Elton John Awakens the Force

Scene	Alex’s Playlist	Sarah’s Playlist
Opening Attack on Jakku	If There’s A God In Heaven (What’s He Waiting For?) I chose this song because of the destruction and horror that we see from the First Order. We see them destroy the town and then kill all of the civilian captives. They are also the evil side of the Star War. Elton sings of the war that is happening in the world and why hasn’t he answered our prayers. This also is a nice connection for me from the search for Luke Skywalker. If he exists, why did he leave and why is he not helping against the First Order?	The Wasteland This rock song starts gritty and heavy and maintains a minor tone. To me, the first verse and chorus talks about the devil living in and trapping the singer, which speaks to Kylo Ren and the First Order. The First Order leaves a wasteland of the Jakku town in its wake.
Rey’s Introduction	Dear God In our intro to Rey, I get an overwhelming sense of sadness from her in that she is lonely and afraid of becoming one of the old women on Jakku. She wants to reach for the stars but doesn’t have a way. She is pleading with her eyes and dreams of the force (Dear God) to bring her adventure and help from the nothingness.	Hourglass This song is more chill for the quieter moment and actions after the violent first scene. As we follow Rey on Jakku by herself, we see her waiting, biding her time, and trying to survive. “The sand in the hourglass slips on by” references the sand all around her. The bridge even brings up the thought that maybe the people she is waiting for are never coming back.
Finn & Poe Escape	Have Mercy on the Criminal I liked this song for this spot because both Finn and Poe are criminals in this situation. They are running from the Law (in this case the First Order) and they are trying to bring about change through their resistance to the First Order. It also fits in the action sequence.	Take Me to the Pilot Poe is a pilot. Finn needs a pilot. They band together to escape the First Order, forming an instant connection. Could Poe be the “pilot of your soul” to Finn? (Poe/Finn shippers unite!) The upbeat groove works for a ship battle and escape.
Finn & Rey Meet & Escape Jakku	Lies This one is pretty simple, the sound energy fits the tempo of the escape scene, and both Finn and Rey lie to each other upon their meeting. Finn lies about being from the Resistance, which is a pretty big lie that lasts a while, and Rey lies about why she has to get back to Jakku.	Jack Rabbit It may be a bit of a funny choice, but this song talks about fleeing from getting pumped full of bullets, which Rey and Finn are trying to avoid. The fast song matches the pace of action. Niima Outpost has a bit of a Western vibe to me to fit this country-tinged song. Fortunately, Finn and Rey don’t die like the poor jack rabbit does.
Han & Chewie Enter	Roy Rogers The absolute nostalgia that rushes over the audience when Han and Chewy walk onto the Falcon is so thick you can cut it with a knife. We are cozy and happy that we have Star Wars again. Han Solo never grows old, just more scruffy looking. It also doesn’t hurt that Roy Rogers was a Cowboy and Han Solo is basically a Space Outlaw.	Roy Rogers “Comic book characters never grow old, Evergreen heroes whose stories were told.” Rey and Finn marvel at the living legend Han Solo as he boards the Millennium Falcon. The scene is set up so the audience feels nostalgia. Han takes charge of the ship like the cowboy he is, but there’s also a bit of sadness and nostalgia for him being back in the Falcon, especially as Rey and Finn start asking about his past.
Rathtars!	The Cage This one was hard for me so I went with the actual cage that the Rathtars are being kept in and the song. The Rathtars are unhappy being caged as the singer is as well. The tempo also matches the scene so that was a big bonus.	Midnight Creeper When there’s a nightmare, the rathtars are there. This upbeat song lends itself well to a chase scene. Kind of reminds me of the monster chase scenes in Scooby-Doo!
Takodana & Rey’s Vision	Nobody Wins I chose this song because it is about how there are no winners. On Takodana when Rey and Finn go their separate ways, neither one is happy because they want the other to come with them. That is the more literal view of the song and the scene. I went more liberal with my references when Rey’s Vision takes over. I still believe the song fits because it talks about the innocent getting hurt, love falling apart and broken dreams getting in the way. The innocent are the Jedi apprentices we see that Kylo has killed, the love falling apart is the Jedi temple in flames and the broken dreams are Rey refusing her destiny so she can go back to Jakku when she knows no one is coming back for her.	2 Fingers of Whiskey I chose this song because it fits both the bar atmosphere of Maz’s castle and Finn’s betrayal. Finn “cheats (lies) just to get on by” and wants to run, to get out of the fight. It even works a bit for Rey’s vision, she’s afraid of herself and the vision she has, “the devil living in me”. Also, this is an awesome duet with Jack White.
