by Christine WellsIf you read this blog, I'm guessing you are probably a romantic at heart. So as I'm in the mood for making lists, I thought I'd share my playlist of "Songs to Write Romance By" today.
You'll notice some are classics, some are die-hard schmaltzy love songs from 80s hair bands, some are popular right now and might slip off the list at any time. I'm sure I've forgotten lots of favourites, and these are in no particular order:
1. Slave to Love by Roxy Music (this is definitely Vane's signature song in WICKED LITTLE GAME:)
2. Wicked Game by Chris Isaak (Chris Isaak. Enough said. And yes, that is where the title of WICKED LITTLE GAME sprang from.)
3. I'm On Fire by Bruce Springsteen
4. Kiss from a Rose by Seal (wildly romantic)
5. Love Rears Its Ugly Head by Living Color (Love the fear of commitment theme here. Perfect for so many of our heroes)
6. Don't Wanna Miss A Thing by Aerosmith
7. Love Story by Taylor Swift (mainly for the cute video--thanks, Nancy!)
8. Take My Breath Away by Berlin (ahhh)
9. Love Letters in the Sand by Skid Row (yes, I was a teenager in the 80s!)
10. It's Only the Beginning by Deborah Conway
OK, you can laugh at me now, I don't mind, or better still, come on and hit me your favourite love songs. I know you must have many I haven't listed here.If you're a writer, do you listen to music while you write? Is it instrumental or does it have lyrics? Often, if I really need to block out every outside noise, I go for Mozart. Most often, I'm writing at 4am in silence but occasionally, I like to play some of these songs to get me in a particular mood for a scene. If you're feeling like a challenge, how about matching up a song with your favourite romance or your favourite romance character?
75 comments:
o hai ;)
Bah, foiled again! Congrats, lime.
Haha, sorry Lynz! Lime pipped you at the post. Oh dear, I think I've caught Anna's punning disease:)
Too tired to post a list now - but will do it later. As for songs and characters... Stuttering by Ben's Brother - or "Kiss Me Again" goes perfectly with the book "Kiss Me Again" by Dee Tenorio. (And she meant for it to.)
Umm... "I'll Kill Her" by Soko could be Lucy's theme song for the first few chapters of Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare. :) I'm all about songs/theme songs - in fact I've blogged about it and hope to again, soon.
Lime, I'll look forward to the list! I'm not sure I know the ones you've already mentioned but sometimes I don't recongize song by their titles. I have to hear them.
Btw, I was drinking Limoncello on the weekend and thought of you!
If you're a writer, do you listen to music while you write? Is it instrumental or does it have lyrics?
Yes. Okay, I'm not actually a writer, but one day I may try to be. For now I'm happy to keep my stories in my head and let my imagination run free, but regardless of whether I actually write them down or not, they're very connected to music. Anytime I'm typing, I'm guaranteed to be listening to music - now, for example, or when writing a review, or an email. I'll listen to anything, but if I'm trying to write something serious, I go for instrumental. (The soundtrack from the 2005 (Keira Knightley) version of Pride and Prejudice is my favourite, because it's gorgeous.) But I love music with lyrics, because it often has a different sound, and that, combined with the lyrics, help me think up characters and plots.
As for the challenge, not my favourite romance... but, back when it came out, I read New Moon by Stephenie Meyer before any of my friends did, and, instead of giving them spoilers, I told them to listen to Make This Go On Forever by Snow Patrol. And I cannot listen to In A Second by Aly and AJ without thinking of this manga one-shot... the two seemed to match each other perfectly, so I put the song on repeat while I read the story over and over again. It's been a while since then, but they're still linked in my mind. On the bright side, just hearing the song no longer makes me cry. (It was a sad story.)
Lime: Hehehehehe, I love "I'll Kill Her" for Lucy.
Lynz, that's so interesting that you're cooking stories in your head. I find the ones that stew the longest often turn out the best. Good luck if you do decide to take up writing fiction.
I haven't paid close attention to the P&P soundtrack but I have the DVD of the movie, so I'll listen next time I play it. I find music can affect my mood considerably and also evoke strong memories. I'm glad those songs no longer make you cry:))
Haven't read the Twilight books yet. My TBR pile is a fearsome thing to behold!
