30 Rock ’s Unsung Secret Weapon

This article is part of 20 Years of 30 Rock, Slate’s celebration of the iconic sitcom two decades after its premiere.

30 Rock may be best remembered as a quick-fire joke machine, but its true genius is inseparable from its soundtrack. So many of the show’s most crackling, lightning-quick gags are set to music, with spritely melodies and absurd lyrics composed by Jeff Richmond (creator Tina Fey’s husband and frequent collaborator) and ranging anywhere from four seconds to four minutes in length. There are gut-busting lyrical edits, as when Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” turns into Janet Jopler’s “Chunk of My Lung”; there are heartfelt covers, like the cast recording of “The Christmas Waltz”; and there are earworms that are so short, yet so perfect, that popular demand necessitated that they be turned into radio-format singles, like “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah.” Some of these melodies, essential to 30 Rock’s plots and comedic core, were compiled for an official soundtrack in the midst of its fifth season, the amusing jingles accompanying bits of Richmond’s instantly recognizable score.

Unfortunately, the show’s infamously low viewership and apathetic treatment by NBC meant there was never any official soundtrack update in its remaining seasons—and thus, no CD-quality versions of songs from the rest of the series. Nevertheless, in an effort to finally pay 30 Rock’s secret weapon its due, I have attempted to compile all the original songs I could find. I thus present to you: The 30 Rock mixtape.

The Group Numbers 

“That’s Her”
Episode: Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”
Key Lyric: “Who’s that, a-kickin’ it down the street, causin’ a stir?”

The beginning of it all. We meet the now-iconic Liz Lemon (Tina Fey), head writer at The Girlie Show, in line at a hot dog cart as a besuited man busy on his cellphone cuts everyone in order to form a “second line” for the food. Lemon objects and decides to resolve things by buying all the hot dogs from the stand, which she’ll then distribute to everyone except the man in the suit. That’s when the song kicks off, an effective “Theme From Shaft” for Liz as she totes a large hot dog box to work, passing out the glizzies to other New Yorkers who clearly don’t want them. But wait—there’s a fake-out! After Lemon enters the elevator, we get our first glimpse of the Girlie Show studio, where Josh Girard (Lonny Ross) is singing onstage and introducing Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski), here in character as the real “Her”: Pam, the Overly Confident Morbidly Obese Woman. Welcome to 30 Rock and 30 Rock, which will feature an instrumental version of “That’s Her” as an auditory motif throughout.

“What Do You Say to Cleveland”
Episode: Season 1, Episode 20, “Cleveland”
Key Lyric: “Chef Boyardee was born here, you know”

In the midst of his fling with Liz Lemon, GE attorney Floyd DeBarber (Jason Sudeikis) tires of New York City life and invites his girlfriend to consider moving to Cleveland (or “The Cleve,” in her boss’s parlance). Their visit to the Midwestern city is accompanied by a smooth-lounge tune sung by Sudeikis and Tina Fey themselves, covering the Ohio metropolis’s iconic landmarks—Higbee’s, Terminal Tower—and featuring a surprise mention of Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan), once again on the run from his TGS responsibilities. (This one recently enjoyed a brief social media renaissance in response to Taylor Swift’s somehow much odder Cleveland tribute.)

“Midnight Train to Georgia”
Episode: Season 2, Episode 10, “Episode 210”
Key Lyric: “There’s an 11:45 / And I was misinformed about the time”

If I had to pick one song that truly encapsulates the 30 Rock spirit, it’d have to be this one. Yes, it is technically a cover of the classic by Gladys Knight and the Pips, whose lead singer shows up at song’s end to complain about all the racket. But damn if the cast doesn’t make this one their own. Edited to describe the homecoming journey Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) is about to take down South, the 30 Rock “Midnight” ropes in Tracy Jordan and his sidekicks, Dot Com and Grizz (Kevin Brown and the late Grizz Chapman), to mourn Kenneth’s inability to hack it in New York, with a classically extravagant assist from Jenna. But wait—look who it is! Kenneth’s back, having showed up too late for the quarter-to-midnight train to Georgia (“I missed it (he missed it!)”). So he enters the dance line as well, knowing he’s gonna be at Rockefeller Center for the long haul. So much hullaballoo over a nothingburger, but you can’t say it isn’t rousing.

