I would have to say the most lasting song of our marriage,
would have to be “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson.
Willie was approached by the executive producer of the movie
“Honeysuckle Rose” to write an original theme song for the movie. Willie was the star of the movie. The request was made during a flight to the
filming location.
Willie being the musical genius he was and is, wrote the
complete lyrics on the back of a barf bag before the flight ended.
Isn't it interesting how songs are born? From a gem of an idea, sort of like our stories.
While the song is about life on the road as a traveling musician,
my husband and I use it for the theme song of all our road trips. I can sing bits and pieces, but he can sing
pretty much the whole song.
We are both up lifted by being on the road again and traveling. Sometimes we even sing it when we are going
fishing close to home. Just to be out in nature,
seeing new places and old, and singing our song. It doesn’t get any better than that.
I love all kinds of music.
Country has a special place in my heart.
I love that each song tells a story, some happy, some sad and some down-right
funny. The stories can spark an idea for
a story I want to write.
Rock and roll, love songs and even some children’s songs are
genres I enjoy. Children’s songs especially
take me back to my childhood. “Kumbaya”
sends me right back to the campfire at Girl Scout camp.
I always try to include music or the mention of songs in my
writing. It is one more way to connect
the reader to the story.
What is your special song and who do you share it with? Do you include songs in your writing?
12 comments:
Interesting post, Diana. I don't really include music in my writing nor do I have a special song. I love listening to the Oldies station because I know the words to most of the songs played. But I've a 17 year old granddaughter and have come to appreciate "some" of the music she enjoys.
Especially if you want the reader to understand the contemporary time in which your characters live, music is a great way to do that.
I don't think my DH and I have a single theme song. Oddly, the first two that came to mind were Another One Bites the Dust and Oh Lord, Won't You Buy Me a Mercedes Benz? - Neither of which represents our relationship in any way.
Two Sparrows in a Hurricane by Tanya Tucker pretty much describes our life together. We decided to adopt that as our theme song.
I agree that mention of music connects readers more deeply with the story. The choice of songs also says something about the character. That's description doing double duty!
Judith, I enjoy contemporary music too! I think one needs to think about the time period and who your readers are when picking music to include in the story.
Sarah, that's right! Description doing double duty.
Thanks for commenting!
Great blog. I have a song for every book I write. it's kind of the theme for my story. My last book I had The Band Perry If I die Young. it was a perfect fit because the couple had lost their teenage daughter in a boating accident two years before the book started. Finding the right theme song is something i do with every book.
Hi Diana:
I have on a couple of occasions referenced specific songs in my manuscripts. It's not always appropriate to just throw out a song title, but once my heroine was listening to the radio in her car and I included what song she was listening to and in another book, during a bar scene, I mentioned several songs that blared from the jukebox.
It's nice to include some little touch like that here and there. Keeps it real in my opinion even though it's a completely made up story, readers can relate to something in their real life.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Great post, Diana! I've had songs in my books, and I listen to music while I write to give the "flavor" of the story I'm writing. My post earlier in the month is our theme song, "She Thinks my Tractor's Sexy" LOL
I agree about country music. the story telling in it makes it enjoyable to listen to. And I can understand the singers. LOL I like pop music too. I've had several story ideas come to mind while listening to Country Music.
Music is such a huge part of my life, I can't help but include it in my writing, whether as a theme or a song that means something to characters in my story.
As for real life, different songs remind me of eras, events, and people throughout my life. For example, every time I think of my ex-husband, the song "Alley Cat" comes to mind!
Hi, Patricia,
I like using music to relate to the readers too. Thanks for stopping by.
Paty, loved your blog post
http://romancingthegenres.blogspot.com/2013/07/he-thinks-my-tractors-sexy-by-paty-jager.html
it was so good. Love that song to "He Thinks My Tractors Sexy"
Linda, I lol at the refernce to your ex-husband and the song "Alley Cat". That pretty much says it all.
Thanks for stopping by everyone!
Judith, you used "Blue moon" in your free read today. So I guess you do use music! Wonderful Free Read, by the way.
What an interesting post. I never knew that about "On the Road Again." I think I'll never listen to it in the same way again. :-)
I'm one of those "I need complete silence to write" people. But occasionally someone in the house will have music on that perfectly fits what I'm writing. When I wrote the romantic ending scene to my last book, the theme music for the move "Meet Joe Black" was on. Perfection.
Hi, Suzanne,
I found it really interesting how "On The Road Again" came about. Thanks for stopping by.
Great Post - your writing just gets better and better. Way to go Lady Di!!!!
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