Hey there, guys.
This has to be one of those weeks when I turn off the Internet and beat my head on my WIP manuscript in the hopes that some words will leak out of my forehead and onto the page. In fact, the rest of the year is going to be that, with time off for good behavior on the holidays.
I want your help. I figure we can use my temporary absence from the Net for a fun project.
Help me develop playlists for my characters. Respond to this post here or comment on my MySpace with the names of songs (and the artists) that makes you think of one of my books. We’ll start this week with SPEAK. What is the best playlist for SPEAK. Why?
If you give me enough ideas, I’ll have Theo dream up a new website page for the playlists. Maybe I can figure out how to set them up over on iTunes, too.
(I am smelling a class project, teachers.)
While you give me tunes, I will write. Does anyone want to hear about the progress of that, word counts, etc.?
“Choking On The Truth” by Bif Naked? Alternatively, her “Tell On You“?
A little obvious maybe… but they make more sense than “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt, I guess, which was the first thing that came to my mind.
Words have been leaking out of my head all weekend long.
Andthere they lie, in a puddle, totally useless. As soon as I can find a big enough sponge, I’m gonna mop up this mess and try again… 🙂
HER INNER SONG:
A Playlist for Speak
Lemon by Katy Rose (Melinda)
They’ve clipped my wings again
Tore them apart and then
Left me
No use to fly away to
My yesterday
Of freedom
Rubbed Out by Duncan Sheik (Mr. Freeman’s version of Melinda)
She rubs it out
She covers it over
She’s harder by far than a war-torn soldier
Made of Gold by Jonatha Brooke (Melinda’s parents)
What you want most will allude you
What you want most will allude you
Because everything before it changes
Seems to be made of gold
Rinse by Vanessa Carlton (Rachel)
She’d do anything to sparkle in his eye
She would suffer, she would fight, and compromise
(and)
But everything happens for reasons that she will never understand
‘Til she knows the heart of a woman will never be found in the arms of a man
Fragile by Maria Mena (Melinda)
I’ve been walking around all day thinking
I think I have a problem
I think I think too much
I’ve been taught to hold back my tears and avoid them
But you’ve made pain into something I could touch
Come Rest Your Head by Tonic (David)
Trust, I know, is not such a dirty word
Trust is something that I have barely heard
Honesty is not so far away
Empty words are all you’ll have to say
Pain by Jimmy Eat World (Melinda)
I never thought I’d walk away from you
I did
Just a Little Girl by Amy Studt (Melinda)
‘Cause I’m just a little girl you see
But there’s a h&77 of a lot more to me
Don’t ever underestimate what I can do
Don’t ever tell me how I’m meant to be
Let me know if you’d like additional tracks.
Off the top of my head, Speak reminds me of many of the songs from the band Snow Patrol. For some reason their two songs: Run (off self-titled album), and Chasing Cars (off latest album) come to mind.
Also, some of the songs off of the latest Tracy Chapman (Where you Live) remind me of Speak too. And, of course, her old song “Fast Car.”
Brett Dennen’s “The One Who Loves You The Most” (from his latest album).
And these:
Life’s A Bitch by Shooter
Shimmer by Shawn Mullins
Lose Your Way by Sophie B. Hawkins
Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus
I’ll think about this some more too . . .
Yes, Rinse by Carlton is a good suggestion! Also, almost any song by Tori Amos would work. Literally the whole “Little Earthquakes” album would apply!
Yes, Tori was the first thing that leapt to mind, especially “Raspberry Swirl” off of From the Choirgirl Hotel, in which the first two lines are:
“I am not your senorita
I am not part of your tribe”
Indeed. I nearly suggested Me and a Gun by Tori Amos but thought the situations were too different. 🙂
Just so you know, “Run” is from the cd “Final Straw”, it’s not a self-titled. But that song is amazing.
Speak makes me think of really indie/emo bands.
“The Note From Which A Chord Is Built” by Emery, sticks out the most in my mind.
I can’t think of any particular songs right now, but based on her temperment, age and when the book came out, I think Melinda would listen to some chick-rock, a lot of late 90s alternative rock and maybe a little grunge and a few classics.