“He Needs a Kidney”
Episode: Season 3, Episode 22, “Kidney Now!”
Key Lyric: “Listen, when someone starts talking in the middle of a song, you know it’s serious.”

Anyone who doubted 30 Rock’s cultural prowess couldn’t deny that those who loved it really loved it—and sometimes, those fans were big-time celebrities willing to beclown themselves on camera for the sake of the show. Hence the ensemble closer for Season 3, a charity number reminiscent of “We Are the World” and conceptualized by showrunners Robert Carlock and Tina Fey for a plot about how Jack’s newly discovered father, Milton Greene (Alan Alda), needs a kidney donor. The song, which still came courtesy of Jeff Richmond, is a real monster effort, featuring, in order of first appearance: Sheryl Crow, Adam Levine, Mary J. Blige, Elvis Costello, Clay Aiken, Norah Jones, Sara Bareilles, Rhett Miller, Rachael Yamagata, Moby, Michael McDonald, Steve Earle, Wyclef Jean, Robert Randolph, Cyndi Lauper, the Beastie Boys’ Mike D and Ad-Rock, and Talib Kweli. The star-powered single was later released on iTunes, with all its sales proceeds benefiting the National Kidney Foundation.

“Don’t Go to Bed With a Frown”
Episode: Season 4, Episode 20, “The Moms”
Key Lyric: “Don’t go to sleep with a frown in your pocket / Take it to the yard and tie it to a rocket”

We first get a preview of this ditty in Season 4’s “Verna,” when Liz and Kenneth harmonize it (badly) in the NBC offices. But the song reaches its most transcendent form in “The Moms,” when the legendary Elaine Stritch (who played Jack’s mother, Colleen) leads a chorus of the TGS crew’s matriarchs in a special Mother’s Day broadcast.

“Weekend Woman”
Episode: Season 5, Episode 15, “It’s Never Too Late for Now”
Key Lyric: “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, uh-uh-uh / Friday, Saturday, kinda Sunday, and holiday Mondays”

A true team effort: Producer Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit) starts an ’80s-throwback band called Sound Mound with TGS writer Frank (Judah Friedlander), who covers synths and backing vocals while Pete leads on guitar and microphone. Under the aegis of Super Speedy Records (No Refunds), the duo releases “Weekend Woman” as the lead single from their debut album, Parents Suck, with an end-credits video directed by Walter “Dot Com” Slattery. (Not to be confused with the Weezer song of the same name, which was released much later.)

The Snippets 

“It’s a Jordan Christmas”
Episode: Season 1, Episode 11, “The Head and the Hair”
Key Lyric: “A stocking full of smi-i-i-iiiiiles”

A holiday standard from Tracy Jordan’s discography, accompanied at the time by a video that Frank remembers as “raunchy.” We sadly don’t get to see it, but we do get an upgrade of this song in the credits of “Ludachristmas” (Season 2, Episode 9), with a chorus, a string orchestra, and some sleigh bells to match Tracy’s off-key crooning.

“Werewolf Bar Mitzvah”
Episode: Season 2, Episode 2, “Jack Gets in the Game”
Key Lyric: “Boys becoming men, men becoming wolves”

Maybe the single most famous original song from the 30 Rock soundtrack, with two brilliant lyrics imagined by two separate writers. The seven seconds we see of Tracy Jordan and his backup dancers—dressed as if “Thriller” had featured werewolves instead of zombies—became such an online sensation that Donald Glover, then a writer on the show, was tasked with expanding it into a full song for the CD compilation. To this day, the full-length effort is ranked among the greatest Halloween songs ever.

“Simple Things”
Episode: Season 3, Episode 16, “Apollo, Apollo”
Key Lyric: “I think you’re very special, Kenneth (pardon me)”

For a glorious 10 seconds, we see the world through eyes of Kenneth, who’s chatting with Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) as he’s getting fitted for a new tux. It turns out that pretty much everyone comes across to the NBC page like a singing Muppet—including the head honcho, who appreciates Kenneth’s ability to find joy in “simple things” like bobblehead keychains. (Weirdly, so does the tailor, at least from Kenneth’s POV.)