Congrats limecello on grabbing that rooster! Lynz you just missed him by a feather! He was a wonderful hero yesterday!
I will try to post a list later today but I will have to tell you they will all be from the 70's or 80's is not older. I don't care much for todays music.
Virginia, I would love to read a list from the 70s & 80s! There's still some great music around now but it's not necessarily the top 40, which mostly consists of music that all sounds the same to me.
*Running, ducking for cover*
I haven't paid close attention to the P&P soundtrack but I have the DVD of the movie, so I'll listen next time I play it.
I think part of it is that a lot of the songs are mainly on the piano, which I play. Whenever I hear a nice piano piece, I really start to pay attention so I can decide if I want to learn it or not.
...which mostly consists of music that all sounds the same to me.
Tsk, tsk, Christine, not all top 40 songs sound the same! There's the rap song, the hip-hop/R&B ballad, the pop song, and the rock song. That's five different songs! Oh, and every now and then an alternative song sneaks in, but the popular songs kick those out pretty quickly.
Ooh, good post. Well, I'm not "actually" a writer--yet. But, I started my own hand at writing thanks to the lyrics from the song "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All" by Air Supply. ::sigh:: Love it!
Congrats on the GR, Lime.
Ooh, I love "Slave to Love." Love Bryan Ferry's voice. Some of my favorite love songs are Coldplay's "Yellow," Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U," Corinne Bailey Rae's "Like A Star" and Feist's "1 2 3 4."
Lynz, I'd love to be able to play the piano well enough to pick up any piece of music and play it. Lucky you!
Funny, I don't even see much rock or pop any more in the charts, or not what I'd consider pop/rock (although my experience is limited to the videos they play at the gym, I must admit!) I think they seem to have girls wiggling their scantily clad butts in place of good music these days. Gosh, I sound like a fogey!
Barbara, for you and Lynz, I think we're going to have to coin a new term along with AYU for As Yet Unpublished. AYNAW--As Yet Not a Writer.
So, if you're trying your hand at writing, doesn't that make you a writer? Hmm.
Ahh, Air Supply. I'm now trying in vain to think of the song of theirs I really like. I'm going to have to Google. My mind is a blank.
Jane, I'm getting into Coldplay a bit, too, these days. Oh, yes, I love Bryan Ferry. He was too cool for school, wasn't he?
Yay Coldplay! I love them :)
I think they seem to have girls wiggling their scantily clad butts in place of good music these days. Gosh, I sound like a fogey!
*snort*
Given that I agree with you, I'd say you're not really a fogey. Because that'd make me a fogey, too, andI don't want to be one. Not yet, at least... I'm still a bit young to have that one applied to me. (You say fogey, I think of my great-grandmother. I just can't picture the two of us fitting the same label, y'know?)
And now for something completely different: has anyone else read the Pregnesia review and author's comment on SBTB? (The author gave a hilarious - and very gracious - response to a bad review, and I was so impressed by her!)
Hi Christine! Congrats, Lime!
I'm procrastinating...so what better excuse but to list a few of my favorites.
Reminiscing by The Little River Band (Aussie band...before your time, Christine?)
She by Elvis Costello
How Do You Keep the Music Playing ...James Ingram & others
You Don't Know Me....Jann Arden
You Give Me Something...James Morrison
In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning...
I've Got You Under My Skin...Frank
Late in the Day...Kathy Mattea
I listen to a lot of 50's-80's stuff, movie soundtracks...Notting Hill, Bridget Jones' Diary, and other romantic chick flick soundtracks. I have all of it on my iPod which I dock in my office and play when I write.
I forgot! Chris Isaak! Hubba! :)
Well done limcello have fun with him
Christine I love your list now I have to try and remember my list. I mostly listen to music even when I am reading nice quiet easy listeneing music.
