Like many authors, I have a “soundtrack” that I use when I’m writing a book. It’s a set of songs that somehow capture the flavor and emotion that I’m trying to convey — or just speak to me creatively. I can’t actually listen to the music while I’m writing. I make a CD and put it in my car, or listen to it when I’m cleaning the house. Here are a few of the songs I used for DEMON ANGEL.
ROBERT MILES – FABLE
(this is more of a “creative mode” song for me … and this isn’t the same version I used. Mine is the “Message Version”, which you may remember from the movie trailer for Ever After.
INXS – DEVIL INSIDE
(How could I *not* have this on my soundtrack? I wish I hadn’t seen this video, though.)
GUNS N ROSES – SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL
(Yes, it’s the cover used for the Interview with the Vampire soundtrack — and here’s a fangirl bonus! This is a fanvid set to Hellsing! God, I love the Internet.)
SARAH MCLACHLAN – FULL OF GRACE
(Woot! Another fanvid. This episode of Buffy totally made me bawl like a baby.)
PACHEBEL – CANON IN D MAJOR (arranged for guitar)
I couldn’t find a video for this, except a Titanic fanvideo, and that was for violin … but I wrote the entire Part One of DEMON ANGEL to the guitar arrangement, because they kept playing Alanis Morrisette at Starbucks, and I can tune out everything but Alanis for some odd reason. And I can’t write with earphones on and music going — unless it’s classical.
NIRVANA – THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD
(I don’t think I have a soundtrack yet without them. This is also on the DEMON MOON soundtrack, but I used the David Bowie version for that one.)
THE POLICE – WRAPPED AROUND YOUR FINGER
(Ah, Sting. And how many fantastic literary references are there in this song? *happy sigh*)
There are quite a few more songs, but I’m probably about to explode Sybil’s bandwidth. So I’m wondering: if you’ve read DEMON ANGEL, is there a song you’d link to it? (Jane at DearAuthor.com’s video review used Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” and Sybil seems to think that Meatloaf’s “I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” fits) *grin*
And if you haven’t read it yet, is there a book you’ve read/song that seem to fit naturally for you?
I love to hear about the music that authors had in their minds when they were writing – and some of those definitely seem to fit what I have heard about the book!!
The idea of a soundtrack is really good.
Great choices!
Really liked your song choices, and you are right about some of the videos, so very different than the mental picture I was getting.
Marg — some of them I chose just because of the “demon” part and such … but then the music behind it really does end up fitting, even more than the lyrics. Like Sympathy for the Devil — I love the lyrics and the song, but its really the playfulness and, at same time, anger in the music that works for me. And the soundtrack does go through several edits as I go along … and there would be days when I’d put on Full of Grace in my car on repeat, and other days that I skipped it completely.
Danny — it really does set a mood for me, and after a while, immediately conjures up ideas about the characters. Even now, I can’t listen to Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve without thinking: Lilith and Hugh at the very end of the book. If there was a movie made of it, that song would play at the credits.
Cherie — thanks! I have to be honest … my taste in music runs to super-cheesy (in an ironic way *g*) and a lot of these songs, though I love them, weren’t in my normal rotation. Which I think is probably a good thing — it’s an additional way to separate “me” from the work.
cathy — oh, man … some of these videos are cringeworthy. I think Sting is to die for, but that video? Ugh.
I love the Pachenbel Canon. I have arrangements for piano and violin. A small group played it at my wedding even…years ago.
I sometimes can’t help myself matching books and songs. Paranormal brings to mind Evanescense…Amy Lee singing, Good Enough, All That I’m Living For or Lithium. Such a beautiful haunting voice.
I am reading a book now by Paulina Simmons where the h/h are contemplating cheating on each. 9 Crimes by Damien Rice fits perfectly and I’ve played it to death in my car thining of Tatia and Alexander.
Another good song that I haven’t fit to a book yet is by Papa Roach…Forever. A good love song (who’d have imagined? Papa Roach?)
Love your picks for songs. Music is just a powerful as the written word as far as I’m concerned.