Sons Of Anarchy Fans Have Some Strong Opinions On The Show's Soundtrack

A TV show can be great, but oftentimes, its soundtrack allows it to resonate with viewers on a whole other level. Just look at "Stranger Things" Season 4, which put Kate Bush's 1985 hit "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" back into mainstream radio airplay. Another series that boasts a unique lineup of music is FX's "Sons of Anarchy." 

Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam), Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman), and the other outlaw bikers of SAMCRO might partake in murder, drugs, and other crimes, but they don't do it in silence. Many songs heard throughout "Sons of Anarchy" are performed by the show's in-house rock band, the Forest Rangers, sometimes featuring special guests. Katey Sagal, who portrays the queen of Charming, Gemma Teller Morrow, lends her vocals to "Son of a Preacher Man," "Bird on a Wire," and several more. Even singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran got in on the musical action by penning and recording the track "Make It Rain," which can be heard in the penultimate episode of the series.

However, the most memorable edition to the soundtrack might just be "Come Join the Murder" by the White Buffalo and the Forest Rangers. The haunting tune can be heard during Jax's final ride as he's followed by a dozen cops, with the song ending right as he willingly meets his demise.

Regarding the music heard on "Sons of Anarchy," many fans share a strong, overarching opinion.

According to a Reddit thread entitled, "Damn the soundtrack is great," a number of "Sons of Anarchy" fans thoroughly enjoyed the show's music. A plethora of fans praised the Forest Rangers, in particular, for lending their talents to the majority of the tracks, which this user said are effectively placed in the show. 

For example, this user argued that "Come Join the Murder" is the perfect song for the final scene, while "Day is Gone" is the ideal backdrop for the death of Tara Knowles (Maggie Siff). Other "Sons of Anarchy" fans appeared to be in agreement. In one comment, u/rapscallionrodent said, "I don't think I've ever seen a show have such a strong soundtrack and use the music so well for its scenes."

Other commenters shared their own favorite musical moments in the series. For example, u/xinfinitimortum provided other favorite songs on the soundtrack, such as the White Buffalo's "Oh Darlin' What Have I Done" and Curtis Stigers and the Forest Rangers' "John the Revelator." This user also applauded Katey Sagal's inclusion on the soundtrack as "pretty rad."

In another comment, u/eZCoffeE noted that they particularly enjoyed Battleme's "Hey Hey, My My," heard during the last episode of Season 3. As for Ed Sheeran's contribution, u/007Kryptonian hailed it as "fantastic and powerful."

Of course, not everyone is meant to enjoy everything. In another Reddit thread, u/gucci_flocka_flame asked, "Is there a reason WHY [Sons of Anarchy] has the worst soundtrack ever?" Though some commenters agreed, "Sons of Anarchy" fans largely came to the music's defense. Responding to this comment, u/xLite414 wrote, "SoA is the only show I've actually bought the soundtracks because of how good the music was. Many share the same opinion that SoA has great music also."

The "Sons of Anarchy" soundtrack as a whole may be hailed by fans as one of the best to come from a TV series, but something about "Come Join the Murder" has particularly resonated with the masses. It is, after all, what's heard as leading man Jax experiences his final minutes in the world. He feels this is the only way to prevent his children from following in his SAMCRO footsteps.

For Jake Smith, aka the White Buffalo, it was an honor to collaborate with music supervisor Bob Thiele Jr. and "Sons of Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter, the latter of whom actually penned the track. Smith told Rolling Stone, "The song is conflicted, disturbing and beautiful, much like the show itself."

According to Thiele, there's a reason behind the song's somewhat catchy melody — he didn't want the scene to be too much of a downer. "We know what's gonna happen and sad as it is, there is a triumphant surrender that Jax embraces in his final moments," Thiele explained. "Rather than stay in the minor key of the verse, I chose to frame the chorus in a major key which underscores Jax's decision to choose his own final destiny."

On the heels of the song's release, the White Buffalo revealed to What Culture that he didn't play "Come Join the Murder" at live shows. Since he didn't write the lyrics, he felt "a little unattached to it." However, after an interviewer pointed out that fans might enjoy it, the artist changed his mind. "[W]e played it pretty much every show after that," he said.