Attack on Takodana	Healing Hands I chose Healing Hands here because of the destruction that takes place by the First Order but then the Resistance arrives and saves the day. It also connects with Finn seeing Rey get taken and immediately coming back to try and save her as he is trying to heal the wounds he just caused with his departure. I also felt that Han and Leia seeing each other again was a step in their journey to heal their relationship.	House of Cards To me, the first verse is about Kylo capturing Rey and the second verse is more about Finn’s reaction to the events. The battle is becoming real for everyone and the audience with both First Order and Resistance squaring off for the first time on screen. The chips are coming down, and it’s not just a game anymore.
Rey on Starkiller Base	Street Kids Rey is a Street Kid, having grown up on her own on Jakku and she is getting in trouble with the law (First Order). She is rising up against the First Order and fighting back against Kylo and Stormtroopers. Rey is discovering her powers and is actually getting out of the situation she is in like the song wishes they could.	Where to Now, St. Peter? I guess I like softer or more relaxed songs for Rey’s moments alone! Rey is on a new journey once Kylo taps her mind and she taps into his. Rey isn’t sure of her place or powers, but is going with the flow, doing what she can to keep moving. It’s a little bit of blind faith as to where her unlocked Force abilities lead her.
At the Resistance Base	Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me The Resistance are in a do or die situation, and they realize how much trouble they are in. Remember The Death Star? Well now we are facing a Starkiller Base which is ten times the size of that. These revelations are the main lyrics of the song, being sad and hopeless. But do they curl up and run away as the Rebellion wanted to do in Rogue One? NO! They stand and fight! That is the chorus of the song. Don’t let the sun go down on the Resistance. Keep fighting till the last breath.	Through the Storm Two powerhouses in one song with Elton John and Aretha Franklin! The Resistance is holding out hope they can attack StarKiller Base, find a weakness and save the day. Finn is also holding out hope for Rey. To me, this song also speaks a bit to Han & Leia’s love. They’ve been through so much and still love each other after everything that’s happened. I am a fan of the positive late 80’s/early 90’s vibe of hopeful comeback.
Attack on Starkiller Base	Chasing the Crown I chose this song because the Resistance is trying to bring down the First Order. They are the figurative crown or monarchy. It must fall for there to be true democracy in our society and in the Star Wars Universe. The Resistance is trying to achieve their goal of democracy. Tyranny cannot stand and they must continue to “chase the crown.”	Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me Literally, if the sun goes down (gets sucked up by Starkiller Base), the Resistance loses everything. The galaxy loses everything. Maybe a bit dramatic, but so is Poe who leads the firefight.
Han & Kylo Interact	Yesterday When I was Young I chose this song for the regret that Han feels at losing his son and his last effort to bring him back to the light. It is also a very sad song which plays along with the events that happen. I also like it because you can look at it from both Han and Kylo’s point of view. In Han’s point of view, he is remembering all of the mistakes he made and how he regrets the decisions he made and how they affected Ben. In Kylo’s point of view, it shows all of the reasons that he is bitter towards his father and how he was always second and never the first priority.	Shoot Down the Moon This song is about how there’s a gap between two people, how they can’t exist in the same space. There’s a misunderstanding or fundamental difference between them. It sets the right tone, somber and soulful, for Han’s death. Ok, the chorus talks about a bridge too. How can I not think about that long bridge over the chasm in Starkiller Base??
Lightsaber Battle	Two Rooms At The End Of The World Besides the obvious title and the world ending with Starkiller Base blowing up beneath them, this song shows two people, bound together to meet at the end of the world. There is the physical and metaphorical distance between Rey and Kylo and they are both fighting with swords like knights. “Coming to terms with the times that we couldn’t but we tried” fits both Rey and Kylo because Rey is trying to come to terms with her Force abilities and the death of Han Solo while Kylo is trying to come to terms with his actions of killing his father and dealing with the unfiltered power that Rey has.	Dream #3 Did you know Elton wrote and released instrumentals? This is one from his collection of instrumentals off “The Diving Board”. The minor chords match the drama of the battles, and the piano runs create clash and tension. Could work for either duel, but Rey and Kylo Ren’s fight came to mind for me.
Ending/Meeting Luke	Teacher, I Need You This was just me being cheeky. Rey needs a teacher, and she is looking for Luke to train her. There is no romance intended between Luke and Rey here, just the perfect song title and chorus.	Curtains This autobiographical song from “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” is sweet, sentimental, and nostalgic. To me, the slow pace with the chimes is triumphant, matching Rey’s and the Resistance’s accomplished mission to find Luke. Luke is the “old scarecrow” mentioned in the first verse. I can picture Rey climbing the steps on Ach-To as Elton vocalizes in the last couple minutes of the song.