I don't often listen to music when I write. My writing time is usually first thing at the butt crack of dawn or when everyone else is out for the day. When I'm deeply entrenched in a WIP though, I create a playlist, something to keep me in the mood of my story when I'm walking or driving or doing more mundane chores.I'll give you a few examples. For my first Laundry Hag book, the theme song was Paul Simon's You Can Call Me Al. I love the duality of that song, the peppy upbeat tempo and the darker questions and images in the lyrics. The video with Chevy Chase is absolutely priceless too. I'd add it here, but I'm already getting off topic.
For Redeeming Characters, I had to search for a bit to discover the heart of that book.
And when I say a bit, that's like calling the Nile River a stream of dog pee. After a few false prophets I finally really listened to the lyrics for Matthew Sweet's Sick of Myself.Here are the lines that caught my breath, then made me shriek, and this is a direct quote, "Nailed it, you bastard!"
Off 100% Fun album by Matthew Sweet
...the choice to leave you
I'll throw away a chance at greatness, just to make this
dream come in to play.
I don't know if I'll find a way
'Cause I'm sick of myself when I look at you
something is beautiful and true
That was the best day and the song will forever bring a smile to my face. Incidentally on the very same album is the theme song for Cosmic Balance, the second book in my Stellerverse series, We're The Same. As soon as I finish my current Lusha projects, that one will be played to death.
So, now I want to hear from you, writers and readers alike. What are your favorite songs and why? Best answer wins a $15.00 iTunes giftcard. And since this is a stop on my Redeeming Characters Blog Tour I'll let you know right now that if you check out http://www.jenniferlhart.com/ you can also enter to win the grand prize, a $50.00 Amazon.com giftcard!
30 comments:
"You're My Home" sung by Billy Joel on his Toy in the Attic album - yes, I'm showing my age. ;-)
Oh that's a good one. Love Billy Joel
Morning Jenn! I didn't find this song until after I wrote Soul Catcher but I think it fit the story perfectly - Bruno Mars Just the Way You Are.
Paranormal Queen, is that a remake of just the way you are or the original. I have no idea who sang it first but it is a terrific song!
Blood and Fire by the Indigo Girls....its just soooo raw and full of emotion! i have seen these girls in concert with my friends 4 times and they rock!!!!
Wow, Heather, Four times in concert and you are a fangirl! I was like that for Metallica back in the day, my husband bought me tickets when I was five months pregnant with our second child, not sure what he thought was going to happen there!
Okay, here's the deal with playlists. I'm absolutely jealous of those of you who create these amazing lists and listen with carefree abandon as your finger fly over the keyboard. At least, that's what imagine you doing while you write to music.
Me?
Oh, I write to whatever is currently playing on NickJr at the moment. Right now it is the Monarch butterfly song that goes something like "flap flap...flap flap". Uh, has your brain been numbed by the absurdity of my play list yet?
Sigh.
Must get back to writing before Yo Gabba Gabba comes on and I'm forced to do the "inside voice" song with my daughter.
Hey Jen!
--Kerri
I can't listen to music with lyrics when I write. It is too distracting and I start writing out the lyrics - or worse sometimes singing ;)
When I have my journalist's hat on I like to listen the Grateful Dead's drums. Yes, I have a playlist of just drums from various years. The urge to dance is great at times!
When I am editing or grading I prefer Jazz. Sometimes Jazz greats like Alice or John Coltrane, other times newbies such as electric Jazz guitarist Jake Hertzog.
Thanks, jen! the Girls have had albums out since 1985 and i think the coolest thing is that every time i read a book, im pretty much guaranteed to be able to put it to one of their songs! Metallica while pregnant? yeah, not sure what that was supposed to accomplish either! haha
This time of year, nothing, nothing, beats Hande's Messiah. That Hallelujah chorus - you can't beat it!
Oh, dear God, Kerri, you're bringing back memories from when my kids were that age and I had to listen to that stupid Noggin moose sing "days are the sunniest, jokes are the funniest, everywhere I go..." I wanted to shoot him and mount his yellow head on the wall.
Colleen, yeah I can't listen and think at the same time either. The play list is just to get me in the mood.
Jianne, I agree, seasonal tunes have a way of lifting the spirits.
I used to have to have the playlist on when I wrote. Or I would pick one song that I would put on repeat. After about 5 listens, it became the background noise I needed so part of my brain would have something to mess with while the rest of it worked on my story.
