Pride and Prejudice in Music
Recently, I watched someone’s YouTube creation – a scene from Pride and Prejudice set to contemporary music – and it got me thinking. When I read scenes from the story, do I hear contemporary music in my head? The answer is “yes.” I do! So, just for fun, I started writing down the songs that came to mind. Most of the songs I’ve chosen are folk music, oldies, musicals, or American Songbook because that reflects my own taste in music. If you’re interested, you can listen to a clip of any of these songs on iTunes and see if you agree with me. In some cases, not all the words in the song are a perfect fit for the scene, but I’ve included it if the spirit of the song mostly fits.
Darcy really sees Elizabeth for the first time: The Moment I Saw Your Eyes (a barbershop standard)
Elizabeth thinks about Darcy after Meryton Assembly: You’re So Vain (Carly Simon)
Darcy While Elizabeth and Jane are at Netherfield: Something (Beatles); The More I See You (Nat King Cole)
Darcy thinking about Elizabeth after she leaves: Fever (Peggy Lee); You Made Me Love You (Judy Garland); I’ve Got You Under My Skin (Frank Sinatra)
Darcy at the Netherfield Ball: The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra); Some Enchanted Evening (South Pacific)
Darcy after the Netherfield Ball: (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life (Bill Medley from Dirty Dancing); Every Breath You Take (Police); Let’s Spend the Night Together (Rolling Stones)
At Rosings, Darcy thinking about Elizabeth: Every Little Thing She Does is Magic (Police); Your Smiling Face (James Taylor); Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen)
Darcy after his failed proposal: Yesterday (The Beatles); Trying to Live My Life Without You (Bob Seager); You Really Got a Hold on Me (Beatles)
Lydia at Brighton: Girls Just Want to Have Fun (Cyndy Lauper); Hot Stuff (Donna Summer); It’s Raining Men (The Weather Girls)
Darcy and Elizabeth Meet at Pemberley: Make You Feel My Love (Adele)
Elizabeth finds out that Lydia has eloped: Help (The Beatles)
After Lambton, Elizabeth thinks Darcy is lost to her forever: I Say a Little Prayer (Aretha Franklin)
Elizabeth wonders what Darcy’s thinking when he returns to Longbourn but doesn’t declare himself: I Only Have Eyes for You (Carly Simon)
Darcy finally declares himself: At Last (Etta James)
I could have made my list longer, but I thought it would be more fun if you, the fans, added your own. So I’d like to invite you to share what comes to your mind when you think of different scenes in Pride and Prejudice.
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“My Eyes Adores You” (Frankie Valli)
“Two Divided by Love” (The Grass Roots)
“Right Place, Wrong Time” (Dr. John)
“Never My Love” (the Addrisi Brothers)
“Baby, It’s You” (Smith)
“With Pen in Hand” (Bobby Goldsboro)
“Send in the Clowns” (from A Little Night Music)
“Happily Ever After” (from Company)
“You’re Eyes are Beautiful” (from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)
“So Nice While It Lasted” (Sam & Dave)
“Pushin’ Too Hard” (Seeds)
“When a Man Loves a Woman” (Percy Sledge)
“Not Over You” by Gavin Degraw, for Darcy’s failed attempts to forget Lizzy
“One and Only” by Adele, which works from either Darcy or Lizzy’s point of view
“Winter Winds” by Mumford & Sons, for when Darcy’s head and heart are arguing
“Sigh no More” by Mumford & Sons, I’m not sure if this one works exactly, but it makes me think of things that might have been going through Darcy’s mind after the terrible proposal.