I don’t know what I intended as a post originally today – for all Friday’s freeness, I never have any ideas – but I was listening to Paramore’s Still Into You, one of my favourite recent songs (despite first hearing it and not recognising it was both Paramore and new), and this short idea occurred for a post to me.
It’s one of those songs that you just know works. Positivity is, admittedly, not Paramore’s strong suit, but they have had their gems – and Still Into You is one of those. It’s upbeat, yet still suiting their rock-based compositions, unlike their other famous ‘positive’ song, The Only Exception. It’s about a love passing the tests.
This cut and facet of love fascinates me the most. In one story idea I recently had, I called it the Blue Effect, since true accepting-of-all-faults love changes a person so much it changes their aura, of which the empath ‘Reader’ MC could see.
For all I love music, I’ve never created a playlist like other authors; in fact, I always say the opposite: it’s too difficult for me to think of fictitious words when I have those distracting strains of melody and lyrics buzzing the entirety of my head. Too, I never associate certain popular songs with my characters – I feel none have the depth I need. Whilst Agnetha does almost a typical modern teen thing of comparing her life to songs, Phillip and Aidelle have no knowledge of our ‘popular culture’, and barely any of music at all.
However, Still Into You has struck a chord on this front.
It’s not a walk in the park to love each other, but when our fingers interlock, I can’t deny it’s worth it.
Compare those lyrics with this quote from chapter one:
Their fingers entwined. No taunting mattered when the two of them became one.
As the song says, they matter to each other to fight through their clashing personalities. When I heard that line, I knew the song was perfect to describe their topsy-turvy anti-cultural relationship. Too, I find it bizarre how similar the ideas are – of hand-holding as a way to protect each other from the gnashing outside.
Can count the years on one hand that we’ve been together. It’s true, Aidelle and Phillip aren’t the oldest of couples, having only been betrothed a year at the beginning of WTCB. Maybe they don’t yet have the Blue Effect, since her temper and his class stubbornness can turn them in on each other at times.
But the point is that the can ride through that pain. Here’s the official video. It’s pretty awesome and fun…though, I don’t approve the riding through the neat home on mountain bikes. (!) And I love Hayley’s hair. 🙂
What songs are inspiring your writing today? Or relating to the lives of your characters?
Oh, and Happy NaNo for those of you who have begun today. I, personally, cannot afford to super-charge into a new fiction, but I have my own goals towards which I’ll be striving.
Hallowe’en post coming up soon when I have a broader range of pictures. I had so much fun last night, to the point where – purely due to sitting in the hallway of our floor and chatting about Doctor Who – we ended up going to bed at 5am-ish.
It’s November, which means it’s the month of the dead and their souls. Thoughts and prayers directed to them on this All Saint’s Day of Holy Obligation.
Alexandrina Brant 