Stars Hollow Rock: 4 Memorable Needle Drops From ‘Gilmore Girls’

Few post-millennial network television shows made as much of a lasting impact as Gilmore Girls. The quirky mother-daughter tale caught the attention of fans during its original run from 2000 to 2007. And the passion for the show has only intensified since.

Music played a big part in the show’s overall vibe, and needle drops were plentiful. These four musical moments were especially memorable.

“There She Goes” by The La’s

Let’s be honest about it. Lorelai and Rory Gilmore were musical snobs. They tended to look down their noses at musical genres and artists they considered even the least bit uncool. As such, the show needed to establish its musical taste right off the bat. “There She Goes” plays in the opening moments of the pilot episode, with the two heroines, fittingly enough, hanging out in Luke’s Diner. The song by The La’s was a decent enough hit in Great Britain, and it stands out as a prime example of 80s alternative rock. In addition, it helped set the stage for the Britpop boom of the 90s. Basically, it was impactful and influential, which would make it catnip for these two characters.

“Earn Enough For Us” by XTC

Although Gilmore Girls certainly offered plenty of needle drops, they didn’t usually stick with them as the focus for more than a few moments. After all, the show had a lot of dialogue to cram into each episode. That’s what makes the inclusion of “Earn Enough For Us”, at the beginning of Season 1, Episode 12, so notable. You don’t hear a word from the two main characters. All you hear is Andy Partridge and the boys in XTC complaining about how hard it is for a fellow to support himself and his significant other. Meanwhile, Rory and Lorelai ricochet around the house, frenetically fulfilling their morning routine in preparation for their busy day ahead.

“This Is Hell” by Elvis Costello

You have to give Gilmore Girls credit for stirring the pot. Just as everyone became invested in Rory’s teen romance with good guy Dean, they introduced Jess, played by Milo Ventimiglia. Jess came on like such a sullen punk that it was difficult for audience members to understand how Rory would ever fall for him. When Jess arrived in town for the first time to live with his Uncle Luke, he was aghast at how backwards the burg was compared to his previous environment. To indicate this feeling, Elvis Costello’s “This Is Hell” starts to play. The lyrics give you a good approximation of Jess’s inner monologue: “This is hell, this is hell/I am sorry to tell you/It never gets better or worse.”

“Be True To Your School” by The Beach Boys

This one deserves a bit of an asterisk in that it’s actually sung by one of the characters on the show and not pumped in on the soundtrack. But we have to include it because it involves the Town Troubadour, one of the unique characters of Stars Hollow. The town has a guy who’s always on the scene playing songs that subtly comment on the action going on all around him. In one episode, he’s playing “Be True To Your School” by The Beach Boys because the scene is an outdoor pep rally. Folks might not realize that the character was played by Grant-Lee Phillips. Before Gilmore Girls, Phillips led the indie band Grant Lee Buffalo, for whom he wrote and sang classic tracks like “Mockingbirds”.

(Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns)

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