Warning: Contains spoilers for Russian Doll season 2.
In Russian Doll season 2, the TV series travels back in time and consequently the Russian Doll season 2 soundtrack is full of songs from different time periods. Russian Doll season 1 aired in 2019 and there was a three-year gap before season 2. However, this helped to fuel Russian Doll‘s four-year time jump between the in-universe timelines and set up a whole new story.
Russian Doll season 1 was set on Nadia Vulvokov’s (Natasha Lyonne) 36th birthday and saw her and Alan Zavere Charlie Barnett trapped in a time loop where they both died at the same time every day. Russian Doll’s new take for the dark time-bending comedy has Nadia and Alan using trains to travel back in time. While Alan only goes back in time to 1962 where he inhabits the body of his grandmother, Agnes (Carolyn Michelle Smith), Nadia goes back to 1944, 1968, and 1982 and inhabits both her mother, Nora (Chloë Sevigny), and her grandmother, Vera (Irén Bordán).
Russian Doll season 1 used music to mark the repetition of the time loop with Harry Nilsson’s song “Gotta Get Up” repeatedly playing throughout the season. For Russian Doll season 2, the music instead helps to drive the weirdness of the scenario and underpin some of the time periods that scenes take place in. Here’s a complete song guide for the Russian Doll season 2 soundtrack and when each song appears in the show.
Russian Doll Season 2, Episode 1, “Nowhen”
“Personal Jesus” – Depeche Mode: As the title card for Russian Doll season 2, episode 1 “Nowhen” appears, “Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode begins to play. The song continues to play as Nadia takes the train and visits Ruth Brenner (Elizabeth Ashley) at the hospital.
“Bela Lugosi’s Dead” – Bauhaus: As Nadia and train 6622 arrive in 1982, the song “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by Bauhaus begins to play and fades out as Nadia enters the bar. Appropriately, the Bauhaus song was released in 1982.
“Bonchida A” – Arr. Laszlo Broteri: When Chez (Sharlto Copley) and Nadia are stealing the Krugerrands, Nadia knocks a record player in Vera’s house and an arrangement of the Hungarian song Bonchida A by Laszlo Broteri begins to play.
“Mother” – Danzig: As Nadia flees Chez’s apartment after realizing that she is in Nora’s body, “Mother” by Danzig from 1988 plays over Nadia/Nora walking through the city back to the train and to 2022.
“Get It While You Can” – Janis Joplin: When Nadia/Nora hears Chez run out of the apartment with the Krugerrands, Janis Joplin’s “Get It While You Can” is the song that plays while Nadia chases after him. The song continues to play over the Russian Doll season 2, episode 1 credits.
Russian Doll Season 2, Episode 2, “Coney Island Baby”
“Never Gonna Let You Go” – Michael Miglio: When Nadia/Nora and Ruth (Annie Murphy) are sitting in the bar in 1982, Michael Miglio’s “Never Gonna Let You Go” is playing in the background.
“Goin’ Out of My Head” – Little Anthony & The Imperials: After Nadia/Nora sees Alan on another train, she discovers that the Krugerrands are missing and “Goin’ Out of My Head” by Little Anthony & The Imperials begins to play, continuing to play as the credits song for Russian Doll season 2, episode 2, “Coney Island Baby.”
Russian Doll Season 2, Episode 3, “Brain Drain”
“Put A Straw Under Baby” – Brian Eno: At the start of Russian Doll season 2, episode 3, “Brain Drain,” Brian Eno’s “Put A Straw Under Baby” plays as Nadia/Nora sleeps on the train and Agnes is seen helping her off the train.
“Puddin’ N’ Tain” – The Alley Cats: When Nadia/Nora is looking for information on the Hungarian gold train at the library, The Alley Cats’ “Puddin’ N’ Tain” plays while she runs around until she closes a book on a strange time bug.
“Sunday Morning” – The Velvet Underground & Nico: As Nadia escapes from the hospital in Nora’s body with Nora’s help, “Sunday Morning” by The Velvet Underground & Nico s the song that is playing. “Sunday Morning” continues to play as Nadia returns to 2022 and pulls out her old photos.
“Der Kommissar” – Falco: At the end of Russian Doll season 2, episode 3, “Brain Drain,” the song “Der Kommissar” by Falco begins to play and continues through the episode’s credits.
