INTRODUCTION
Music has always had a strong pull for me. Right from the moment I wrote my first novel as a 15 year old, I have used songs as a way of understanding my characters and getting into and developing their emotional lives. Songs in themselves tell stories - frequently of deeply or strongly held feelings and I harness the resonances in lyrics and music as part of my creative process. I had popular music soundtracks to my novels long before film makers started using them regularly in blockbusters, on TV and to sell cars and insurance! Indeed, I was rather miffed when the Heath Ledger film A Knight's Tale came out, because it had pinched my way of marrying the medieval story with the Medium of the rock song!

People are often surprised to know that I use such contemporary music to inspire my novels, but it's my opinion that society changes, not people. The lyrics in a song such as Cat Stevens' Father and Son is as relevant to the Middle Ages as it is to today, juxtaposing as it does, the impatience and fire of youth with the tolerance and knowledge of maturity and slowing down.
My tastes are eclectic, although I tend not to go for opera, rap or hip-hop. I have a weakness for guitar-driven metal and rock in most of its incarnations. I own most of Bruce Springsteen's albums. I was a fan of Bryan Adams long, long, long before he performed the theme to the Kevin Costner Robin Hood film. As a teen my favourites included the aforementioned Cat Stevens, David Bowie, Steely Dan, Bad Company, Eric Clapton, Amazing Blondel, Stevie Wonder and Joan Baez - eclectic as I say! Those favourites have been joined by (to name but a few) Tori Amos, Anberlin, Nightwish, Grey Eye Glances, Seether, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Apocalyptica and Loreena McKennit.


To cut to the chase. I have created this blog to list the soundtracks I have used in my various novels and explain without getting too spoilerish for those of you who haven't read the books, why those tracks have been chosen. I've included some urls to Youtube so that you can hear some of the songs that have helped me on my way to creating my characters and scenarios.


Sunday, July 22

SOUNDTRACK NOTES: A PLACE BEYOND COURAGE

A PLACE BEYOND COURAGE:
SOUNDTRACK NOTESI've linked many of the tracks to urls at Youtube. Not all of the video content is appropriate to what I had in mind, but the songs themselves are all very relevant and will give readers an idea - I hope!


Track
1. TUNNEL OF LOVE - Dire Straits
John Marshal at court - the ups and downs of the political life, the plotting, the subterfuge, the women. http://tinyurl.com/3295d6


2.CHEMISTRY - Semi-Sonic
John's attitude to the pleasures of the flesh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgCVR2pjXc0

3. MOTHER - Tori Amos
Aline's marriage to John. Her fear and uncertainty - being pushed out of the nest and into something she's not ready for.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70G7rywtvIg

4. VOLCANO - Damien Rice
Aspects of the relationship between John and Aline.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=259uK-4OqWA

5. BREAK THE NIGHT WITH COLOUR - Richard Ashcroft
John at court in 1135 around the time of the death of King Henry. It's dangerous and he has to decide what to do.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUCTNlij8y8

6. AVE MARIA - Beth Nielsen Chapman
Aline's relationship with her religion. It's the only place where she is happy.

7. ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK - Murray Head
The danger of the royal court in Oxford. The wheeling, dealing, the rise and fall of powerful men http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAIFOR0Tmyw

8. ALREADY GONE - The Eagles
John splits with King Stephen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8o_C50JFkc

9. ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER - U2
John and a mercenary discuss their mutual and not so mutual interests.http://tinyurl.com/3czwzj


10. OUT IN THE FIELDS - Thin Lizzy
The Fight for Wherwell Abbeyhttp://tinyurl.com/32r4gz

11. GIMME SHELTER - The Rolling Stones
John makes his way home from Wherwell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJDnJ0vXUgw

12. ANGELS OF THE SILENCES - Counting Crows
John recovering from his injuries and feeling bitter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDbR_8K3J70

13. ALIVE - Meat Loaf
John comes to terms with what has happened to him and goes back out to kick ass!http://tinyurl.com/2fywmu

14. SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR - Grey Eye Glances
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPMw3HueKzc
Sybilla wonders if there is more to life than the humdrum one she is living.

