Thomas Newman's Fried Green Tomatoes balances precariously between lyricism and melodrama—a deeply personal symphonic score textured by the bluesy rhythms of the film's Depression-era Alabama setting, its creativity tempers its tendencies towards sentimentality. Its strong melodies and bold arrangements notwithstanding, what truly separates Fried Green Tomatoes is Newman's skillful implementation of Southern accents—for all its orchestral pomp and pageantry, the music bathes in the dust, heat and grime of post-reconstruction Dixieana, complete with slide guitar, barrelhouse piano and the intensely soulful vocals of gospel great Marion Williams.