This was one of the interview questions the lovely Michele Fogal asked when I featured on her blog the other day.
In brief, the answer I gave was no; to have music playing in the background whilst I'm working would be too much of a distraction. But that doesn't mean I don't hear music when I write. In fact, I often hear a song playing in my head that feels relevant to what I'm trying to say. Music's a great way to give a book that extra dimension.
With Going Underground though, I took this one step further and gave it a definite soundtrack. A playlist of songs that reflect each chapter either lyrically or in tone. An element of the book that most readers have picked up on, can see why it works and ultimately rather enjoyed.
Anyways, chatting with a fellow author and twitter friend the other day, he suggested I publish the playlist here. And I thought why not?
Some of the songs you should recognise, some you might not... either way, it'll be a trip down memory lane and I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I did.
And yes, the book is set in the Mod/Scooter scene!
So, in order of play, here goes:
- Funeral Pyre - The Jam
- News of the World - The Jam
- Too Much Too Young - The Specials
- Ghosts - The Jam
- I've Had Enough - The Who
- Boy About Town - The Jam
- Behind Blue Eyes - The Who
- March of the Gherkins - Madness
- Going Underground - The Jam
- Making Time - The Creation
- Time for Action - Secret Affair
- Driving in My Car - Madness
- Doesn't Make it Alright - The Specials
- Tales From the Riverbank - The Jam
- My World - Secret Affair
- Keep Moving - Madness
- It's Hard - The Who
- Down in the Tubestation at Midnight - The Jam
- Save it for Later - The (English) Beat
- All I knew - Madness
- 21. It's Up to You - The Specials
- Town Called Malice - The Jam
- Runaround - The Lambrettas
- Faith in Something Bigger - The Who
- House of the Rising Sun - The Animals
- Turning Blue - Madness
- One Step Beyond - Madness
- I Can't Explain - The Who
- The Seeker - The Who
- Walls Come Tumbling Down - The Style Council
- I'm One - The Who
- Night Boat to Cairo - Madness
- Itchicoo Park - The Small Faces
- James Bond - The Selecter
- Shout to the Top - The Style Council
- There's a Ghost in My House - R. Dean Taylor
- All or Nothing - The Small Faces
- Poison Ivy - The Lambrettas
- Dreams of Children - The Jam
- Summer Nights - The Circles
- Zoot Suit - The Who
- And Your Bird Can Sing - The Jam
- Shut Up - Madness
- Ghost Town - The Specials
- Thick as Thieves - The Jam
- The Bitterest Pill - The Jam
- Happy Days Toy Town - The Small Faces
- Don't Push Me - The Lambrettas
- Walls Come Tumbling Down - The Style Council (Take 2)
- Time for Truth - The Jam
- The Young and the Old - Madness
- Move on Up - The Style Council
- One's Second Thoughtlessness - Madness
- Sole Salvation - The (English) Beat
- Enjoy Yourself - The Specials
- Leap Before You Look - The Lambrettas
- Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere - The Who
- All Out to Get You - The (English) Beat
- Substitute - The Who
- Jackpot - The (English) Beat
- Yesterday's Men - Madness
- Is it in My Head - The Who
- Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners
- Watch Out I'm Back - The Lambrettas
- Things Are Going to Get Better - The Small Faces
- Batman - The Jam
- The Doors of Your Heart - The (English Beat)
- Long Hot Summer - The Style Council
- Maybe Tomorrow - The Chords
- A Message to You Rudy - The Specials
- Angel - The Style Council
- Bank Robber - The Clash
- The Sun and the Rain - Madness
- Music Must Change - The Who
- English Rose - The Jam
- The Communicator - Madness
Phew!
So, Guys, do any of you develop a playlist to go with your work? And would you like to share a few tracks with the rest of us?
Until next time... x
Wow! That's a list.
ReplyDeleteI definitely hear music when I write. I've even created my own original music soundtrack inspired by a story.
