Scotty and The Slickers Classics Land in Surprise 'The Bear' Episode

Two foundational Jamaican tracks, Scotty’s Draw Your Brakes and The Slickers’ Johnny Too Bad, are heard in Gary, a surprise episode of The Bear that dropped on Hulu on Tuesday, May 5.

Both recordings are strongly linked to the soundtrack of The Harder They Come, Perry Henzell’s 1972 film starring Jimmy Cliff, which played a major role in introducing reggae to wider audiences.

The flashback story follows Richie Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Michael “Mikey” Berzatto (Jon Bernthal) as they drive from Chicago to Gary, Indiana, on a delivery job. Moss-Bachrach and Bernthal share co-writing credit for the episode, while series creator Christopher Storer directed it.

Reggae enters the episode early. As the trip begins, Richie puts on a mix CD he prepared, and the first song heard is David “Scotty” Scott’s Draw Your Brakes. Issued in 1972, the track features Scotty’s toasting style over Keith & Tex’s Stop That Train rhythm.

Later, after the two men stop for hot dogs at a restaurant, The Slickers’ Johnny Too Bad (1970) comes in. The song, also tied to The Harder They Come soundtrack, was written by band members Trevor “Batman” Wilson, Winston Bailey, Roy Beckford and Derrick Crooks. Over the years, it has been re-recorded by acts including Dennis Brown (1970), Bunny Wailer (1977), UB40 (1984) and Sublime (2006).

Near the close of the episode, Draw Your Brakes returns when Mikey places the CD back in the player. Richie, already upset after the rough journey, yanks out the disc and flings it through the car window.

The Harder They Come soundtrack was released in the UK in 1972 through Island Records and in North America in 1973 through Mango Records, and it was later selected for preservation in the U.S. Library of Congress National Recording Registry. Other songs on that album include Jimmy Cliff’s You Can Get It If You Really Want, Desmond Dekker and the Aces’ Israelites, Toots and the Maytals’ 54-46 (That’s My Number), and Bob Marley’s Guava Jelly.

The Bear is expected to end with a fifth season in June 2026. While the series has drawn consistent acclaim for acting, writing, direction, music choices and production quality, its comedy label remains disputed. Despite 21 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes, many critics describe it as a psychological drama that uses occasional humour while dealing with suicide, alcoholism, family trauma and chaos in the workplace.