My Playlist: Songs to Books Part 1

I thought I'd do the whole book to song thing.
The songs here are actually from my Ipod. :D
Enjoy.

“A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” by Betty Smith – Roots Before Branches, Room For Two
This song is essentially about finding oneself, figuring out one's dreams and eventually, reaching them.
In the book, the story follows the protagonist as she grows towards adulthood. Throughout her despair, suffering and moments of happiness, she establishes herself as a person, her relationships with her family and those around her, and finally, what she wants from life.

“She was made up of more, too. She was the books she read in the library. She was the flower in the brown bowl. Part of her life was made from the tree growing rankly in the yard. She was the bitter quarrels she had with her brother whom she loved dearly. She was Katie's secret, despairing weeping. She was the shame of her father stumbling home drunk. She was all of these things and of something more...It was what God or whatever is His equivalent puts into each soul that is given life - the one different thing such as that which makes no two fingerprints on the face of the earth alike.”   

- Francie, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Some of the lyrics from the song -
"How can I reach for the stars, if I don't have wings to carry me that far?"
"There's always a seed before there's a rose, the more that it rains, the more I will grow."
"Gotta have roots before branches, to know who I am before I know who I wanna be. "

“Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson –Sullen Girl, Fiona Apple 
This song reflects what happened to the main character of "Speak", someone stole something incredibly precious to her, as well as all the pain she endured trying to overcome what happened. 

“I know my head isn't screwed on straight. I want to leave, transfer, warp myself to another galaxy. I want to confess everything, hand over the guilt and mistake and anger to someone else. There is a beast in my gut, I can hear it scraping away at the inside of my ribs. Even if I dump the memory, it will stay with me, staining me. My closest is a good thing, a quiet place that helps me hold these thoughts inside my head where no one can hear them.”  
-Melinda, Speak

Some lyrics from the song - 
"I wander the halls along the walls and under my breath I say to myself, I need fuel - to take flight"
"They don't know I used to sail the deep and tranquil sea, but he washed me shore, and he took  my pearl and left an empty shell of me"

“Unearthly” by Cythnia Hand – Heaven’s Gonna Wait, Hedley 
Don't always follow the path you're 'destined' to follow, go for what you believe in with passion and you'll be forgiven. This is essentially what the band Hedley is saying with this song, and it fits PERFECTLY with the book.  :)

“So often we only do what we think is expected of us, when we are capable of so much more.”
- Clara, Unearthly

Some lyrics from the song - 

"It's not the right thing baby, but the right thing suits so few. Let's take the other road baby cause it looks so good on you."
"So hold on tight, it's gonna be a wild, wild ride. And tonight you won't need your wings to fly, cause angel's got a lot to lose."
"And when you're there, you won't need to say your prayers, cause heaven's gonna wait for you."

“Duma Key” by Stephen King – Painting Pictures, Adele 
The song starts off with an easy beat that corresponds to the first part of the book, but changes pace and quickens, like the plot and tone in the latter half. The song talks about the feelings of the singer as she paints images of her memories. 

“I realized the shells were talking in a voice I recognized. I should have; it was my own. Had I always known that? I suppose I had. On some level, unless we're mad, I think most of us know the various voices of our own imaginations.

And of our memories, of course. They have voices, too. Ask anyone who has ever lost a limb or a child or a long-cherished dream. Ask anyone who blames himself for a bad decision, usually made in a raw instant (an instant that is most commonly red). Our memories have voices, too. Often sad ones that clamor like raised arms in the dark.” 
- Edgar, Duma Key

Some lyrics from the song - 
"Painting pictures with my mind, making memories using my eyes."
"So scratch my itch and beat my drum, so I can start to begin what's begun."  ('itch' in the song could correspond to his phantom itch in the story) 
"Painting pictures filling up my heart with golden stories."

“Going Bovine” by Libba Bray –NA NA NA, My Chemical Romance 
This book is seriously random. It's about a boy that gets mad cow disease and ventures out to find a cure. The whole upbeat craziness of the song made me think of the book more than the actual meaning of the lyrics. :D I can imagine the characters standing in V formation ready to go into battle. 


“In a world like this one, only the random makes sense.” 
- Cameron, Going Bovine

Some lyrics from the song -
"It's time to do it now, and do it loud. Killjoys, make some noise!"
"Shut up and sing it with me:
From mall security, To every enemy, We're on your property, Standing in V formation."
"Give us more detonation!"
"NA NA NA NA NA NA NA"

Part 1 done. :)

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

“THE FIRST TEN LIES THEY TELL YOU IN HIGHSCHOOL

1. We are here to help you.
2. You will have time to get to your class before the bell rings.
3. The dress code will be enforced.
4. No smoking is allowed on school grounds.
5. Our football team will win the championship this year.
6. We expect more of you here.
7. Guidance counselors are always available to listen.
 8. Your schedule was created with you in mind.
9. Your locker combination is private.
10. These will be the years you look back on fondly.

TEN MORE LIES THEY TELL YOU IN HIGHSCHOOL

1. You will use algebra in your adult lives.
2. Driving to school is a privilege that can be taken away.
3. Students must stay on campus during lunch.
4. The new textbooks will arrive any day now.
5. Colleges care more about you than your SAT scores.
6. We are enforcing the dress code.
7. We will figure out how to turn off the heat soon.
8. Our bus drivers are highly trained professionals.
9. There is nothing wrong with summer school.
10. We want to hear what you have to say.”

Speak. There is a reason why this book won two awards. This is one my favorite books of all time, and to think, I discovered it as an assignment for English Class. I actually first picked it up because I completely fell in love with the cover, but in the end I fell head over heels for the writing. The narrator uses sarcastic humour to illustrate the horrors of high school. The book begins - Melinda Sordino is clanless, she is the outcast. Ostracized, peers look upon her in disgust and old friends won’t even talk to her. The majority of the book occurs inside her head, where she’s safe. Melinda is not crazy, something you’d expect from someone who only talks to themselves, she is completely normal. She doesn’t have the dashing looks and bubbly personality that some female protagonists have, but she’s also not a depressed head banger that loves the color black and death metal. She is honest and genuine, qualities that make the story believable. I definitely felt that teens in the same situation could relate to her (I won’t give away any spoilers). Apart from the people trying to tear Melinda down, there are those that attempt to break through – helping her build inner strength and giving her the confidence to speak. I especially loved Mr. Freeman and his randomness, but I still cried at the end during their final conversation. All in all, the book isn’t a difficult read (there is some symbolism, but it’s not too hard to figure out the meaning) and it’s rather short, but the brilliant writing and authenticity of the story is what really won me over. 10/10