song that eventually ended up airing kept the rock ‘n roll vibe suggested by “Gimmie Shelter” but changed up the underlying message in the lyrics. The sinister figure came back with a vengeance, but not as an evil tempter stalking the innocent. No, this Devil was a gleeful punisher of the wicked.

The theme song for Lucifer, Season 1, “Being Evil Has a Price”

While “Gimmie Shelter” might have set up a more complex and intriguing groundwork for the show, “Being Evil has a Price” opens a few interesting narrative questions for the listener.

The lyrics hint at Lucifer’s powers of seduction and desire with lines like “I hear a lot of little secrets/Tell me yours, and I’ll keep it”. The repetition of the line, “Being evil has a price” also begs the listener to question what that price is. In the typical mythology surrounding the Devil the “price” is almost always a human soul. However, in the show Lucifer, the title character makes pains to be clear about the fact that he doesn’t trade in souls. He punishes of the wicked rather than inciting them to misbehave.

And that playlist Ellis put together?

The actor has since shared his playlist with showrunner and executive producer Joe Henderson, who listens to that and another collection of devilish rock ’n’ roll music whenever he writes.

“Music is very important to our show, and our challenge honestly is not having too many wink songs about the devil,” adds Henderson. “Our challenge is moderation. But really it’s like Lucifer, this guy loves rock ’n’ roll, he loves good music. He’s old school, so what we’re trying to play with is a good mix of old school music and new music that represents that rock ’n’ roll mentality.”