Exceptional soundtracks can make good movies great. They can also take on a life of their own, becoming a greater highlight than their respective films. In this series, I’m selecting some of my favorite soundtrack songs. While quite a few are well-known recordings, I’m also including a few that have flown under the radar over the years.

In 2007, Juno made its mark with an endearing, coming-of-age film that put the story of an unplanned pregnancy at the forefront of cinematic culture. For its soundtrack, it leaned on the quirky, yet somewhat languid music of Belle & Sebastian, Kimya Dawson and others. And the banner song was Cat Power’s cover of Phil Phillips’ “Sea of Love”.

In 2000, Cat Power released an album of cover songs that proved she could create a new mood and aesthetic to just about any type of song. “Sea of Love” is probably the most well-known of the batch. The original lived in a barbershop quartet universe. It was full. It was grand. It had pacing. But when I listen back to Cat Power’s version, I’m struck by the starkness. It’s a simple, beautiful recording consisting only of Marshall’s vocals, lazy guitar strums and an aura of Saturday morning in bed with your favorite cup of coffee.

“Come with me my love to the sea. The sea of love.”