Romeo and Juliet: The Soundtrack Album

             In every movie or play, there will always be a soundtrack accompanying to add flavor and excitement. In my Romeo and Juliet soundtrack album, I picked out songs coming from Generation Z, therefore the songs listed will go from 1995 to 2013. To make it more clearer, this is the tracklist of the album.

1. Love Story - Taylor Swift

2. When I Saw You - Mariah Carey

3. Underneath the Stars - Mariah Carey

4. Rude - MAGIC!

5. Long Distance - Brandy

6. No Matter What - Boyzone

7. My All - Mariah Carey

8. Sad, Beautiful, Tragic - Taylor Swift

9. Last Kiss - Taylor Swift

• Love Story - Taylor Swift (2008)

This may be the most well-known song to use the theme of Romeo and Juliet and this song sets the perfect mood for the start of the play or movie. It has that easygoing feel and a somewhat happy vibe to it. We may think that this song is all based on the happenings of Romeo and Juliet, but it is not. There are revisions in the lyrics that makes it different from the original. And no, Romeo did not ask Juliet's father's permission to marry her daughter because we all know that they truly despise the idea of it. But, looking at the brighter side, there are lines that are very fit for some parts of Romeo and Juliet.

"I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around
My faith in you was fading

Romeo save me, I've been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come"

           These lines represent the time when Juliet was very miserable when Romeo was banished for killing Tybalt, who also killed Romeo's friend, Mercutio before this whole thing happened (ACT 3). This clearly means that they can't live without each other's presence.

Link: https://youtu.be/WOKOiZo5zAQ

• When I Saw You - Mariah Carey (1995)

"Soft heavenly eyes gazed into me
Transcending space and time
And I was rendered still
There were no words for me to find at all
As I stood there beside myself
I could see you and no-one else

When I saw you
When I saw you
I could not breathe
I fell so deep
When I saw you
When I saw you
I'd never be
I'd never be the same"

           In short, this similarly describes the feeling of Romeo when he first saw Juliet (ACT 1). He was smitten to see Juliet during the party. He experienced a "love at first sight" with her. His love for Rosaline seemed to fade away the second he looked at Juliet.

Link: https://youtu.be/kJ0myNEGYag

• Underneath the Stars - Mariah Carey (1995)

"And we drifted to another state of mind
And imagined I was yours and you were mine
Underneath the stars
Underneath the stars

Weak in the knees
Wrapped in the warm gentle breeze
So shy a bundle of butterflies
Flush with heat of desire
On a natural high

As we drifted to another place in time
And the feeling was so heady and sublime
As I lost my heart in you
There in the dark
Underneath the stars"

          The reason why this song is part of the tracklist is because it is the perfect mood-setter for the balcony scene (ACT 2). The song and the scene both takes place in the nighttime which makes it more appropriate. Also with the lyrics, it describes the feeling of young love and the feeling that it's just only you and your lover in this world, just like how Romeo and Juliet profess their love for each other.

Link: https://youtu.be/GeqcljPuz1Y

• Rude - MAGIC! (2013)

"Can I have your daughter for the rest of my life?
Say yes, say yes 'cause I need to know
You say I'll never get your blessing 'til the day I die
Tough luck, my friend, but the answer is no!

Why you gotta be so rude?
Don't you know I'm human too?
Why you gotta be so rude?
I said, I'm gonna marry her anyway"

          The lyrics may not correlate to the actual happenings, but the idea is both similar with each other. The song talks about a man wanting to marry the father's daughter, which to the father's dismay, declined it. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is not allowed to marry Juliet because their parents would clearly oppose of it (and for the reason that their families are rivals). This could also be applicable to Juliet's side when she refused to marry Paris because she wanted Romeo only (ACT 3).

Link:  https://youtu.be/IlwIcTsmERw

• Long Distance - Brandy (2008)

"With you is where I’d rather be,
but we’re stuck where we are.
It’s so hard, you’re so far...
This long distance is killing me.
I wish that you are here with me,
but we’re stuck where we are
it’s so hard, you’re so far... (so hard, you’re so far.)
This long distance is killing me."

           This song is perfect when Romeo was banished for killing Tybalt (ACT 3). Both of them were upset because they can't stay together and they would be very far from each other. They really despise to to the point that Romeo prefers to kill himself rather than be banished and stay far away from Juliet.

Link: https://youtu.be/rKdKfsw50qQ

• No Matter What - Boyzone (1998)

"No matter what they tell us
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach us
What we believe is true

No matter what they call us
However they attack
No matter where they take us
We'll find our own way back

I can't deny what I believe
I can't be what I'm not
I know our love forever
I know, no matter what"

         This song is also suitable for Act 3 because the way they were longing for each other is like they don't care about what the people say about them anymore and also the part where Juliet refuses Paris' marriage is also one. They both know they genuinely love each other so that's why they want to stick together no matter what the circumstances.

Link: https://youtu.be/I0HnoM8uQbM

• My All - Mariah Carey (1998)

"I am thinking of you
In my sleepless solitude tonight
If it's wrong to love you
Then my heart just won't let me be right
'Cause I've drowned in you
And I won't pull through
Without you by my side

Baby can you feel me
Imagining I'm looking in your eyes
I can see you clearly
Vividly emblazoned in my mind
And yet you're so far
Like a distant star
I'm wishing on tonight"

          These verses of the song also is a perfect fit for Act 3. It's all about longing for each other because they're so far away from each other. The line "If it's wrong to love you, then my heart just won't let me be right 'cause I've drowned in you and I won't pull through" is also a great representation of their love. They may know that their love is forbidden but it can't be stopped anymore since they've drowned in their love.

"I'd give my all to have
Just one more night with you
I'd risk my life to feel
Your body next to mine"
         The chorus is also fit for Act 4. The last two lines describes Juliet's situation perfectly. She risked her life for using that potion to avoid marrying Paris because she wants Romeo to be her lover only.

Link: https://youtu.be/RSkk9isqBV0

•  Beautiful, Sad, Tragic - Taylor Swift (2012)

"We had a beautiful magic love there
What a sad beautiful tragic love affair"

         These two lines represents their love for each other. Their love is beautiful -- they are willing to sacrifice just for them to be together, and at the same time, tragic because of what happened in Act 5. It's tragic to know that they died just because of wrong timings and misunderstandings. Their fate may be tragic, but their love will always impact our hearts.

Link: https://youtu.be/1AnCp2wpPwQ

• Last Kiss - Taylor Swift (2010)

"I never thought we'd have our last kiss
Never imagined we'd end like this
Your name, forever the name on my lips"

          Last Kiss is the last track from my album. This song is a perfect way to end the album as it gives out a sombre vibe. Just from the title, it relates to Romeo and Juliet as Juliet gives her last kiss to Romeo before truly killing herself. They never imagined it would end like this, and neither did we.

Link: https://youtu.be/1aoS2HI5xsk


          As I put this to an end, the soundtrack starts with happy tunes and ending with sad ballads. Just like in Romeo and Juliet, it started out fine and ended in a tragic and sad way. It was just a love story, but it ended tragically with their last kiss.