‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Soundtrack: Songs’ Definitive Gray Tie Rating
With 'Fifty Shades of Grey' dropping this weekend (Feb. 13), it's no wonder that the soundtrack will inextricably be linked to Valentine's Day. And while the movie is no doubt a romantic film, just how sultry is its accompanying music?
We test-ran all 16 songs on the soundtrack, giving them a comprehensive listen and a Grey Tie Rating, with five ties honoring the spiciest tracks. Check 'em out below!
1. 'I Put A Spell On You (Fifty Shades of Grey),' Annie Lennox
Is there any song more perfect for kicking off the 'Fifty Shades' soundtrack that this classic hit? It's enchanting -- with a dark edge -- and performed by a legendary singer. The mystical quality captures the insane chemistry that Ana and Christian have. Also, this song just rocks.
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2. 'Undiscovered,' Laura Welsh
Laura Welsh brings a jazzy, timeless quality to the mix of tracks. Of course, there are lots of ways we can interpret the title 'Undiscovered,' but we're going to read into it as Ana and Christian growing closer over the course of the movie. The course of true love never did run smooth, amirite, Shakespeare?
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3. 'Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey),' The Weeknd
From it's opening notes, 'Earned It' is straight-up sultry. And while the music is undeniably steamy, the lyrics are decidedly more romantic. With lyrics like "Cause girl you're perfect / You're always worth it / And you deserve it," the track is clearly trying to underscore the love story at the heart of the movie.
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4. 'Meet Me In The Middle,' Jessie Ware
Anyone who's read so much as a chapter of 'Fifty Shades' know that the book centers among compromise between the Ana and Christian. We love the title of this song -- as well as Jessie's enchanting vocals. Spicy, this song is not, but beautiful? Absolutely.
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5. 'Love Me Like You Do,' Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding's 'Love Me Like You Do' is one of the most literal songs on the soundtrack. (Aside from the end of 'Haunted,' of course.) And because we love that she brings a sense of whimsy to the decidedly more mature themes of the movie, we're giving her lots of Gray Tie Points.
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6. 'Haunted (Michael Diamond Remix),' Beyonce
Beyonce's 'Haunted' is pretty spooky to begin with. Add it in the context of 'Fifty Shades' and we love it even more. And while Bey throws down a pretty good remix, it doesn't hold a candle to her insanely amazing 'Crazy in Love' remix. And because we take the Gray Tie Rankings very seriously, we have to take that into consideration.
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7. 'Salted Wound,' Sia
One listen at Sia's melodious 'Salted Wound' and it's clear exactly who she's addressing. That would be you, Mr. Grey. "Tell her on how you feel / Give her every say she needs to hear," she sings, clearly referring to Christian's infamous distant personality. While we love Sia, the slowness of the tracks cost its spice factor.
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8. 'Beast Of Burden,' The Rolling Stones
We'll admit, this isn't the first Stones song to pop into our minds when we think 'Fifty Shades.' That said, this track has lyrics that get straight to the point. It's not the sultriest or the edgiest or even the most old-school song on the soundtrack, but it provides a nice balance to the more modern tunes.
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9. 'I’m On Fire,' AWOLNATION
Bruce Springsteen. On the 'Fifty Shades' soundtrack. A cover of one of the Boss' greatest hits is unexpected and so perfect. Sure, this rendition is folksier than we thought we'd hear on the movie's mix, but it grounds the mix of sultry tracks (cough, Beyonce) in a great way.
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10. 'Crazy In Love (2014 Remix),' Beyonce
We first heard the seductive piano notes of Bey's 'Crazy in Love' remix last spring, but the wait for the full-length versions was well worth it. The revamped 'Crazy in Love' is so freakin' sultry (Beyonce's moans, anyone?) that we want to give it all fifty shades of Christian Grey's ties. However, we'll settle with a perfect score of 5/5.
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11. 'Witchcraft,' Frank Sinatra
Frank lends yet another classic song to the 'Fifty Shades' soundtrack. However, this track is filled with old-school sultry vibes. "When you arouse the need in me / My heart says yes indeed in me / Proceed with what your leading me to," he croons. Seduction at its best.
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12. 'One Last Night,' Vaults
Emptiness. Darkness. Solitude. Nooo, could this song also be speaking to Christian? Ana's character tries to break down all of his metaphorical walls, so we can definitely see how this song fits in. However, there's an urgency to 'One Last Night' that makes us think something really big is about to happen.
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13. 'Where You Belong,' The Weeknd
Okay, this track is pretty literal as well. There's a definite need for control in this track. The Weeknd isn't rushed as he croons along to the the sultry beat. And it's hard not to absorb every word he sings.
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14. 'I Know You,' Skylar Grey
Ahhh, the struggles of trying to understand someone on a more intimate level. 'Fifty Shades' recounts both Ana and Christian coming to terms with their relationship -- since it's a decidedly unusual arrangement for both parties. That's where we see 'I Know You' playing into things. It's the track that plays when a big decision needs to be made. As pretty as the song is, the spice factor is rather low. (Although bonus points for a thematic last name, Skylar!)
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15. 'Ana And Christian,' Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman may have scored 'The Nightmare Before Christmas,' but we give him mad props for finding the perfect adventurously romantic tone of 'Fifty Shades.' 'Ana and Christian' hits the high notes in their relationship without sounding cheesy. Also, we want to fall in love to this score.
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16. 'Did That Hurt?' Danny Elfman
This is definitely the more suspenseful of the two instrumental tracks. Maybe it's the song's title, maybe it's just the anxiety laced throughout the song, but we're getting a dark vibe. Specifically, a dark grey-colored vibe. It's an epically urgent note on which to leave the soundtrack, but like the end of the movie, it leaves us wanting more.
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