You may not be able to stream any Seinfeld episodes right now, but you can at least revisit the sitcom classic’s music. Twenty-three years after the series’ finale, the official soundtrack has finally been released. The signature compositional style the legendary Jonathan Wolff brought to the show may be best captured in the iconic slapping bass of the theme song, but his music also added levity to some of the show’s must memorable moments.
Of course, not all of them could be represented on the OST — Seinfeld ran for a stunning 180 episodes over nine seasons, after all. So Wolff dug through his contributions to pick out moments where the music was able to “contribute in a significant way to the comedy of the scene.” As he explained in a press statement, he wanted the selections to “serve as an instantly identifiable signature and bring warm fuzzies to a Seinfeld fan who will remember that scene.”
If the tracks themselves don’t jog your memory, we’ve reverse engineered Wolff’s process to highlight the 10 best episodes featured on the Seinfeld soundtrack. From the dark twist of “The Invitations” to the ungroovy dance moves of “The Little Kicks,” from the live-action video game of “The Frogger” to the absurd visuals of “The Package,” we break them all down for you below.
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Unfortunately, you won’t be able to watch any of these episodes unless you’re still a DVD collector. Seinfeld left Hulu last month, and Netflix’s terms with the series don’t begin until September. Still, as you press play on Wolff’s score, read on to revisit some of the definitive Seinfeld moments he scored.
— Ben Kaye, Editorial Director
10. “The Muffin Tops” — Season 8, Episode 21
A rare A-B-C-D plotline for a TV sitcom, everyone is off on their own stories in this one. George fakes being an out of towner to get a date, Jerry tries shaving his chest, and Kramer starts “The Peterman Reality Tour” business. All provide solid humor, but the crux of the episode is the title storyline: Elaine’s obsession with the tops of muffins.
Convinced no one else actually enjoys eating the stumps, Elaine offhandedly hatches the idea for a muffin store that only serves the tops. Mr. Lippan steals the concept and opens Top of the Muffin to You!, but the flaw in his business plan is he only makes the muffin top. See, the deliciousness of the top is only achieved by baking the full muffin and removing the exposed part. Elaine suggests going full muffin and donating the stumps to the homeless, only to receive complaints from the shelter for thinking, “They don’t have homes! They don’t have homes! What do they need the top of the muffin for?” Everyone needs the top of the muffin — it’s the best part! — Ben Kaye
09. “The Cadillac Pt. 2” — Season 7, Episode 15
The two-part episode “The Cadillac” features two very noteworthy cameos: Marisa Tomei, whom George pursues diligently in part one (even though he’s engaged); and Mabel, the woman that Jerry stole the marble rye loaf from in “The Rye” (read on for that one). George finally gets his date with Tomei, but after revealing that he’s engaged, she staunchly rejects him.
Meanwhile, Jerry’s father Morty is under fire from his fellow condo inhabitants in Florida, and upon seeing Jerry, Mabel cements Morty’s impeachment as office condo president. Eventually, George and Jerry get the punishment that’s coming for them — a repeating tradition in Seinfeld. Throughout the two parts of “The Cadillac,” George and Jerry’s immediate hopes and dreams are squandered, albeit in a way that neither could have predicted. The episode is a perfect example of what the show does best: When you least expect it, life happens. — Paolo Ragusa