Have I told You Lately that I love You Rod Stewart
Reason To Believe Rod Stewart
Mandoline Wind Rod Stewart
Without You Harry Nillson
My Heart Will Go On Celine Dion
The Wind Beneath My Wings Bette Midler
There are so many I will get back latter and put up some more
Have Fun
Helen
Always-Bon Jovi
Have I Told You Lately- Van Morrison
For You -John Denver
Lady in Red & So Beautiful-Chris deBurgh
Layla & Wonderful Tonight-Eric Clapton
I Will Always Love You-Whitney Houston
How Can I Tell You- Cat Stevens
Nights in White Satin- Moody Blues
I'm always looking for new music ideas ;) I love to listen to music while I write, and usually make a soundtrack for each story.
Romantic songs I love: "One" by U2, "Sway" from the Veronica Mars soundtrack and "The Story" from the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack. Oh, and the Hope Floats soundtrack, the PS I Love You soundtrack and "Everything I Do" by Whiskeytown.
Great list, Christine! I only listen to music if I'm writing first draft pages. After that, I like to write in silence because I focus too much on the music instead of my story *g*
I often get story or character ideas from songs, though :-)
Definitely get inspiration from music. The hero's entire inner conflict in What's in a Name? came from a line in Leader of the Band. I heard it and even though I was already several chapters into the book, his character clicked for me right there.
My writing mix is varied, and I set my iTunes to shuffle so I don't have the same order of songs, but because they're familiar, they're not distracting. I also know the list takes an hour to play out, so it also works as a timer of sorts.
I can't listen to music while writing unless it's instrumental. Which is why I've downloaded songs from different soundtracks. I write contempories so music from films like Last Chance Harvey and The Holiday work perfectly.
These lists are taking me back. I still have my Air Supply album as well as Lionel Richie. Can we say "Hello? Is it me you're looking for?"
Celine Dion songs always remind me of Romance Novels. "I'm Your Lady" fits pretty much any Medieval and a more recent one called "Taking Chances" fits my WIP well.
A short list as I could go on all day:
A Song for You - I like Michael Buble's version
One More for the Road - Frankie
Come Back to Bed - John Meyer
Insensitive - Jann Arden
I Loved You More - Beatles but I like Bette Midler's version too.
The Chair - George Strait (had to bring in some country *g*)
Limcello, congrats on taking home the rooster. Lynz, better luck next time!
Christine, that's a great list. I sometimes have music on when I write, and I sometimes find that it interferes. It's a great way to drown out noise in the neighborhood, particularly other people's music. Y'know, I'm sorry if someone can't manage to wash the car without their favorite tunes, but they need to get some sort of iPod-like device instead of cranking up the stereo so they can hear it at the curb and over the sound of the water and inflicting their musical preferences on everyone within a five-block radius.
But I digress. Anyway, I've developed some musical themes. For historicals and fantasy, I have medieval and early modern folk music on CD that seems to help the mood. For the contemporary spies, I like the Alias sound track or new rock and roll like Counting Crows or Five for Fighting or Avril Lavigne or All American Rejects.
On Gerri Russell's recommendation, I just bought the first Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack, which she says is great historical-writing music. Haven't tried it yet, though.
I got the Taylor Swift video from a link author Sarah Winn sent out. It's great.
Hey Christine! Good Morning, and what a great post.
Lime, you beat Lynz AT the post, so to speak. Grin. One second diff in your times. Wow. :>
I love this whole music theme. I can write to music w/o lyrics, but usually if it HAS lyrics, I'll sing which isn't conducive to writing. Or, if it's really sweeping instrumental music, the tendency is to conduct. Also not conducive to "hands on keyboard" Grins.
Terrio, have to say though that that soundtrack from the Holiday? Wonderful. Believe it or not, the soundtrack from Kung Fu Panda (barring "everybody was kung fu fighting"!) is really great music to write chase scenes by. hahaha!
Jeanne - Isn't The Holiday great? And the great thing is, it doesn't sound like holiday music, which it could have since it's set around Christmas.
I'll have to check out the Kung Fu Panda soundtrack. I've only seen parts of the movie. It's on HBO right now I should really sit and watch it. LOL!
Great topic, Christine.
