The Night Jasmine Playlist

The paperback of The Temptation of the Night Jasmine comes out tomorrow! In honor of Night Jasmine‘s imminent release, we have the Night Jasmine Playlist:

Head Over Heels, The Go-Go’s.

Doesn’t “head over heels” perfectly describe Charlotte’s reaction to Robert at the beginning of the book? In the music video, while the band sings, “I waited so long, so long to play this part….” the video cuts to a woman reading a romance novel. That’s our Charlotte!

I Need a Hero, Bonnie Tyler.

Who doesn’t? But Charlotte, more than most, is looking for a hero. And Robert so very badly wants to be one for her….

Underground, David Bowie.

Maybe it’s Charlotte’s thing for unicorns—and the fact that, in many ways, this is a novel about growing up and trading illusions for realities—but pretty much the whole Labyrinth soundtrack says Night Jasmine for me, and this song in particular. “Don’t tell me truth hurts, little girl/ ‘Cause it hurts like hell”. (Plus, I just love David Bowie as the goblin king. ‘Nuff said.)

World Before Columbus, Suzanne Vega.

This, more than any of the others, is the song that sums up the first half of Night Jasmine for me. It’s the quintessential ballad of love lost, of men going off on their own quests, abandoning the affection that might have been. “They’ll never know the gold or the copper in your hair.” Or in Charlotte’s hair, as the case may be.

In the Rough, Anna Nalick.

If World Before Columbus is Charlotte in the first half of the book, this is Charlotte in the second half—resilient and defiant. It’s very much a “you go, girl!” song. It was time she learned she could sparkle on her own.

Where in the World, The Secret Garden.

All the songs so far have been very Charlotte-centric, but this one, from The Secret Garden musical, is for Robert. It’s the plaintive cry of a man haunted by lost love. “Where in the world, tell me, where in the world/ Can I live without your love?” It still sends shivers down my spine.

Alexander’s Feast, Georg Friedrich Handel.

Happy, happy, happy pair!
None but the brave,
None but the brave,
None but the brave deserves the fair.

Do you have any good Charlotte and Robert songs to add to the list? (As you can see, I could use help on the Robert side of things.) When I post the lists to the Diversions page, I’ll be adding a “Readers Recommend” section to each list. So please recommend away!

5 Comments

  1. Carole on January 4, 2010 at 2:06 pm

    I like all the songs for them! I escpecially like Where in the World, The Secret Garden for Robert. It really fits his “lost love” moment in his life.

    What popped in my head was Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls when I read the book.

    I can’t WAIT for the Blood Lily to come out and the paperback of Night Jasmine.

  2. ABrown on January 5, 2010 at 12:31 am

    “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor totally describes Charlotte’s ability to handle Robert’s lies and focus’s on her main task of saving the King.

    Sure, they get back together, unlike the song, but it works until the last chapter.

  3. Maddie on January 5, 2010 at 7:27 am

    AH! a broadway song 🙂 that made my day!

  4. Rebecca on January 6, 2010 at 12:05 am

    “Silly Love Songs” by Paul McCartney and Wings has stuck out as a song that describes Charlotte at the start of the story. What’s the world with a few more love songs and romance and all that, right? 😀

  5. Meg on January 12, 2010 at 2:20 am

    Oh, the playlist for listening to while reading romances, taking walks, weeping to the sky, and generally kissing attractive men. 😀

    1. “Fireflies” Owl City (100% pre-Robert Charlotte.)
    2. “Shake It” Metro Station
    3. “Baby It’s Cold Outside” Zooey Deschanel & Leon Redbone (KISSING IN THE COLD)

    4. “Here (In Your Arms)” Hellogoodbye (Not a more appropriate band for their romance to be found!)

    5. “When U Love Somebody” Fruit Bats
    6. “Pocketful of Sunshine” Natasha Bedingfield
    7. “Please Mr. Postman” The Beatles (not really lyrically spot-on or anything, but it seems like something they’d do–ardent love letters and longing for them in between)

    8. “Ooh You Hurt Me So” Clare and the Reasons
    9. “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” Madeleine Peyroux
    10. “Someday You Will Be Loved” Death Cab for Cutie (Whatever, Robert. WHATEVER.)

    11. “It Hurts to See You Dance So Well” The Pipettes
    12. “I Can’t Get Next To You” The Temptations (Oh, what’s that? You want her back? Sorry, pal. Shoulda come up with a MUCH better plan.)

    13. “Hell No” Sondre Lerche & Regina Spektor (Mmm! Duet!)

    14. “If You’re Gone” Matchbox Twenty
    15. “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” The Smiths (*gasp of tears*)

    16. “Must Get Out” Maroon 5
    17. “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” The Police
    18. “Lover” Devendra Banhart
    19. “Thank You” Boyz II Men (okay, so they did split up for some amount of time, but…they never really gave up!)

    20. “Baby I’m Yours” Arctic Monkeys
    21. “Halo/Walking on Sunshine” the cast of Glee (bonus track!!)

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