*Warning: This post contains pop so sumptuously saccharine it will eat your soul and make you purchase it. I f–ing love The Ting Tings*
When I rode the bus to work, I generally did so with noise-canceling headphones in and my Kindle in my lap (okay, sometimes I dozed off or stared out the dirty window at the weeds). The natural result of this is that I’ve come to associate songs with books.
I found a copy of Jane Eyre illustrated by Dame Darcy, and I picked it up for my niece. Of course, I’d never read the thing, something easily rectified by a quick trip to Gutenberg. At the same time, I downloaded I Started Nothing by The Ting Tings. That’s Not My Name stuck in my head like glue. When Jane says, “My name is Jane…” I had a ready retort. My brain stumbled over the “Elliot” bit, the full quote being, “My name is Jane Elliot.”
Although, either Jane or name set it off in my head, the snappy little reel of song. And here’s the real insidious bit, I didn’t mind a damn, I just fiddled with my mp3 player so I could hear it again. In fact, I’ll probably go watch that video one more time.
Two worlds colliding, resulting in delightful wreckage.
Probably not a bad description for riding the bus either. I once saw a man sneeze in his hat and put it back on. I don’t know why, but that really grossed me out.
Coffee comin’ out my nose over that one! You, lady, are a conundrum.
I should just do a post of the best of bus stories. In between my husband and I, there are a lot of them.
I listen to music while I read, too, but I’ve never transferred a song to a book. Too funny. 🙂 I love that song by the Ting Tings. “They call me Sta-cee.” It definitely sticks in your head.
Hence the bubblegum pop warning, because we’re all humming that song now.
I read some of the Anita Blake novels (basically until she boffed the vampire), and that series has gotten hitched to Devotchka’s cover of Venus in Furs.
What about when you write? Do you put on a particular style of music to suit what you are writing, or simply music you enjoy?
The TV. I lived alone for a long time, so I would just put it on for noise (I know, I’m secretly a little old lady). Music is too distracting for me. I’ll either listen to something really pretty (like Tool or opera, and trust me on Tool, see Third Eye Open by Vitamin String Quartet) or god awful noise or something catchy like The Ting Tings.