Before I answer the question, I wanted to say that I've just finished Wicked Little Game and thought it was wonderful!! Perfect reading for a lovely summer's evening in Cambridge. Vane is simply delish (though Jardine still holds my heart *g*) and Sarah is such an inspiring heroine.
Anyway, on to music. Nope - can't write to music. Like Jeanne, I tend to sing along to the words *g*. I can edit to music, though I often find I shut it out. I think that goes back to marking books during wet playtimes and being able to shut out the noise!
On the other hand - when I go running, I have to have a good thumping soundtrack.
Favourite romantic songs:
"Have I told you lately" (either Van Morrison or Rod Stewart)
"How long has this been going on?" Ella Fitzgerald
"Along Comes a Woman" Chicago
"You're my inspiration" Chicago
"Wonderful Tonight" Eric Clapton
"Don't want to miss a thing" Aerosmith
"Black Velvet" Alannah Myles (though that is more sexy than romantic *g*)
I prefer silence when I write. I do sometimes listen to music if I need to block out other sounds--but no lyrics. They distract me.
I listen to music for inspiration. I have one scene that came directly from listening to Keith Urban's "You Look Good in My Shirt" (before its recent resurgence in popularity, I might add).
Other favorite "inspirations" include
You’re My Best Friend—Don Williams
Etta James--At Last
Raining on Sunday—Keith Urban
The Beatles—Something
I’ll Go On Loving You—Alan Jackson
Aerosmith--I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing
Eric Clapton--Wonderful Tonight
To Make You Feel My Love—Garth Brooks
Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes--Up Where We Belong
Dan Fogelberg--Longer
I love your list, Christine.
I have several YouTube playlists, and they're all loaded up with songs that echo the inner emotional lives of my characters. Generally they're very angsty.
For example, for my dark fantasy character, a former prisoner with issues to work out about that past, I've got lots of songs like:
'I Wanna Be Your Dog' - Emilie Simon
'Strike Me Down/Lightening Field' - Sneaker Pimps
Here's an oldie but goodie - Never My Love by the Association. It's "our" song from 40 years ago :) It is still being played on the radio so I guess there's a few of us out there that love it.
I'm Gonna Be by the Proclaimers. I run to this song and when I return home I'm always ready to write!
Great blog Christine! And BTW, Wicked Little Game (the copy I picked up at the literary signing) is on the top of my vacation reading pile. I can't wait.
Best,
Sarah Tormey
www.sarahtormey.com
Lynz, thanks for saying I'm not a fogey! I'm yet to reach 35 so I hope I'm not actually a fogey. Just some of my attitudes might sound like one!
Haven't read the Smart Bitches thing. I'm trying to get a proposal done so I'm banning myself from blogs. Such a risk for an author to respond to a review. It almost always backfires. Glad to hear this time it hasn't.
Hi Jen, oh, I haven't thought of The Little River Band for years! Nice list of songs there. Speaking of Frank and 50s songs, I have this great CD of "Lounge Music" that I bought when my dh and I were learning a bit of ballroom dancing. It's so cool, with the schmaltzy Dean Martin and Doris Day singing Perhaps, Perhaps.
Jen, how could you forget Chris Isaak? He toured here recently, did you see him? I would have loved to have gone. It sounded like it was a great night.
Ahh, Helen, rockin' Rod! Excellent. And much against my will because I'm not a huge Celine fan, I do like My Heart Will Go On. I think it's that slightly Celtic sounding music that is very beautiful and haunting.
Hi Laurie, great list! Love Cat Stevens. Oh, and I wish I'd remembered Layla. Fab song!
Hi MJ! A lot of people recommend music to get you into the story straight away. I think that's a great idea to make a different soundtrack for each story. Just like collaging. Thanks for giving us an idea of your list.
Funny, "One" by U2 was playing on the radio when I was writing this post. I almost included it but it didn't have quite the atmosphere I look for when I write.
Beth, I love getting story ideas from songs. They are worlds of stories all in themselves, aren't they? The ones with conflict are particularly good.
There's a song that never fails to make me depressed, but in a good way--"Broken Strings" by Nellie Furtado and James Morrison. It's about a broken relationship and they lyrics say something like "It's like running into the fire when there's nothing left to save" Gah. It really makes me sad and I think it deserves a story, but it's not a romance, unfortunately!
