Soundtrack Of Our Lives

I have to have music on when I'm writing. But what does the music you listen to say about what you're writing? And how does it influence your writing? I don't know, but I sure do like to ponder.

Galley Cat created writers' playlists on spotify. And Stephanie Meyer's playlists are famous. Since I'm about to start reading the Magician King, here's a link to Lev Grossman's playlist for the book.

So, what are you listening to while writing today? And why?

I'm an almost ridiculously optimistic person (on the inside - outside is 100% snark), but I find myself listening to David Sylvian's Secrets of the Beehive and Joy Division radio on Pandora. It absolutely does not influence my writing, at least that I can see. But it does serve as an 'engine' that propels my writing.

Over at Waibel's World there was an interesting post about writing and music. Instead of the Ouija board, we use shuffle to determine your musical proclivities. Here's what you do:

Put your itunes (or other digital music listening device) on shuffle and honestly write down the songs that pop up in order. Then match them to the descriptives below.
It's sort of like one of those foldy-things you'd get in elementary school (cootie catcher). And it's never right. But I'm liking this playlist a lot. Might keep it.

Opening Credits:  Sovay - Andrew Bird

Waking Up: Struck by the Sadness of Love - dimbodius

First Day of School: Oh Yeah - Ash

Falling in Love: I Gave You All - Mumford & Sons

Fight Song: Steady As She Goes - The Raconteurs

Prom: Tourniquet - Drugstore

Life: Like Eating Glass - Bloc Party

Mental Breakdown: I Wonder Who We Are - The Clientele

Driving: Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend

Flashback: Stop! I've Had Enough - Levy

Getting Back Together: Say Something New - The Concretes

Wedding: See You In The Next One - The Verve

Birth of Child: The Only Living Boy in New York - Simon & Garfunkel

Final Battle: Push - The Cure

Death Scene:  Sarah - Bat For Lashes

End Credits:  Believe- Trans Siberian Orchestra

Music to Write By

I'll be honest. I'm much more particular about what I listen to than what I read. When someone recommended the twilight books to me I borrowed them from the library - but when the twilight soundtracks were coming out I pre-ordered the effers. Those bad boys, I had to OWN.

I'm snobbier, more critical and much more selective of what I listen to, always have been. I don't think I ever listened to commercial radio, preferring to listen to the same CD (or, God help how old I am, cassette) over and over again rather than risk listening to an imperfect (to me) song.

I'm not exactly proud of this, I think I do this because I have a stunted 'musical' palate. I basically listen to the kind of music I first liked in high school. I try not to be completely fossilized. I remember my friend from elementary school, Jason. His dad had jet black, slicked back Elvis hair and only ever listened to 50's era rock and roll, well into the 1980's. It's a cautionary tale, and I try to keep it in mind when iTunes starts playing Head on The Door by the Cure - again.

Still, music while I'm writing is forward motion. I can't really get started without it. I like last.fm and Pandora because I can tell it to call up, for example The National and it will create a radio station around that band and bands like that. In Philadelphia in particular there's a great music scene and an awesome radio station online Y Rock on XPN. If you like alternative music (I despise that term, but can't think of another one) check it out.

So, what do you listen to when you are working? Or is silence what helps you write? What's your playlist, right now?

My playlist from tonight:
Time of Our Lives - Paul Van Dyke
The Cave - Mumford & Sons
Some Cities - Doves
John Saw that Number - Neko Case
Never Anyone But You - The Clientele
Swanlights - Antony & the Johnsons
Lit Up - The National
Big Bamboozle - Barry Adamson
About Your Dress - The Maccabees
The Funeral - Band of Horses