Quentin Tarantino: Music-First

When people talk about Quentin Tarantino, they usually focus on his dialogue or his visuals. But I have read in various interviews that for him, music comes first. Music isn't a background decoration in his work; it’s the foundation of the script and the rhythm of the film. 

As he once explained, “A good majority of them I come up with beforehand. More or less the way my method works is you have got to find the opening credit sequence first. That starts it off from me. I find the personality of the piece through the music that is going to be in it. … Once I know I want to do something, then it is a simple matter of me diving into my record collection and finding the songs that give me the rhythm of my movie.”

This isn't just what he says – we can hear it in every frame of Jackie Brown.

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Why Jackie Brown?

Adapted from Elmore Leonard's 1992 novel Rum Punch, Jackie Brown (released December 9, 1997) stands apart in Tarantino's filmography as his love letter to blaxploitation cinema.

It is the Tarantino film where music doesn’t just flow parallel to the action — it exists inside the world of the characters. He nails diegetic sound— the characters actually hear the music as we hear it—pulling us right into their world. Records and cassettes are played and we are placed in the same musical atmosphere—be it Jackie’s living room or Max’s car—sharing the groove directly with the characters.

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​The Delfonics Own the Movie!

The Delfonics don't just appear in Jackie Brown—they own the movie! We not only hear their music; the band name is mentioned a couple of times, they are discussed and admired, and the songs are shared between characters.

The group is a constant thread: Jackie (Pam Grier) introduces the band to Max (Robert Forster) while playing ‘Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)’ on her record player. Later, we see the impact when Max buys their cassette. And still later, Ordell (Samuel L. Jackson) hears the tape playing and reacts with genuine surprise. The Delfonics connect scenes!

The Delfonics, formed in Philadelphia, reach their peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a run of gorgeous, emotional soul gems. Songs like ‘La-La (Means I Love You)’, ‘Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide from Love)’, and ‘Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)’ define a sound that is tender but confident.

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Two High Points of the Soundtrack

Across 110th Street

The film is bookended by the unfiltered soul of Bobby Womack.

Bobby Womack stands as a crucial figure in funk and soul history: a guitarist, songwriter, singer; delivering one of cinema's most iconic themes with ‘Across 110th Street’ from the 1972 blaxploitation classic of the same name. Co-written with J.J. Johnson and credited to Bobby Womack & Peace, the track blends gospel soul with street sound.

In the famous opening shot, the song plays over the credits as Jackie glides through LAX framed in profile, moving steadily forward as Bobby Womack’s ‘Across 110th Street’ fills the space. 

In the final scene, as Jackie drives away, she starts to sing along with the song. Suddenly, the music is no longer "the soundtrack"—it’s what she’s listening to in her car. It’s a perfect loop that shows how far she has come.

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Strawberry Letter 23

If ‘Across 110th Street’ defines the film’s emotional tone, ‘Strawberry Letter 23’ defines its sense of darkness. 

Originally written by Shuggie Otis and famously covered by The Brothers Johnson, the 1977 funk hit is used for one of the most chilling moments. Its upbeat energy creates a twisted contrast as Ordell casually stuffs Beaumont (Chris Tucker) in his trunk, cruises the block, then executes him—while this breezy funk jam beams from the radio. The sunny groove against cold murder is pure Tarantino weirdness.

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And Roy Ayers' ‘Aragon’: My High Point

And then there is Roy Ayers! 

Roy Ayers pretty much defines jazz-funk— he is a musician who understands joy as a musical philosophy. From his early post-bop work to his era-defining output with Roy Ayers Ubiquity, Ayers consistently chases feel-good energy without ever sacrificing sophistication. 

In 1973, he composes the soundtrack for Coffy, the blaxploitation classic starring Pam Grier. That score — heavy, sensual, cinematic — places Ayers alongside Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes as a master of funk-driven film music. 

While he has several tracks scattered throughout the film, ‘Aragon’ stands out in particular, as a celebratory, forward-moving piece: vibrant, optimistic, alive. 

Tarantino uses ‘Aragon’ twice in Jackie Brown, and both times it signals “possibility.” Success is close—the plan feels like it might work! 

First, it plays as Jackie stashes the money in the plane's restroom. Later, again when Max exits the dressing room during the final bag transfer. Those vibes scream victory— not exactly a traditional funk rhythm, but the spirit is unmistakably funk—pure celebratory groove. 💸​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Gülben - 2/2026

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