Top Ten Tuesday: Hey, book fairy, I have a musical request

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This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is my literal favorite: music & books. Not only does this take you slightly out of the realm of repeating the same old books every week, it gives the rest of the community a glimpse into what you hold near and dear. Because I believe you can tell a lot about a person by what songs they cling to the most.

As someone who used to rely solely on music for happiness, I thought I would jump into this week’s TTT topic (Top 10 Songs I Wish Were Books) with enough gusto to finish in no time at all. I was wrong. So horribly wrong. My musical tastes are a little… off the charts sometimes; but that isn’t even the main problem. The main problem is that I forget songs until my iPod digs them up from the trenches and shoves them in my face like “Look, dork, maybe stop listening to that same song on repeat for eleven days straight and check out this one from your youth.” So, it goes without saying this post is taking a lot out of me. But it’s done now, and I suppose I can let you see what I came up with. Enjoy! I got lazy, so not every song is getting a heartfelt explanation. Sorry not sorry.

Ten Random Songs I Wish Were Books

1. Mercy by Muse

It randomly occurred to me to play this song on repeat at work Monday long before I had learned about the topic. To be honest, I take it as a sign of some divine intervention because it fits. In fact, the whole concept of Muse’s “newest” album Drones (which just so happened to win “Best Rock Album” at the 2016 Grammy’s) is something I want gifted to me in the form of a badass series of epic proportions.

For those who don’t know or couldn’t guess from their unambiguous title, the album documents the journey of man as he loses himself and essentially becomes a human drone in society. But don’t worry, folks, we also get to follow him toward his eventual salvation of self where he becomes even more aware of this drone-like state and has to come up with a solution. Mercy, in particular, deals with is said man at the point where he’s about to lose it all, and he just wants the mercy to be saved from this inevitable end.

Also, who doesn’t love Muse?

So… yeah… Mindless drones, please.

2. Don’t Go Home Without Me by Lights

This is the song I will sing to you when you’re old and tired
I will sing it to remind you that I’m old beside you
And if you’re tired of hearing my voice
I’m gonna sing it to you anyway
Cause I know that if we made it this far
Those differences I would put away

This is all you really need to know. Man, give me a story where the characters grow old together; and I’ll give you tears unlike any I’ve ever shed before.

3. This is the House That Doubt Built by A Day to Remember

This is such an emotional song whenever I hear it playing. It’s definitely open for interpretation (as all songs are) and can mean different things for different people, and that’s what I love about it. Face-value? It’s about the thrill of the boys being on stage at a concert and uniting a crowd of people with just their voices. I get chills every time I hear it, and I would LOVE for that feeling to be translated into a book.

Forget everything just for tonight we’ll sing like everyone when they’re alone
Cause I’ve been waiting for tonight to sing whoa, whoa
Let’s believe that if we all stand together, we’re a force that can shake the whole world
For once we’re doing something right when we sing whoa, whoa

4. Seasons of Love by Rent Cast

Ugh. This isn’t the version I wanted, but… oh well. Beggars can’t be choosers. I think it would be super interesting to pen a book that literally measures a life from start to finish. Like… give me the inaccurate measurements of time as you scramble to conjure up meaningful stories of the main character only to reveal that every moment was important because it was a moment lived. I will sob. [/prepares Kleenex prematurely]

5. Banner by Lights

[/abuses Lights’ songs because she is my boo, and I just want everything from her]

6. I Write Sins Not Tragedies by Panic! At the Disco

I refuse to believe anyone wouldn’t want this book. I just imagine it being so whimsical in nature with the harder truths hidden in the undertones. If you can’t tell, I’m really just dredging up every song I loved as a prepubescent teen because that, fellow monsters, was quality.

7. Drops of Jupiter by Train

Written after Patrick’s mother passed away, this song was to kind of evoke his feelings of her presence being back “in the atmosphere.” It is beautiful. And if someone wants to pen this one, please CC me on your progression. Please and thank you.

8. Ice Box by Omarion

Alrighty now… This was my jam in like middle school, and now I want to take it a step further. Omarion talks about there being an “ice box where [his] heart used to be.” Get this. I want a story that takes this literally. Don’t give me your typical coldhearted “rake” (nod to Lisa Kleypas there). I want a guy who literally has an ice box where his heart is supposed to be. He’s like the Tin Man, basically. No heart. Just. Ice Box. That’s it.

9. Jenny was a Friend of Mine by The Killers

OHMYGOD. I would fall all over this. In fact, make it a trilogy starting with “The Bourbon On the Shelf” followed by “Midnight Show,” and concluding with “Jenny was a Friend of Mine” for cereal. I would read the fuck out of these books and dub them my favorite. Also, I just rediscovered this song, so BYEEEEE productivity and eardrums of all those around me.

10. Miss Murder by AFI

Ah. The price of wanting to remain relevant long after your time is over. Really, it seems like what I need in my life right now is a good book about a band.

BONUS SONG: Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

Do you know how beautiful this book would be?! Gerard once explained that in his mind death comes to each person in a different form. The concept behind MCR’s album The Black Parade was that this was the form of death for “The Patient” referred to in each song, and I just. UGH. I would read it so hardcore.

Moral of the story, kiddos: Artists and Authors need to get together and make beautiful babies. that is all.

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