Every so often while watching television8+ Archives regardless of the show, the dialogue being exchanged between characters, or the kind of day I'm having, I'll involuntarily burst into tears.
Why? Well, once my eardrums recognize the gentle guitar strums of José González's cover of The Knife's song, "Heartbeats," it's all over. Chills travel throughout my body, a lump forms in the back of my throat, and before you know it my eyes are furiously blinking back tears.
Since the mid 2000's, González's rendition has been used to create some of the greatest music moments on television, effortlessly heightening feelings of grief and emotionally destroying viewers like me.
And though it's been more than ten years since I first heard the song, without fail, I cry every time. So in the sprit of good television and VERY good music, I decided to take a tearful trip down memory lane to look at some of the most heart-breaking "Heartbeats" inclusions.
SEE ALSO: We revisited the trauma of watching sex scenes with our parents for your entertainmentThe song, written by Swedish electronic duo The Knife, was released in 2002 as a single off their forthcoming 2003 album Deep Cuts. If you haven't heard the original, it has a very fun and chill electropop feel, and the official music video features a bunch of kaleidoscopic skateboarding, birds, and trains puffing colorful shapes. Not super sad stuff, right?
But when Swedish indie folk artist José González covered the song to include on his debut 2006 album, Veneer, he gave the world a slowed down, soul-altering anthem — a perfect soundtrack to accompany television's most emotionally-charged scenes.
From babies being welcomed into the world to bittersweet goodbyes, the track's purpose has been extremely versatile over the years. But despite the different scenarios it's accompanied, the song always managed to convey just the right raw and overwhelming sentiments.
Here's a look back at some of the most memorable "Heartbeats" moments since 2006.
My first memory of hearing the José Gonzalez cover on television was in a 2006 episode of One Tree Hilltitled "Some You Give Away."
It was Season 4 and Tree Hill High School finally won the state championship. The song plays after Nathan Scott takes the dangerous game-winning shot, and before you know it loved ones are embracing on the court in celebration, he and Haley share a passionate kiss, and Brooke and Lucas hug before she asks him the ~ultimate question~.
“This is a dream come true…so who do you want standing next to you?” Brooke inquires. Next thing you know Lucas ditches Brooke to find Peyton and declare, "It’s you, when all my dreams come true you’re the one I want next to me." Then, as confetti rains down, "Heartbeats" swells in the background and the two share a legendary, long-awaited kiss.
The song also appeared in an episode later in the series (Season 5, Episode 5) as a nod to the emotional Season 4 scene.
Peyton emailed the song to Lucas with the message, "Play this song when you win the championship," and listening to it causes Lucas to come to the realization, "there are more important things than basketball"... aka LOVE. Profound.
It's a big night for J.D. and after getting a pep talk from Dr. Cox he's off to become a father. Despite the anxiety and feeling of unpreparedness he has in the Season 7 episode, when "Heartbeats" plays over a touching montage of people in his life parenting their children, J.D. has an important realization that gives him the courage he needs to make it to the delivery room.
As a classic Zach Braff voiceover says, “I realized parenting is about sacrifice and I had to go in there and be there for my child, even if it meant taking some well-deserved abuse," J.D. is shown sprinting down the hall of the hospital to support Kim as she brings their child into the world. Thank you, "Heartbeats."
This Is Us—the drama everyone loves to spend their Tuesday nights sobbing over — had the absolute nerve to include Gonzalez's cover in one of the most moving scenes of the second season.
The moment I heard the song start during the "Number Three" episode, I KNEW we were in for trouble. I promptly tweeted in fear, because the only thing more devastating than watching the Pearson family say goodbye to their foster daughter, Deja, would be watching them say goodbye while simultaneously listening to "Heartbeats."
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The song begins softly as Deja descends the staircase with her backpack on. She receives a farewell drawing and hugs from her foster sisters Tess and Annie, and Randall is seen signing papers to release Deja into the care of her biological mother, Shauna. Cut to Deja and Shauna embracing, and then, the dreaded moment arrives: It’s time to say goodbye to Beth and Randall.
The song fades a bit as heavy and thoughtful words are exchanged between Deja and her foster parents, but it’s still there, playing softly in the background, gently pushing the emotional moment to reach its maximum, tear-inducing potential.
"I don’t want you to think that... just because I want to go home doesn’t mean I don’t like living with you," Deja says over the music. "I know that. You don’t have to worry about that, I know," Randall replies.
Then, the two HUGGED one of the most powerful damn hugs on television. "Heartbeats" strikes again.
If you're a fan of Superstore, you know that Amy and Jonah have perhaps the most sexual tension of any coworkers on television. (Sorry, Jim and Pam.) So when we saw them alone at a golf course at night engaging in meaningful conversation, drinking a few beers, and laughing out loud a lot, we knew A Scene™ was on its way.
And wouldn't you know it? Just as Amy took a truly awful swing, completely missing the golf ball, "Heartbeats" arrived to let us know the true intensity of the adorable effing moment that we were about to witness. As the song plays, Jonah pulls a classic flirty move and attempts to teach Amy to play golf by wrapping his arms around her, slowing coaching her with verbal direction, and finally, moving their bodies as one to perfectly putt the ball into the hole.
While this cute AF moment is going on, Kelly (Jonah's girlfriend) is seen leaving Jonah a voicemail, because WHOOPS turns out he completely forgot about their date since he was too busy celebrating his real soulmate’s expert-level golf game. Ah, the magic of "Heartbeats."
Over the years theJosé González cover has been used in movies like Everything, Everything, and a number of other popular television shows, from Bonesand 90210, to Brothers & Sistersand The Blacklist.
The original version has been featured on Entourage and Girls, and covered by other artists like Royal Teeth, Ellie Goulding, and even Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. Tell me this 15-second video doesn't give you CHILLS???
The point is, whether it's an upbeat original or a soulful cover, "Heartbeats" always delivers, and it's decade-plus-long life on screen is a testament to its greatness.
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Topics Music
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