WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Black Doves.
Netflix’s espionage seriesBlack Doveshas a strong soundtrack full of classic Christmas hits and other great songs. Created by Joe Barton (The Lazarus Project,Giri/Haji),Black Doveshas opened to outstanding reviews, earning aperfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic scoreupon itsDecember 5, 2024 release date. Keira Knightley (Atonement,Pirates of the Caribbean) leadsthe cast ofBlack Dovesalong with Ben Whishaw, who is best known for playing Q in Daniel Craig’s final three James Bond movies.Black Dovesalso features a stellar supporting cast, including Sarah Lancashire’s Reed, Kathryn Hunter’s Lenny, Ella Lily Hyland’s Williams, and Omari Douglas’s Michael.
Black Dovesfollows Knightley’s Helen Webb, the loving and supportive wife of Andrew Buchan’s Wallace Webb, a prominent British politician.Webb is also a secret agent working for the mysterious covert spy organization known as the Black Doves, which Mrs. Reed is the head of. Reed confronts Helen over an affair she was having with a civil servant named Jason (Andrew Koji), who was shockingly shot and killed in a park from long range. Suspecting that Helen could be in hot water with a powerful criminal conspiracy, Reed enlists a trusted triggerman named Sam Young (Whishaw) to help Helen avert threats to her life and family.
Black Doves Season 1 Episode 1 Songs
“To Love Then”
“Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues – 0:05: The series opens with the same song that it eventually ends with, “Fairytale of New York” by English band The Pogues. This 1988 track is one of the band’s most popular songs and blends together several genres of music like folk and punk.
“Merry Christmas Everyone” by Shakin’ Stevens – 5:30: This classic Christmas song plays early on inBlack Dovesepisode 1 as Keira Knightley’s character Helen Webb is introduced. It’s one of many Christmas songs that play throughout the series to establish the holiday season setting and Helen’s home life with her two kids and politician husband, Wallace.
“Joy to the World” – 7:00: One of the most recognizable Christmas songs of all time is briefly performed live on violin around the 7-minute mark inBlack Dovesepisode 1. The violinists play at a formal holiday party that Helen and Wallace attend with their children.
“Lonely This Christmas” by Mud – 15:30: Another classic, more contemporary Christmas song “Lonely This Christmas” by Mud plays around the 15:30 mark inBlack Dovesepisode 1. Sam Young’s character is introduced as he returns to London to meet with Reed and reunite with Webb.
“Sweet With A Beat” by Alyn Ainsworth – 20:00: This swingy classic song plays around the 20-minute mark inBlack Dovesepisode 1. Sam has a glass of champagne at his hotel bar and encounters an interested partygoer who he invites upstairs to his room soon after.
“Only Chile” by Robert J. Walsh – 36:00: This Western bluesy track plays around the 36-minute mark inBlack Dovesepisode 1. Sam walks into a guitar shop to see an old friend who also happens to be a covert arms dealer. He walks out of the store with a guitar case full of weapons and ammo.
“Christmas Is In the Air” by Henrik Lars Wikström, Anders Johan Greger Lewen & Anders Gunnar Kampe – 42:30: Another classic Christmas song plays toward the end of the first episode ofBlack Dovesseason 1. Sam meets with a colleague at a mall and gives her a bullet casing he found, who runs it for fingerprints.
“Stings” by Kamaal Williams – 43:30: This jazzy uptempo instrumental track plays as Sam arrives at his old friends' house to reconnect over dinner and drinks.
“Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down” by Nancy Sinatra (Cover by RAYE) – End Credits: English singer/songwriter RAYE covers this classic song by Nancy Sinatra, which plays over the end credits ofBlack Dovesseason 1, episode 1. Various remixes and versions of this cover by RAYE play at the end of all except for the final episode ofBlack Dovesseason 1.
Black Doves Season 1 Episode 2 Songs
“A Little Black Dove”
“Jingle Bells” by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra – 30:00: AfterBlack Dovesepisode 1, the series primarily switches from soundtrack to score to coincide with the developing drama and rising action of the series. One of the two soundtrack songs played in episode 2 “A Little Black Dove” is the most classic Christmas song of them all, “Jingle Bells.” A version of the song plays just before Same has “brunch” with Lenny, Williams, and Eleanor.
“Santa Baby” by Eartha Kitt – 48:00: A version of this classic Christmas song plays in the final moments ofBlack Dovesepisode 2 over a radio as Sam walks through Hector’s warehouse, where the Clarks have killed dozens of people looking for Kai-Ming.
Black Doves Season 1 Episode 3 Songs
“The Coming Night”
“Renegades” by X Ambassadors – 13:00: This popular alternative pop track plays around the 13-minute mark inBlack Dovesepisode 3 during a flashback scene of Sam and Michael’s engagement party. It begins after Sam teaches Helen how to use certain combat weapons in another flashback scene in 2017.
“Away In a Manger” – 32:30: A live choir of kids sing this Christmas Carol about halfway throughBlack Dovesepisode 3. Helen, Wallace, and Stephen Yarrick are in attendance to watch their kids sing.
“Free Yourself” by Jessie Ware – 36:00: This pop song plays in the background during a holiday party that Helen and Wallace attended inBlack Dovesepisode 3. Helen encounters Wallace’s flirty assistant Dani here.
Black Doves Season 1 Episode 4 Songs
“Go Bang Time”
“The Little Drummer Boy” by Johnny Cash – 00:05: Johnny Cash’s classic cover of the holiday song “The Little Drummer Boy” plays at the start ofBlack Dovesepisode 4. It continues to play as Sam, Williams, and Eleanor arrive guns blazing at Hector’s hideout in search of Kai-Ming.
“I Only Have Eyes For You” by The Flamingos – 11:30: This classic love song plays in the car after Sam, Williams, and Eleanor take Kai-Ming out of Hector’s hideout. Sam’s mind drifts off to memories of the way he and Michael used to be.
“Rides Through The Morning” by Michael Nau – 15:00: This somber love song plays as Sam approaches Michael’s apartment to reunite with him for the first time in years.
Black Doves Season 1 Episode 5 Songs
“The Cost of It All”
“(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am” by Nancy Wilson – 1:00:Black Dovesepisode 5 opens with a classic song by Nancy Wilson over a scene of what happened to Williams after her fight with Helen. Williams escapes after Sam kills her partner and asks Eleanor for her help.
“We Wish You A Merry Christmas” – 27:00: An orchestral version of this classic Christmas song plays around the 27-minute mark inBlack Dovesepisode 5 as Helen walks through a town center to meet with Reed at a bookstore.
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” – 43:00: Carolers sing another classic Christmas song “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” around the 43-minute mark inBlack Dovesepisode 5.
Black Doves Season 1 Episode 6 Songs
“In the Bleak Midwinter”
“Once in Royal David’s City” – 25:00: A church choir sings this classic Christmas carol around the 25-minute mark inBlack Dovesepisode 6 just before Helen learns the truth about Jason. One of the song’s lyrics, “in the bleak midwinter”, inspired the episode title.
“The Christmas Waltz” by Frank Sinatra – 41:00: This classic Christmas song plays before Sam meets with Lenny to tell her about a job that Hector offered him towards the end ofBlack Dovesepisode 6.
“Fairytale of New York (feat. Kirsty MacColl)” by The Pogues – 48:00: The first song that played inBlack Dovesplays again over the final scenes of the series' first season.
Black Doves
Cast
Black Doves is a suspenseful thriller released in December 2024. It follows a spy masquerading as a politician’s wife who, after discovering her lover’s murder, joins forces with an old assassin associate to uncover the truth and seek revenge.
