Cars 2 Soundtrack Arrives June 14 with Giacchino, Weezer and International Artists

(compiled by LaughingPlace Newsdesk) -- Soundtrack for "Cars 2" hits shelves June 14. The score for the global adventure is composed by Oscar® and GRAMMY®-winning composer Michael Giacchino and includes performances by an international collection of musicians.

“Cars 2” is the fourth Pixar feature score for Giacchino, who has previously composed the music for “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” and “Up,” along with half a dozen short films from the Studio. “Michael is doing such a cool score for the film,” says director John Lasseter. “We did not want to do a typical spy movie score. We wanted it to be something very different–a whole new approach.”

“John [Lasseter] knows the story,” says Giacchino. “He knows what his characters need and what they want. That’s how to discuss music—in emotions. If Mater is feeling left out, I can translate that into music. I love working with the people at Pixar because they all talk in terms of story and that’s how I love to work.”

Giacchino also wrote a French song called “Mon coeur fait vroum,” (“My Heart Goes Vroom”) which is sung for the film by the popular and admired French singer/songwriter Bénabar, providing a musical introduction to Paris. The lyrics for the song are by Giacchino and Scott Langteau with French adaptation by Boualem Lamhene. Bénabar’s self-titled album, released in 2001, launched a phenomenally successful singing career. In 2006, his album, “Reprise de Negociations,” was a top seller in Europe, and led to several major music industry awards the following year.

You'll also find the Weezer's (multi-platinum-selling American alternative rock band) take on the 1984 pop hit, "You Might Think" (written by Ric Ocasek and originally performed by The Cars) in the movie soundtrack. Band member Brian Bell says the band was surprised by the song's complexity. “When we really dug deep into the song, we saw the genius of the arrangement and how all these relatively simplistic parts worked together to create this amazing fabric of sound.” The song plays during a scene where Lightning McQueen and Mater go to Japan, which was great for Weezer as they felt it mirrored their experiences in Japan explaining "there was a little bit of a culture shock."

Japanese girl band Perfume’s hit single “Polyrhythm” will also be featured in the film when Lightning and Mater attend the World Grand Prix opening night gala in Tokyo.

Also returning with two new songs for "Cars 2" “Behind the Clouds” (written with Frank Rogers) and “Find Yourself” is multiple GRAMMY®-winning country superstar and Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley, who was a major contributor to the first “Cars” soundtrack.

Director John Lasseter explains, “Brad and I became close friends during the making of ‘Cars.’ For ‘Cars 2,’ he and Robbie [Williams] have teamed up to do this really cool rock ‘n roll song. It’s something very different from what Brad normally does, but he and Robbie have created a fantastic song that captures the friendship of McQueen and Mater over the end credits.”

Adds Paisley, “The song is a rock vocal event with one of the most talented people I’ve ever met, Robbie Williams. It was John’s idea to bring these two worlds together – combining the English and American takes on music. We’re both out of our comfort zone, seeing what happens when you’re forced into going new places, which is really what ‘Cars 2’ is about. It’s totally parallel to the story.”

The song, “Collision of Worlds,” is written and performed as a duet with Paisley and Williams, the talented, award-winning singer/songwriter who has achieved incredible fame as a solo performer and as a member of the group Take That. Williams has sold more than 57 million albums worldwide, and is one of Britain’s all-time top selling recording artists. “It’s an international kind of song that’s inspired very much by the film–it wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the story,” says Williams. “Brad turned up with his guitar and a basic understanding of what he wanted the song to sound like. He played me a few chords and we noodled and twiddled our way into forming this song. It’s back and forth colloquialisms between two different countries speaking the same language and not understanding each other—until now.”

The title of the second song is a bit of a spoiler so skip the next part if you don't want to uncover story elements.

The song is titled "Nobody's Fool" and is written and performed by Brad Paisley. “It’s inspired by the most heartbreaking scene in the movie,” says Paisley. “Mater realizes that everybody thinks he’s playing the fool and he becomes sort of enlightened and realizes that he’s not playing the fool—he is one. But Mater realizes he is who he is and that was inspiring to me.”

Complete soundtrack listing is below (again some of the titles reveal story elements proceed at your own risk)

1. Weezer - You Might Think 03:07
2. Brad Paisley & Robbie Williams - Collision of Worlds 03:36
3. Bénabar - Mon Coeur Fait Vroum (My Heart Goes Vroom) 02:49
4. Brad Paisley - Nobody's Fool 04:17
5. Perfume - Polyrhythm 04:09
6. Michael Giacchino - Turbo Transmission 00:52
7. Michael Giacchino - It's Finn McMissile! 05:54
8. Michael Giacchino - Mater the Waiter 00:43
9. Michael Giacchino - Radiator Reunion 01:40
10. Michael Giacchino - Cranking up the Heat 01:59
11. Michael Giacchino - Towkyo Takeout 05:40
12. Michael Giacchino - Tarmac the Magnificent 02:39
13. Michael Giacchino - Whose Engine is This? 01:22
14. Michael Giacchino - History’s Biggest Loser Cars 02:26
15. Michael Giacchino - Mater of Disguise 00:48
16. Michael Giacchino - Porto Corsa 02:55
17. Michael Giacchino - The Lemon Pledge 02:13
18. Michael Giacchino - Mater’s Getaway 00:59
19. Michael Giacchino - Mater Warns McQueen 01:31
20. Michael Giacchino - Going to the Backup Plan 02:24
21. Michael Giacchino - Mater’s the Bomb 03:17
22. Michael Giacchino - Blunder and Lightning 02:17
23. Michael Giacchino - The Other Shoot 01:03
24. Michael Giacchino - Axelrod Exposed 02:22
25. Michael Giacchino - The Radiator Springs Gran Prix 01:30
26. Michael Giacchino - The Turbomater 00:50