<P> Singer - songwriters Dan Bern and Mike Viola ( of the Candy Butchers ) wrote most of the film 's songs , including `` There 's a Change a Happenin ' '' , `` Mulatto '' , `` A Life Without You ( Is No Life at All ) '' , `` Beautiful Ride '' and `` Hole in My Pants '' . Charlie Wadhams wrote the song `` Let 's Duet '' . Marshall Crenshaw wrote the title song , and Van Dyke Parks penned the Brian Wilson-esque 1960s - styled psychedelic jam `` Black Sheep '' ( the recording session seems to be a specific parody of Wilson 's Smile album sessions , on which Van Dyke Parks worked ) . Antonio Ortiz wrote `` Take My Hand '' . A number of critics noted the unusually high quality of many of the individual songs on the soundtrack , how well they reflected the styles and times they were attempting to parody , and how well they stood on their own as quality compositions . The soundtrack was nominated for both a Grammy and Golden Globe Award and was nominated and won the Sierra Award for Best Song in a Motion Picture from the Las Vegas Film Critics Society . John C. Reilly sang on all the tracks and played guitar on most of them . </P>
who sings in walk hard the dewey cox story
John C. Reilly