Russian Doll Season 2, Episode 4, “Station To Station”
“Morgen” by Ivo Robic: At the start of Russian Doll season 2, episode 4, “Station To Station,” as Alan relaxes in the bath, Ivo Robic’s song “Morgen” plays while Alan goes to greet Lenny (Sandor Funtek) in Agnes’ body. The song begins to play again as Alan/Agnes walks to the train and Alan returns to 2022.
“Wasurenaiwa” – Peggy March: When Alan returns to 1962 East Berlin and meets Lenny’s accomplices as Agnes, “Wasurenaiwa” by Peggy March is the song that is playing in the background.
“Mindkilla” – Gang Gang Dance: Back in 2022, as Nadia is researching on her laptop in the hotel, “Mindkilla” by Gang Gang Dance plays as she gets ready to wake Maxine (Greta Lee, The Morning Show) up.
“Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major” – Ludwig van Beethoven: As Alan and Lenny talk after the meeting in 1962 and Alan attempts to persuade them not to go through with the plan, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major is playing in the background and becomes more audible as Alan/Agnes returns to the train.
“Personal Jesus (Alex Metric Remix)” – Depeche Mode: When Nadia gets high at the party in Budapest, Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” plays for the second time in Russian Doll season 2, but this time it is the Alex Metric remix of the song.
“99 Luftballons” – Nena: As Nadia plans to take the train back to 1982 once again, Nena’s “99 Luftballons” begins to play and continues as Nadia finds herself on a train in 1944 Budapest surrounded by Nazis. Nena’s “99 Luftballons” then continues to play through the Russian Doll season 2, episode 4 credits.
Russian Doll Season 2, Episode 5, “Exquisite Corpse”
“Hungarian Rhapsodies” – Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra: After Nadia/Vera is deserted by her friend in 1944 Budapest, some “Hungarian Rhapsodies” begin to play as Nadia walks through the streets, performed by the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra.
“Liebestraum No. 3” – Franz Liszt: As Nadia/Vera searches for the crate with her family’s valuables, “Liebestraum No. 3” by Liszt plays in the background. The song plays again at the end of the episode as the Russian Doll season 2, episode 5 end credits music.
“I Found Out Too Late” – The Sapphires: When Nadia/Vera and Delia take the valuables to be traded in during 1968, the song that plays in the background is The Sapphires’ “I Found Out Too Late,” an appropriate song as Nadia realizes that time travel cannot change the past.
“Fast Czardas” – Arr. Laszlo Broteri: When Nadia/Vera watches the young Nora dancing the Tarantella, Laszlo Broteri’s arrangement of “Fast Czardas” is playing in the room.
“The Thin Ice” – Pink Floyd: As Nadia leaves her young mother and reboards train 6622, Pink Floyd’s “The Thin Ice” plays from The Wall as Nadia walks through the train and finds herself in different time periods and Nora’s water breaks.
Russian Doll Season 2, Episode 6, “Schrödinger’s Ruth”
“Runnin’ With The Devil” – Van Halen: As Nadia gives birth to herself on the platform of the 6th train platform, Van Halen’s song “Runnin’ With The Devil” plays throughout the scene.
“Gotta Get Up” – Harry Nilsson: When Alan returns to the bathroom from the party from Russian Doll season 1, the song that defined season 1, “Gotta Get Up,” by Harry Nilsson, begins to play and continues as the end credits songs for Russian Doll season 2, episode 6.
Russian Doll Season 2, Episode 7, “Matryoshka”
“Gotta Get Up” – Harry Nilsson: The Russian Doll season 2 finale opens with “Gotta Get Up” by Harry Nilsson once again as Nadia and Alan find themselves trapped in Nadia’s 36th birthday as time collapses around them.
“Liebestraum No. 3” – Franz Liszt: As Nadia and Alan explore The Void, Liszt’s “Liebstraum No. 3” scores the scene, making another appearance in the season.
“Shine On You Crazy Diamond” – Pink Floyd: When Nadia gets off the train after returning her infant self to Nora, Pink Floyd’s “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” plays as Nadia makes her way to Nadia’s wake and bumps into Horse (Brendan Sexton III, Don’t Breathe 2). The Pink Floyd song continues as Nadia reunites with Alan and returns to the bathroom, with the song playing through the Russian Doll season 2 finale credits.
