"Eat Pray Love" Lyrics

"Eat, Pray, Love (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" Soundtrack Description

Overview

How do you score a three-country reset after a divorce? With a map that moves: classic rock warmth for memory, Brazilian bossa for ease, Indian classical for discipline, and a few spiritual detours. Eat, Pray, Love threads licensed songs with Dario Marianelli’s lyrical score so each stop—Italy, India, Bali—gets its own musical logic.

The official album (Eat, Pray, Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) arrived in July 2010 with selections by Neil Young, João & Bebel Gilberto, Marvin Gaye, and a new Eddie Vedder song. Track and label metadata are consistent across Apple Music and Discogs. The film’s broader cue sheet (IMDb/WhatSong) adds context for scenes not on the retail album.

Questions & Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes. A 14-track compilation was released July 2010 on Monkeywrench Records/Columbia Pictures.

Who composed the score and who supervised the songs?

Dario Marianelli composed; P.J. Bloom served as music supervisor.

Which song plays during the famous spaghetti-in-Rome scene?

Mozart’s “Der Hölle Rache” (“Queen of the Night” aria) blasts as Liz digs into her pasta.

What’s the beach-shack party song in Bali?

Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1.”

Which track did Eddie Vedder write specifically for the film?

“Better Days” — an original written and recorded for the movie.

Is “Dog Days Are Over” actually in the movie?

No. It’s a trailer cut; it isn’t on the album or in the finished film.

Notes & Trivia

• The retail album mixes legacy cuts (Neil Young, João Gilberto) with one brand-new song: Eddie Vedder’s “Better Days.”
• “The Long Road” (Vedder with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) predates the film; it first appeared on Dead Man Walking materials and was licensed here.
• “Queen of the Night” soundtracks an intentionally over-the-top food montage—opera as punchline.
• Several film-used cues (Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration,” Kenny Burrell’s “Midnight Blue”) aren’t on the 14-track album but appear in the cue sheet.

Genres & Themes

Brazilian bossa & MPB: João and Bebel Gilberto tracks relax the frame—ease, sensuality, social warmth. They mirror Liz letting pleasure back in.

Classic rock comfort: Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” / “Harvest Moon” play like memory blankets—gratitude, seasonal cycles, ritual (the Rome Thanksgiving table).

Funk & disco-social: Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up” lifts communal scenes; movement melts self-absorption.

Indian classical & spiritual drones: U. Srinivas’s mandolin ragas cue discipline, repetition, and humility at the ashram.

Opera as irony: Mozart’s coloratura excess scores a private carb-epiphany—high culture for low-stakes joy.

Tracks & Scenes

Selections below combine album cuts with additional film placements. Scene notes and timing reflect widely reported cues; timings are approximate.

“Midnight Blue” — Kenny Burrell
Where it plays: Early New York gathering at Delia’s place; smoky, low-key vibe.
Why it matters: Establishes Liz’s pre-journey social orbit and the film’s taste for crate-dug cool.

“Der Hölle Rache” (from The Magic Flute) — Wiener Philharmoniker/Sir Georg Solti
Where it plays: Rome “spaghetti” montage; non-diegetic, comic-grand.
Why it matters: Puts a crown on simple pleasure—overblown opera for saucy bliss.

“Heart of Gold” — Neil Young
Where it plays: Rome Thanksgiving table with friends; source-turned-mix.
Why it matters: Gratitude theme in plain language; chosen family beats itinerary.

“Kaliyugavaradana” — U. Srinivas
Where it plays: Nightclub dance, ~1:00:00; pulses under the crowd.
Why it matters: Bridges Western pop ear to Indian rhythm without exoticizing the room.

“Celebration” — Kool & The Gang
Where it plays: Wedding reception first dance, ~1:19:00; diegetic DJ/band.
Why it matters: Pop ritual—joy as a public script that Liz is unlearning.

“Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1” — Marvin Gaye
Where it plays: Beach-shack party in Bali; dancing spills outdoors.
Why it matters: Communal release replaces private rumination; the groove does the therapy.