Terry wrote: I also know the list takes an hour to play out, so it also works as a timer of sorts.
That is a fantastic tip, Terry, thanks! I have tried the old kitchen timer thing and the ticking bugs me until I want to throw it out the window. I must get together a playlist for the book I'm starting now.
And yes, just a line of a song can really spark ideas. I think Julia Quinn said a line from a Dire Straits song sparked the idea for Mr. Cavendish, I presume.
Haha, Terrio, do you have Dancing on the Ceiling? Good old Lionel.
I'm pretty good at blocking general noise like lyrics out. I used to write on the dining room table while my boyfriend (at the time) watched The Simpsons, so I was trained early. But sometimes instrumental is what I need when my mind is getting distracted too easily.
Like your list. I'm going to have to hunt some of these songs down as I haven't heard them before.
Hey, thanks for the Taylor Swift video, Nancy. It's really sweet and I think it captures the appeal of historicals for young girls very well, don't you?
Y'know, I'm sorry if someone can't manage to wash the car without their favorite tunes, but they need to get some sort of iPod-like device instead of cranking up the stereo so they can hear it at the curb and over the sound of the water and inflicting their musical preferences on everyone within a five-block radius.
Hahaha!! I so agree, Nancy. And I love that snark. Cannot wait to read those books of yours:)
And I can see you head-banging to all those revved up tracks as you write your action scenes. Cool about Pirates. I might try that one myself.
Jeanne wrote: Or, if it's really sweeping instrumental music, the tendency is to conduct.
SNORK!!! Jeanne, you crack me up.
I love singing along but I've been weaned by my boys who yell at me "Stop sinning!!!" It kind of kills the mood.
Kung Fu Panda. Interesting...
Oooh music!! I love to write to music. I create a new playlist for each story that I listen to while I write. It really helps create a mood and set the writing tone :-)
I'm finding, though, that my music is in a rut. I tend to end up with a few songs on every playlist. So I'm going to watch your lists today carefully so I can get some new ideas to try out!
Great post, Christine :-) And congrats, Lime, on snagging the rooster as your guest for the day.
Anna, thank you, I'm thrilled you enjoyed WICKED LITTLE GAME. Oh, how I would LOVE to be in Cambridge right now. At any time, really! Actually, I'm considering setting a book in Cambridge, so maybe a trip over there is in order. Purely for research, you understand...
And you make me a bit nervous with that reference to Jardine. I hope I've managed to do him justice!
Oh, cool that the Aerosmith song is on your list, too! I'm going to have to look up some of the other ones. I'm sure I'll recognize them once I hear them and be adding them to my list, too. Oh, yeah, Black Velvet is a really slinky song, isn't it? Thanks for giving us your list.
Janga, great list! I think "Something" is a fantastic song and that should definitely go on my list.
Love that a Keith Urban song inspired a specific scene. I think it's so fascinating that we all absorb different forms of art in order to produce our own. I always feel like a trip to the art gallery or the theatre helps fill the "creative well" in ways I don't quite understand. But music is much more directly relatable to what I write.
Hi Julia, yes, angst is always great to set the mood, isn't it? I'll have to look up those songs.
Generally, I like atmospheric songs that have tension and conflict in them or express longing in some way. But I put in Deborah Conway's It's only the beginning, because it's all about the first blush of love and feeling exuberant with it, because I need to remind myself that light should come along with the dark at some point in the story. Maybe not to the extent of "making daisy chains" but you get the idea.
Catslady, I don't know "Never My Love" but I love that you have a special song with your beloved.
I think mine and my dh's is probably "Smooth" by Santana, that we always used to dance to. That's another one for my playlist.
Hi Sarah, wow weren't The Proclaimers a phenomenon? Interesting that they inspire you to write. That's also a great idea, to listen to the inspirational songs while you run. I'm going to try that.
Oh, I hope you enjoy WICKED LITTLE GAME. Doesn't the literacy signing seem like years ago? Like another lifetime! It was lovely to meet you and I hope you have a great vacation with Vane!
