‘Wuthering Heights’: Meet the Folk Singer Whose Obscure Radio Performance of a 19th-Century Ballad Captured Emerald Fennell’s Ear

Feb 26, 2026 10:00am PT ‘Wuthering Heights’: Meet the Folk Singer Whose Obscure Radio Performance of a 19th-Century Ballad Captured Emerald Fennell’s Ear By Arushi Jacob Plus Icon Arushi Jacob Latest Ann Godoff, Penguin Press Founder and Editor, Dies at 76 17 hours ago Nate Bargatze’s New Game Show Premieres Tonight: Here’s How Watch ‘The Greatest Average American’ Online 19 hours ago ‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ Sets Season 4 Premiere Date on The CW (TV News Roundup) 22 hours ago See All Folk musician Olivia Chaney has performed “Dark Eyed Sailor” more times than she can count. The 19th-century British ballad about a lost love returning was on her proposed track list for three separate albums, including her Grammy-nominated record “The Queen of Hearts”; each eventually ended up on the cutting floor despite being mastered. Chaney sang it at numerous gigs in London and around the world, delivering an especially haunting rendition for a BBC Radio set in 2013. Over a decade later, that specific cover found its way into Emerald Fennell ’s sultry adaptation of “ Wuthering Heights .” The film, now playing in theaters, primarily features an angst-ridden original soundtrack from pop superstar Charli xcx, including “House” and “Chains of Love.” Chaney’s is the only other singing voice to appear in the film, performing the soul-stirring melody as Cathy (Margot Robbie) crosses the moors to wed her future husband, Edgar (Shazad Latif), all while pining for her best friend and true love, Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi). “Dark Eyed Sailor” is near-Odyssean in context, telling the story of a woman mourning her lost-at-sea sailor lover, only for him to return in disguise to test her faithfulness before revealing his identity and marrying her. It’s only fitting that it plays while a distraught Cathy promises herself to another, and later, when she finally reunites with Heathcliff. It also seems apt that the version Chaney recorded during her own period of heartbreak was the one that made the fil...