Music - When the words for romance escape us (Melissa Robbins)

I admit.  I struggled with this topic at first.  I couldn’t find the words.  Then, as I was listening to my writing playlist, the realization hit me.  What have men and women done for centuries when the words for romance fail them?  Music!  Receive a mix tape from a guy?  A pin from Pinterest had me laughing out loud.  “Sad?  Depressed?  Heartbroken?  Cheated on?  Treated badly by a man?  Don’t worry…There’s a Taylor Swift song for that.”  So here are some songs I listen to when I need help in the romance department of my stories.  Some on the list may surprise you.  Hope you can find them on Itunes. 

Raul Menendez Theme (Nino Precioso): Call of Duty Black Ops – Huh?  What does a military shoot up video game have to do with romance?  Technically, the song is about a soldier’s daughter, but the music has that tango vibe.  My character Connor, who learned pretty quick that a guy who can dance gets ALL the girls, tangoes with his girl Fran to this song.  What’s more romantic than a tango????

It’s Our Fight – Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon – What?  This is the song I was listening to when the idea for this post hit me.  Bet you didn’t know T3 was a romance, did ya?  Spoilers!  Near the end of the movie, Sam wants to go into the wrecked Chicago city controlled by the evil Decepticons.  Why?  To save his girl and stop the bad guys together!  This is the song playing in the background when he’s trying to get her back (with the help of special ops soldiers) and I just love the grandness of it.  What’s more romantic than a hero and heroine saving the day together?  Whether it’s in a plane or dodging bombing raids, Meris keeps up with Carrick without a problem.  So does Fran and Wren. 

Strength of a Thousand Men: Two Steps from Hell – My husband recommended this group.  Their instrumentals are epic with choirs and orchestras.  This is another one playing when my hero and heroine can save the day.  I can’t tell you why (I was a terrible musician), but it has this neat fallingness to it.   Let’s run and jump off a cliff together to get away from the bad guys.  Weird, huh?  Not that any of my characters have done that yet, but my money is on Connor to be the first.  Maybe Carrick.  

Can You See Jane?  Thor – Comic book guys think they are fooling us girls, but they like romance too.  I particularly like the fact that Thor’s girl is an astrophysicist.  However for me, this song from the soundtrack is hands down Connor and Fran’s theme.  Why?  It starts off sweet and melodious and then speeds up and becomes playful and fun.  Just like Connor and Fran. 

Just A Kiss: Lady Antebellum – Love this song!  This is such a Wren and Jack song and describes their relationship perfectly.  “Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight.  Just a touch of the fire burning so bright.  No I don’t want to mess this thing up.  I don’t want to push too far.  Just a shot in the dark that you just might be the one I’ve been waiting for my whole life.  So baby I’m all right, with just a kiss goodnight.”  Even the guy on the music video smiles like Jack.  Search for it on YouTube.  You won’t be sorry.

Heart of Courage: Two Steps from Hell – I’ll end with this song.  To me this is Carrick’s theme song.  “I’m going to kick bum, but even if we’re battle weary, my girl will hug me at the end of the book” sound. 

This is just a handful of the songs in my playlists.  So readers and music lovers, do you have romantic soundtracks to help with the writing?

"If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On." - William Shakespeare (Melissa Robbins)

This month, we have been discussing problems writers face. I'm going to discuss inspiration. If we want to write, we find the time and push away those fear demons.

What inspires me to sit at a computer for hours on end (besides my characters wanting to get out and me going crazy until they do)? Music. I have a playlist on my computer that plays along while I write. My husband mocks my “soundtrack” for my stories, but listening to certain songs when I'm writing helps with the emotions that go into a scene.

So here is my playlist made up of songs from movie soundtracks and swing music since my story takes place in 1940.

Page 47 – National Treasure 2, Book of Secrets - This song has that epic quality to it. I picture fighter planes flying over my heroine's head or Wren standing on that beautiful spot on the cliffs overlooking the Channel.