For my debut novel Rhythms & Muse, I wrote, performed and recorded five songs, and also mention these 1970s tunes:
American Woman, The Guess Who
Annie's Song (Live), John Denver
Bagatelle In A Minor, Beethoven
Moonlight Sonata, Beethoven
Carolina In My Mind, James Taylor
Dream Weaver, Gary Wright
Evergreen, Barbra Streisand
Everything I Own, Bread
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Roberta Flack
Hokey Pokey, The Puppies
Iron Man, Black Sabbath
Killing Me Softly With His Song, Roberta Flack
Kookaburra, Susie Tallman, Richard Pleasance
Love Will Keep Us Together, Captain & Tennille
Misty Mountain Hop, Led Zeppelin
Moonshadow, Cat Stevens
New York State Of Mind, Billy Joel
Peace Train, Cat Stevens
Penny Lane, The Beatles
Proud Mary (Live), Tina Turner
Row, Row, Row Your Boat, Susie Tallman, Mark O'Connor
Shout, The Isley Brothers
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours, Stevie Wonder
Somebody to Love, Queen
1812 Overture, Tchaikovsky
These Eyes, The Guess Who
Walk This Way, Aerosmith
You Are So Beautiful, Joe Cocker
My original tunes are:
What's In You
Like the Moon Pulls the Tide
My Dreams, My Own
Not Far Away
Mind and Time
I'm also currently writing a YA fantasy adventure in which the faerie and human worlds are connected via music.
Words and music, now how can you go wrong?!
Ann Narcisian Videan
Wow, Anne! And you think my playlist is long... Looks like you were going for the box set too. Not that I think I could ever write my own songs let alone record them. But you're so right, words and music do, indeed, go together.
DeleteThanks for stopping by and I hope you'll visit again soon x
Wow! You and I have the exact same musical tastes! I too am a lover of mod music from 60s stuff to 80s revival stuff and 2tone era stuff. That's the soundtrack to my life right there.
DeleteI'm also a Bajaj Chetak owner.
It's great to hear you identified with the soundtrack, Anonymous. It certainly is a trip down memory lane, isn't it? A groups of Mods came to one of my book signings earlier in the year and I remember one of them was riding a Bajaj Chetak. It was this gorgeous muted green colour and I remember commenting how lovely the scooter was. Anyways, thanks for dropping in, hope you'll visit again and most of all, happy scootering x
DeleteThat's a great list Suzie - glad you went ahead and did it. Blimey - Paul Weller's voice would be hoarse after all that lot - he certainly gets a good showing! It took me back to the time in question just reading the track listing. It also reminded me how much I like The Beat. I'm off to hit Spotify.
ReplyDeleteChris
The book's present day, but there's a point to the dated playlist... It ties in on quite a few levels - but what I didn't expect was for the storyline to unfold through the song titles!
DeleteAnyway, glad it brought back memories x
Fantastic idea, Suzie. I have your book, however did not think along these tracks, even if you told me the story over a coffee. To develop a story, what could be easier than using music? I have to compile a list of jazz titles now ....
ReplyDeleteBeing from Norway and more of a jazz fan, it's understandable you didn't link the songs to the story. But as you know, you don't need to know the playlist to appreciate the book - the soundtrack just gives it an extra dimension x
DeleteI only recognise 2 on the list!
ReplyDeleteJenny, you surprise me! Where have you been? Lol x
DeleteGreat post Suzie. I don't have a soundtrack to write to as don't actually write apart from blog. It made me laugh though as when I was nursing on the wards and doing drug rounds with my trolley the conga always use to always be in my head! lol! I shall thing of each song as I continue reading your book (which I'm loving by the way). It will be interesting knowing the songs and reading the book.
ReplyDeletexx
Thanks for dropping by, Kate, and I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying Going Underground.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the Conga, as long as you didn't kick you legs out when doing the drugs round... that may have raised questions about who was taking what? Lol x
Well you can use a song title to name a chapter, could work out. Though I've never heard most of those, it's the lyrics that count. If you ever watch the show "My Name Is Earl", and you should, best sitcom ever made. No laugh track but they use really appropriate soundtrack for a bit in various scenes Lots of great 70's and 80's music, all of which I recognize. That was my era though I'd like to think of these being the good old days too!
ReplyDeleteHi, Tom. Thanks for dropping in. I completely agree with you when you say it's the lyrics that count, so it's a shame you don't recognise most of the tracks for Going Underground. As with 'My Name is Earl', it's the lyrics that back up what's going on in each chapter. Still, such knowledge isn't essential to enjoy the read or, indeed, the TV show. Songs are just a great way of adding that something extra x
DeleteSuzie,
ReplyDeleteGreat book i loved it,cheers Marshall
Thanks, Marshall. That's very kind of you to drop by and say x
ReplyDelete