Comments on: Singing Emmeline

By: Carla

Carla — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:53:41 +0000

Okay, this is LONG past the subject but it’s your fault, really. I went to iTunes looking for Kim Richey’s “Damn” (just finished AATHM and restarted UMF) and couldn’t find it, so I searched on “Damn”. Still no luck but I found an incredible song called “Damn Your Eyes” by Etta James. If that doesn’t provoke some mental images worthy of an entire novel, I don’t know what does. (Which, I probably don’t.) I *really* need to look into more Etta James music. Damn.

By: RfP

RfP — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 00:46:53 +0000

Do you know about The Covers Project? Sometimes it lists covers that aren’t in Allmusic.
http://www.coversproject.com

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 23:18:07 +0000

Thanks, Carla. I sampled Haunted but it just didn[‘t work.
Why is “Too Lost in You” so, uh, stirring? It’s just a girl group song, but there’s something about it that really is haunting.
I’m good with Emmeline, I think, for now, and “Things Have Changed” is really good for North, but I cannot for the life of me get Shar from Dogs and Goddesses. So I’ll be searching iTunes, too. I thought maybe Kim Richey . . .
I definitely have high class problems here.

By: Carla

Carla — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 20:34:52 +0000

I realize no one’s commented here for weeks but music is a big thing of mine and I’ve been thinking about this post for a while. I’m highly relieved to know I’m not the only one who sets up playlists for WIPs. I thought I was insane for a while there; I’d scout iTunes and YouTube for hours looking for just the right songs. (Combine “Too Lost in You”—which I’d never heard until reading about it here—with a video montage of Kate & Sawyer from “Lost”. Then have a cigarette or some chocolate.)

Anyway, while playing on iTunes again today, I stumbled on a Jewel song called “Haunted” that I thought could fit with AKMG. My current WIP has ghosts in it too. (I picked up “Foolish Games”. Something about that song always reminds me of George Clooney.) I’m not sure “Haunted” works for me but it might work for you. Just an idea.

Back to work. (Yippee!)

By: CrankyOtter

CrankyOtter — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 23:57:18 +0000

I love finding all this music on the Argh and D&G blogs and comments! In my blog I often title things with
song lyrics although I don’t insist on it. Some songs just fit a mood perfectly.

A friend of mine has been writing some fan fic and when I sent her a song link for her scene, we both listened to it constantly for about a week because it was just perfectly complimentary.

Anna Nalick has a song “Breathe (2am)” that invokes that kind of mood for me – I’d be happy if she wrote more songs, but that one is good enough she never has to, IMHO. And Jack Johnson sets some really good scenes with his music too. I love “constellations” – it has a rolling wave like background that makes me think of looking at stars from the beach, and listening to the myths behind the constellations. If I could write fiction, I’d write that scene, although really, JJ already has.

(This scroll bar is flickering and driving me crazy. Is it just my PC or is everyone on the verge of an epilleptic fit?)

By: Eric

Eric — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 03:03:39 +0000

I’m loving this thread, not least because I’ll get to update my Jenny Crusie Mix when the new book comes out. My students had a field day learning about Dusty when we read WTT; every book’s an education, if you read it right. (Well, maybe not every book. Every Jenny book.)

A particular treat to find another X fan here. I met my wife thanks to that band. Dropped by her dorm to borrow some LPs and never left. “True love is the land of a thousand dances–”

By: JulieB

JulieB — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 02:21:43 +0000

Diane, I wish I’d heard the John Doe interview — I’ll see if I can find it for tomorrow. I liked X a lot.

I agree about being able to write off music. _That_ would be cool. (Along w. being published in general).

SallyJ — Along w. what Jenny said re: not seeing the movie too many times, you might also find that when you add songs with other songs and mix up their order they make new pictures in your head. . . .

By: Kay T

Kay T — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 00:59:18 +0000

Wow, just reading the D&G chat and you all even mentioned Warren Zevon (but for a different reason). Yes, I had heard mention of Roland from Bob on HWSW last year. It is one of my favorite songs – such a great sing along – I have fond memories of driving along I5 in CA Central Valley singing along with it.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 00:28:38 +0000

How did you know that was Bob’s favorite song? He tried to put it in both DLD and Agnes. He’ll probably get it in the next one.

And yes my genius son-in-law steered me to AllMusic but it actually doesn’t have all the covers, so I don’t give up if I don’t find what I need on there. But it’s an excellent place to start.

By: Kay T

Kay T — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 22:59:41 +0000

sounds like you need some Warren Zevon . In honor of Bob you could have Roland, The Headless Thompson Gunner. Such a nice blood thirsty song.

Also, I am sure you know about the All Music Guide for seeing who all has made a cover of a song. http://www.allmusic.com/

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 21:45:27 +0000

Most soundtrack music exists apart from it; that is, it wasn’t written for that movie. One big exception is Music and Lyrics (and That Thing You Do) where the people in the movie are creating the music. I love the songs from Music and Lyrics, they make me happy, but I can’t use them, they’re too much a part of that story.

And sometimes the movie is in the story. Alice loves “The Remains of the Day,” because it’s from the movie, so the movie is part of the detail of the book. And it works thematically, too, so using part of the soundtrack actually enhances the book. On the other hand, the theme from Ghostbusters would destroy it. Wrong theme, wrong mood, wrong vibe.

