Most writers listen to music when they write. I’m no exception.
However, it took a while to find my groove. I have satellite radio in my office
with dozens of stations. What to choose? Semi-highbrow Classical Pops seemed
appropriate. Surely, it would inspire me to create pages and pages of beautiful
prose. Not so. After fifteen minutes, my eyelids began to droop. Time out for a
nap. Jazz made me twitchy. Under the influence of New Age, I fought the urge to
rip off my clothes, drape my body with diaphanous sheer curtains and twirl
around the living room.
Then I found Outlaw Country. Warning: if your idea of country
music is Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney, Outlaw Country is not for you. No, I’m
talkin’ Waylon and Willie. Johnny and June. Hank 3 and Shooter Jennings. I’m
talkin’ cringe-worthy grammar like ain’t
got none and she don’t love me no more, along with some truly creative cuss
words. I’m talkin’ real life, podnah. So, grab hold of that saddle horn and
hang on tight.
It’s all there. All of life’s challenges. Religion.
Relationships. Break-ups. Drinkin.’ Lots of drinkin’ songs like You Ain’t Much Fun Since I Quit Drinkin’.
Why, you may ask, would a person pick such
an inappropriate and occasionally degenerate genre of music for inspiration?
Killer question, indeed. Here’s my excuse. I am the product of many years of living.
Hopefully, my life experiences will help create a richer, more
three-dimensional character. Oh, who am I kidding? I like to laugh and Outlaw
Country makes me laugh.
Searching for a spiritual facelift? Here are a couple of songs
for you: Drop Kick Me, Jesus, Through the
Goalposts of Life. I’ve Been Roped and Thrown By Jesus in the Holy Ghost
Corral. Heaven’s Just a Sin Away.
Relationships are always tough, especially when the object of
your affection is flawed—Her Teeth Were
Stained, But Her Heart Was Pure—or a teenage romance, Billy Broke My Heart at Walgreens and I Cried All the Way to Sears. Can a man be too impressed with himself? He certainly can! I Wish I Were a Woman So I Could Go Out With
a Guy Like Me. Who could forget the following heartfelt ditty, There Ain’t Enough Room in my Fruit of the
Looms to Hold All My Lovin’ For You.
But, when love goes wrong, as it inevitably does on Outlaw Country,
there’s a song for that. It’s Hard to
Kiss the Lips at Night that Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long. You’re the Hangnail
in my Life and I Can’t Bite You Off. If You Can’t Live Without Me, Why Ain’t
You Dead Yet? Your Negligee Has
Turned Into a Flannel Nightgown.
Family Values? You’re the
Reason Our Kids Are Ugly. Mama, Get the Hammer/There’s
a Fly on Papa’s Head.
Feel a little naughty? These songs are for you: There’s a Party in my Pants and You’re
Invited. How Can I Get Over You if You Won’t Get Out From Under Me? Get Your
Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed.
Okay, I confess I’ve listed the most outrageous song titles I
could find for this post. Most of the time, O.C. plays solidly good, old
school, down-home country music that reflects America’s roots. And, they also
feature wonderful new singers/song writers like Elizabeth Cook, Lucinda
Williams, Jace Everett (he sings the True Blood theme, Bad Things), Elliot
Randal and Kacey Jones whose song, 222nd Wind is featured on my website. So,
give it a whirl. You might be pleasantly surprised.
What
inspires you? 80’s rock? Blue grass? Heavy metal? Inquiring minds want to know.
Can't say I've ever listened to this group, but perhaps I should give them a try. I have all my music on my laptop so it goes with me wherever I happen to be writing. I've got an album I put together of my favorites for writing, and it includes some musical scores, some movie cuts and a lot of instrumentals. One thing I can't write to is anything with words. And depending on the need for a specific mood, I might play Richard Clayderman's Romance or The Secret Garden for a romantic mood, or perhaps Tchiakovsky's more dramatic pieces when I want tension and stress.
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