The Music of Big Little Lies

The Music of Big Little Lies

If you’re not watching Big Little Lies, you still have time to get caught up. There are 2 episodes left & we are still Really Into It. One of the best things about the show is the music.

JESSICA:  The music in the show is like its own character and is telling an unspoken part of the story.  Little Chloe is almost always the one who is always setting the theme and I have a feeling that this is not by accident.  I wish I had her knowledge of music as a 33 year old – and she is only 6!

SARAH: The theme song is haunting. Right after the first episode, I went to Amazon Music & downloaded Michael Kiwanuka’s album, Love and Hate. I’m Really Into it. I love soul music, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke & Marvin Gaye & this album is definitely serving me some Stax soul realness. In the intro, we hear a piece of the song as the full version is 9 minutes & 57 seconds long. It has this very slow build & when the vocals kick in it’s super intense.

JESSICA:  The minute I heard that intro song I thought “this show is going to be good” because it really felt like the book.  You are right Sarah, the best word for it is haunting.  It sets the mood perfectly for this mysterious show.  I love bluesy, soul music too (remember how obsessed we were with Jonny Lang in middle school??) and this album feels classic and modern at the same time.

SARAH: Leon’s song, “River” makes an appearance as well. This song is beautiful & makes an appearance in Episode 2 as Ziggy continues to have trouble at school, Celeste & Perry’s issues come to the forefront. I remember the song highlighting the feeling of the desire to escape to a safe place.

JESSICA:  Oh my gosh when Chloe turned on this song in the car I had to immediately look it up and I have been obsessed ever since. What a beautiful moment.  Another friend of mine had the same experience.  I think most people watching the show are Really Into the music.

SARAH: Absolutely. I loved reading about the music selection for the series. Evidently the director, Jean-Marc Vallée started off as a DJ, so he Really gets Into the music selection & it’s a huge part of his storytelling. Rather than hire a composer, he chooses existing songs & weaves them in to be an integral part of the story. This next song is one of my favorites by Alabama Shakes. “This Feeling” is one of those songs that everyone can connect to & find their story within the lyrics.

JESSICA: I love the Alabama Shakes and was elated to hear them in the show.  Last week’s Episode 5 had The Flaming Lips’  “Silver Trembling Hands” woven into the stories of all three women and it was POWERFUL.  That song starts with a fast pace as Madeline comes out of the hospital and subsequently meets up with Jane and Celeste in some integral moments.  I cannot stop listening!

SARAH: One of my favorite parts with the music is when Ed is dressed as Elvis Presley & singing, “One Night With You.” My whole family is Really Into Elvis, so I loved this scene of Ed standing in the living room decked out & belting it out. When Ed & madeline’s daughter, Chloe suggests Ed choose “Pocketful of Rainbows” instead, I seriously squealed. Elvis is just perfection & this song from G.I. Blues lightened the mood & gave viewers some hope after a pretty dark episode.

JESSICA:  I agree.  This was such a fun moment in the show and I loved that they showed a side and song of Elvis that most of us never hear.  Just another element of this surprising, never dull show.

SARAH: I have to add one more! My Texas gal, Janis Joplin straight from Port Arthur, Texas. This song is legendary, as is this performance. The heart, that voice, that emotion- she’s one of a kind.  The music is unreal in Big Little Lies.

THE VERDICT

JESSICA:  I may be just as excited to hear the music as I am to watch the rest of this show.  It is safe to say I will be shuffling this Spotify playlist for a while!