Their Eyes Were Watching God: Novel Soundtrack

Event description: Janie’s mother was raped and once she gave birth to Janie, she turned to drinking and ended up leaving Janie with her Grandmother, or ‘Nanny’. As a result of this, Janie was raised in a relatively loving home with all of her basic needs taken care of. Her mom is never heard from again.
Song/event explanation: This song tells a story of a parent leaving a child and letting that child know that although they are leaving, they still love them. Since Janie’s mother was willing to leave, she showed love in knowing that Nanny would be able to give her a good life. Also, Janie never displays any grudges or anger toward her mom which shows a love in the same sense.

Event description: In the beginning of the book, Janie describes love as a bee kissing a tree blossom. (11) She wonders if there will be, “...singing bees for her?” (11). It is easy to see that Janie views love as something beautiful and heavenly.
Song/event explanation: In this song, Gaye and Terell sing of a love that was sent to them by heaven, a ‘precious love.’ Janie dreams of a love such as this.

Event description: Janie is forced to marry Logan Killicks by her Grandmother. Janie is never happy with this marriage because it is not based on love. She is essentially a servant to Logan. Her Grandmother forced this marriage upon her so that she would have all of her needs (only physical, of course) taken care of. Janie realizes that just a marriage does not satisfy her need for love (28).
Song/event explanation: Although this song is inappropriate at times, it makes the point that you, “can’t get no...satisfaction...” This song is speaking of satisfaction in general but this is precisely the way that Janie feels about her marriage with Logan. It is not a satisfying relationship on the emotional level.

Event description: Janie meets a man, Jody, who she thinks loves her truly and she thinks she loves too. She decides to leave Logan to run away with this new man who promises her a better life.
Song/event explanation: This song tells a story of a relationship that isn’t working out and that must come to an end, “...we both know that the story’s ending...” This is exactly what is happening to Logan and Janie. Janie knows that their relationship must come to an end, so she ends it and leaves with Jody.

Event description: Janie is now married to Jody but he puts her into a stereotypical role of a woman during this time period. She runs the shop and is not allowed to decide for herself her activities. She is, in a sense, bound to Jody’s will and under his control.
Song/event explanation: In this song the ‘Phantom’ tells the girl, “...my power over you grows stronger yet and though you turn from me to glance behind, the Phantom of the Opera is there inside your mind.” This is the same thing that is going on between Janie and Jody, Jody has total control over Janie, she is bound to his word.

Event description: Jody passes away and Janie is left everything that was his. She is very sad about his death, especially since they were not on good terms when he passed away but she feels a peace about it. Her time for grieving ends with a good feeling, knowing that there is more out there.
Song/event explanation: Essentially, this song reflects a person’s feelings when they are grieving and could very well have been sung by Janie at this time in her life. One line says, “Beyond the door/There’s peace I’m sure,” which basically means that Janie knows Jody is at peace so she can be too.

7. You’re my Best Friend by Queen

Event description: Tea Cake and Janie meet and he gets Janie to laugh again and her spirits are lifted. Janie is cautious around Tea Cake but she is starting to fall in love with him, a true love this time. But the beginning of there relationship is friendship.
Song/event explanation: Essentially, this song talks about a true friendship like the one Janie and Tea Cake have. They became best friends and then fell in love. Also, it displays a fun and happy mood that is evident in the relationship between Tea Cake and Janie.

Event description: When Tea Cake and Janie fall in love, the town thinks that it is quite a scandal. They think that since there is a large age difference between Tea Cake and Janie, they should not be together (because they think marriage does not need to be based on love), they begin judging them left and right. But, Janie and Tea Cake choose to ignore them and their judgements.
Song/event explanation: This song says that it is not right to judge a person because you are not perfect and therefore, you have no right to judge. The people of Eatonville need to hear this song and learn a lesson from it.

Event description: Tea Cake and Janie get married. They feel that the only thing that matters in a marriage relationship is love. They don’t care about the age difference between them because they know that if they have love, they will not need anything else.
Song/event explanation: This song says that love is “all you need” and that is exactly how Tea Cake and Janie feel. Also, when Tea Cake shows that he is not after Janie’s money, he fulfills the line that love doesn’t need to and, “...won’t buy you a home in Beverly Hills.”

Event description: A hurricane strikes the ‘Glades and everyone flees their houses in hopes that they will survive the storm.
Song/event explanation: This song essentially says that, no matter what, trusting in God is the only way to go. On page 160 it says that, although they were in a terrible storm, “...their eyes were watching God,” and trusting in him.

Event description: During the hurricane, Janie is about to be attacked by a dog and Tea Cake comes to save her. He saves her even though it means risking his own life, just to save hers.
Song/event explanation: This song displays a love between two people who would go over mountains and through valleys to get to each other. That would be a risky thing to do. Tea Cake risked a lot to save the woman he loved.

Event description: Janie returns to Eatonville and is immediately judged by everyone in the town. The only person who doesn’t judge her is Phoebe. She is the only real friend Janie has ever had except Tea Cake.
Song/event description: This song talks about a genuine friend who will be your friend even when the, “...road looks rough ahead...” That is the kind of friend Phoebe is because she is still friends with Janie even when no one else is. This displays a genuine love between the two.

By: Emily Titus