Welcome to the Soundtrack Arena, Hunger Games Fans!
You have, by now, listened to the Hunger Games soundtrack. Sadly
only a few of these songs will likely be in the actual film, but if they
survive the reaping, I can imagine when we’ll hear them.
So picture this …
The ground rumbles beneath you as you are raised on your
circular arena platform.
You are ready. You have heard the songs. So what’s your
strategy? Where do the songs fit in the film?
Are you going to run with the Cornucopia of the thoughts
below, or flee to the woods with your own rebellious opinions?
Here are my predictions and the IMHO (In My Humble Opinion)
about where these songs should appear in the movie, with some lyrics.
“Abraham’s Daughter” by Arcade
Fire
IMHO: Train ride and entrance to
the Capitol
“And when he saw her raised for the slaughter
Abraham’s daughter raised her bow
How darest you, child, defy your father
You better let young Isaac go.”
“Tomorrow Will Be Kinder” by The
Secret Sisters
IMHO: After Rue dies, in the trees
when Katniss reminds herself why she’s in the game and gets some news that
changes things
“Today I’ve cried a many tear, and pain is in my heart,
Around me lies a somber scene, I don’t know where to start,
But I feel warmth on my skin, the stars have all aligned
The wind has blown, but now I know, that tomorrow will be kinder.”
“Nothing to Remember” by Neko
Case, a poignantly beautiful song about Katniss and her relationship with Gale,
and herself
IMHO: Katniss and Gale hunting
“I don’t recall, fight or flight setting in …”
“There is nothing to remember.”
“I owe you nothing, that’s all I’ve got for you.
You borrow nothing, that’s what you expect of me… ”
“All I own, all I own, the strides I spend to the finish line …
I’ll give you those.”
“I’m ashamed that I’m barely human,
And I’m ashamed I don’t have a heart you can break,
I’m just action,
And other times reaction.
All I own, All I own, and the strides I spend to the finish line
All I own, All I own, and the strides I spend to the finish line
I’ll give you those,
Just don’t make me go home
Give me something to remember … “
“Safe & Sound” by Taylor Swift
(feat. The Civil Wars)
IMHO: Rue’s death, but I hope
Katniss actually sings a song to Rue. I’m crying already!
“Just close your eyes,
The sun is going down
You’ll be all right
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I’ll be safe and sound.”
“The Ruler and the Killer” by Kid Cudi
IMHO: During the training
sessions, but it could be when the Careers (Cato) are hunting in the arena
“When I talk you should listen,
You talk you say nothing okay,
You the ruler and killer baby.”
“Dark Days” by the Punch Brothers
IMHO: The goodbye scene with
Katniss’s mom and Prim. It might be the train ride from District 12, but it’s
perfect for that awful (and wonderful) scene when Katniss says goodbye
“We don’t have to reap the fear they sow…”
“Our love will see us through these
Dark dark days, sister,
Till it lights the way back home
Sister hide our love away.
Mother listen to my heart.
Just as one beat ends another starts,
You can hear no matter where you are.”
“One Engine” The Decemberists
IMHO: No clue, maybe getting on
the train in District 12?
“Hold on, they’re breaking they’re bonds.”
“Bear down, they’ll run you aground
We all must suffer awhile in a way.”
(I think the melody works more
than the lyrics here.)
“Daughter’s Lament” by The
Carolina Chocolate Drops
IMHO: A nightmare scene when she’s
thinking about finding out about her dad dying in the mines
“Up spoke up spoke up mockingjay up from a willow tree saying you had a
father in the mines whose gone this day from thee.
Whose gone this day from thee.”
“Kingdom Come” by The Civil Wars
IMHO: Katniss at the beginning of
the games running from the Cornucopia, or Katniss leaving the Peeta cave
“Run, run, run away.”
“Don’t you fret my dear,
It will all be over soon,
I’ll be waiting here, for you.”
“Take the Heartland” by Glen
Handsard
IMHO: The Cornucopia when Katniss
needs Peeta’s medicine or (Yes Please!) when Katniss blows up the Career’s
supplies
“Should I kill you with my sword, yeah?
Or should I kill you with this word?”
“Come away to the Water” by Maroon
5 (feat. Rozzi Crane)
IMHO: Katniss and Peeta in the
cave, or Katniss looking for Peeta. The lamb and slaughter lyric is so
poignant. She makes herself so weak by
aligning with him, but the Gamemakers made it so. This song shows how
manipulative that was.
“Come away little lost come away to the water
to the ones that are only waiting for you
Come away little lost come away to the water
Away from the life that you always knew
We are calling to you
Come away little light come away through the darkness
In the shade of the night we’ll come looking for you
Come away little light, come away to the darkness
To the ones appointed to see it through
“We are calling for you …”
“We are calling for you …”
“Come away little light come away to the darkness, in the shade of the
night We’ll be looking for you …
We are coming for you
Come away little lamb come away to the water
Give yourself so we might live anew
Come away little lamb come away to the slaughter
To the ones appointed to see this through
We are coming for you
We are coming for you
(intl)
Come away little lamb come away to the water
To the arms that are waiting only for you
Come away little lamb come away to the slaughter
To the ones appointed to see this through
We are coming for you
We are coming for you
“Run Daddy Run” Miranda Lambert
(feat. The Pistol Annies)
IMHO: Another dark day for
Katniss. She’s probably thinking about her dad dying, which could coincide with
her remembering that Peeta saved her with the bread. I’m also thinking this
could be Katniss and Peeta waiting for Cato to come for them at the end of the
games.
“Daddy can you hear
The devil drawing near
Like a bullet from a gun
Run daddy run
Mamma’s been crying in the kitchen
Sister’s been afraid of the dark
I’ve been gathering the pieces
Of all these shattered hearts.”
“Rules” by Jame Dee
IMHO: The train ride after
“You say you know love, but you are just reflecting words you hear,
No iron in your veins could give you any sense of pain or fear
It’s just another lie, it’s just another calculation
And when the power’s out, we’re just another old sensation
“This boy keeps me alive, but what is it that runs through you?
Electricity and wires dictating everything we do
You tell me that you hear me
And all your memories are real
But now do I know you, don’t just feel what you’ve been told to feel
We run around the rules …
“Eyes Open” by Taylor Swift
IMHO: Prep teams and the preparation
for the parade, or this would be good for end credits as a foreshadowing for
the next movie
“Everybody’s waiting
For you to break down
Everybody’s waiting
To see the fallout
Even when you’re sleeping,
Keep you’re eyes, open.
“Lover is Childlike” by The Low
Anthem
IMHO: The cave with Katniss and
Peeta
“While the band plays the Anthem, she defers that God hates flags.”
“Just a Game” by Birdy. Okay,
first, you need to hear the song from Donny Darko (originally sung by Tears for
Fears) because it’s definitely inspired by that song. Also, this song got me.
It’s so Katniss-Peeta. Brilliant. As far as when in the movie this happens?
IMHO: I think this is from Peeta’s
AND Katniss’s perspective. So, this might be after the interviews on the rooftop,
and it could be the cave, but my gut tells me it’s on the train or at the very
end after the interviews.
“We’re all just pieces, in their games.”
My brief thoughts overall: I was pleasantly surprised by how
District 12 / North Carolina / Katnissy the soundtrack felt, though I was disappointed
we didn’t get a track that was the actual score of the movie.
So what do you think about if and when you
think these songs will be used in the film?
