An analysis of the Dean's Family Dedication Theme in Supernatural

1. SAVING PEOPLE, HUNTING
THINGS: THE FAMILY
BUSINESS
AN ANALYSIS OF THE FAMILY DEDICATION THEME IN SUPERNATURAL
KATIE WEATHERBY

2. SUPERNATURAL
• Supernatural is a television show that began in 2005 and is still ongoing. It features a sometimes funny,
often times dark and tragic story about two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, who travel the country
hunting down anything paranormal; from ghosts to wendigo's, from vampires to werewolves, from
demons to angels, even gods.
• There’s many different themes in the show that underline these travels, usually one main theme per
season. However, there is one theme that Supernatural always comes back to: family.
• The recurrence of this motif gives rise to one of the most recognized recurring piece of music in 9
seasons of the show, unofficially titled Dean’s Family Dedication. But first, it’s necessary to give some
background to explain the underlying use of this theme.

3. • When watching Supernatural, you’re always asking yourself, what are the Winchesters willing to do for each
other? But I always find myself asking what wouldn’t they do for each other? Answer: pretty much nothing is off
limits to the Winchester brothers (or their father, who dies in the beginning of season 2 after selling his soul to
save Dean’s life) when it concerns the other.
• Dean is the elder brother, and to him, being the older brother means looking after his younger brother by
whatever means necessary. It’s been that way since Dean was four years old and Sam six months of age when he
carries his baby brother out of their burning home.
• Here is the start of the Winchester’s dark tale, and their beginnings as Hunters. Spending their lives on the road
while their father hunts monsters, it falls to Dean to raise and care for Sam in place of their absent father.
• This is a responsibility Dean carries with him even when he and Sam are adults in the present storyline. If Dean
has nothing else, he always has this responsibility to go back to.
• Dean’s Family Dedication appears multiple times in the show in many different, yet still recognizable, variations;
though it’s mainly used in Season 2. It usually plays, obviously, during moments where Dean talks about family or
he and Sam have a brotherly love/tough love moment, but also during the few scenes where another secret part
of Dean emerges that shows his weariness with the life he leads and his duty to Sam.

4. DEAN’S FAMILY DEDICATION
• Maybe this is what ingrains the importance of family into Dean so deeply, and it’s his dedication to his
family that inspires one of the most recognizable, recurring music pieces in the show.
• The piece, mainly heard through piano, brass, string, or variations of all three, and all it’s variations
were scored by Christopher Lennertz
• The pace of the melody is usually slow and calm and meant to be heartfelt, or swelling and full of brass
to mark highly emotional moments it plays in.
• The original, unedited piece (example below) is completely monophonic in 3/4 time

5. SEASON 1, EPISODE 22 (1.22): DEVIL’S TRAP
• The season 1 finale Devil’s Trap is the first instance of Dean’s Family Dedication Theme and it is the
original, pure, unedited version of the melody
• The theme plays as Dean admits to Sam that the lengths he is willing to go through to protect his family
scare him
You know that guy I shot? There was a person in there…Killing that guy,
killing Meg. I didn’t hesitate, I didn’t even flinch. For you or Dad, the things
I’m willing to do or kill, it’s just, uh .... it scares me sometimes.
• The piece begins quietly and monophonic with just a simple piano as he speaks. It’s a very calm,
heartfelt melody that accompanies both his speech and reassurances from Sam and their father.

6. 1.22: DEVIL’S TRAP

7. SEASON 2, EPISODE 1 (2.01): IN MY TIME OF DYING
• The piece then continues on to become a major fixture in the following episode, 2.01: In My Time of Dying, and is used
multiple times in multiple variations
• The melody in this scene sounds almost exactly the same, stats with the piano in ¾ time, except it’s in a different pitch
and is briefly accompanied by pipes following the same melodic line, changing from monophonic to polyphonic, and then
strings are added and ramps it up to homophonic.
• The first hint of it is a slightly different pitch, but still the same piano melody. It’s heard as the father, John, is sitting at
Dean’s comatose body at the hospital, and Dean’s spirit, stuck in between life and death, looks on. As the music swells,
Dean gets angry and, despite knowing that John can’t hear him, demands to know why he isn’t doing anything to help
him. (1:51 into the clip)
Aren't you even gonna say anything? I've done everything you've ever
asked me. Everything. I've given everything I've ever had. Are you just
gonna sit there and you gonna watch me die? What the hell kind of
father are you?
• Little does Dean know, as his words fall on deaf ears, John has already decided on his course of action: sacrificing himself
to save Dean’s life. It is used here perhaps to suggest that this act is a response, and the ultimate thank you, for
everything Dean has done for their family

8. 2.01: IN MY TIME OF DYING
• First use

9. 2.01: IN MY TIME OF DYING
• Later, when Dean awakes to his father sitting by his side, the Dedication theme starts to play as John apologizes to
Dean.
You shouldn't have had to say that to me, I should have been saying that
to you. You know, I put, I put too much on your shoulders, I made you grow
up too fast. You took care of Sammy, you took care of me. You did that, and
you didn't complain, not once. I just want you to know that I am so proud of you.
• The first part of the melody here is much the same as the variation just mentioned, but instead of the piano being
accompanied by pipes and strings, this variation instead makes the strings more prominent and uses horns rather
than pipes. The horns, strings, and piano in this variation all follow a different melodic line, giving it a beautiful
homophonic texture.
• As the speech progresses to “I am so proud of you” the piano is replaced with brass, swelling, as John imparts upon
Dean what is aptly dubbed “The Secret” and references John’s confidence in Dean to protect what he is leaving
behind—his family.
• Afterwards, it’s used for a final time in the episode and the music now overtakes all other sound as Sam discovers
their father’s lifeless body. Brass, pipes, and strings block out any dialogue or sound as Sam rushes to his side in
vain. This variation is another homophonic melodic line with pipes and strings, but are more prevalent and in a
slightly different pitch, growing louder to overtake any dialogue.

10. 2.01: IN MY TIME OF DYING
• Second use

11. 2.01: IN MY TIME OF DYING
• Third use

12. SEASON 2, EPISODE 9 (2.09): CROATOAN, SEASON 2,
EPISODE 11 (2.11): PLAYTHINGS
• In 2.09: Croatoan, instead of marking a significant family bonding moment, the Dedication theme is
used when Dean admits to Sam that he’s tired of their life.
I'm tired, Sam. I'm tired of this job, this life... this weight on my shoulders,
man. I'm tired of it.
• These variations are a simple, monophonic texture using just an acoustic guitar, then accompanied by
strings and pipes in a homophonic texture.
• Using a variation that contains neither the iconic piano tune or the variations that accompany John’s
scenes is a trademark perhaps of the hidden part of Dean that just wants to be done with his duty to
Sam.
• It’s used in the same way two episodes later, when a very intoxicated Sam makes Dean promise to kill
him if he ever gets too dangerous, and Dean looks on as he passes out with a completely exhausted,
weary look plain on his face.

13. 2.09: CROATOAN

14. 2.11: PLAYTHINGS