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After many years, New York finally has a country music
station again (94.7 Nash FM) and I’m happy. I like a variety of music for different reasons. I
find classical music relaxing and could listen to Rachmaninov for hours. I like
a 70’s and 80’s music for the nostalgia and today’s music because, quite
frankly, some of it is really good. Rap is like poetry. Jazz is great for
background and for rainy days. But country music is great for writing
inspiration.
I don’t like all country music and some would say I’m not a
true fan because I prefer the newer, crossover pieces than the legends or the
twangy, blue-grass pieces. Most people think booze and trucks when they hear
the words “country music” and some of it is just that. In fact, there’s a funny
song by Rascal Flatts that talks about running the record backwards so that the
man doesn’t lose his wife or his truck or his house, or whatever. But for me, country
music is more than that and it’s inextricably tied to my writing (and no, I
don’t write about cowboys).
Most country songs tell a story. When I listen to music, I
pay close attention to the lyrics. It drives me crazy when people sing songs
and get the words wrong—and it probably drives my husband just as crazy when
I’m constantly correcting him. But I like listening to how people phrase
things, what words they use, what descriptions they choose, how they order
their words, etc. I listen to songs for their words in the same way that others
listen to music for their instruments. Therefore, I pay close attention to the
lyrics. And country music tells a lot of stories.
Many of those stories provide great inspiration for me.
Sometimes, a song may resonate with me because it reflects the mood or
personality of one of my characters. Other times, it provides a jumping off
point for a story that I can write—Carrie Underwood has a new song, Two Black
Cadillacs (at least, I think it’s new) that would make a fantastic murder
mystery. On my website, I list songs that provide inspiration for each story I
write, and many of them, but not all, are country songs.
Even the singers themselves provide inspiration. Many male
country singers have deep voices and allow me to picture their voice for one of
my characters. Add in the words they’re singing, and you have character
development right there!
I listen to a lot of country music. I also like classic rock and classical. When I write, I prefer quiet. I am a lyric girl, and I lose my writing focus singing along.
ReplyDeleteI like some country music, but not what I think you have called the twangy blue-grass songs, Jen! I think the latter is what my daughter once described as always having the words 'Tenessee' or 'my momma' or 'my poppa' somewhere in in them!
ReplyDeleteI don't listen to music as I write as I find it a distraction rather than a help.
Country music is ALL I listen to, so I am totally in tune with this!
ReplyDeleteI actually prefer the twangy (the twangier the better!) to the cross over artists...I can't stand Taylor Swift for example. And other than Carrie Underwood (yes, yes, she's fairly crossover, too) my preferences run to male singers.
I agree, there is a story in every song.
I don't actually listen to any music when I write. Anything I hear, I listen to at other times and then make notes for later. And Debra, Taylor Swift is getting on my nerves.
ReplyDelete