How The ‘Derry Girls’ Soundtrack Perfectly Recaptures The 1990s Irish Experience

Pop music can often be the most important thing in the world as a teen, even when you’re coming of age during a deadly political conflict where bomb threats and armed raids are all a normal part of the school run.

And few other shows reflect that better than Derry Girls, the sitcom set during the tail end of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, whose joyous second season is now available to stream on Netflix.

It’s why the bunch of “eejits” refuse to let an escaped polar bear, unstable truck driver and the small matter of a controlled explosion (which they inadvertently caused) deter them from screaming their heads off at a Take That gig in the wonderfully madcap episode, “The Concert.”

Despite its mid-1990s setting, Derry Girls doesn’t bombard viewers with “hey, remember this?” nostalgic references. Sure, there’s the odd pop culture nod – wild child Michelle delivers a hilarious monologue about Hugh Grant’s notorious indiscretion. And the “Ms De Brún and the Child of Prague” episode essentially centers on discovering the big reveal of The Usual Suspects.

But when it comes to evoking the spirit of the decade, creator Lisa McGee largely allows the music to do the talking. For better and for worse. Indeed, euphoric floor-fillers such as Alex Party’s “Don’t Give Me Your Life,” Corona’s “Rhythm of the Night” and CeCe Peniston’s “Finally” will no doubt bring back fond memories for anyone who danced around their handbag back in the day. However, school brownnoser Jenny’s torturous school assembly rendition of Wet Wet’s “Love Is All Around” will surely make anyone who lived through its 15-week UK chart-topping reign immediately shudder.

A whole host of quintessential ‘90s genres are covered too, from the West Coast hip-hop of Cypress Hill’s “Insane in the Brain” to the thumping Eurodance of 2 Unlimited’s “No Limit” to the rousing Britpop of Supergrass’ “Alright” – the latter played as the girls accidentally and comically set fire to the local fish and chip shop. And who can forget one-hit wonders such as Jimmy Ray’s Elvis-aping “Are You Jimmy Ray?,” Snow’s tongue-twisting “Informer” and Los Del Rio’s Latin craze-sparking “Macarena?”

Then there’s The Cranberries’ “Dreams,” the effervescent Irish rock classic that first introduced us to the unmistakable yearning tones of Dolores O’Riordan. The track perfectly bookends Derry Girls‘ first season, setting the cautiously optimistic tone ahead in the opening scene and then soundtracking the sobering finale in which a fatal bombing sends shockwaves around the local community. It’s an inspired choice which took on an extra poignancy following O’Riordan’s tragic death halfway through the season’s UK airing.

Alongside The Cranberries, the show is also keen to show off several other Irish musical exports, from crusty folk-rockers The Levellers and MOR siblings The Corrs to New Age enigma Enya and, of course, the worldwide phenomenon that is Riverdance. Boyzone’s “So Good,” one of the few times the Dublin balladeers upped the tempo beyond walking pace, is also used as a recurring motif throughout. And although The Dropkick Murphys hail from Boston, Massachusetts, their fiery brand of Celtic punk has become just as much of a St. Patrick’s Day staple as Guinness and Leprechaun hats – hence their multiple appearances during the first season.

Indeed, the great thing about Derry Girls‘ soundtrack is that it doesn’t rely on the obvious. Sure, there’s still a fair share of instantly familiar ‘90s classics (TLC’s “Waterfalls,” EMF’s “Unbelievable,” House of Pain’s “Jump Around”) and guilty pleasures (see Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Baby,” Ace of Base’ “All That She Wants,” Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy”).

But the show also opens up a treasure trove of pop gems largely forgotten by the UK public and entirely unheard of across the other side of the Atlantic. Indeed, if the terms Smash Hits and Top of the Pops mean nothing to you, then chances are you’ll be unfamiliar with much of the show’s pet sounds.

Take Scarlet’s “Independent Love Song,” for example, the epic power ballad that accompanies James’ knight in shining armour display in “The Prom.” Or the mellow pop-rap of East 17’s “Deep,” surely the coolest boyband song of the era, that plays as the girls pose for The Derry Journal in “Episode Three.” Or the repeated use of “Bubblin’ Hot,” an infectious reggae-pop collaboration between Pato Banton and another recently departed singer, Rankin’ Roger.

These homegrown acts and relatively niche chart hits are very much in keeping with a show which makes few concessions to those unaccustomed with the Derry way of life. Indeed, from its sometimes impenetrable Northern Irish accents to the archival news reports about the peace process, Derry Girls always feels like an utterly authentic depiction of mid-‘90s Northern Ireland; its pitch-perfect soundtrack is simply just an extension of this. It might not reflect your own particular formative years, but mid-‘90s pop nostalgia has never sounded better. 

Jon O’Brien (@jonobrien81) is a freelance entertainment and sports writer from the North West of England. His work has appeared in the likes of Billboard, Paste, i-D, The Guardian, Vinyl Me Please and Allmusic.

Stream Derry Girls on Netflix