“Wave” — João Gilberto
Where it plays: Bar dance; soft sway, shoulder-to-shoulder conversation.
Why it matters: Signals a body finally at ease with itself.

“’S Wonderful” — João Gilberto
Where it plays: “It’s time, darling.” interlude; source track that feels like a wink.
Why it matters: Frames flirtation as gentle craft rather than conquest.

“Samba da Bênção” — Bebel Gilberto
Where it plays: Bali beats—after a fender-bender meet-cute and later at a bar; semi-diegetic to mix.
Why it matters: Blessing-by-music; grace enters as rhythm, not sermon.

“The Long Road” — Eddie Vedder & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Where it plays: Wedding montage; droning devotional colors a bittersweet threshold.
Why it matters: A contemplative checkpoint—leaving one life, not yet in the next.

“Better Days” — Eddie Vedder
Where it plays: Late-film reflection, ~1:17:00; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: The film’s new, purpose-written lyric—acceptance without perfection.

“Flight Attendant” — Josh Rouse
Where it plays: Around Indian wedding prep/travel beats; montage placement.
Why it matters: Light, cruising tempo; transitional glue between chapters.

“Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” — Sly & The Family Stone
Where it plays: “Big-jeans” liberation gag and local soccer scene; quick needle-drop.
Why it matters: Funk as self-permission; a joke cue with point.

“Last Tango in Paris (Suite, Pt. 2)” — Gato Barbieri
Where it plays: Italy wanderings; sultry sax as touristic romance is de-romanticized.
Why it matters: Tango heat, used sparingly, to question fantasy.

Music–Story Links

Italy’s cues are about appetite—bossa and opera license indulgence. India shifts to repetition and drone, which forces ego quiet. Bali opens the circle: funk and beach-bar grooves pull Liz back into a community (and toward Felipe) without preaching. The needle-drops track her moving from curated experiences to unguarded ones.

How It Was Made

Composer: Dario Marianelli. Song curation: P.J. Bloom (music supervisor). The licensed palette was designed to be place-coded but listener-friendly—Neil Young for hearth, Brazilian standards for social ease, marquee funk for release. A late-2010 bundle added a small Marianelli score disc to the retail song album.

Reception & Quotes

Critical response to the film was mixed; the music drew steadier praise for tone-setting. Apple Music’s editorial notes singled out the mellow flow and Vedder’s contributions. Trade coverage called Marianelli’s score “melodious connective tissue.”

“The scenery is nice to look at… but Eat Pray Love is too shallow to resonate.” Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus

“Marianelli’s score provides melodious connective tissue.” Variety

“‘Better Days’ is the clear standout.” Contemporary 2010 soundtrack review

Additional Info

• Album imprint/credit: Monkeywrench Records & Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. (compilation credit on DSPs).
• Score add-on: a bonus disc with eight Marianelli cues was issued later in 2010 alongside the main album.
• Trailer music: Florence + The Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over” promoted the film; not used in-film.
• Some film cues (e.g., Kenny Burrell; Kool & the Gang) are absent from the 14-track retail album.
• Eddie Vedder also appears with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan via archival collaboration (“The Long Road”).

Technical Info

• Title: Eat, Pray, Love — Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
• Year: 2010 (album & film)
• Type: Film soundtrack (licensed songs + select score)
• Composer: Dario Marianelli
• Music Supervision: P.J. Bloom
• Selected notable placements: “Der Hölle Rache” (Rome pasta), “Heart of Gold” (Rome Thanksgiving), “Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1” (Bali party), “Better Days” (late-film), “The Long Road” (wedding montage)
• Label/Album status: Monkeywrench Records/Columbia Pictures; wide digital availability
• Score availability: 2010 bonus score disc issued with the compilation

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Apple Music; Discogs; IMDb; Wikipedia; WhatSong; Variety; Film Music Reporter; Rotten Tomatoes.

November, 09th 2025