Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion

There isn't a complete playlist for CUTYS (at least not yet), but Josh mentions some music preferences Swift and Max have.

We are currently (May 2013) reading and discussing CUTYS chapter-by-chapter and thought that it would be fun to post music we associate with Swift's story as we read along. This way, when we have a playlist thread for it, we can more easily come back to enjoy the music later on. :-)

Let's see... what do we know for now?

We know that Max likes soul music (chapter 2, page 25) and that his favorite holiday record is Christmas Time With Motown (see Christmas Coda 6). Here is Smokey Robinson's Christmas Everyday.

Swift listens to Muse (chapter 4, page 44) and Barber (chapter 4, page 51). Here is Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings.

On page 54 (chapter 4) it says that Swift could usually find some relief in small, homely things like a cup of hot tea and calming music, a hot bath and aromatherapy candles, looking through art books, meditation and visualization techniques.

I'm really looking forward to what kind of music you guys are going to come up with for Swift and Max! :-)

Johanna wrote: "Let's see... what do we know for now?

We know that Max likes soul music and that his favorite holiday record is Christmas Time With Motown (see Christmas Coda 6). Here is Smokey Robinson's Christmas Everyday..."

LOL! I've just reread the coda and I thought I had to go and look for the song. Thank you, Johanna!

And also thank you for setting up the topic!

You are welcome, Antonella! Christmas Everyday puts me in such a good mood every time I listen to it! Especially the Smokey Robinson original always makes me smile widely. :-)

Josh wrote on May 2013, CUTYS topic:

A reader sent me a couple of songs by Matthew James White. "Breathe" was the one I listened to a lot -- even used for the booktrailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9h2Jq...

Johanna wrote: "Swift listens to Muse (chapter 4, page 44) and Barber (chapter 4, page 51). Here is Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings."

I was trying to think of what film I'd heard this in and found a partial list (below), then realized it's used in a dance production of Dracula that my niece has performed, as a bride and (knock on wood) as Mina in their next production. It's used thematically to recall Dracula's lost mortal love and his eventual redemption (a very Coppola take on the story).

Some film soundtracks that include Barber's Adagio for Strings: Amélie (2001; A Very Natural Thing; El Norte; Lorenzo's Oil; Platoon (Oliver Stone); Reconstruction; Sicko (2007) (Michael Moore); Swimming Upstream; The Elephant Man (1980) (David Lynch)

I used to think *I* had eclectic tastes! Then I met you guys! ;-)

Josh wrote: "I used to think *I* had eclectic tastes! Then I met you guys! ;-)"

Heh heh. And thank you for your post, Karen! That's an interesting list you have there! :-)

Here is a Muse song I listened to a lot last autumn. It was often the very last song I listened to in bed before going to sleep. Why? Because it soothes me. It has such simple beauty and something very calming in it — or that's the way it feels to me.

Because Muse is mentioned in CUTYS as something Swift might enjoy, I thought that this would probably suit his character. Also the lyrics sound like Swift (this is the beginning of the song):

You could be my unintended
Choice to live my life extended
You could be the one I'll always love
You could be the one who listens to my deepest inquisitions
You could be the one I'll always love

I'll be there as soon as I can
But I'm busy mending broken pieces of the life I had before

Unintended by Muse

I hope this is OK. I'm sorry, I don't have the links to them, I've taken them from titles on my IPod, but I'm sure they're on YouTube or at Amazon Under the name of the artist or the title of the piece. I think they work for Max and Swift.

Swift:
David Giminez Carreras - Puccini - Manon Lescout - Intermezzo
Bach - Cello Suites (Yo Yo Ma is wonderful)
Brandenburg Concertos - Bach

I Belong To You - Muse
Sing for Absolution - Muse
Trouble - Coldplay
Don't Panic - Coldplay
Yellow - Coldplay

Max:

My Guy - Mary Wells
You Really Got A Hold On Me - Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
Reach Out, I'll Be There - Four Tops
Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
What’s Going On - Marvin Gaye
Baby I Need Your Loving - The Four Tops
The Way you Do The Things You Do - Temptations

Carlita wrote: "I hope this is OK. I'm sorry, I don't have the links to them, I've taken them from titles on my IPod, but I'm sure they're on YouTube or at Amazon Under the name of the artist or the title of the p..."

