When your muse sings

I never cared for John Denver music as a kid. It was country when country wasn’t cool and, to boot my mom liked John Denver a lot. When you’re a teenaged boy if your mom likes a performer, unless his last name is Van Halen, you probably won’t like that performer.

Then Thomas Magnum got shot in a warehouse and Looking for Space started to play. This was in the aftermath of Miami Vice, when music became a character in hour-long dramas, but this wasn’t a trendy song. Its lyrics, however, struck me and it’s been one of my favorites ever since–even though John Denver sang it.

Ever since, I’ve looked to song lyrics to help me crystallize the themes in my work. Last month, I got to see U2 at Raymond James Stadium. U2’s been a favorite for a long time. It’s Christian rock good enough that it isn’t marketed or thought of as Christian rock. A few years ago, when I was struggling with something, the lyrics to Stuck in a Moment (You Can’t Get Out Of) resonated with me. Considering the struggles my protagonist faces, it suits the mood of my novel well, too.

Most of my experience with lyrics has come from watching the integration of music and story on TV, especially when the lyrics fit the mood perfectly. A episode of Lost did this perfectly a few years back, as Hurley and Charlie decided to drive a VW bug down a steep hill to pop the clutch. When they did, the eight-track tape in the van’s player started playing Shambala. As the scene shifted from the van starting and running to everyone going back to camp, the Three Dog Night version faded out and an orchestral version with swelling strings took its place.

Music and lyrics can help you frame your story and add, their meaning catching the moment in a way no other medium can. U2’s In a Little While is written as a promise from Bono to his family, but Joey Ramone listened to it on his death bed. And if you listen to the lyrics, it could also be used in connection with someone facing certain death.

What lyrics provide inspiration to you? What singers or bands help you clarify your thoughts and the themes of your work?