Elton John Plays for The Last Jedi

Scene	Alex’s Playlist	Sarah’s Playlist
Opening Attack on Resistance Base and Dreadnaught	The Retreat Even though this is about the Civil war, I felt this was fitting as the Resistance is battered and bruised. They have very little left and are just trying to survive. That is the story of the song, just soldiers trying to survive the end of a battle.	Sweat it Out The movie starts with a bang! This song has a medium tempo but you feel the pressure of battle in the beat and lyrics. “Can’t deny eye for eye, It’s open season” (everyone is firing on everyone); “When your back’s up, sweat it out” (Resistance is pinned in, they try to bide time in the escape).
Luke and Rey Meet	Hard Luck Story Rey meets Luke expecting to meet this fantastical amazing Jedi Master only for Luke to ignore her and refuse to help. He is your typical person that has gone through hard times and had hard luck. He therefore is just another Hard Luck Story. You can see all of the pain and wear on Luke from everything that has happened to him, but we don’t yet know what that is. We want to hear his hard luck story.	Sing Me No Sad Songs Luke rejects Rey at the beginning and what she represents – the hope of the galaxy, the skewed thinking of the Force, and serves as a reminder of his failures. Literally all the lyrics fit.
“They tracked us through lightspeed” & the First Order Attack	Like Father, Like Son I chose this song because Kylo gets enraged by Snoke, channeling his inner Darth Vader and then jumps into the cockpit of his fighter to show off his pilot skills, just like his own father, Han Solo. He also gets close to making a very poor decision only to change his mind at the last second, just like his father did in A New Hope with the Death Star. The only difference is that the choice was then taken by one of his copilots so Kylo doesn’t get the credit.	Stone’s Throw from Hurting This song conveys some of the tiredness the Resistance is feeling in this moment. The Resistance ships are “on a runaway train on an empty track” (or empty fuel tank) and are a “stone’s throw from hurting”. The line about “burning this bridge forever” works for the literal Resistance bridge and the connection between Ben and Leia.
Luke’s Daily Routine/The Tree Scene	When Love is Dying This might seem weird, but for this one I chose to view the love as the Jedi and with inaction by Luke and his desire for the Jedi to end.	Beauty in the Bones This song speaks to the interconnectedness of everything, like the Force. “Every root turns into branches” is a nod to the tree housing the Jedi texts, but also how the Jedi (roots) will turn into something new (branches) with Rey. “There was a time when I was feeling incomplete. Lost in the shadow of the person I could be. Chasing perfection in every direction, so focused on the end, I didn’t see the journey and take in every step. Every long road Song that I half-wrote Brought me to where I am” – These lyrics work for both Luke and Rey.
Rey & Luke’s First Lesson	Breaking Down Barriers I chose this one because I like the message of the lesson that Luke is trying to teach Rey. The galaxy has built up the view that the Jedi are the only ones who can have to light and that barrier needs to be broken down.	Simple Things In this duet between the Rocket Man and Brandi Carlile, Elton (Luke) sings about teaching what he has learned. It’s about focusing on the little, simple things. “Look no further than the feeling” in the Force. It’s about what you need, not what you want; Rey needs the truth and the Force, not the specifically the Jedi.
Canto Bight	Border Song Border Song is from Finn’s perspective because he came in thinking it was amazing and one of the best places ever only to have Rose open his eyes and see the horror behind it. He has “been deceived and it is not his cup of tea.“	Honky Cat This fun bop highlights Finn’s joy and amazement at a beautiful place and the fun vignettes we get to see throughout the casino. Finn and Rose get serious side eye from the patrons regarding their attire and presence in this 1% world.
Fathier Escape	Take This Dirty Water Rose and Finn take the dirty water that is Canto Bight and they purify it with destruction. They give all the rich and abusive a taste of their own medicine and clean the town with blood.	Live Like Horses It’s a slower sentimental song for a fast-paced scene, but I think it still plays. The chorus “Someday, we’ll live like horses, Free rein from your old, iron fences. There’s more ways than one to regain your senses. Break out the stalls, and we’ll live like horses,” describes the fathier escape so well! This song also speaks to Finn’s transformation: “I jumped ship, It just made sense to me. I’ve spent too long in the belly of the beast. And now, I shall be free” In his time with Rose, he feels a commitment growing for the Resistance, that he has to stand and fight. This song speaks to hopefulness in breaking free and doing what our heart tells us is right.
Rey & Luke’s Second Lesson	I Cry at Night Luke explains the Jedi’s legacy is failure and how he has wallowed in it for the past 20 years. It shows how he has become a shell of a man and how he probably does cry at night for his own failures.	This Song Has No Title Rey wants to learn more and the truth about everything, even if it’s hard. She wants to know her place in all of this, to “look in the mirror and stare at myself, and wonder if that’s really me on the shelf.” (This is a personal favorite of mine, so I’m glad I got to use it!)
Kylo sharing his version of events, Rey’s Cave Scene and Connecting with Kylo over Fire	Elton’s Song This is where Rey and Kylo really fall in love and have the Star Wars version of “sex” when they touch hands. Elton’s Song hits the notes of Kylo and Rey falling in love and the forbidden-ness that they still feel as it is happening. This leads Rey to want to save Kylo and confront Luke.	It’s Me That You Need While there’s a lot in this moment, this song works for all of it. In the dark cave, Rey learns that she only needs herself, even if that’s not what she wants to see. The repetition of the song plays to multiple Reys in the glass in the cave. Kylo and Rey tell each other they need the other in the hut (neither of them is alone).
