PJ Harvey is a prolific artist with an undeniably poetic style. Along with several albums, she frequently dabbles in soundtracks for television, movies, and even the stage. Here are just some of her contributions over the years. These include a Nick Cave cover for Peaky Blinders to the entire soundtrack for Bad Sisters seasons 1 and 2. Plus, of course, much more.
Videos by American Songwriter
A Selection of PJ Harvey’s Best Soundtracks
Bad Sisters Seasons 1 and 2
In 2022, PJ Harvey collaborated with Tim Phillips to create the soundtrack for the Irish comedy series Bad Sisters. In 2024, they collaborated again for season 2. The soundtracks establish the environment of the series, set in Dublin, as well as its darker elements. The show revolves around the five Garvey sisters, one of whom has an abusive husband. When the husband dies unexpectedly (convenient, as the other sisters secretly plot to murder their brother-in-law), the Garveys are sucked into an insurance fraud investigation. PJ Harvey’s soundtracks work to create atmospheric tension and bolster the show’s darkly comedic moments.
All About Eve
In 2019, the 1950 film All About Eve was adapted into a stage play starring Gillian Anderson and Lily James. PJ Harvey contributed the music to the stage production. She created a hauntingly contemporary atmosphere for the adaptation set in the 1950s. While a 2019 review in The Guardian described the music as “unarresting,” there’s a subtlety to it that works to bolster the complicated emotions that the stage show evoked through its actors and the story itself.
“An Acre of Land” from Dark River
PJ Harvey and composer Harry Escott collaborated on the theme for the 2018 film Dark River. Escott described recording Harvey’s vocals as “a spine-tingling experience,” per a quote from Harvey’s website. The composition is simple, but Harvey’s voice is haunting on the darkly pastoral lyrics. She sings about having an acre of land and how she “plowed it with a rams horn … and sowed it all over with one peppercorn … harrowed it with a team of rats … and reaped it all with my little tooth comb … sent it home in a walnut shell … and thrashed it with a goose’s quill.” In between, she repeats the line “sing holly, go whistle and ivy.”
“Red Right Hand” from Peaky Blinders
PJ Harvey recorded a version of Nick Cave’s “Red Right Hand” for the series Peaky Blinders. The show uses the original as its main theme, but Harvey’s is slow, lilting, and haunting. Backed only by piano, she drags her voice through the song like it’s physically painful, stretching it out along a rack. There have been several covers of “Red Right Hand” used in the show—a particularly fun version by Arctic Monkeys was used in season 2—and each version used evokes strong emotional moments. PJ Harvey’s version was also used in season 2 as the opening titles of episode 3.
Featured Image by Steve Jennings/Getty Images
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