What is your story's theme song?

[serria]

If the story you are working on (or one you've written) had a theme song, what would it be? Even better, do you have a "soundtrack" of songs that fit your story?

If you listen to music while you write, do you listen to songs that are relevant in either lyrics or style to your story?

Comments

[splinteredstar]

I listen to music most of the time (I'm not at the moment, but only because I have a documentary open in my other tab) but I don't /think/ it correlates too strongly to what I'm writing at the time. There is one exception - in my latest project, my probable-antagonist really came together while listening to Nightwish's album Wishmaster - Crownless in particular. It really solidified how relentlessly /fierce/ the character is.

Other than that, not really. I'll connect songs to other people's characters, but not usually my own. Hm. Might have to think about that.

[alexseanchai]

I made a mix a while back. I think I left off crucial things, though, because I remember listening to a Black Sabbath song the other day and thinking it shoulda gone on the mix.

[lady_phenyx]

I like making playlists while I'm still working on things. I'm making one now for one novel to try and help me get a better handle on the characters - and because it's fun. They tend to be in flux, though, and massive.
I listen to music while I write, too, but generally it ends up a bit like white noise...enjoyable white noise, but not always registering just what I'm listening too. I will try and change it up a bit when writing some scenes, like battle scenes, though.

[splinteredstar]

Yeah, music functions as white noise for me as well. Only way I can focus sometimes.

[serria]

I should answer my own question!

I struggle a little with listening to (most) music while I write, because it's a distraction. When part of my brain is focused on certain lyrics, I have trouble making my own words. Same holds true for TV.

But I occasionally listen to orchestrated pieces while I write. I like to imagine, if my stories were movies, certain songs that would play in the background during certain scenes. Sometimes I designate "lighter" songs with lyrics that I feel fit my story, but not generally while I'm actually writing.

I'd say my current story's "theme song" is O Fortuna. lol

[inkdust]

I always associate songs with my stories - in fact, I only tend to really like songs once I associate them with a story or character, and that means I never have just one theme song. Here are a few specific ones for my current story:

Closest to a true theme song, the first one that I connected to the story - Little Talks (Of Monsters & Men). The lyrics are actually scarily fitting, if you take it as a figurative ship. Like every line makes sense. Mountain Sound by them also reminds me of the relationships among some of the main characters.
More of an emotional theme - We're On Our Way (Radical Face)
A theme for one particular character - Wild Country (Wake Owl)
The song I could imagine for the predictable zoom-out ending shot from the front porch if it were ever made into a little indie movie - Snake Skin Heart (Chris Ayer)

It's interesting to me how much quieter this story is than my last one. Plot-wise that's obvious, but it's also reflected in the music I've been drawn to.

I write in total silence 90% of the time because music doesn't work. The other 10% is usually when I try to write away from home, and then I only listen to instrumental pieces like Ludovico Einaudi or Drift by Daughter (that one in particular makes me hyper-focus, it's unusual). Songs with lyrics are only for pre-writing concentration or especially for thinking about the story in the car. Something about listening in the car lets ideas flow better, haha.