Tawny, you will notice that my blogs are usually a ploy to get recommendations for reading and this time, music. I'm also in a rut so I'm looking forward to adding to my list as well!
Hi Christine,
My list includes:
Unchained Melody by Al Hibbler
Breathe by Faith Hill
Earth Angel by The Penguins
Blue Moon by Mel Torme
You're So Far Above Me by The
Four Freshmen
Lollipops And Roses by Jack Jones
'Til There Was You by Paul
McCartney
I Remember You by The Four
Freshmen
Most of these are from back in the day when lyrics made sense, were
audibly understandable, and you
both loved them!
Pat Cochran
Hi Pat! Great list:)
Most of these are from back in the day when lyrics made sense, were
audibly understandable, and you
both loved them!
Oh, but if you understood them you couldn't make up fun alternatives, could you? Like my dad's "Slow Goat to China".
Oh, and I like "Breathe", too!
Christine, what a lovely post! I love lists. Yeah, you knew that, right? And what a nice list! I think Springsteen has such a sexy voice - yum! And so does Bryan Ferry but you already knew I had a thing for the BF!
I write almost exclusively to classical music/soundtracks. And without voices! I find the voices play up with the voices in my head. And doesn't that make me sound like I need help!
There's one I like to jazz to as I'm writing. It's a song sung by a quartet of girls from a high school somewhere (don't know the real artist).Anyway,the title is "All That She Wants".
Oh, and I listen incessantly to this one CD that I got a the Wal a few years ago... It's titled "Celtic Wonder". I really like the celtic music to get my fingers flying!
Since I write historical, I usually write to songs from whatever time period I'm working on.
:)
G.
Anna, I totally understand about the voices in your head.LOL I tend to block out external noise when I'm in the zone. If I'm having trouble concentrating, I'll stop the music or switch to instrumental.
Lee, is that that Ace of Base song? I used to love that.
Lee, actually Celtic music is wonderfully atmospheric, isn't it?
Genella, that's another great idea, to use period music to write to. Thanks!
Christine, I don't have a list like yours, but I do listen to music while I write. Mostly period instrumental for the Regency stuff and period vocal and intstrumental for the medieval.
I use soundtracks to P&P and similar movies for the Regency stories, too.
Just bought a German medieval group Corvus Corax for my medievals.
Lime, congrats to you!
Oh, Christine, I love sappy love songs. I don't write to any of them, though. I generally write to background noise: teenagers watching TV, coworkers on conference calls, husband droning on about politics, etc. For some reason, I find all that blah fires up my creativity.
There is no way I can pick 10 songs, so I'll just list 10 bands I like for background music:
-Zero Seven - Simple Things (album)
-Iron and Wine - Woman King (EP)
-Kings Of Leon - ANY, because they ROCK!
-The Decemberists - any, so fabulous!
-Death Cab For Cutie - any
-Coldplay- X&Y (they have other good albums, but I love this one)
-Belle & Sebastian (If You're Feeling Sinister, etc.)
-The Arcade Fire - Funeral (album)
-Sufjan Stephens - it's all like emo background music - nice!
-XTC - all, any, every
Jane, Bryan Ferry has the ultimate sexy voice. I still get a bit dreamy when I hear anything he sings, but especially the Roxy Music days (came of age in the 80s, you know!).
Great list!
Uh, best if I just list some of the ones that've made it to my playlist recently(though not all at the same time).
Actually, I dunno if they all count as love songs but oh well. :D
-Jason Mraz - If It Kills Me(We Sing EP version)
-Josh Ritter - Kathleen
-Great Lake Swimmers - Your Rocky Spine
-Liz Phair - Why Can't I?
-The Corrs - Runaway
-A whole whackload of stuff off of Kate Rusby's albums
-Joel Plaskett Emergency - Nowhere With You
-Great Big Sea - Boston and St. John's
-the version of Ailein Duinn from the Rob Roy soundtrack
-Paul Gross - Kiss You Til' You Weep(Men With Brooms soundtrack)
-Stephen Speaks - Out Of My League
-Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah
-Tom Waits - I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You
Helen, your list made me laugh. You are such a Rod Stewart devotee! He did have the most romantic songs, though. I still love them all!