Rey & Luke Fight in the Rain	Idol Rey loses her faith in Luke as he admits his failure of Ben/Kylo. She no longer respects him because he gave up on Ben/Kylo when she felt he should have kept up the fight.	Tonight The instrumental opening of this song is great for the duel, setting high emotions at the start. The words convey Luke’s guilt, sadness, and wisdom once Rey has him pinned. He wants a different outcome than the way things are going, but knows that’s not possible. I think Luke wants Rey to be happy, hopeful, and trained, but he can’t let go of the past to be what she needs. He sees history repeating from his failures with Ben.
The Throne Room (both with Snoke and Ben/Rey’s team up)	Flames of Paradise This one works perfectly because the room itself begins to burn and flames flow around the room. This is also the best place to see Kylo and Rey’s love for each other on full display and how they will fight for each other.	The King Must Die This song has an intense tone, and the lyrics fit well for the tension between Rey, Snoke, and Kylo. It’s all about the power struggle in the Throne Room.
Kylo & Rey’s confrontation with saber “Don’t go this way, Ben”	Written in the Stars This song is from Rey’s perspective because she finally found the person who loves her and who she loves but they can’t be together. Her hopes and dreams are crushed when Ben turns away from her and comes back as Kylo. She has the terrible realization that Luke was right, Kylo can not be saved, and it breaks her heart.	Love Song The torn feels are real here! There is such a pleading in this song from Tumbleweed Connection. The lyrics fit well for both why Rey and Kylo/Ben came together (“no one could offer you more”) and how Kylo/Ben says “the past must die” (“You say it’s very hard to leave behind the life we knew. But there’s no other way, and now it’s really up to you”). Kylo forces Rey to confront her reality (“have your eyes really seen?”). I also love the slower song after The King Must Die to really capture the emotion.
Snoke’s ship post Holdo maneuver Finn & Phasma’s Fight	Burn Down the Mission With the destruction of Snoke’s ship, the Rebellion has a chance to keep going, even if it is only for a little while. Finn also wants to burn down the system of the First Order, as he is now a fully committed Rebel. He fights the head of his torment, Phasma, and even sends her down in flames.	I Don’t Wanna Go on with You Like That This gritty, synth song fits the destruction and fight in the hanger post Holdo maneuver. Finn confronts Phasma about being one of many troopers, “another feather in her cap.” This also works for the short scene in the Throne Room between Kylo and Hux. In the vying for power in the wake of Snoke’s death, Kylo chokes Hux. He’s tired of playing the game they’ve been playing over the past 2 movies trying to win favor with Snoke and best the other one. This competition may be more one sided from Hux wanting to beat Kylo Ren, but this song and the choke is Kylo saying he’s done with that.
Battle of Crait	Little Island This one is a little bit of a stretch, but it is about war and the consequences. It pulls from the battle in the previous war between the Empire and the Rebellion when the battle was won it cost many lives. But the foe has risen again in the First Order and are close to victory. The Resistance continues to fight but they don’t know if they will be able to succeed. But the First Order will eventually pay for what they have done.	Street Kids This rock song is tough and scrappy like the Resistance making a last stand. Most of the lyrics convey this: “If we make a stand I think we’ll be outnumbered”; “I’d like to break away From the rut I’m in (of running from the First Order and being on the defensive) But beggars can’t be choosers”; “Street kids make news just being around” (We see the kids in the stables on Canto Bight know of and cheer for the Resistance.)
Resistance Abandoned on Crait	The End Will Come The feeling of abandonment that enthralls the Resistance, the hope has been dashed and no one will come. But there is always that little bit of hope that they will somehow make it out. They continue to fight, even when there is no foreseeable way out.	Sad Songs (Say So Much) Hear me out. Yes, it’s an up-tempo song in a seemingly dark moment. But that’s the point. Leia is actually showing that she has given up, which she never does. If she’s “suffering enough to write it down,” then sad songs are in order. Sad songs that will snap you out of your funk. And that is exactly when Luke does! He “reach[es] into your room” with his “gentle touch. This is a Rian Johnson type moment to me, since Luke’s introduction in this playlist is “Sing Me no Sad Songs.” He is stepping up and being what he needs to be, the spark to give hope, like singing the blues when it hits just right, because we know we are not alone in our suffering.
Luke & Kylo Fight, the Resistance Escapes	The Power Luke takes a stand in front of Kylo not to win the fight but to instill hope in the resistance. As Poe says, ‘they are the spark of the fire that will burn the whole first order down. Luke is buying them time to escape and keep that spark alive. Luke has been battered and bruised but he has come back in the end to set right what he did wrong and set up the future generations of Jedi with the Resistance and Rey.	The Bridge I love this song. It is raw and sentimental. I think it fits well for Luke in particular. Luke has grappled with becoming a legend vs retreating into shadows/history. He’s been worried about his and the Jedi legacy. In this case, Luke chose to “cross the bridge”, to become the legend and offer hope rather than retreat. This song also works a little bit for Poe. Poe is turning a page and becoming a leader in the Resistance. Poe could have chosen to “fade away”, to not step into leadership, but with Leia’s guidance, he is stepping into the mantle, crossing the bridge from “trigger-happy fly-boy” into a Commander, eventually Acting General.