I think Heap’s “Spooky” is from that “I’m not dead yet” movie with Reese Witherspoon, but I saw it once and then forgot it, never noticed the song on there, so I have no associations with it. And the Sugababes song was on the Love Actually soundtrack, but I could not tell you what scene it played on or under. The only song I remember from that was Bill Nighy singing that terrifically awful Christmas song, again because that was part of the story. Oh, and that little girl, Olivia somebody, with the incredible voice, belting out “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Couldn’t use that either. Part of the story.

So the short answer is, I probably wouldn’t recognize it as music from Frodo leaving the shire, unless I’d seen the movie so many times that the soundtrack imprinted on my brain, and there are very few movies I’ve watched that often. Unless the song is actually part of the movie–I still can’t listen to “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” thanks to Top Gun–it’s free to attach to my book during sticky time.

Of course whether it does or not is another story. I really want Imogen Heap’s “Spooky” in there but it doesn’t seem to be sticking.

By: Sally J.

Sally J. — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 17:14:28 +0000

John Doe? Used to be with X?

Sounds like a blind item in a gossip column of yore.

Real question:
If you use the soundtrack from a movie for your own writing soundtrack, how do you avoid re-writing the movie? I mean, if you’re listening to the music from when Frodo left the shire, how do you NOT write Frodo leaving the shire?

By: dee

dee — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 16:28:34 +0000

Jenny said – All my music, all my reading materials including magazines, all my DVDs, anything to do with story, is tax deductible.

WOW! That is just about the coolest thing I’ve ever heard.
I told my husband that one day I’d be able to claim a new laptop on our taxes, if I can ever actually manage to get up the nerve to pitch a story to someone and convince them to publish it. I think he even almost believed me (about me trying to pitch a story, not about me actually writing one). But the idea of all of the books that make their way to my bedside table, the movies I watch, my endless list of iTunes downloads – ALL of it as a business expense? Oh to someday have that be true.
You, Jenny, are really my own personal Goddess!

By: Diane (TT)

Diane (TT) — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 15:51:05 +0000

I was listening to NPR this morning, and (I’m pretty sure it was Leanne) was talking to John Doe. His new album has a song called “Ghost Hotel”, and he sang one called Golden State that I really liked. You would not realize from listening to his current stuff that he used to be with X.

By: JulieB

JulieB — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 03:46:21 +0000

I saw the video for “Nine Millions Bicycles” earlier today. Very nice song. Then later, listened to Nora Jones, and then a review of “Music for Compline” by Stile Antico on NPR (Here if you want to hear a bit http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11291647 ). Now I’m sleepy.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 03:09:41 +0000

All my music, all my reading materials including magazines, all my DVDs, anything to do with story, is tax deductible.

By: dee

dee — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:22:40 +0000

And here’s a question that you may or may not want to answer…

If you use the music for creative purposes, to help you write your book, which is YOUR JOB after all, then are all of the songs that you download from iTunes, as well as any CDs you need to purchase… tax deductible? As a job-related expense?

By: dee

dee — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:14:04 +0000

Jenny, have you listened to anything off of “Lovely Standards” by Amel Larrieux? She’s another one I found on one of my marathon iTunes searches. OhMyBob, her voice is just… well, it’s Just.
Lyrics are beautiful too, pretty much pick any song off that album. Some of her earlier albums are more R&B than I generally enjoy, but this newest one is Just…

By: GatorPerson

GatorPerson — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 23:53:08 +0000

Confession time. I don’t know any of these songs. I can’t understand lyrics. Physically. I can’t grasp the words. Sung words are meaningless to me. At the same time, I’m a bit above average in music stuff. (DH is a professionally trained singer. Go figure.) My point is that I don’t think I’m alone or even in a minor minority in not being able to understand sung words. So this music may not have meaning to more than just me. Give me Handel or Bach and I’m happy. Just thought you might like to hear from the minor minority segment…

By: dee

dee — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 22:49:37 +0000

Somebody already mentioned KT Tunstall, love her stuff. So much fun, if you’re in the right frame of mind.
Also really groovin’ on Lisa Shaw right now. A few of her songs have a Corrine Bailey Rae feel, to me, and I love CBR as well. At least one of her songs always makes my writing playlist, regardless of which WIP or scene or character I happen to have trying to jump out of my head that day.
Plus, LS has this slightly funky song called “Cherry”, which is how I found her in the first place (plus, I think she’s listed on the ‘you might also like’ list for CBR in iTunes).
Anyhow, my credit card is going to have a fit after I get done downloading all of the stuff you guys have mentioned.
Jenny- TOTALLY love Nine Million Bicycles. You’re right, it makes the most beautiful lullaby.
Of course, my favorite song to sing to my baby (who is 5+1) is a “Christian” song by Matthew West called “More”… “I love you more than the sun and the stars that I taught how to shine, you are mine, and you’ll shine for me too, i love you, yesterday, and today, and tomorrow, I’ll say it again and again… i love you more”. We sing it to each other all the time, and still – it makes my breath catch when she does it on her own.
Ahhh, the power of the lullaby, given back to you as a gift on the wings of your baby’s sweet voice.