Hah! Those are great! Especially the songs for Max are making me smile widely (currently listening to Marvin Gaye's What’s Going On).

And I love Muse's I Belong to You. :-)

Johanna, I smiled the entire time I searched through my iPod for suggestions. I love each of the artists and singers who created these, and when I think of Swift and Max, these were the pieces that had their names on them for me. Looking forward to everyone's suggestions.

It's not my intention to turn this into a Muse thread, but couldn't resist posting links to both Nina Simone's and Muse's versions of Feeling Good.

Feeling Good by Nina Simone

Feeling Good by Muse

Here are also the lyrics. I'd like to think that this is how Swift could feel at some point.

Birds flying high you know how I feel
Sun in the sky you know how I feel
Breeze driftin' on by you know how I feel

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good

Fish in the sea you know how I feel
River running free you know how I feel
Blossom on the tree you know how I feel

Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don't you know
Butterflies all havin' fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done
That's what I mean

And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me

Stars when you shine you know how I feel
Scent of the pine you know how I feel
Oh freedom is mine
And I know how I feel

Johanna wrote: "Here is a Muse song I listened to a lot last autumn. It was often the very last song I listened to in bed before going to sleep. Why? Because it soothes me. It has such simple beauty and something ..."

The lyrics alone are perfect.

Carlita wrote: "I hope this is OK. I'm sorry, I don't have the links to them, I've taken them from titles on my IPod, but I'm sure they're on YouTube or at Amazon Under the name of the artist or the title of the p..."

I love this kind of thing!

Carlita wrote: "I hope this is OK. I'm sorry, I don't have the links to them, I've taken them from titles on my IPod... Baby, I Need Your Loving - The Four Tops"

Nope, Max can't have this one. I've already claimed it. Hands off Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," too. :-D

OK, those are all yours. I can swap in Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell or This Old Heart of Mine - Isley Brothers. :-)

We appear to have the same taste in music. :)

KC wrote: We appear to have the same

I believe we do. :-)

Have to ad Ain't to Proud to Beg for Max. Yeah it's not in character, but I love the song. :)

Here's one that I thought fits Swift when he fears that he and Max missed their chance on love and everything is over.

Righteous Brothers - You've Lost That Loving Feelin'

You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips.
And there's no tenderness like before in your fingertips.
You're trying hard not to show it, (baby).
But baby, baby I know it...

You've lost that lovin' feeling,
Whoa, that lovin' feeling,
You've lost that lovin' feeling,
Now it's gone...gone...gone...wooooooh.

Now there's no welcome look in your eyes
when I reach for you.
And now your're starting to critisize little things I do.
It makes me just feel like crying, (baby).
'Cause baby, something in you is dying.

You lost that lovin' feeling,
Whoa, that lovin' feeling,
You've lost that lovin' feeling,
Now it's gone...gone...gone...woooooah

Baby, baby, I get down on my knees for you.

If you would only love me like you used to do, yeah.

We had a love...a love...a love you don't find everyday.

So don't...don't...don't...don't let it slip away.

Baby (baby), baby (baby),
I beg of you please...please,
I need your love (I need your love),
I need your love (I need your love),
So bring it on back (So bring it on back),
Bring it on back (so bring it on back).

Bring back that lovin' feeling,
Whoa, that lovin' feeling
Bring back that lovin' feeling,
'Cause it's gone...gone...gone,
and I can't go on,
noooo...

Bring back that lovin' feeling,
Whoa, that lovin' feeling
Bring back that lovin' feeling,
'Cause it's gone...gone...

Calathea wrote: Here's one I thought cuts Swift...

