Frauds soundtrack: ITV's heist epic uses Nancy Sinatra, Blondie, and Neneh Cherry classics
Classic songs are mixed with some more modern tunes
Frauds’ epic soundtrack includes an earworm for just about everybody across its six episodes – from muscular 1990s ballads to operatic cathedral-fillers.
Filmed on the Spanish island of Tenerife, the new crime thriller centres around a toxic friendship between Roberta ‘Bert’ Mancini (Vigil’s Suranne Jones) and Martha ‘Sam’ Samuels (Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker), who revive their chaotic criminal camaraderie to rob a Salvador Dali painting worth millions.
Complementing the western aesthetic – described by Frauds executive producer Katie Kelly as “sunshine noir” – the soundtrack features howling vocals and powerful riffs as the two women display why they’re not to be underestimated.
It also incorporates elements of grandeur to work in with the art world plot, while there are deliberate choices based on the lyrics… These help to communicate Bert and Sam’s combustible dynamic.
So what music features on the Frauds soundtrack on ITV?
Frauds on ITV soundtrack – what songs are in it?
Tainted Love by Gloria Jones, released in 1964 (plus a 2010 cover of the same song by Hannah Peel).
These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ by Nancy Sinatra, released in 1966.
Happy Together by The Turtles, released in 1967.
Heart of Glass by Blondie, released in 1978.
Bamboléo by Gipsy Kings, released 1987.
Buffalo Stance by Neneh Cherry, released in 1988.
Off of My Mind by Gary Reynolds, released in 1988.
A Girl Like You by Edwyn Collins, released in 1994.
Filthy/Gorgeous by Scissor Sisters, released in 2004.
The Man by The Killers, released in 2017.
What classical music is in the TV series?
Symphony No. 9 by Ludwig van Beethoven, 1824.
Quando me’n vo from Giacomo Puccini’s opera La bohème, 1896.
Un bel dì, vedremo from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly, 1904.
Jodie Whittaker talks ‘fantastic’ Frauds soundtrack on ITV
Jodie recently joined BBC Radio 6’s Breakfast Show to promote Frauds.
The 43-year-old touched on the tracks that made up the soundscape, and described how they’re illustrative of the characters’ history.
“The soundtrack is fantastic, there’s a lot of formative tunes for Bert and Sam within there,” she explained.
“There’s a lot of things I know the creators were very keen on having not only in the soundtrack, but also referencing moments [when] Bert and Sam were in their late teens. Those were the tunes they were connecting over.
“It marries it all together,” added Jodie. “[Frauds is] not just a great story, a great heist, a great drama, it has this beautiful epic landscape and amazing soundtrack.”
Read more: One Night on ITV: Why Jodie Whittaker drama was pulled from streaming giant Paramount+
