Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Your Novel's Soundtrack?




This may sound sort of funny, but there's a soundtrack that goes with my novel.

I don't mean that I expect there to be a soundtrack for the (not even imaginary) movie or sold along with the book. No big dreams here, world. I just want to write the best durn book I can. Rather, I find myself sort of obsessed with particular songs, songs that connect in one way or another to "Family Genius Species"... or at least to my idea of it.

This happened with my last novel too, but that one was almost totally country alternative, Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams, etc.

Some of the tracks on my Family, Genius, Species playlist are obvious-- One hit wonders abound. Most of the ones I've posted here, in fact. "Brandi" by Looking Glass, "Magnet and Steel" by Walter Egan, "96 Tears" by ? and the Mysterians. But then there's "I Wanna Be Sedated" by the Ramones (Which is actually a good song) and most perplexing and persistent of all.... "Missed the Boat" by Modest Mouse.




I love "Missed the Boat" although it has nothing at all to do with the 70's or one-hit-wonders or anything directly related to my novel, it captures a certain something, a mood and Zorro-esque outlook that is totally spot-on. I am not ashamed to admit that I have listened to this track (the whole album in fact) hundreds of times while driving to work mulling over plot twists and characters.

Does your novel have a soundtrack?

2 comments:

Kim said...

Well of course my novel has a soundtrack! Scene three: Sister by Mumford and Sons, Scene four: After the Storm again by Mumford and Sons, Scene Six: Passenger Seat by Death Cab for Cutie, Climax: Moonlight Sonata, Falling Action: Clair de Lune.

It's great for setting the mood and I love how I can go through my iPod telling friends how every song pertains to my book, though I'm not sure the friends enjoy it quite as much as I do ;)

Micah said...

really strange video!