Thoughts from a couple of readers on a soundtrack for the Rephaim

One of my oldest and dearest friends, Rebecca – or ‘Place’, as I still call her from our high school days – happens to be one of the Rephaim’s biggest fans (she was the first person to read Shadows as it took shape). She’s also somewhat of an encyclopedia when it comes to music.

My very good friends, The Crams. (It's okay, the girls aren't really reading Haze - still too young for the Rephaim series!)

(It’s okay, the girls aren’t really reading Haze – a few more years yet before they’re allowed to read my series.)

Every year for my birthday and Christmas, she and her family (aka the Crams) put together a collection of songs from their current playlist. (Don’t be fooled by the girls’ youth: they know more bands and music trivia that most roadies).

For my birthday a few months’ back, Place whipped up something extra special: a soundtrack for Shadows and Haze. I love the time and thought that went into this, especially given the inclusion of a few bands she and I used rock out to back in the day. 🙂

I thought I’d share her list, along with the notes that always come with my mix CDs to explain song choices.

 Soundtrack + notes from Place
– Shadows and Haze

  1. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Eurythmics
    (Not so) sweet dreams – self explanatory reference to Gaby (and Jude’s) dreams of their real and imagined past, and the title of chapter two (Shadows).
  2. This Is A Call – Foo Fighters
    Fingernails are pretty! A homage to our intriguing artist Jacques and, of course, Jude’s fave band.
  3. Running from An Angel – Hootie & The Blowfish
    Of the myriad of songs about angels, I thought the title of this one fit quite nicely, and it’s a fine ballad.
  4. Locked Out of Heaven – Bruno Mars
    Another wonderfully apt title, and another funky tune from Bruno. Religious references abound in the lyrics of this sexy song.
  5. Sympathy for the Devil – Rolling Stones
    Tribute to the chapter ‘Pleased to meet you. Not’
  6. Blue on Black – Kenny Wayne Shepherd
    Another chapter tribute, to ‘Wearing black and blue’. And that the author is a big Kenny Wayne Shepherd fan!
  7. Demon’s Eye – Deep Purple
    Another tune from one of Jude’s favourite bands. It had to be Demon’s Eye. (Note from Paula: an early draft of Shadows had a reference to Deep Purple which didn’t make the final cut – but yes, the classic 70s rockers are among Jude’s faves.)
  8. Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down The Mountain) – INXS
    I just couldn’t bring myself to put ‘The Sound of Music’ on the soundtrack (‘The hills are alive!’), but thought this track fit the bill, and brought a nice piece of Aussie pop/rock to the mix
  9. Heart of an Angel – Jeff Healey Band
    Another angel track, and I seem to recall the Jeff Healey being another one of your faves.
  10. Fallin’ – Alicia Keyes
    I was actually looking for tracks with ‘fallen’ in them, but thought this song went close and summed up Gaby and Rafa’s struggle with their relationship really nicely. And Alicia has an awesome voice.
  11. The Devil Went Down To Georgia – The Charlie Daniels Band
    Or something went down in Iowa, anyway! I have always loved this classic hillbilly song with the most awesome fiddle playing ever. 
  12. Children of the Grave – Black Sabbath
    Or the corn. Super-creepy, classic Black Sabbath. How good is that rat-a-tat-tat percussion?
  13. Hells Bells – AC/DC
    Take your pick: Rhythm Palace, the hills behind Pan Beach: here is your epic battle track!
  14. All My Life – Foo Fighters
    Couldn’t have a soundtrack without this one.

Thanks Place (and the Crams) for this awesome list. 🙂

A thought from Casey at Dark-Readers

Overnight, Casey over at Dark-Readers in the UK posted this clip on Twitter because she felt it perfectly capture Gaby and Rafa. I love the connection:

A few thoughts from me – Shadows

Earlier in the year as part of the UK blog tour for Shadows, Emma at Book Angel Booktopia (http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/2013/01/musical-moments-guest-post-shadows-by-paula-weston.html) asked about my musical inspiration for Shadows. I offered up four Foo Fighters songs.

The first, which sums up where Gaby’s head is at right at the start of Shadows is All my Life. For me, it’s also the song that captures the essence of the series. (And which Place included above too.)

All my life I’ve been searching for something
Something never comes never leads to nothing
Nothing satisfies but I’m getting close
Closer to the prize at the end of the rope
All night long I dream of the day
When it comes around and it’s taken away
Leaves me with the feeling that I feel the most
Feel it come to life when I see your ghost

February Stars is a more mellow song, and I think it perfectly reflects Gaby’s quieter moments before she starts to find out her life is not what it seems.

Hanging on
Here until I’m gone
Right where I belong
Just hanging on

Even though
I pass this time alone
Somewhere so unknown
It heals the soul

(This clip is from the Skin and Bones live show. I love this version.)

http://youtu.be/Hdlhh0mefSg

Pretender: How could I not include this one? It’s about lies and buried secrets – and refusing to accept someone else’s version of who you are. Perfect for Gaby.

Send in your skeletons
Sing as their bones go marching in again
They need you buried deep
The secrets that you keep are ever ready
Are you ready?

And finally, No Way Back. It’s a great fit for how’s Gaby’s feeling by the end of Shadows.

Lately, I’ve been
Livin’ in my head
The rest of me is dead,
I dying for truth.

Pleased to meet you take my hand,
There is no way back from here,
Pleased to meet you say your prayers,
There is no way back from here,
But I don’t care,
No way back from here

A few thoughts from me – Haze

And then, as part of last month’s Haze blog tour in the UK, Jenny at Wondrous Reads (http://www.wondrousreads.com/2013/10/haze-blog-tour-author-interview-paula.html) asked if I had a playlist for Haze. Here’s what I offered (notice there are non-Foo listings!):

– Bridge Burning (Foo Fighters)
– Halo (Foo Fighters)
– Skin and Bones (Foo Fighters)
– Little Black Submarines (The Black Keys)
– 2 Deep (Kenny Wayne Shepherd)
– Blue on Black (Kenny Wayne Shepherd)
– Wild at Heart (Birds of Tokyo)

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About Me

I’m the author of the Rephaim series and The Undercurrent.

For my day job, I’m a writer-journalist-professional communicator, where my writing involves a lot less profanity.

I grew up in regional South Australia and now live in the Scenic Rim with my husband and a retired greyhound.

If you’re interested in how I came to land a publishing deal, you can read the short version in this post from August 2011. There’s a longer version (in a guest post) here.

Paula Weston

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