And the Celine Dion song you mentioned is actually the only song of hers I really like. It makes me cry every time I hear it!
Oh oh and Landon Pigg - Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop. :)
Ok here goes a few from my list. I with Helen on the Rod Stewart, I love the same songs. Like I said mine are very oldies because I don't like todays music.
Styx the songs Lady and Babe
REO Speedwagon Dream Weaver and Time for Me to Fly
Bob Seger We've got Tonight, love this song it brings back old memories.
Elvis Love Me Tender and Are You Lonesome Tonight
I can't leave out Willy Nelson's Your Always on My Mind one of the best love songs ever. Conway Twitty's Hello Darling. Yep I listen to some country music too. too.
Keira, lovely to see you! Thanks for commenting. Interesting the way we climb into our writing skins, isn't it? I must try some period music. I suppose Mozart is sort of period, if a little before the Regency era.
Late to the party again! Oh, I'm excited about this one, even though I usually have it quiet when I write.
I LOVE Chris Izaak, and Wicked Game is one of my all-time favorites. (I also like Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing).
I also love Aerosmith -- your #6 and also Jaded, although that one can't be considered a love song.
I'm also a huge Springsteen fan. One of my current favorites is Girls in Their Summer Clothes, but I can't count that as a love song. Hmmm. Down by the River is too sad. What's the one he sang to Patty before they got together? Tougher Than the Rest -- I'm going with that one.
I'd have to include the theme from Franco Zeffirelli's version of Romeo and Juliet: A Time for Us.
This isn't a love song, but it's really hot: Bad Things by Jace Everett. Zowie!
The Man Who Can't Be Moved by the Script is pretty romantic.
The Beatles: Here, There and Everywhere
She's in Love with the Boy by Trisha Yearwood is a favorite, but I don't know if that counts as a "love song" as such.
There's tons more, but my all-time best love song is "our" song: Maybe I'm Amazed by Paul McCartney.
Great list, Christine!
I admit that I do NOT listen to music while I'm writing--at least not at home. I can sit at Panera and write, because there are no lyrics. If there are words, I focus on it.
That said, I DO have certain soundtracks and music for each manuscript. I listen to it incessantly when I'm not writing, but while that manuscript is getting worked out in my head and on the page. I listen in the car, and over and over at home. I'll listen to it last thing before I sleep, with the book on my mind. That music becomes deeply attached to that book, for me. I never know what it's going to be, but when I'm thinking about a manuscript, one day I'll hear certain music and I'll just know that this is the music for that piece of writing.
Music has always been one of my deepest passions, and I use it to inspire everything.
I also find that I listen to the music my characters listen to. Somehow that helps me get into their heads.
This was a good question. I love reading about everyone's process for whatever they do.
Ok - my list in no particular order?
I'll Stop the World (And Melt with You) by Modern English; Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon; I Love You by Sarah McLachlan; (hm, so some of these are... more sad. oops); Breathe In by Frou Frou/Goodnight and Go by Imogen Heap; Stand Inside Your Love by The Smashing Pumpkins; Follow Through by Gavin Degraw; As Long As You're Mine from the musical Wicked; Until You by Dave Barnes; The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson; Can't Let Go/Falling In Love (Coffee Shop) by Landon Pigg.
Haha, ok so I cheated, but the doubled up songs were by the same artist!
And this needs a shout out too - the PERFECT PERFECT romance. :P I've been trying to convince authors (on twitter) to write a book inspired by this.
One Million Miles Away by J Ralph - one of my most favorite commercials of all time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSEnzs8AocY (And it worked. It made me want a Jetta :P)
... If anyone follows me on twitter, haha, I think it's more than clear that I've got a thing for music.
Er... and "Dreams" by the Cranberries. And for a sadder one, "Linger" by the same, or "Stay" by Lisa Loeb. Or "Insensitive" by Jann Arden... but ok, those are falling *out* of love songs I guess :X
Hi all, sorry to be MIA at the end there. Had a minor domestic crisis, but all OK now, thankfully.
Thank you all for your lists!
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