Inspiration Among the Songs

You know how you run across a song that "does it for you"? A song that you can really get into and have fun with? Well, one of my favorites, one I just love to listen too is “Werewolves of London”, by Warren Zevon.

Now, I’m not sure why but damn if it doesn’t bring out the inner wolf. I love to howl...I mean sing along with it. ;D The same for Little Red Riding Hood by Sam the Sham. I suppose my love of the wild, especially wolves, might have something to do with this but I have only collected wolves for the last fifteen years or so and I have loved those songs since I was a little girl. Not to mention that in my younger days my friends and myself used to go out into the country and watch the stars and bay at the moon. Yes, way weird, but teenagers are the strangest beasts.

But I guess these are not the only two songs that get my blood going. Anything with a good beat and a fun feeling gets me movin’ and groovin’ too.

Then there are the songs that inspire or engage my imagination. “Don’t Pay the Ferryman” by Chris Deburgh is one that I listen to when I need to feel the importance, the depth, of something I am writing. The urgency if you will. I am not sure if it is the lyrics or the beat. Maybe both. Here are the lyrics in case you have never heard of it and if you click on the link you can hear a 20 sec. snippet to refresh your memory.

Don't Pay the Ferryman

It was late at night on the open road,
Speeding like a man on the run,
A lifetime spent preparing for the journey;
He is closer now and the search is on,
Reading from a map in the mind,
Yes there's the ragged hill,
And there's the boat on the river. And when the rain came down,
He heard a wild dog howl,
There were voices in the night - "Don't do it!"
Voices out of sight - "Don't do it!
Too many men have failed before,
Whatever you do,

Don't pay the ferryman,
Don't even fix a price,
Don't pay the ferryman,

Until he gets you to the other side;" In the rolling mist, then he gets on board,
Now there'll be no turning back,
Beware that hooded old man at the rudder,
And then the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared,
And people calling out his name,
And dancing bones that jabbered and a-moaned On the water. And then the ferryman said,
"There is trouble ahead,
So you must pay me now," - "Don't do it!"
"You must pay me now," - "Don't do it!"
And still that voice came from beyond,
"Whatever you do,

Don't pay the ferryman,
Don't even fix a price,
Don't pay the ferryman,

Until he gets you to the other side;

Don't pay - the ferryman!"

For some reason this song makes me think of stuff like “Lord of the Rings” or “Thieves World”. I like to listen to it while I am thinking about story plots and such or when I need to get in the mood to write. Or other good ones are “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler, “Dreams” by The Cranberries, "Fire and Ice" by Enya, and "Die Another Die" by Madonna. It is fun way to write. Or when my main character is going through a rough spot I like to listen to songs like, “Only You” by Yazoo or the spainish version of that “Ven Dimelo” by Marc Antony, "Desert Rose" by Sting, “With Arms Wide Open” by Creed and “Runaway Train” by Soul Asylum. Oh, and just one more I have to add. "Don't Answer Me" by the Alan Parsons Project.

Then there are the “I just want or need a boost” songs. Like Mary Chapin Carpenter “Down at the Twist and Shout”, or “Ballroom Blitz” by Cream, and...Oh! “Iko, Iko” by The Belle Stars and “December 1963" by the Four Seasons. It is almost guaranteed that I get up out of my chair and dance around a bit (despite the cereal problem - see July 4, entry, "Bemoaning My Youth").

Well, I could go on forever but I am feeling pretty inspired and need my daily fix of music, so night all!