15. BLAZE OF GLORY - Bon Jovi
John takes on Patrick of Salisbury http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfmYCM4CS8o

16.DANCING IN THE DARK - Bruce Springsteen
John and Sybilla assess each other before their wedding http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEJ26h_cBqQ

17. STOP! - Sam Brown
Aline's shock at the break up of the marriage. Sam Brown's performance is perhaps too forceful for Aline's character, but a lot of the lyrics fit, especially from verse 1.http://tinyurl.com/2tqbt5

18. ELEANOR RIGBY - Thrice
The metal version. It conveys more emotion than the one by the Beatles. Aline's character and a general comment on some of the emotions felt by all the characters. Intentionally screamy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAhFUXOxm_w

19. WHITE WEDDING - Billy Idol
The suggestion of the wedding between John and Sybilla is mooted. Lyrics are perfect!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9j6DE6RnSk

20. BETTER DAYS - Bruce Springsteen
'This fool's half way to heaven and just a mile out of hell and I feel like I'm coming home.' Wow! This one was just so perfect for the soundtrack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKVrVAA7E7I

21. SAMBA PA TI - Santana
The opening sequence to a series of wedding night songs. John and Sybilla's first dance together at their wedding feast - sexy and tender.
http://tinyurl.com/2dqsr6

22. IRIS - Ronan Keating
The preliminary to the wedding night. John's slight apprehension.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29GuKIzALZ8

23. BIG LOVE - Fleetwood Mac
The wedding night from both viewpoints. Fairly explicit!http://tinyurl.com/3yhoaf

24. SHOW ME HEAVEN - Maria Mckee
Sybilla's view of the wedding nighthttp://tinyurl.com/2mmhgj


25. AIR THAT I BREATHE - The Hollies
John's view of the wedding night http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb7S8-Iewi0

26. LOVE RESURRECTION - Alison Moyet
Sybilla getting to grips with life with her new husband. 'If we pull together, we'll never fall apart again.'http://tinyurl.com/ypyb6q

27. CROSSING THE RIVER STYX - I Am Ghost
Aline's remarriage. The end of everything with Johnhttp://tinyurl.com/ypzmkg


28. BED OF ROSES - Bon Jovi
John's ongoing relationship with Sybilla and his thoughts while away at war.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKOjcqoZRRs


29. THE MUMMER'S DANCE - Loreena McKennit
The birth of John's fourth son William on an April morning.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTpvA-pUG0

30. SHE'S A LADY - Tom Jones
John's feelings about Sybilla - lyrics are spot on. She did help him build a mountain. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIfxBthfFkg

31. I WON'T BACK DOWN - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
John facing enormous odds but doing as the song title says! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpdm1ySJsqw

32. HURT - Johnny Cash
John's reaction at having to give up his five year old son, William.http://tinyurl.com/y4d76y

33. DOWN TO MY LAST - Alter Bridge
John at the siege of Newbury as it comes to crunch time. Again lyrics are spot on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-OwAs1_3m8

34. LEARNING TO FLY - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Little William setting out on his life path to greatness http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WowZLe95WDY

35. SOMETHING INSIDE SO STRONG - Labi Siffri
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcKoYGNj0BU
Finale song.
36. ONLY THE BRAVE - Runrig
A song that helped me find the book's title http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUNVcL_fzqM

37. BROKEN PROMISE - Placebo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY30VY1dmMI
This is the song that if I had copyright permission, I'd put on the 'trailer' to the movie.

38. MY SHIP IS COMING IN - The Walker Brothers
One that didn't make my final cut but which had meaning for Alison, my Akashic consultant and so it gets an honourable mention.

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