Lori here~
I've noticed a trend of authors listing "playlists" to accompany books they've written, either they list it in the book itself on the acknowledgment page, or on their website blog, to talk about how the music inspired them.
I can't listen to music while I'm writing. Period. Music of any type, especially not a song I know the words to because the next thing I know, I'm singing along. Yeah, I have a short attention span and delusions of I don't sound THAT bad when I sing along (the Gretchen Wilson "Redneck Woman" drunken karyoke incident at the Blue Lantern not withstanding) to the tunes drifiting from radio in my car. Which is the only place I can listen to music.
But what gets me, is how completely and totally unhip those playlists make me feel. I get that it's my issue, but sometimes I wonder if that isn't the entire point of making those playlists public. The whole, I'm so cool, look at what *I* listen to vibe. It's obscure so it has to be good, right? I've never heard of half the bands. Oh, and remember I have THREE TEENAGERS, with varying tastes in music, so it's not like I'm totally clueless about what's out there. I don't have the current Shiny Toy Guns CD in my car, but I have heard of them. It reminds me of an argument I used to have in the mid-80's with a friend who refused to listen to that "Top 40" crap, and insisted on listening to alternative music, REM, B-52's, Depeche Mode, The Surf Punks, The Hoodoo Gurus, The Smiths, The Cure, Adam and the Ants before he became Adam Ant, music that for the most part was still only heard on college radios stations. Yes, I liked those bands a lot, but I also pointed out, if there wasn't "Top 40" music, then it would be impossible to gauge what was considered alternative music. We went round and round on this, and when REM broke out -- he refused to listen to them any more.
Snobbery? Or rather: it's only cool if no one--or a select few--knows who the hell the band is. It shows you're tuned in to the new generation, man. Or just trying too hard to be hip to that jive (another joke in the Armstrong household). I ain't gotta lotta time for that mindset these days, nor for the "You've NEVER heard of the Vomiting Mushrooms? They're the best band ever." Uh-huh.
But I sing a different tune when it comes to song titles. Dude. I lift use song titles all the time. My next Lorelei James book (out Tuesday!) is entitled "All Jacked Up" -- yes, it shares a name with the Gretchen Wilson tune, but the song didn't inspire the book. The main male character's name is Jack--and he and the heroine have an adversarial relationship so the title is perfect. The last LJ book I wrote? "Shoulda Been A Cowboy" again, not based on the Toby Keith song, but the main male character is the lone sibling in a Wyoming ranching family who isn't a cowboy. I've used "Dirty Deeds" by AC/DC -- the main male character is a landscaper, and "Wicked Garden" by Stone Temple Pilots -- the main female character's name is Eden. It amuses me to find a title that fits, if nothing else. My desire is to someday write a book with the title "Janie's Got A Gun" and one called "Jamie's Crying" -- I know, I'm dating myself.
So FOFO's playlists...make them? Hate them? Love them? Feel totally geekified by them?
Hey Lori,
Loved the post. I'm in my office laughing my ass off right now. I have a short attention span myself and cannot listen to music while I write.
Although Shoulda Been Cowboy was not inspired by Toby Keith's song, I love to torture my co-workers with it and every time I look at the title of the book, I can't help but play the song in my head. LOL!
Thanks for the smile and I can't wait for All Jacked UP.
Have a blessed week!
Posted by: The Blackraven | October 29, 2009 at 10:11 AM
I always have music on. I did a soundtrack for Killer Swell. I have multiple playlists in my iPod for different activities. So...uh...sort of a fan...
Posted by: Jeff Shelby | October 29, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Me too because I am prone to get a song in my head and not be able to get it out. Doesn't matter if the next song comes on. I still have the last one playing. For days.
Posted by: Patti Abbott | October 29, 2009 at 11:02 AM
I can't listen to music when I write, either, because I just don't hear it. I blame that on working in a big open newsroom for years and having to block out all noise.
So no soundtracks for me.
Posted by: Karen Olson | October 29, 2009 at 11:22 AM
As a reader, not a writer, the only time I really want to hear about an author's listening preferences while writing is if the book has music involved in it somehow or lyrics are written into the book. Otherwise, get back to writing or your life or whatever.
But maybe that's just me.
Posted by: norby | October 29, 2009 at 01:52 PM
I used to hate it, because I needed DEAD SILENCE to concentrate. Yeah, that works if you're single and live alone, but if you have a wife and two dogs watching TV, playing and barking (the dogs, not the wife), etc. then there is no silence. so I started listening to the exact same playlist EVERY time I wrote. It was good music, but after a while I could tune it out and write, while it tuned out the sound around me. But if I put out a playlist for a novel, it's more likely to be the kind of songs I would expect my protag to listen to...which usually means it'll either be Metal, Christian Rock, or the Blues.
Posted by: Jake Nantz | October 29, 2009 at 02:12 PM
I don't write so I don't give a rats ass what someone listens to while working.
I do dislike novels that constantly quote songs and try to get a "vibe" by listing a song name. I likely don't know the music and therefore have no idea what the author is trying to get across. I think it's a cop-out to define a mood or setting.
Posted by: Gerard | October 29, 2009 at 06:34 PM