I recently finished re-reading Kafka on the Shore (Haruki Murakami, 2002). This time around, I set a goal to listen to all of the music referenced in the book, and hence this list.

Kafka On the Shore

  • Piano Sonata in D major, D 850. Franz Schubert. Oshima played this in his car on the way to the cabin.

  • Little Red Corvette. Prince. Kafka listened to this in the cabin.

  • Heigh Ho, from Disney’s Snow White. Johnnie Walker whistled this tune while killing the first three cats.

  • Si, mi chiamano Mimi, from La boheme. Giacomo Puccini. Johnnie Walker whistled this tune when he was about to kill Mimi in front of Nakata.

  • The Hollow Men, T.S. Eliot. Poem instead of music. Oshima used this poem to describe the feminists that came to the library. He also called them as lacking “imagination”.

  • Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles. Kafka listened to this at the library. (This is after he moved into the library.)

  • Blonde on Blonde, Bob Dylan. Kafka listened to this at the library. This is after he tried to play Kafka On the Shore on the piano.

  • The White Album, Beatles. Same as above.

  • Sitting On The Dock of The Bay, Otis Redding. Same as above.

  • Getz/Gilberto, Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto Same as above.

  • Sexy M.F., Prince. Kafka listened to this in the gym.

  • Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 97 (The Archduke Trio), Composed by Beethoven, played by the million dollar trio. Hoshino heard this in a cafe.

  • The Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major, Hob. VIIb/1, Composed by Joseph Haydn, played by Pierre Fournier. Hoshino heard this in the same cafe one day after.

  • Kid A, Radiohead. Kafka mentioned that he had been listening to this album since he left home. (This is after his move to the cabin following the sex with Ms. Saeki.)

  • The Hit 1, Prince. Same as above.

  • My Favorite Things, John Coltrane. Same as above.