“Cheesy Blasters”
Episode: Season 4, Episode 1, “Season 4”
Key Lyric: “Take a hot dog, stuff it with some Jack cheese, roll it in a pizza”

Jack Donaghy looks at the camera as he welcomes the audience to Season Four, “the No. 1 Asian fusion restaurant in New York,” where he, Liz, Tracy, and Jenna partake of “the No. 1 food in the rest of America”: cheesy blasters. Jenna and Tracy don’t know what they are, but Liz remembers the jingle and the skateboarding mascot, Meat Cat, quite well.

“Slaves of Jesus”
Episode: Season 5, Episode 16, “TGS Hates Women”
Key Lyric: “Slaves of Jesus, hear my tale”

In an existential moment, Jack asks Kenneth how he thinks the Kabletown CEO will be remembered after his death. Naturally, the deeply religious Kenneth has already been “composing a heroic ballad” for that occasion. Too bad Jack cuts him off before we can hear more of it.

“These Are My Memories”
Episode: Season 5, Episode 21, “100: Part 2”
Key Lyric: “I now believe these are my memories”

In 30 Rock’s 100^th episode, TGS’s 100^th episode is in crisis mode: Tracy refuses to come back, and the team is desperately figuring out how the show can go on. So we get a rare moment of rehearsal prominently featuring a new TGS cast member, Jack “Danny” Baker (Cheyenne Jackson), whose searing ballad and flashback montage are hijacked by former cast member Josh Girard, causing Danny to collapse back near the drums. Crisis: not averted.

“La Piscine”
Episode: Season 6, Episode 3, “Idiots Are People Three!”
Key Lyric: “Towels, sunscreen, bathing suits, diving boards, towels, those ladders, towels … ”

Denise Richards, portraying herself, showed up in the previous installment of the “Idiots Are People” two-parter to support Tracy’s proud “idiots” brigade, who picket Liz Lemon after she refers to Tracy by that term in a condemnation of some of his homophobic jokes. In this episode, the demands of the “idiots” include Richards’ plea for TGS to play her new single, about adoring La Piscine, even though Liz would prefer that it be “cut down” to only 16 minutes. Release the tapes!

The Parodies 

“Opening Theme”
Episodes: Season 4, Episode 22, “I Do Do”; Season 5, Episode 4, “Live Show”; Season 6, Episode 14, “Kidnapped by Danger”
Key Lyric: “The ratings are dismal / Remarkably somehow, we’re still on the air”

Never afraid to poke fun at itself, 30 Rock blessed us with three different vocalized covers of its funky, high-tempo instrumental intro. The first, which plays in the credits of the Season 4 finale, gives it a gospel turn by a Black church chorus (“Joyful / We gotta be joyful / Oh happy day”). The second, led by Jenna to kick off 30 Rock’s one and only live show, casts a little shadow over its NYC backyard (“where pervs and liberals wanna destroy America”). And the final one, which concludes “Weird Al” Yankovic’s Season 6 cameo—more on that below—invites the viewers to “talk trash” about the episode “and vent your rage / on your Twitter or Facebook page.” One can clock a conspicuous vibe shift over the course of these self-referential turns.

“Kelsey”
Episode: Season 6, Episode 2, “Idiots Are People Two!”
Key Lyric: “One touch and you’re not carin’ / How much you paid repairin’ / That china hutch that you kicked down the stairs / During lovemaking … ”

A second guest appearance for Kelsey Grammer, as himself, following his delightful scheming in Season 5’s “Reaganing.” Once again called upon by Jenna and Kenneth to help them out of a jam (this time, accidentally poisoning Pete), the Frasier actor saves the day and is honored with a James Bond–style theme from jazz singer Deanna Storey. Extra points to her for not obscuring the audible vocal strain we hear during the final wailed notes.