Albums I imagine she’d have:
Jagged Little Pill by Alanis
Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos
A Boy Named Goo by Goo Goo Dolls
Third Eye Blind by Third Eye Blind
This Desert Life by Counting Crows
Pieces of You by Jewel
Californication by RHCP
Lemon Parade by Tonic
Surfacing by Sarah McLachlan
Yourself or Someone Like You by Matchbox 20
Pablo Honey by Radiohead
Nevermind by Nirvana
Train by Train
The Honesty Room by Dar Williams
Brave by Miranda Stone
Nimrod by Green Day
The Wall by Pink Floyd
Stunt by Barenaked Ladies
Abbey Road by The Beatles
The Stranger by Billy Joel
Oh and definitely something by The Cranberries.
and Dave Matthews.
“Iris” – Goo Goo Dolls
“Lemon” – Katy Rose
“Field of Innocence” – Evanescence
“Displaced” – Azure Ray
“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” – Green Day
“Full of Grace” – Sarah McLachlan
“Hold On” – Good Charlotte
“I Don’t Want To Be Me” – Amanda Clemens
“Rooftop” – Melissa McClelland
“Meant To Live” – Switchfoot
“Pain” – Jimmy Eat World
“Rinse” – Vanessa Carlton
“Virgin State of Mind” – K’s Choice
“Wreck of the Day” – Anna Nalick
SPEAK Playlist
“Last Goodbye” – Jeff Buckley
“All Over Again” – B.B. King
“Night Moves” – Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
“Don’t Fear (The Reaper)” – Blue Oyster Cult
“Sing” – The Dresden Dolls
“Sullen Girl” – Fiona Apple
“Little Lies” – Fleetwood Mac
“Adia” – Sarah McLaughlin
“Fast Car” – Tracy Chapman
“Ave Verum Corpus” – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The bulk of these songs deal with either isolation or denial which, in my opinion, target a vital facet of what SPEAK deals with. “Night Moves” works well with the burgeoning, and often misguided, teenage hormones and the search for a proper outlet for them. The final three songs serve in as vehicles for hope.
I hope this helps.
-dennis
The song “Holy Water” by Big and Rich also deals with the subject of rape.
Song for Melinda
“Somewhere I belong” by Linkin Park
It reminds me of Melinda every time I hear it, especially the chorus.
“attention” and “down and out” both by the academy is… remind me a lot of melinda
“Lithium” by Evanescence
Is really the only song I can think of right now, I’ll let you know of more later when I think of them.
The mood and lyrics of this fit with my idea of Melinda at the end of the story… or maybe even a little while after the novel ends:
“Listen Up!” by The Gossip
I warned you, you didn’t believe me!
I warned you, you didn’t believe me!
I warned you, you didn’t believe me!
I warned you, and now you’re caught…
There’s some people that you just cant trust
Some people talk way too much.
Take my advice, and listen up:
Dont be a fool like the rest of us.
Now listen up!
(CHORUS)
1, 2 ,3 take it from me,
3, 4 so much trouble in store
4, 5 get it right,
The first time
(o!) count it with me now!
1, 2 ,3 take it from me,
3, 4 so much trouble in store
4, 5 get it right,
The first time
(o!) count it with me now!
Angel – Sarah McLachlan
Barely Listening – Pilot Speed
Broken Wings – Clay Aiken
Ghost Waltz – Jolie Holland
Rescue Me – Wynonna Judd
Stand Back Up – Sugarland
two songs that totally makes me think of Speak:
1) I’m Not Okay (I Promise) by My Chemical Romance (off their album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge)-it’s one of those songs that you can really just scream to and i can just imagine melinda doing so when she’s alone, at least in her head-the title is kinda obvious.
2) Speak for Myself by Aly & A.J. (off their Into the Rush album-i can see this song at like the end of the book, when Melinda has finally talked about what happened-it’s a really positive song and again the title is kinda obvious.
I definitely want to hear how your WIP is doing!
~Holly
Oh yeah! That’s right. Thanks for the correction. My brain is all foggy from grading too many really long, poorly written, boring essays right now 🙂
hey
i just wantyou to know i love you alot peace
i ran into a tree yesterday
Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance would go good…..
“Why Go” — Pearl Jam.
And “Release,” too.
“Bridge” — Queensryche.
“Loser” — Third Eye Blind.
“Calling All Stations” — Genesis (the post-Phil album — actually really good.)