And Jenn, I went to Pantera like that when I was pregnant with Ashton. No hanging out in the pit, but I was there. I did decline the GWAR tickets though.
Back when all I wrote was slit my wrist angst, I used to have a few go to songs.
Tonight and the Rest of my Life by Nina Gordon-"Down to the earth I fell with dripping wings, heavy things won't fly. And the sky might catch on fire and burn the axis of the world that's why I prefer a sunless sky to the glittering and stinging in my eyes."
Pretty much anything by HIM. Resurrection always moved me.
"You kissed my lips
With those once cold fingertips
You reached out for me
And oh how you missed
You touched my face
And all life was erased
You smiled like an angel
(falling from grace)"
For sex scenes nothing beats Nine Inch Nails and CLOSER. Or Alice Cooper's Poison.
OOh, another wrist slitter is Alice Cooper's Stolen Prayer.
"I walk the streets alone
On feeble bones I ride
My sins are etched in stone
I got no place to hide
Well, I was unshakable
In what I did believe
I feel so breakable
But have I been deceived
You showed me your paradise
And your carnival of souls
But my heart keeps telling me
That ain't the place to go
Well, I'm not invincible
So I want you to leave
Well, I'm so convincible
But have I been deceived"
Okay. So, I'm done lyric spamming. *g*
Okay. I lied. Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, specifically, O Fortuna. That's always good for really evil scenes.
If I listened to music while I wrote, I'd spend more time pretending I was the lead singer and then of course, I'd have to go on the talk show circuit, Oprah, Tyra and The View, There'd never be time to write.
For my first time travel These Dreams by Heart. I had a foggy, dream sequence and the song fit well.
Saranna,
If I listened to music while writing sex scenes I'd probably forget what went where, like a really mashed up game of twister. LOL. You got some good on there though, hardcore "do me" songs.
LOL, Val, I like your logic. Music equals fame and fortune, unlike this dodgy writing career, huh? And why and I talking like an Oliver Twist character all of a sudden?
I always have a playlist going when I write. Like Saranna, I have been known to put the same song on repeat for hours.
~Lillie Spencer
Gail, I was thinking of you earlier when I watched the DVR episode of Castle because at the end they all broke out into singing Billy's Piano Man.
Yeah Lillie, I do the play it to death too, especially when I put Lyrics in a book. Dear Lord, I must have played Gloria Gainer's I will Survive a million times to make sure I got it right in Hag 1 and Tina Turner's version of The Game of Love in River Rats
Kay everyone, I'm going offline for the night, will pick the giftcard winner out of a hat in the AM. Fun talking tunes with you all!
My theme song would have to be "Awesome" by Veruca Salt:
"There's something in my unity,
What's coming over me?
Oh, f**k humility
We're awesome, awesome"
This may be my favorite WGW post of all time! :) Storm, by Lifehouse seems to be my theme song right now, I think because I'm finally to the point in my son's medical battles that I'm grieving for what could have been and searching for the meaning in what is. I've realized this year was my time to grieve and to accept. I think I'm almost there. :)
So here it is....
I know you didn't
bring me out here to drown
so why am I 10 feet under and upside down
barely surviving has become my purpose
cause I'm so used to living underneath the surface
if I could just see you
everything will be alright
if I see you
the storminess will turn to light
and I will walk on water
and you will catch me if I fall
and I will get lost into your eyes
and everything will be alright
I totally meant to get to this yesterday. Last week of classes, feel like my theme song is on super speed sounding like a chipmunk...
Personally, I've always had an affinity to Jack Off Jill's "When I am Queen."
I may never really be queen, but I sure can act like one when! ;)
Of course, any song with a goovin' beat helps tune out the background noise when I write, so my theme song varies quite a bit. :P
Trisha, love your choice! You're awesome
Liane, of ALL TIME!?! *Squee*! Love your song choice!
Ms. Heather,
I feel your pain! My eight year old turns nine on Sat and along with blogging, writing and party prep, I'm not sure which way is up right now.
Thank you everyone for stopping by, this is so much fun for me, I think you guys are all inspiring me to write since my word count went waaaaay up yesterday from what it has been!
And the iTunes giftcard winner is....
PARANORMAL QUEEN!
Congrats, Vivi!
And Ms. Heather, you are also a prize winner, literally! Deets up on
www.jenniferlhart.com on how to collect your booty!
On to the next blog!
I wanna join too! But I know it's over... :'( Anyway, I just want to share. Child by Freddie Aguilar... the lyrics rocks! :D
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