“Kidnapped”/“Knapsack”
Episode: Season 6, Episode 14, “Kidnapped by Danger”
Key Lyric: “My zipper is broken”

In collaboration with Jesus (“the homeless man I stole the melody from”) and her manager Gary Greasy, Jenna writes “Kidnapped,” an original song for the TV “film” Avery that features her singing in a red dress. But it turns out that “Weird Al” Yankovic has already parodied it in a new video, keeping the red dress while refitting Jesus’ melody to a lament over a broken knapsack. More unfortunately for Jenna, Frank heard the Weird Al version before he ever listened to “Kidnapped.” In fairness, the knapsack concept is pretty good.

“Fart So Loud”/“Heart So Proud”
Episode: Season 6, Episode 14, “Kidnapped by Danger”
Key Lyric: “Burritos always give me gas”

In her effort to preempt future Weird Al parodies, Jenna debuts her latest song, “Fart So Loud,” on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, hoping that it’s already silly enough to make mockery impossible. Yet Weird Al gets one over on her nonetheless when he turns it into a stirring tribute to The Troops (“Daddy is fightin’ overseas”).

“Feelings”
Episode: Season 6, Episode 17, “Meet the Woggels”
Key Lyric: “Moon: You turn me into a wolf!”

A riff on Australia’s beloved Wiggles, the Woggels are introduced as a quartet that purportedly makes music for children but in reality is just a bit too explicit about their sexual desires—and their racism, as Woggel turns out to be “Australian” for white. (More in “30 Rock is real life”: The actual Wiggles made a public apology in 2020 for their song “Pappadum,” whose video featured some weird Indian stereotypes.)

The Collaborations 

“Mr. Templeton”
Episode: Season 3, Episode 8, “Flu Shot”
Key Lyric: “Why should he stay at home? Just get his medication.”

An end-credits special from Michael Bublé, pinpointing the conflict in this episode: Jack wants to see his girlfriend Elisa (Salma Hayek) more often, but her job as a nurse demands that she spend much of her time carefully watching elderly patients like the dementia-stricken Mr. Templeton (George Bartenieff). So … why not just bring him along on their outings? Who says romance is dead?

“All My Nights I’ve Been Waiting (Lemon’s Theme)”
Episode: Season 4, Episode 16, “Floyd”
Key Lyric: “All my days I’ve been waiting, for you to come back home / In the moonlight of New York Sheraton”

In the show itself, we only hear a bit of this song from a depressed Liz, who dreams of what a Christopher Cross–style ballad about her could sound like. On the show’s official soundtrack, we actually get a full rendition from the “Sailing” singer-songwriter, made just as schmaltzy as you might imagine. (Another moment of cultural prescience from 30 Rock, considering that Cross is now enjoying a bit of a revival as yacht rock becomes cool again.)

“The Ballad of Kenneth Parcell”
Episode: Season 6, Episode 4, “The Ballad of Kenneth Parcell”
Key Lyric: “Gather ’round and hear my story ’bout a boy named Ellen / First name Kenneth, last name Parcell”

In this episode’s battle of man versus machine, where Jack attempts to replace Kenneth and the other pages with a computer named “Not Kenneth,” man triumphs—mostly because Jack realizes it’s more convenient to be able to blame all mistakes on the help. Steve Earle pays tribute to the victorious pageboy in the credits.

The Maroney Specials

“Muffin Top”
Episode: Season 1, Episode 5, “Jack-Tor”
Key Lyric: “I run a tiny bakery / The boys all want my cake for free”

Jenna gets a chance to perform her sexy, “Milkshake”-like dance track in the TGS studios—although no viewers can actually see it, since unbeknownst to her, the broadcast is already over. At least she’s joined on stage by Ghostface Killah, who calls for peace in the Middle East.

“The America Song”
Episode: Season 1, Episode 15, “Hard Ball”
Key Lyric: “Hey buddy, you heard me right: I said America!”

Desperate to reclaim her patriotic cred after being mistakenly accused of hating The Troops—and after mixing up Osama Bin Laden and Barack Obama on a TV panel with Chris Matthews and Tucker Carlson—Jenna takes to the TGS stage to insist she loves her country as much as anyone. Until that effort is derailed by onstage fireworks that take the unfortunate shape of a swastika.

