"Just Like Heaven" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Just Like Heaven (Music From the Motion Picture)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

Can a rom-com about a man and a maybe-ghost be scored like a mixtape of fate? This one is. The album pairs a new cover of the title song with clever crate-digging—classic pop, left-field covers, and a handful of score moments—so the music keeps toggling between playful and wistful.

The setup is simple: Katie Melua’s “Just Like Heaven” opens the film; the original by The Cure anchors the end credits. Around that spine, you get Pete Yorn reimagining “Just My Imagination,” Kay Hanley charging through “Lust for Life,” Kelis purring “Brass in Pocket,” plus Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Beck, The Cars, Bowling for Soup doing “Ghostbusters,” and a soft reset from Amos Lee (“Colors”). The orchestral thread is by Rolfe Kent.

Questions & Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes—Just Like Heaven (Music From the Motion Picture), 18 tracks on Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax (CD released mid-September 2005).

Which versions of “Just Like Heaven” does the film use?

Katie Melua’s cover in the opening titles; the Cure’s original appears in the closing credits alongside the remainder of Melua’s version.

Who composed the score?

Rolfe Kent. His cues stitch the pop selections together without tipping the tone into sap.

What’s the song in the exorcism gag?

Bowling for Soup’s take on the “Ghostbusters” theme—used as a wink during the fake-exorcist sequence.

Which track underscores David’s lonelier beats?

Amos Lee’s “Colors” recurs around reflective moments; Pete Yorn’s “Just My Imagination” is also placed over solitary scenes.

Was there a single?

Melua’s “Just Like Heaven” was promoted as the film tie-in; it also appears on her album Piece by Piece.

Notes & Trivia

• The album mixes originals and modern covers: Kelis channels “Brass in Pocket,” Kay Hanley tackles “Lust for Life.”
• Ralph Sall served as executive music producer; the compilation leans into recognizable hooks for comedic timing.
• The Cure’s 1987 hit not only lends the title—it bookends the movie’s mood from meet-cute mystery to rooftop resolution.
• “Ghostbusters” appears specifically to lampoon the on-screen exorcism attempt.

Genres & Themes

Bright alt-pop & power-pop → optimism under doubt: The Cars and Pete Yorn cue the rom-com bounce even when the plot stalls.

Retro covers → memory as mood: Familiar songs reframed (Kelis, Hanley) place characters inside shared pop culture, not just private grief.

Indie-soul & acoustic → vulnerability: Amos Lee’s “Colors” and Kent’s small-ensemble textures slow scenes to human scale.

Tracks & Scenes

“Just Like Heaven” — Katie Melua
Where it plays: Opening titles over quick character/setup beats; non-diegetic, full cue impression.
Why it matters: A softer register of the Cure classic that frames the story as a modern folktale rather than a goth romance.

“Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)” — Pete Yorn
Where it plays: David alone in the apartment with a drink, replaying the day; non-diegetic (reported placement in soundtrack Q&A).
Why it matters: The lyric is the thesis: he’s building a relationship in negative space.

“Ghostbusters” — Bowling for Soup
Where it plays: The sham exorcism sequence with costumed “specialists”; non-diegetic/source-gag blend.
Why it matters: A needle-drop punchline: the movie laughs with you at its own premise.

“Good Times Roll” — The Cars
Where it plays: Early city-life montage/drive—quippy momentum between apartment run-ins; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Power-pop sheen for meet-irritate energy.

“Lust for Life” — Kay Hanley
Where it plays: Kinetic transition as plans accelerate; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: A grin with teeth—the cover keeps the pulse without the chaos.

“Brass in Pocket” — Kelis
Where it plays: Flirt-forward interlude; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Confidence as costume—useful when both leads are faking their footing.

“I Put a Spell on You” — Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
Where it plays: Brief supernatural-wink stingers around spectral beats; non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Campy possession song turned rom-com punctuation mark.

“Colors” — Amos Lee
Where it plays: Park/quiet reflection and a late emotional reset; non-diegetic (multiple Q&A confirmations).
Why it matters: The film’s gentlest truth teller—grief without melodrama.

“Just Like Heaven” — The Cure
Where it plays: End credits (with the remainder of Melua’s cover also surfacing); non-diegetic.
Why it matters: The original’s spark sends you out on the intended high.

Note: Public SMPTE timecodes aren’t issued; placements above follow album credits and documented scene call-outs from reliable listings.

Music–Story Links

The movie toggles between banter and ache; the soundtrack mirrors that with bright covers for friction and intimate cues for reckoning. When the plot winks (the exorcism, the bookstore psychic), the music winks too. When the rooftop garden appears, the songs step back and Kent’s score lets you hear air in the frame.

How It Was Made

Rolfe Kent’s score was recorded and mixed alongside a song-heavy compile; executive music production coordinated clearances for legacy cuts and fresh covers. The album arrived via Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax with an 18-track program; the film leans on those tracks plus Kent’s connective cues.

Reception & Quotes

Contemporary reviews often flagged the music as a stealth asset—familiar enough to be cozy, sharp enough to keep scenes buoyant.

“Rolfe Kent delivers a score that captures the wistful tone without being cloying.” —Variety

“A mixtape of recognition gags and real feeling.” —album note

Additional Info

• Album highlights: Katie Melua “Just Like Heaven”; The Cure “Just Like Heaven”; Pete Yorn “Just My Imagination”; Kay Hanley “Lust for Life”; The Cars “Good Times Roll”; Kelis “Brass in Pocket”; Screamin’ Jay Hawkins “I Put a Spell on You”; Beck “Strange Invitation”; Imogen Heap “Spooky”; Amos Lee “Colors.”
• Trailer cue not on the album: Train’s “Calling All Angels” was used in marketing.
• Opening Titles vs. Credits: cover first, original last—by design.
• Score credit: Rolfe Kent; orchestrations by Tony Blondal.
• Executive music producer: Ralph Sall.

Technical Info

• Title: Just Like Heaven (Music From the Motion Picture)
• Year / Type: 2005; Various-artists compilation + score selections
• Composer: Rolfe Kent
• Label: Columbia / Sony Music Soundtrax (CD release mid-September 2005; catalog CK 97696)
• Selected placements: Opening — “Just Like Heaven” (Melua); Exorcism gag — “Ghostbusters” (Bowling for Soup); Solitude — “Just My Imagination” (Yorn); Reflection beats — “Colors” (Amos Lee); Credits — “Just Like Heaven” (The Cure).
• Trailer: YouTube ID pLp2tgybrKA (figures above)

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: label/retail listings and credits; film/album pages confirming opening–closing song versions; soundtrack Q&A pages for scene placements; contemporary reviews noting the score’s tone.

November, 12th 2025