‘The Crown’ Season 4 ‘80s Songs
‘80s Songs Featured in “The Crown” Season 4
Read Season 5 songs from “The Crown” here.
With Season 4 of “The Crown” (Netflix) we get the start of the Charles and Diana years. Diana famously was a fan of Duran Duran, so we expect to hear at least one song from the Fab 5. What other tunes made the cut?
The Crown Adds ‘80s Tunes to Royal Drama
Episode 1
Diana is in her room, playing “Call Me” by Blondie on the record player. A Duran Duran poster is on the wall. Coincidentally, Charles calls her.
Episode 3
After Charles proposes, Diana drives home listening to “Upside Down” by Diana Ross.
Happy from the engagement, a cheery Diana dances with her friends to Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen.” This song is an obvious nod to the age Diana was when she was first introduced to Charles. According to Wikipedia, Diana was 16 when she met Charles (the edge of 17). About a year or so later Charles decided that Diana, and not any of the women he was dating for years, would be best suited as his bride. If there’s one takeaway from this season of “The Crown” it’s that Diana was too young (20) to be married, and way, way, way too young to face royal scrutiny.
“Vienna” by Ultravox plays as the music on her alarm.
“Girls on Film” by Duran Duran is the tape she puts in her Walkman as she skates around the palace. Don’t have to explain the “Girls on Film”/Diana being chased by photographers connection, right? The Duran Duran poster from her old room is inside her cabinet/dresser.
Elton John “Song For Guy” as she is ballet dancing. Plenty of symbolism with this song choice, take your pick: “Song For Guy” is inspired by a bike messenger who worked for Elton’s company named Guy who was killed, at the age of 17 (about the age Diana lost her “innocence” when she got swept up in the royal life). There aren’t many lyrics to the song but “Life isn’t everything.” Elton and Diana were friends in real life.
“Edge of Seventeen” plays again, over the credits. The producers really bringing that point home.
Episode 5
“Boys Don’t Cry”, The Cure when the guy who is soon to be breaking into the palace (Michael) gets on the bus.
Michael paints to “No Action” (Elvis Costello).
Song when Michael is at the bar: “Monkey Man” ska version by The Specials.
“24 hours” by Joy Division when the Michael is hanging out.
“Whine and Grine/Stand Down Margaret” (The English Beat) over closing credits.
Episode 7
Princess Margaret dancing with her friend to David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” (because, they’re dancing).
Episode 8
“Inglan is a Bitch,” Linton Kwesi Johnson over end credits.
Episode 9
To surprise Charles for his birthday, Diana decides to dance center stage at the ballet. In front of people. Lots of people. It’s an awkward dance to “Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel. Now I think we can all agree this is not Billy’s best song. By far. It was popular at the time, and Diana probably thought she was being cheeky with this tune. But, actually, if we’re being literal she isn’t an uptown girl. Charles is Uptown. So even the choice of song didn’t add up, but she was like 23 so we’ll cut her some slack.
It’s almost like the producers are daring us to find all of the song Easter eggs because they have Diana in the car with her kids singing “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by a band called…Queen. Get it?
Diana sings “All I Ask Of You” from Phantom of the Opera in a video for Charles and suddenly “Uptown Girl” doesn’t seem so bad.
Diana dancing in her home studio to the Eurythmics “Love is a Stranger.” I think that title is self explanatory.