Superbad:
Teen Comedy Meets Deep-Cut Funk
Superbad is all about Seth & Evan and the legendary McLovin... It's totally Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, but it's also very much Judd Apatow and musically speaking, as much Lyle Workman.
It is the definitive teenage "bromance," born from the real-life experiences of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. They write the script during their own high school years in the 90s, even giving the main characters their own names.
The story runs on teenage panic and friendship but the soundtrack runs on something far cooler: the deep, rubbery groove of 1970s funk.
Lyle Workman!
The film’s sonic backbone is the work of guitarist, composer, producer Lyle Workman.
Raised in San Jose, he defines himself as a Hendrix fan, lover of classic rock of the seventies, progressive rock and jazz-fusion—Genesis, Yes, Focus, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report. Those hybrid sounds eventually lead him backward through the musical family tree. As Workman himself explains, exploring fusion draws him closer to the music that inspires it all: artists like Miles Davis, composers such as Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy, and guitar masters like Albert King and Django Reinhardt.
By 1997, he lives in Los Angeles playing guitar for Frank Black (of the Pixies). While there, he takes a UCLA course on arranging and orchestration for film—not because he has a project at hand, but simply because he wants to understand how the "big sound" works. He begins doing session work as a guitarist for a jingle company, which leads to his first co-scoring job on Made. That opportunity eventually leads to Kicking & Screaming (a Will Ferrell film produced by Judd Apatow). From there the path continues to The 40-Year-Old Virgin—and finally to Superbad.
Soundtrack: J.B.'s Reunion Gold
Superbad soundtrack is released on August 7, 2007 via Lakeshore Records—original music by Lyle Workman and straight 70s funk legends.
As he later explains in interviews, the music of the film is already set to be R&B and Funk music of the 70s. To make his score feel just as authentic as the songs selected, he decides to hire the innovators i.e. the musicians who made that iconic music in the 70s. With support from Sony Pictures, Workman brings together the original J.B.'s for fresh sessions.
The core band therefore includes:
Bootsy Collins on bass, Bernie Worrell on keyboards, Clyde Stubblefield and John "Jabo" Starks on drums (i.e. The James Brown "Double Drum" powerhouse), Catfish Collins on guitar and Workman himself on guitar.
Recording takes place at the legendary Capitol Studios.
The Crate-Digger’s Tracklist
The tracklist is like a curated crate-digger's dream. The Bar-Kays’ ‘Too Hot to Stop’ plays right at the start, providing the perfect energy for Seth and Evan’s opening (silhouetted) dance. KC and the Sunshine Band’s I'm ‘Your Boogie Man’ is the music to one of the most important scenes of the movie! There is also ‘Do Me’ by Jean Knight, ‘Why Do I Cry’ by The Remains, and Curtis Mayfield’s ‘P.S. I Love You.”
Workman’s original compositions blend in perfectly. The soundtracks that combine new and old scores frequently give the impression that they are from different universes. However, everything seems to be coming from the same place here.
Where Music and Comedy Collide
The match of lyrics to the absurdity of some of the scenes is pure genius.
One of the best examples is 'Bustin' Out (On Funk)' by Rick James. The track kicks in just as Seth and Evan step off the bus and meet Fogell. The phrase “freaks!” practically defines the moment, turning the trio into an instant funk-comedy ensemble.
Another perfect match is with 'Are You Man Enough' by Four Tops, the trio travelling to their adventure in a bus and we see Fogell picking his nose.
And my favorite is the discovery of what Seth calls the “dick treasure chest.”
As Seth reveals his childhood collection of obsessive, phallic drawings, the sophisticated bossa-nova groove 'Roda' from Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 plays in the background. The contrast between the elegant rhythm of ‘Roda’ and the sheer weirdness of the drawings is hilarious and perfect! 😝
Gülben - 3/2026
