A Playlist for Clarissa Dalloway from
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Grey Street
by the Dave Matthews Band

Oh look at how she listens
She says nothing of what she thinks
She just goes stumbling through her memories
Staring out on to Grey Street.
She thinks, "Hey, how did I come to this?"
I dream myself a thousand times around the world
But I can't get out of this place.
There's an emptiness inside her
And she'll do anything to fill it in
But all the colors mix together - to grey
And it breaks her heart
How she wishes it was different
She prays to God most every night
And though she swears it doesn't listen
There's still a hope in her it might
She says "I pray oh but they fall on deaf ears,
am I supposed to take it on myself?
To get out of this place? "
Oh there's a loneliness inside her
And she'll do anything to fill it in

When first introduced to Clarissa Dalloway, she is walking down the streets of London to buy flowers for a party she is hosting later that night. The reader is then taken into her thoughts and realizes that although Clarissa seems happy, she often doubts the decisions she has made in the past. She thinks of how different her life could have been if she had chosen to marry her friend, Peter Walsh, instead of her husband Richard. Grey Street by the Dave Matthews Band is the perfect song to introduce Clarissa Dalloway. Although she often has regrets about her life, she "says nothing of what she thinks," and "just goes stumbling through her memories." Clarissa appears calm and collective, though she is actually struggling on the inside.

Not only do the lyrics describe her thoughts and situation, but the music is also very fitting. The song has a pleasant melody and shows that although she often doubts her decisions, she is still content. The song effectively describes her internal conflict while reflecting Clarissa's ability to enjoy life.

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Tonto
by Battles

Tonto is an instrumental that begins with a bunch of simple, single notes but becomes very complex as the song develops. This can be related to Clarissa's character because of her shallow appearance. She seems to be very superficial and completely caught up in her high-society lifestyle, but we later learn that she has much more depth. Although her life appears to be easy, seeing things from her perspective confirms otherwise. Clarissa's thoughts, memories, and experiences convey her intelligence and her search for a deeper meaning of life. While the song is very slow and simple at first, it proves to be the opposite, much like the character of Mrs. Dalloway. It quickly begins to speed up and progress like the thoughts racing through Clarissa's mind.

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Strange Apparition
by Beck

Lord, please don't forsake me
In my Mercedes Benz
All the riches and the ruins
Now we all know how that story ends

Strange apparition
Haunting my brain
Standing on the last legs
Of a dream that walked away

Although Clarissa is living the high-class life that she has always hoped for, she understands that it will not bring true happiness, and the thoughts of a more simple life “haunt” her. For this reason, I chose Strange Apparition by Beck as the next song on this playlist. By marrying Richard Dalloway, she entered a life of luxury, stability, and security. She realizes, however, that she sacrificed passion and the possibility of true happiness.

Aside from the lyrics, the musical elements of this song also make it very fitting at this point of the playlist. The song is upbeat with a nice tempo at the beginning, but after the second chorus, it suddenly slows down. This dramatic change of mood further conveys the evolving affects of her high-class lifestyle. From the beginning, Clarissa often thinks of the happiness that could have resulted from living a simple, easy life, but this feeling begins to have a greater effect and develops into regret as the book progresses. This progression can be related to the song's progression, as the music becomes more pensive.

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Time
by Hootie and the Blowfish



Time, why you punish me?
Like a wave crashing into the shore
You wash away my dreams
Time, why you walk away?
Like a friend with somewhere to go
You left me crying

Can you teach me about tomorrow
And all the pain and sorrow running free?
'Cause tomorrow's just another day
And I don't believe in time

Because she is aging, Clarissa finds it difficult to accept the passage of time that continues to take place. As she walks the streets of London, the chiming of Big Ben constantly reminds her of the youthfulness she has lost as time has passed. Clarissa often thinks about how she has spent her time and dwells on memories from the past. She is skeptical about moving forward with her life and sometimes wishes she could go back in time. As the title suggests, Time by Hootie and the Blowfish is a good representation of Clarissa's view on this matter. She seems to think that time is "punishing" her and also has trouble "believing" in time. I think the calm and pleasant melody of the song works well and effectively conveys her attitude. While she has trouble accepting the passage of time, she doesn't let it affect her everyday life. This lighthearted attitude is reflected in the music of Time.

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Funny How Time Slips Away
by Willie Nelson

My, it's been a long, long time
And how am I doing?
Well, I guess that I'm doing fine
It's been been so long now, but it seems like it was only yesterday
Gee, ain't it funny, how time slips away.

Still on the subject of time, this melancholy song relates to Clarissa's situation with her old friend Peter Walsh. When he shows up at her door unexpectedly, it makes Clarissa think about their relationship and how it seemed like only yesterday when he proposed to her. Once again, the sense of happiness she experienced was stolen by time. She has a hard time coping with the fact that so much time has slipped away and that she consequently lost the passion she once felt with Peter. I picked this particular live version of Funny How Time Slips Away because of its conversational feel. I really liked the way Willie Nelson sparsely plays his acoustic guitar and often stops to sing or almost speak the lyrics.

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(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Womanby Aretha Franklin

Oh, baby, what you've done to me
You make me feel so good inside
And I just want to be close to you
You make me feel so alive
Cause you make me feel,
You make me feel, you make me feel like
A natural woman

Although Clarissa loves her husband, she often feels alone and empty because he has little time for her. She no longer feels passion for Richard and often thinks about her attraction to women. Clarissa thinks about the desire she felt for her teenage friend Sally Seaton. She remembers how wild, bold, and exciting Sally was and recalls a time when Sally kissed her on the lips. The happy, jazzy feel of Aretha Franklin's A Natural Woman describes the impact Sally has on Clarissa. The memory of their kiss makes Clarissa feel joyful, free, and alive. The music and lyrics work together to present this idea.

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Why Georgiaby John Mayer

So what, so I've got a smile on me
but it's hiding the quiet superstitions in my head
Don't believe me
Don't believe me
When I say I've got it down

Everybody is just a stranger but
that's the danger in going my own way
I guess it's the price I have to pay
still "Everything happens for a reason"
is no reason not to ask myself
If I'm living it right
Am I living it right?

The next song on my playlist, Why Georgia by John Mayer, reflects Clarissa's tendency to be insincere. When she throws her party at the end of the book, she greets everyone by saying, "How delightful to see you!" However, the reader is able to see that Clarissa doesn't really feel that way. As stated in Mayer's song, Clarissa's smile is hiding "the quiet superstition" in her head. She makes everyone believe that she is confident and heartfelt, though she is not. The last line also directly relates, as Clarissa often wonders if she is living her life the right way by being so superficial and disingenuous.

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It's My Life
by Bon Jovi

It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive

I felt this song was a good way to end the playlist. After successfully throwing the party she has worked so hard to plan, Clarissa finally embraces her life for what it is. Putting all doubts and regrets aside, Clarissa is able to understand that she must live for the moment instead of living in the past. The lyrics It's My Life by Bon Jovi conveys this message. More importantly, however, is the power of the music which can be connected to Clarissa's new-found strength and confidence.

This song also portrays the sudden sense of peace Clarissa experiences as she finally comes to terms with death. Although she once feared dying, she now accepts the fact she won't live forever and must therefore live her life while she can.