Questions are floating through your mind right now. Who’s this devilishly handsome author? What’s a book soundtrack? Where are my pants? I can only help you with the second question, as the first and last are clear signs of mental incapacity, and you should be put down.
A book soundtrack adds to the experience of reading a novel, just as the musical score in a theatrical production enhances the viewing and makes you forget you’re in an auditorium full of coughing Typhoid Marys and terrorists with explosive vests, not to mention the gum on the floor. In spite of those worries, you’re swept away by the emotional chords of music and fantastic acting, and afterwards, you’ll swear that was the best production of “My Fair Lady” the fourth grade had ever done. If it’s arranged properly a book soundtrack works the same way–– with a few tracks of Tom Petty, bad grammar and purple prose are wiped clean from the pages like filth from Eliza Doolittle during her first bath.
To facilitate your listening enjoyment, I’ve created a playlist on Spotify, a free music streaming service.
I don’t make a penny from Spotify, but I like to think that for every track you hear, a squishy wad of emotional cash is deposited in my name in that great old mortgage lender in the sky.
Text List of Tracks by Chapter:
1. Moi Je Joue – Brigitte Bardot, Alain Goraguer
1. Saturday In The Park – Chicago
1. Computer Games – Mi-Sex
2. Maui Waui – Chuck Mangione
2. Ain’t Nobody’s Business But My Own – Tennessee Ernie Ford & Kay Starr
2. Hells Bells – AC/DC
3. Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen
3. Something About You – Level 42
3. Jubel (Original Mix) – Klingande
4. The Modern World – The Jam
4. Our House – Madness
4. Runnin’ Down A Dream – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
5. Nightshift – The Commodores
5. Obsession – Animotion
5. Take On Me – A-ha
6. Cowboys and Indians – Pearl Harbor & The Explosions
6. Familiar Spirit – Allen Bruce Ray
6. I Got Stripes – Johnny Cash
7. Missing Cleveland – Scott Weiland
7. Major Tom (Voellig Losgeloest) – Peter Schilling
7. Why Does It Always Rain On Me? – Travis
8. Drivin’ – Pearl Harbor & The Explosions
8. White Wedding – Billy Joel
8. Ila Nzour Nebra – Jalal Hamdaoui, Driver
9. Russian Dance (Trepak) – Christmas At The Devil’s House
9. God Save The Queen – The Sex Pistols
9. Surfin’ Bird – The Ramones
10. Tonight, Tonight, Tonight – Genesis
10. The Lady In Red – Chris Deburgh
10. The Way It Is – Bruce Hornsby and The Range
11. Dreams – The Cranberries
11. Our Lips Are Sealed – The Go-Go’s
11. True – Spandau Ballet
12. Learning To Fly – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
12. Run-Around – Blues Traveler
12. The Joker – Steve Miller Band
13. Losing My Religion – R.E.M.
13. Salsa Cubano – Mambo Companeros
13. Son de Baloy – Afro-Cuban All-Stars
14. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Bryan Ferry
14. Begin the Beguine – Artie Shaw & His Orchestra
14. Lone Red-Tailed Hawk – Allen Bruce Ray
15. My City Was Gone – The Pretenders
15. Head Over Heels – Tears For Fears
15. Call Me – Go West
16. Ain’t Gone ‘N’ Give Up On Love – Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble
16. Space Oddity – David Bowie
16. I Fought The Law – The Clash
17. The Lonesome River – The Stanley Brothers
17. Oh Very Young – Cat Stevens
17. Suicide Is Painless – Johnny Mandel
18. This Is Heaven To Me – Madeleine Peyroux
18. Down By The River – Neil Young
18. Ohio – The Black Keys
19. Throwing It All Away – Genesis
19. Shaker Song – Spiro Gyra
19. Last Christmas – Wham!
20. Run To You – Bryan Adams
20. King of the Road – Roger Miller
20. Cleveland Rocks – Ian Hunter
The Amish Spaceman 