I agree it's perfect for those moments. I love this one, too. :-)

I'm not sure exactly which character this song would suit best (there are a few), but the extraordinary Dusty Springfield deserves a place in one of Josh's books (and trust me, I wouldn't suggest her for just anybody's story ;-)). Get a load of this voice! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuPOw...

K.Z. wrote: "I'm not sure exactly which character this song would suit best (there are a few), but the extraordinary Dusty Springfield deserves a place in one of Josh's books (and trust me, I wouldn't suggest h..."

Agreed! I was listening to Dusty a couple of days ago and thought that her songs would be something that could be playing while Swift is cooking or when he and Max are sitting by the fire, having dinner and/or a glass of wine. :-)

Yup, she's one of the most brilliant vocalists in the history of popular music.

K.Z. wrote: "I'm not sure exactly which character this song would suit best (there are a few), but the extraordinary Dusty Springfield deserves a place in one of Josh's books (and trust me, I wouldn't suggest h..."

Gorgeous. I always did like her. I just spent 10 minutes watching her stuff on YouTube. :)

Wow, I agree with Dusty deserving a place on the playlist and I am thinking that "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" works for Swift and Max.

Carlita wrote: "Wow, I agree with Dusty deserving a place on the playlist and I am thinking that "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" works for Swift and Max."

I thought the same thing, but I think they DID need to say it. Thankfully they did in the end.

I've just woken up in Pink Floyd mode somehow and realised I dreamed about the lyrics to Wearing the Inside Out - so now I don't get the song out of my head. And it suddenly made me think of Swift and Max, the moment when Max helps Swift to get over his cravings and talks to him - seriously, if CUTYS were a musical, that is basically what I would expect them to sing, first verse for Max the other two for Swift :-D

Look at him now
He's paler somehow
But he's coming round
He's starting to choke
It's been so long since he spoke
Well he can have the words right from my mouth

And with these words I can see
Clear through the clouds that covered me
Just give it time then speak my name
Now we can hear ourselves again

I'm holding out
For the day
When all the clouds
Have blown away
I'm with you now
Can speak your name
Now we can hear
Ourselves again

And here's the link for all those who don't know this brilliant song: Wearing the Inside Out by Pink Floyd

Wow. I haven't listened to Pink Floyd for ages, and I mean that literally. I did listen to them quite a lot in the 80's, after their album The Wall was released. Do you guys still remember the Another Brick In The Wall music video? I thought that was so cool, so earthmoving back then, thirty years ago, when I was a teenager! ;-) That song doesn't fit Swift though, or any of us teachers, for that matter... LOL. This is just me being nostalgic.

Anyway, in the car on my way back home from work today this Rihanna song was played on the radio. There was something about it that made me think about Swift and Max.

Stay by Rihanna (ft. Mikky Ekko)

I don't know why I feel like the older songs fit more well to Swift's story though? Here is one that I think is just perfect for Swift and Max. When you listen to it, remember how much Swift needs Max and how it turned out that Max liked to be needed. This a Tony Bennett version of the song.

For Once In My Life, Tony Bennett duet with Marc Anthony

Pink Floyd is one of the constants in my music box ;-D

There are just so many things I connect with the songs. Wish You Were Here is a song that will always remind me of my aunt, and several times a year I unpack my guitar, dust off the spiderwebs and sing that song to remember her.

Pink Floyd just have this way with words AND amazing instrumental skills - not something you find all that often.

I like Be Careful with That Axe, Eugene... :) Pink Floyd's Umma Gumma album is my favorite.

I need to put that on my MP3 Player now that I think of it.

Susinok wrote: "I like Be Careful with That Axe, Eugene... :) Pink Floyd's Umma Gumma album is my favorite.

I need to put that on my MP3 Player now that I think of it."

LOL, what an awesome song title, isn't it?

