Today’s topic is a TTT genre freebie. I was going to do something like “My Favorite Historical Fiction Books of the Last Five Years”. Instead, I am going to do…..ten songs to pair with ten books.
“The problem in America is not that we’re driving the wrong kind of car. The trouble is we’re driving every kind of car incessantly.” – Jim Kunstler, The Kunstlercast: Conversations with James Howard Kunstler
(1) Jayber Crow, Wendell Berry. This is my favorite novel, and it’s….about a lot of things. Primarily it’s about a man searching for meaning, and some of Jayber’s meaning is found in loving a woman he knows will never return his love. I’m pairing it with Tim McGraw’s “Just To See You Smile”.
I walked away and let you have your space
‘Cause leaving didn’t hurt me near as as badly
As the tears I saw rollin’ down your face
And yesterday I knew just what you wanted
When you came walkin’ up to me with him
So I told you I was happy for you
And given the chance,
I’d lie again
Just to see you smile —
I’d do anything that you wanted me to
And when all is said and done
It’s worth all that’s lost
Just to see you smile
(2) The Nineties, Chuck Klosterman. Fun fact: I have not read The Nineties. If I did, I’d probably hear a different song. Considering how much nineties country lives in my mind, you’d expect ‘The Nineties’ to trigger Joe Diffie, Tim McGraw, Shania Twain, etc. But instead….I hear this, and when it comes on I am on a school bus playing cards with Jennifer and Matt, and I have no idea what the future holds for us.
What it means to be a man
It’s something I can’t change
I’ll live around it
(3) “Midnight, the Stars, and You”. Ray Noble and his Orchestra. The Shining, Stephen King. If you know, you know. If you don’t, click here for pete’s sake.
Hair of the dog that bit me, Lloyd…
(4) The Wide Window, Lemony Snicket. “The Wide Window”, Thos. Newman. I love the spirit of this piece — the sense of adventure it awakens.
(5) While We Were Watching Downton Abby, Wendy Wax. A novel about female friendship that’s very loosely organized by a season of eating dinner and watching Downton.
(6) Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, JK Rowling. “Gryffindor Rocks”, Harry and the Potters.
(7) “The Ballad of Tom Joad”, Woody Guthrie. The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck.
Shot a woman in the back.
Before he could take his aim again,
Preacher Casey dropped him in his track, poor boy,
Preacher Casey dropped him in his track.
They handcuffed Casey and they took him in jail;
And then he got away!
And he met Tom Joad on the old river bridge,
And these few words he did say, poor boy,
These few words he did say.
“I preached for the Lord a mighty long time,
Preached about the rich and the poor.
Us workin’ folkses, all get together,
‘Cause we ain’t got a chance anymore.
We ain’t got a chance anymore.”
(8) Anything in Connelly’s Harry Bosch series.
The Bosch take on noir always brings this piece to mind; specifically, I see a police cruiser driving dark streets and sending rainwater puddles splashing into the sidewalk.
(9) The entire Eagles series by Simon Scarrow
Corda nostra solum tibi
Verti est sua aeterni
Vita nostra solum tibi
Roma, Roma, O Roma!
Legio, aeterna, aeterna victrix!
Legio, aeterna, aeterna victrix!
Legio, aeterna, aeterna victrix!
Legio, aeterna, aeterna victrix!
A ferventi aestuosa Libya
Volat aquila legionum
Supra terra Britannorum
Volat aquila legionum
Sit italica sua vis
Nostrum munus patri Marti
Sit italica sua vis
Nostrum munus patri Marti!
(10) 1776, David McCullough. “Sit Down, John!”.
Will someone shut that man up?
NEVAH! NEVAH!!!
Reading Freely 
All of these pairings look great. I have the hardest time matching books and songs together, so kudos for pulling it off.
Thanks for stopping by earlier.
My pleasure! Always fun to see what new NF you’ve found.
Clever and fun list. I rarely hear books to sing to me unless I know some musical connection. I read Les Mis after seeing the musical for the first time. The book sang to me the whole time. I know that is cheating!
If I ever wind up reading/watching Les Mis it will be because of “Do You Hear the People Sing” and “I Dreamed a Dream”. 😀
Someday I will read Jayber Crow!
I hope you’ll enjoy it. Hannah Coulter is another excellent beginnings point to Port William stories.
Interesting topic. Great list!
Thanks!
What a great post. I would never be able to pair books with music and you did a nice job.
Great pairings! And I love that you included Sit Down, John!
The only song I can’t sing from memory from 1776 is Molasses and Rum. It’s a bit dramatic… 😉
I’m probably the same! My daughter and I have spent countless hours listening to the soundtrack…
I loved Jayber Crow. I think it was your recommendation. I want to read more of Wendell Berry, but I’m not sure where to go next.
IF you want another novel, Hannah Coulter was how I followed JC up. He has extensive essay collections which are what he’s mostly known for, especially Unsettling of America.
Thanks!
Lol!! I love this post! Great job!
The Goo Goo Dolls! What a blast from my teenage past, hehe.
Love the music pairings, what a great idea! Particularly Steinbeck / Woody Guthrie 🙂 I wrote about books of the Southwest this week if interested.
Ooh, I love that topic! I love the Southwest, especially New Mexico.