“Damn Right I’ve Got the Blues” — Buddy Guy
“Long Cold Winter” — Cinderella (the song, not the album).
“Snakes on a Plane” soundtrack — she’d probably dig it.
Melinda. (That’s my name, really.) (But I always hated to be called Mel. My nickname was Mindy.)
Speak Soundtrack
“Existencalism on Prom Night” by Straylight Run
“Bleed Like Me” by Garbage
“Time To Dance” by Panic! At The Disco
I agree with everyone that mentioned any and all songs off the Little Earthquakes album by Tori Amos…I also agree with Sullen Girl by Fiona…I believe all of these would likely be a party of Melinda’s soundtrack also, I think Cry Ophelia by Adam Cohen and maybe Mental Pollution by Jo Davidson
i was thinking that melinda might listen to some music from the seventies or eighties. some songs in particular are by carole king: “a night this side of dying” (not sure what album) and “beautiful” (from tapestry). another song is “all fired up” by pat benatar. i’m not sure what other songs she might listen to yet. if i think of any more i’ll leave another comment.
love hurts
Songs For Malinda
SMACK THAT:BY:AKON
RIDIN:BY:CHAMILLIONAIRE
SNAP YO FINGERS:BY:LIL JON
PULLING ME BACK:BY:CHINGY
DEAR MAMA:BY:2PAC
WE BELONG TOGETHER:BY:MARIAH CAREY
SUPERMAN:BY:BROWN BOY
WELL HEY MELINDA I CHOOSE THESE SONGS FOR YOU. I THINK THAT THESE SONGS ARE GOOD FOR YOU. WELL I WANTED TO ASK YOU IF I COULD ALSO COMPARE SOME MOVIES. HOPE YOU LIKE THSES SONGS THAT I AM POSTING YOU.
bonethugz-thug mentality
led zepplin-stairway to heaven
metallica-one
metallica-fade to black
metallica-master of puppets
system of a down-lonely day
last resort
I really liked your book because what happened to u is no joke but u still shared it with all the world
bonethugs-crossroads
bonethugs-thugish ruggish
bonethugs-1st of the month
brenton woods-give me a kind a sign girl
wu tang clan=cream
I think these songs are alright for Melinda becuase these songs will cheer her up
songs for melinda
this quote is about the music melinda mihght lisen to i think she would probably lisen to the used because she sounds kind of emo-ish and stuff like that.
Band name
The Used
Song
?
Melinda’s theme song.
settle for nothing, rage against the machine.
under the bridge, red hot chili peppers.
lonely day, system of a down.
window shopper, 50 cent.
fell on blackdays, soundgarden.
moth, audioslave.
most of these songs have to do with being lonely and alone, which relates to melinda alot.
songs that go with melinda life
lonely day – system of a down
don’t push me – 50 cent
cleaning out my closest- eminem
under the bridges- red hot chilli peppers
boulevard of broken dreams- green day
i think these songs go with melinda because they all have the same problems as melinda
songs of melinda
i wanna fuck you by akon because she doesn’t have a boyfriend
smack that by akon she don’t know how to dance
what you know about me by ti because no one knows about her
snap your fingers by lil john because she don’t want to snap her fingers but she wants to dance
boulavard of broken dreasms by green day because her dream are always broken
hellow there
well i only found a 1 song that i thing Melinda would lisen in her room or whatever place she is.The song i foud is call where’d you go by (pussy cat dolls) i thought this might be a good song for her.
Better late than never. I saw the post and decided to break out my iPod and jot down some songs from my Speak Playlist, which I make a point to listen to in the background everytime I reread Speak. Most of the songs on my list tend to focus more on the overall mood of the song rather than purely on lyrics alone.
“We Never Change” – Coldplay
“Barely Breathing” – Duncan Sheik
“The Freshmen” – The Verve Pipe
“Imperfectly” – Veruca Salt
“Document” – Calamine
“Dream On” – Aerosmith
“Trampoline” – Calamine
“The Last Remaining Light” – Audioslave
“Misery” – The Moffatts
“Take Me Away” – Lifehouse
“Your Bruise” – Death Cab For Cutie
“Sullen Girl” – Fiona Apple
“Goodbye To You” – Michelle Branch
“Paradise” – Vanessa Carlton