I think this one works for Swift. :-)


BRANDI CARLILE - THE STORY LYRICS

All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am

But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true, I was made for you

I climbed across the mountaintops
Travel across the ocean blue
I cross over lines and I broke all the rules
And baby I broke them all for you

Oh because even when I was flat broke
You made me feel like a million bucks
You do, I was made for you

You see the smile that's on my mouth
It's hiding the words that don't come out
All of the friends who think that I'm blessed
They don't know I'm in this mess

No they don't know who I really am
And they don't know what I've been through
Like you do, and I was made for you

All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am

Oh but these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true, I was made for you
Oh yeah, and it's true that I was made for you

Katharina wrote: "LOL, what an awesome song title, isn't it? ..."

It's really just an awesome instrumental piece with a primal scream in it. :)

Susinok wrote: "Katharina wrote: "LOL, what an awesome song title, isn't it? ..."

It's really just an awesome instrumental piece with a primal scream in it. :)"

As far as I'm concerned, no one did primal screams like the late, great James Brown. :-D

K.Z. wrote: "As far as I'm concerned, no one did primal screams like the late, great James Brown. :-D ..."

Oh yeah. Then there's the nice moaning of Robert Plant. :) He moaned very nicely.

Susinok wrote: "Then there's the nice moaning of Robert Plant. :) He moaned very nicely."

Robert Plant making suggestive sounds would only work for me if I didn't visualize him. ;-) (I really love his album "The Principle of Moments," though. Can't remember if he moans on it or not.)

K.Z. wrote: "Susinok wrote: "Then there's the nice moaning of Robert Plant. :) He moaned very nicely."

Robert Plant making suggestive sounds would only work for me if I didn't visualize him. ;-) (I really love..."

I had a thing for Plant back in the day. :) It's that skinny rockstar look, gets me every time.

Now he looks like a retired chartered accountant!

Katharina wrote: "Pink Floyd is one of the constants in my music box ;-D

There are just so many things I connect with the songs. Wish You Were Here is a song that will always remind me of my aunt, and several times..."

Lovely, Katharina.

K.Z. wrote: "Susinok wrote: "Then there's the nice moaning of Robert Plant. :) He moaned very nicely."

Robert Plant making suggestive sounds would only work for me if I didn't visualize him. ;-) (I really love..."

:-D :-D :-D

I posted this to "What else are you reading?" in response to Liade's post about reading how Lord Peter Wimsey (Dorothy Sayers) is inspired to sing Purcell's "Come Unto These Yellow Sands." It seemed appropriate to add on here:

This pushed me to finally complete the CUTYS recording exploration I started, then stalled out when it was more difficult to find quality recordings online than you'd think. I imagine Wimsey as a tenor, but it's been awhile (years) since I've read these. Does anyone else know? So here's a list of audio and video clips I began during our BOM discussion. Sorry, no tenors. Maybe he's a baritone? ;-)

Purcell audio
Arcadia Ensemble/Kevin Mallon, Purcell: The Tempest (2000)
A short sample, soprano singer, high quality sound:
http://www.allmusic.com/album/release...
Full version of the same, lower sound quality: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mcBMS...

John Eliot Gardiner, Purcell: The Tempest (1995)
A short sample, soprano singer:
http://www.allmusic.com/album/release...

RCA Victor recording of CUTYS and Greensleeves, baritone singer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj4FCB...
Listed as circa 1910, but it appears to be a cleaner recording of this 1915 record: http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings...

Audio (not Purcell)
A lute and countertenor version (John Banister, not Purcell)
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al....

Michael Nyman's instrumental version performed in Barcleona (2009)
Great sound, amateur video (close your eyes) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUY4KA...
Music composed for Peter Greenaway's Prospero's Books (1991):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pdoUj...

Films mentioned in CUTYS
More video, here's the Julie Taymor's The Tempest (2010), the one mentioned in Josh's CUTYS starring Helen Mirren as Prospero:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDyGl2...

And, once again, the link to a clip from Derek Jarman's The Tempest (also mentioned in CUTYS):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAWdVO...

Wow, Karen. I don't know what to say. Wow and thank you! :-)

Wow indeed!