SONGS INSPIRED BY BOOKS PLAYLIST
If you are a regular visitor to TheJournalix.com you will know we specialise in movies, music, video games and… books! So how about a books playlist?
Admittedly, some of us round ‘ere like the idea of reading rather than actually doing it. The idea includes visiting a tatty old second hand book shop, then getting cosy by the fire on a winter’s day – but actually finding time to do it means the ratio of starting a book to finishing one is probably 4:1. This doesn’t diminish our love of books and to celebrate we have a playlist made up of songs from our favourite artists, all inspired by books!
WUTHERING HEIGHTS – EMILY BRONTE
Kate Bush’s genius number one record from her debut LP (1978’s >The Kick Inside) is based on Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel of the same name.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND – LEWIS CARROLL
Many will argue the title stands for LSD given the heavy influence the drug had on his writing around this time but for Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds from The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) John Lennon actually attributed the song’s fantastical imagery to his reading of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
But he later claimed it was also from a drawing Julian made for him, so the details are hazy to be fair…
BRAVE NEW WORLD – ALDOUS HUXLEY
The name of the imaginary “ideal pleasure drug” in Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World (1932).
THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY – DOUGLAS ADAMS
According to Douglas Adams’ 1979 comedy science fiction series, the number 42 is “The answer to the ultimate question of life, the Universe, and everything”. Therefore, this mix from Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008) more than justifies inclusion, and isn’t the only HHGTTG reference…
Moreover, Coldplay tend to be consistent with themes that run consistently throughout their musical writings, right from the off. See here: COLDPLAY = WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE
THE MASTER AND MARGARITA – MIKHAIL BULGAKOV
Influenced by Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel The Master and Margarita (1967).
WHERE I’M CALLING FROM – RAYMOND CARVER
This instrumental from Manchester gods Doves leads into one of their greatest ever songs on what is probably their greatest album – N.Y. from The Last Broadcast. The title is inspired by Raymond Carver’s 1988 collection of short stories “Where I’m Calling From”
1984 – GEORGE ORWELL
One of many tracks on David Bowie’s 1978 album Diamond Dogs based on ideas from Orwell’s classic dystopian novel. Above all, we went for the track of the same name as the book.
ULYSSES – JAMES JOYCE
Alex Kapranos: “I always loved the story when I was a kid… instead of getting upset about [being lost] he embraces it!”
THE FAMISHED ROAD – BEN OKRI
Street Spirit (Fade Out) from Radiohead’s brilliant 1995 LP The Bends – 1995 was inspired by Ben Okri’s The Famished Road, first published in 1991.
AND ONE MORE FOR GOOD LUCK…
One of the highlights of lockdown has been #TimsTwitterListeningParties. We can’t recommend these enough with artists revealing the making of their greatest works. For instance, listen to this from Blossoms’ which was taken from the writings of kitchen-sink-drama-specialist Shelagh Delaney:
Romance, Eh?
I was reading something by Shelagh Delaney, and one of the characters said ‘Romance, Eh?’. Very northern, and quite whimsical. I knew I was going to call a song that, so I put it into my phone until it sat alongside the right song. #timstwitterlisteningparties— BLOSSOMS (@BlossomsBand) May 2, 2020
To make life easier, click on this playlist and “follow” to save it in your Spotify library:
For more weird and wonderful playlists, click here: https://thejournalix.com/tag/playlist/
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