“Make a Pizza”
Episode: Season 2, Episode 1, “SeinfeldVision”
Key Lyric: “When life keeps handing you anchovies / Just cover them up with some extra cheese”

We get a little flashback to Jenna’s role in Mystic Pizza: The Musical, based on a real Connecticut-based restaurant (and movie!) that never used any songs like this. A shame, because the 30-second expansion played over the credits, closing on a chant-and-clap of “pizza, with everything on top!,” is such a fun little earworm.

“Tennis Night”
Episode: Season 4, Episode 1, “Season 4”
Key Lyric: “Got some buds and some brews, it’s gonna be a fight / So put down your meth, slip on your whites / ’Cause here in real America, it’s tennis night.”

Jack Donaghy wants TGS to gain more viewers from the heartland as part of the GE business overhaul necessitated by the financial crisis. Jenna thus comes up with a country-rock theme worthy of any NASCAR race, but tooled toward that most elite and international of sports: tennis. Images of American flags, straw hats, and Daisy Dukes all dance in the prelude to NBC’s upcoming match between Slawomir Mleczko and Krzysztof Mlynarkiewicz.

“The Thing That Happened”
Episode: Season 5, Episode 12, “Operation Righteous Cowboy Lighting”
Key Lyric: “Help the people the thing that happened happened to”

As Kabletown takes over NBC, Jack Donaghy tries to figure out how he can really make a ratings splash to appease his new bosses. The obvious answer: a celebrity benefit for a natural disaster. Which kind of disaster? Any—as long as it happens sometime in the future. The TGS crew thus pre-tapes a vague special with Robert De Niro, with a computer-generated fill-in-the-blank anthem, sung by Jenna, about “the stuff we know occurred.” A surefire bonanza, whenever the thing happens and the special airs.

“Wool Bowl”
Episode: Season 5, Episode 23, “Respawn”
Key Lyric: “O noble sheep, we eat your babies”

Jenna has been made spokesperson for the Wool Council, whose executive keeps a sheep in his office. Wonderful! Except … they’re having second thoughts about the sponsorship, as Jenna is dating a cross-dresser (Will Forte). Here, in 20 seconds, is Jenna’s attempt to persuade the council man that she really is all about that wool. (Spoiler alert: She will choose love over this gig.)

“Balls”
Episode: Season 7, Episode 2, “Governor Dunston”
Key Lyric: “Balls, balls, balls, balls, balls”

A catchy, repetitive “summer dance jam” by Jenna that became a radio hit—but earned meager royalty payments thanks to mass piracy. Balls, balls, balls, balls, balls indeed.

“I Caught Crabs in Paradise”
Episode: Season 7, Episode 4, “Unwindulax”
Key Lyric: “And yes, I mean both types of crabs.”

A Jimmy Buffet–style radio hit for Jenna that has the bonus effect of earning her a devoted Floridian fan community called the Crab Catchers. One wonders whether they, too, are in pursuit of both types.

“Secret Plan”
Episode: Season 7, Episode 8, “My Whole Life Is Thunder”
Key Lyric: “Revenge on my mind.”

Liz’s plans for a surprise wedding happen to align with Jenna’s own nuptials, and you know she won’t stand for that. So as soon as Liz leaves her dressing room, under the assumption that everything’s copacetic, Jenna begins musing out loud, in the manner of a James Bond theme, about retaliating. Another five-second instant classic that became something of a viewer sensation after airing.

“The Rural Juror”
Episode: Season 7, Episode 12, “Hogcock!”
Key Lyric: “The whir and the purr of a twirler girl / She would the world were demurer / The insurer’s allure”

Jane Krakowski at her finest. To send off a distinguished musical career on 30 Rock in the series’ penultimate episode, Jenna throws it back to one of Season 1’s best gags: her mumblecore-esque indie venture The Rural Juror, whose dialogue is assonant and gurgled to the point of incomprehensibility. It doesn’t get any easier to understand in song form (shouts to the 2013 Vulture masthead for transcribing the thing), yet it is all the more poignant for it.

Read the rest of 20 Years of 30 Rock.