Songs that remind you of books.

[bunnypeaches]

I heard Coldplay's 'Viva La Vida' on the radio for the first time in ages today, and while I can't copy paste all the lyrics to illustrate my point due to computer troubles, it made me think of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Except the chorus about Roman cavalry choirs that is! The line "I used to roll the dice, see the fear in my enemies eyes" is what jumped out at me first, but once I noticed it I found loads of bits I could apply to WoT.

Obviously there's parts of the song that bear no relevance whatsoever, but it made me like the song a lot more and I normally dislike Coldplay with a passion. I just wondered if anyone else ever hears a song and thinks of a certain book

'Viva La Vida' Coldplay.

 

[Simple Simon]

I often here music that makes me think of a book but that's because I'll often buy music the same time I buy a book (or series) and binge on them both until one brings the other to mind.

I can never listen to the album Rated R by Queens of the Stoneage without thinking about J.V Jones's Sword of Shadow series. I'd find it tough to recall most music and books that are interrelated in my head but when I hear the music or read the book the relationship returns. I find the music makes me recall the book alot more than a book makes me recall the music.

I don't think I've ever really associated a book and music that I haven't been conditioned to.

 

[Murtagh's_Muse]

"Your Guardian Angel" by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus always reminds me of the characters Jonmarc and Carina from Gail Z. Martin's "Chronicles of the Necromancer" series.

 

[rai]

of course Led Zeppelin "The Battle of Evermore":

The pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath
The drums will shake the castle wall, the Ringwraiths ride in black...


and "Ramble On":

Mine's a tale that can't be told, my freedom I hold dear
How years ago in days of old when magic filled the air
'twas in the darkest depths of Mordor, mm-I met a girl so fair
but Gollum and the evil warg crept up and slipped away with her
her, her, yeah, and ain't nothin' I can do, no

 

[Rodders]

Whenever i listen to JM Jarre's Rendezvouz i think of Edmund Coopers 'A Far Sunset'.

 

[jojajihisc]

"Emminence Front" by the Who always reminds me of B-movie science fiction in general. It varies between movies like Tron, Escape From New York or Looker, to name a few.

 

[Culhwch]

Except the chorus about Roman cavalry choirs that is!

Isn't it '...Roman Catholic choirs...'? At least I always thought so. Would seem to make more sense.

Dire Straights 'Brothers in Arms' reminds me of a fantasy novel, though no title specifically. Obviously it's about warfare, but the word choice and phrasing always puts me in mind of a fantastical setting...

 

[Pyan]

Isn't it '...Roman Catholic choirs...'? At least I always thought so. Would seem to make more sense.

I couldn't make it out either, and it was driving me up the wall, so I Googled it - and it is "Cavalry". Very strange.

Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life" is a song that reminds me of SF - practically anything that deals with futuristic urban dystopia.

Mind you, that could be just the video...

 

[Clansman]

Dire Straights Brothers in Arms reminds me of a fantasy novel, though no title specifically. Obviously it's about warfare, but the word choice and phrasing always puts me in mind of a fantastical setting...

The sound of Brothers In Arms is mystical and laden with sadness. Perfect for the small band of survivors left over from any of Steven Erikson's books, or for the aftermath A Storm of Swords by GRRM. Duiker the historian comes to mind as a perfect character for Mark Knopfler's lyrics:

These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Some day you'll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And you'll no longer burn
To be brothers in arms

Through these fields of destruction
Baptisms of fire
I've watched all your suffering
As the battles raged higher
And though they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms

There's so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones

Now the sun's gone to hell
And the moon's riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But it's written in the starlight
And every line on your palm
We're fools to make war
On our brothers in arms

It is not just the lyrics that evoke this, but the sound of the music. The instrumentalism alone takes your heart and SQUEEZES, and that Les Paul guitar is just weeping. The first time I heard the song 25 years ago, it brought tears to my eyes. There is also the obvious connection to veterans of any conflict, and the song has been used many, many times in movies, television and documentaries.

 

[bunnypeaches]

The sound of Brothers In Arms is mystical and laden with sadness. Perfect for the small band of survivors left over from any of Steven Erikson's books, or for the aftermath A Storm of Swords by GRRM.

I love that song Haven't read those books though, I'll have to add them to the ever expanding list of books to be bought...

 

[elvet]

I second Battle of Evermore. It's actually my favorite song on that album.
Behind Blue Eyes (originally done by the Who, but it's the Limpbizkit version I like better) reminds me of the Kialli who befriend the humans in the Sunsword books.

Behind Blue Eyes lyrics
No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
And no one knows
What it's like to be hated
To be fated to telling only lies

[Chorus:]
But my dreams they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

No one knows what its like
To feel these feelings
Like i do, and i blame you!
No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through

 

[Interference]

Sorry, I though it said "snogs" ... I'll get my coat ....

 

[bunnypeaches]

Sorry, I though it said "snogs" ... I'll get my coat ....

What? Did I miss something somewhere?

 

[Interference]

You mean you don't have a snog that reminds you of a book? Just me then ...

 

[Culhwch]

I know it's all in good fun, but let's keep to the topic and leave thread derailment to its spiritual home in the lounge, huh?

 

[Interference]

Sorry, everyone. Someone once said something I once said was funny and I've been trying to prove them right ever since. I often miscalculate - and I certainly regret this being the first post of a new page

 

[bunnypeaches]

Ha, you do make me chuckle! Also, I like thread derailment!

Oh, and I remembered another one song in particular off the album 'From Under The Cork Tree' by Fall Out Boy always reminds me of The Crystal Singer books by Anne McCaffrey because I listened to it on repeat for about 2 days one while I was reading them... Nothing to do with crystal singing in the song, just the association in my head.