The Music of the Night

Breaking Dawn Review Week hosted by Robmusement

Today's Topic: Music

The music used throughout Breaking Dawn part 1 made me extremely happy. I'd almost like to do a top 10 list but I'm afraid I would end up with six different songs tied for first. First let me just say that bringing back Carter Burwell, who did the music for Twilight, was probably one of the best decisions Bill Condon made in regard to this movie! There was too much music to discuss all of it here, so I'm just going to highlight some of my favorites borrowing a special wedding tradition that was given a few nods in the movie!

Something Old

Bella's Lullabye by Rob (just kiTTing) I know it was composed by Carter Burwell

Familiarity is big in this movie! The familiarity of Rob running his fingers along my neck the piano keys from Twilight had me whimpering even without seeing him play the piano this time around! I had thought that this music would be playing as Bella walked down the aisle. Okay, I was wrong. Having it just somewhere in the movie should have been enough, right?

Except, hearing this music while Edward first hears the baby's thoughts about DIED me. If I was someone who easily cried at sappy things in movies (which I am) I would have been totally crying here (and I was!)

And then I was in no way prepared for the awesomeness of the montage of Bella's memories set to her lullabye. Definitely one of my favorite parts of the movies. @17ForeverLisa had told me there was a part I would love and I did. We'll chat more about that another time.

From Now On by The Features

So this is a new song but has a very 80s feel--the song itself and the way it was incorporated into the movie! They packed SO MANY scenes into this song, admit it, it was A LOT like what has been done in an 80s movie!!! I was in heaven! The lyrics begin, "I dreamed last night about a time and place, where from our troubles we had escaped..." which just fit the beginning of the scene perfectly because 1) being on a special island with Edward is what we all dream about and 2) at the very end of the song is Bella's chess dream where she declares, 'I win' and goes in for her prize!

But before her dream, Edward was trying to evade Bella's advances, she's trying to get his attention with her nighties, and they were out having fun exploring the island. How much fun did that jump into the water look with this snappy and fun music in the background? Way better than that shiTTy New Moon cliff dive! It didn't leave any feathers swirling around the air but c'mon Bella, no other girl gets to do that on her honeymoon.

Though it is fast paced, don't underestimate the fact that this is a love song.

Something New

Turning Page by Sleeping At Last
This was probably the biggest surprise of the movie. The song is dramatic yet in such a simple and honest way. There could not have been a more perfect combination of music, lyrics, vocals, the understanding that this song was written from Edward's POV, and the scenes it was used for 1) Bella walking down the aisle with the dress reveal 2) During the lovemaking on the honeymoon, Bella reflecting on her night with Edward. 

I want to kiss that guy who wrote the song! I cry from the first piano key pressed. #sap

It Will Rain by Bruno Mars

There was just an instrumental snippet of this song when Edward and Bella were walking outside to their honeymoon, which was interesting. The song itself wouldn't have fit here but my ears certainly perked up when I heard it. Again, familiarity is a running theme in this movie. And if you remember my post about how Eclipse needed a Musical Post-It note (Read here) well this song is it for Breaking Dawn! I hear this song on the radio and all I can think of is the movie and getting myself back to the theater to see it. This is the song the radio will play 5 or 10 years from now and it will stop me in my tracks and I'll think of my days spent blogging about Twilight and my love for this story.

1000 Years by Christina Perri

So as much as we talked about this song prior to the movie coming out, it turns out Mr. AnTwi-Pattz was right and it was just a 'credits song' but I'm sure it will make for a lot of lovely fan videos once we have more footage from the movie. I think the music is lovely, love that Christina Perri is a fan, and I wish it was played on the radio more than it is. I did hear it for about a week but then it fizzled. I've got big future plans for this song though that I'll talk about in another post.

Something Borrowed

All Yours by Kevin Teasely

This instrumental music was a reworked version of Metric's All Yours and was played when Edward and Bella left for the honeymoon in the car and then again when they were in the speedboat. It was ominous. It was anticipatory. It was all encompassing. And hey, between this music and the smooth purr of the Volvo S60, I could barely even hear the dog howling as they left the wedding.

This song was one of my favorite additions to the movie because I loved Metric's song as it played at the end of Eclipse. There was just so much certainty to it and helped in sealing the deal between Edward and Bella. So it was only fitting that it was part of the foreplay to Edward makin' good on his end of that deal!!! It started playing right about here just in case you had forgotten!

I still really love this song!!!

Flightless Bird, American Mouth (Wedding Version) by Iron and Wine
A slowed down version of the original song used in the prom scene of Twilight

"....have I found you flightless bird"

*pretend this spins*

Yes I absolutely was looking forward to a wedding version of this song, but I will say that I would have preferred it have been a 'first dance' song with the effect of everyone else fading away from them at that point. I mean have you ever really listened to all the lyrics?

With the vows and those lyrics it was almost like there was 'too much' going on all at once.  Part of what worked with the prom scene was the timing of the words spoken. There was no rush. There was a lot of time to feel the emotion and savor the jawporn. With the vows everything felt so fast. Some of the emotion of it was lost for me.

Something Blue

Love Death Birth by Carter Burwell

This music was all over the movie (as hisbella put it!) This music truly tells the journey of Bella including the music we heard when Bella and Edward were first in the meadow in Twilight , a bit of that sadness and loneliness she felt in New Moon to the reconciliation and everything that occurs in Breaking Dawn including the wedding (@ 1:45) , that leads up to the baby being delivered and finally her transformation, when we clearly hear the newer parts of this music playing.

So why do I have this listed under Something Blue you ask? Because it is emotional! Bella's journey to get to this point has been emotional, and this music is all so beautiful that it makes me sad. #sap But mostly, as the movie ends with Bella's transformation complete, it signals almost the end of the Saga Movies. And I feel blue just thinking about it!

Something Rob

Rob.

So he's not singing on this soundtrack.

Still, he's making some beautiful music in this movie

wouldn't you say?

Thanks so much for some extra help on this post from hisbellaMarie aka Naughty and Jeanette (Robmusement)! If you missed last night's convo about different scenes at Robmusement, go check it out here.

So tell me what was your favorite music in the movie?

~kiTT

**Mandy's Mind provides a good reference listing for more of the music in BD. Click here.