Sing, Sing, Sing – Benny Goodman - I can't have a playlist for a story set in 1940 without including this classic. Sure makes it easy to write a dance scene in a village hall filled with fun and forgotten cares. It starts as soon as my heroine and her friends walk through the door.

Jumpin' Jack – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – This is my hero, Jack's swing theme song. The boy loves to dance. My kids love this song and request it when we are driving in the car.

First Class – X-men: First Class – There are some amazing songs on this soundtrack. Similar tunes run through all the songs, but to me they convey so much emotion and it is sure fun to picture Jack sauntering sexily to this song.

503 – Angels and Demons – A sorrowful song; there is a war going on.

(I Would Do) Anything for You – Benny Goodman – as a former clarinet player, I'm a big fan of Benny (not that my band director let us clarinet players play any of his stuff). This song is Wren and Jack's fast theme swing song. I always found the title appropriate.

Goodnight, My Love – Benny Goodman – Wren and Jack's slow theme swing song; Jack sings it to her. My kids love this song, too. They all sing it in the car. I caught Becca (my three year old) belting the song out in the living room one day without the music playing. She could only remember two lines, but it was cute.

Kingdom Dance – Tangled – I LOVE this movie. It is my favorite Disney one. How does this song figure into my story? It has an Irish dance flair to it and I have a scene where one of my character's dad is playing his fiddle during an air raid.

Sky Battle – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 – What can I say? I have Royal Air Force pilots in my story. There are one or two 'sky battles'.

X-Training – X-men: First Class – I wrote this romantic scene that Fran loves. When she asked me how I did it, I told her this song inspired me. Fran doesn't believe me. She thinks this song is more action than romantic, but to me it is one sexy song. My favorite on the list.

Rage and Serenity – X-men: First Class – Did I mention how much I like this soundtrack? This song is short, but I LOVE how it starts off quiet and gets louder and more powerful. Perfect for a kissing scene when it is so not the time for my characters to be kissing.

Forest Battle and I Claim Your Sun – Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen – I love the Transformers soundtracks. When I hear these songs, (they are pretty similar) I picture a scene from my story where my characters are first riding on motorcycles through bombed out London and then they have to run when the debris gets too bad. I haven't written that scene yet, but it's in my head.

Arrival to Earth – Transformers - Did I mention I like these soundtracks? This song is perfect for the final air raid at the end of my story. Planes, bombs, explosions, etc.

Optimus vs. Megatron – Transformers – This is beyond sad. Since I associate this song with a scene from my first story, when I see the part in the Transformers movie where this song is, I start crying.

Now We Are Free – Gladiator – This song makes me happy and sad.

Mutant and Proud – X-men: First Class – This is a kissing song. What? The title doesn't sound like it, but to me it is. This is the longer version of Rage and Serenity, when my characters have more time to kiss.

Obliviate – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1– When I hear this song, I picture several of my characters reacting individually after the previous scene. Since my story is first person, most of these scenes aren't actually in the story, but it helps me with their feelings for later. I can just feel the coldness of that train window through my skin.

I See the Light – Tangled – Such a romantic song and this is Jack's singing voice. Sigh. Wren won't be singing with him. She couldn't sing to save her life.

Something That I Want – Tangled – Just a fun song. Flynn is my favorite Disney hero and he just happens to share his name with Jack's middle name.

Silver Wings March - There is one song that hasn't made it on my actual playlist yet because my dad is still trying to figure out how to get the music onto a CD. I asked my dad to compose an Army Air Corps song reminiscence of Bell Bottom Trousers (the sweet, nice version) and he did. I have the lyrics, Shiny Silver Wings. They made it into the stories. Dad promises to sing it too.

There you have it. My Wren and Company Playlist. Maybe one of these songs will inspire you. Does music inspire you to write? Do you have songs that you like to listen to when you write? Perhaps we should say instead, "If writing be the food of love, write on!"