Two playlists, same three-act arc (London cocktail hour, Seville dinner, New Guinea takeoff). Pick the era-authentic *1937 Broadcast* if you want the music the characters actually heard; pick *Modern Cocktail* if you want mood over literal. Hit play, pour the first round, and stop reading the kit.
The playlist
Queue the night’s soundtrack.
45 tracks · ~2h 40m
The music they actually heard. London dance bands → Latin standards → American swing.
Playlist coming soon — the host is curating it on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. Track list below is final.
Act I
London — The Engagement Party
British dance bands · ~55 min
Arrivals, cocktails, the speech. Pre-disaster calm; a pre-war evening in a warm room.
This Year's Kisses· Ambrose & His Orchestra
1937
Let's Face the Music and Dance· Ray Noble Orchestra
1936
+ 13 more
Act II
Seville — The Whaling Agreement
Latin + Spanish, pre-war · ~45 min
Entrée, whispered bribes, a mixed-up satchel. Honest caveat: Spanish Civil War limited 1937 recording in Spain itself — the net here is Argentine tango, Mexican romantics, and pre-war Spanish classical.
Por Una Cabeza· Carlos Gardel
1935
El Día Que Me Quieras· Carlos Gardel
1935
+ 13 more
Act III
New Guinea — The Takeoff
American swing, real 1937 · ~60 min
Dessert, breaking news, the ghost. The strongest-dated act — 1937 American swing is bottomless.
Sing, Sing, Sing· Benny Goodman
1937
Marie· Tommy Dorsey
1937
+ 13 more
Act I · British dance bands · ~55 min
London — The Engagement Party
Arrivals, cocktails, the speech. Pre-disaster calm; a pre-war evening in a warm room.
This Year's Kisses· Ambrose & His Orchestra
1937
Real 1937 British dance-band. Understated, sophisticated; opens the act the right way.
Let's Face the Music and Dance· Ray Noble Orchestra
1936
Irving Berlin, Fred Astaire vocal. On-the-nose for drinks before the Hindenburg news breaks.
These Foolish Things· Lew Stone & His Band
1936
Pre-war British nostalgia. A toast song, softly.
The Very Thought of You· Ray Noble / Al Bowlly
1934
Al Bowlly's vocal *is* 1930s British nightclub. The room goes quiet when this plays.
Goodnight Sweetheart· Henry Hall & the BBC Dance Orchestra
1931
Act-closer by tradition — London played it nightly. Sobers the room before Thomas opens the Hindenburg broadcast.
+ 10 deep cuts
Whispering· Ambrose & His Orchestra
1936
Love Is the Sweetest Thing· Ray Noble / Al Bowlly
1932
Leaning On a Lamp Post· George Formby
1937
Underneath the Arches· Flanagan & Allen
1932
Heart and Soul· Al Bowlly
1938
Blue Moon· Lew Stone
1935
I've Got You Under My Skin· Ambrose & His Orchestra
1936
It Had to Be You· Lew Stone
1935
Easy to Love· Ray Noble / Al Bowlly
1936
The Continental· Henry Hall
1934
Act II · Latin + Spanish, pre-war · ~45 min
Seville — The Whaling Agreement
Entrée, whispered bribes, a mixed-up satchel. Honest caveat: Spanish Civil War limited 1937 recording in Spain itself — the net here is Argentine tango, Mexican romantics, and pre-war Spanish classical.
Por Una Cabeza· Carlos Gardel
1935
*The* tango. Intent, elegant, flirtatious. The act's opening signature.
El Día Que Me Quieras· Carlos Gardel
1935
Slow, long-breathed. Sits under the wrong-bag reveal beat.
Volver· Carlos Gardel
1935
Literally 'to return.' Emilia is about to take off.
Ritual Fire Dance (El Amor Brujo)· Manuel de Falla
comp. 1915
Spanish classical-fire. Lifts the seated-mingling energy mid-act.
Granada· Agustín Lara
1932
Mexican composer's ode to a Spanish city. The hotel-bar-at-midnight track.
+ 10 deep cuts
Cuesta Abajo· Carlos Gardel
1934
Mi Buenos Aires Querido· Carlos Gardel
1934
Caminito· Carlos Gardel
1926
Mujer· Agustín Lara
1932
Solamente Una Vez· Agustín Lara
1941
Siboney· Ernesto Lecuona
1929
Malagueña· Ernesto Lecuona
1933
Asturias (Suite Española No. 1)· Isaac Albéniz
comp. 1886
Recuerdos de la Alhambra· Francisco Tárrega
comp. 1896
Seguiriyas· Ramón Montoya
c. 1930s
Act III · American swing, real 1937 · ~60 min
New Guinea — The Takeoff
Dessert, breaking news, the ghost. The strongest-dated act — 1937 American swing is bottomless.
Sing, Sing, Sing· Benny Goodman
1937
⭐ The centerpiece. Recorded the same month Emilia disappeared. Use the 12-minute Carnegie Hall cut under the breaking-news beat — Krupa's drums carry the entire reveal.
Marie· Tommy Dorsey
1937
Real 1937. Danceable; gets the table humming before the news cuts in.
Caravan· Duke Ellington & Juan Tizol
1937
Real 1937. Exotic, slightly unsettled. Fits the suspicion tightening.
One O'Clock Jump· Count Basie
1937
Real 1937. Kansas City swing. Late-Act-3 energy after the ghost appears.
Solitude· Duke Ellington / Billie Holiday
1934
Slow, meditative. Lets the room settle before the reveal — the applause-pause soundtrack.
+ 10 deep cuts
In the Mood· Glenn Miller
1939
Stompin' at the Savoy· Benny Goodman
1936
Moonglow· Benny Goodman
1936
Easy Living· Billie Holiday
1937
Summertime· Billie Holiday
1936
Nice Work If You Can Get It· Fred Astaire
1937
Song of India· Tommy Dorsey
1937
The Dipsy Doodle· Tommy Dorsey
1937
Loch Lomond· Martha Tilton with Benny Goodman
1937
Don't Be That Way· Benny Goodman
1938
Drop a 10-hour YouTube loop of radio static underneath if you want to sell the radio bit.