Songs That Make Me Want To Write ALL THE BOOKS // Top Ten Tuesday

Hello bookworms and welcome back! I know, I know, you’re probably wondering: Josie, why have you been so inactive for this past week or so? The truth? I’ve been busy with my new job, with spending quality time with people and basically with just living life. It’s a hard thing to balance I tell you! BUT, I’m here and that’s the main thing, right? Right?

I digress. Today is Tuesday and that means it’s time for a Top Ten Tuesday post! Woo! I love Top Ten Tuesdays, which are hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They come up with awesome topics for bookish lists every week and this week, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to write about this topic:

“This week is all about music & books. We previously did books we’d give theme songs to so feel free to do that! Or 10 songs I wish that were books (check out my love songs I wish were books for an example of what I mean) — Thanks to the couple people who suggested making this one an official topic. I don’t know why I hadn’t…I think I thought my post WAS for TTT in my head when I thought back to it.”

Music is an essential part of my life. I’m constantly playing music, listening to music, learning how to play piano, singing songs wherever and whenever – music is life. Music grips my mind and soul and pulls me in. The sounds, the beats, the atmosphere, the lyrics; everything about a song makes me feel something and every song is different. For some books, songs can inspire the creative writing alien within me to write books, based solely on the sound, the lyrics of a song. And so, I’m going to share with you the top songs that make me want to WRITE ALL THE STORIES; ALL THE BOOKS. (DISCLAIMER: I may not reach ten songs because, well, just ‘cause.)

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1. Warriors by Imagine Dragons

THIS SONG. It’s so intense and badass, it makes me want to write an action-packed fantasy novel with tons of war and battle scenes. I’d probably write in the perspective of a male protagonist who has the traits of a leader, a hero. I imagine a Lord of the Rings type of setting – old. Villages, towns, empires, warring against one another – you get the gist!

“As a child you would wait
And watch from far away.
But you always knew that you’d be the one that work while they all play

In youth, you’d lay awake at night and scheme
Of all the things that you would change, but it was just a dream!

Here we are, don’t turn away now (don’t turn away)
We are the warriors that built this town.
Here we are, don’t turn away now (don’t turn away)
We are the warriors that built this town.
From Dust.”

2. Castle by Halsey

Another intense song. To be honest though, all of Halsey’s songs make me want to write stories upon stories, but this one is a special one. It makes me think of overthrowing kings and badass female characters. The lyrics, in the first verse and the chorus are fantastic – you could weave an entire fantasy story from that!

“Sick of all these people talking, sick of all this noise
Tired of all these cameras flashing, sick of being poised
Now my neck is open wide, begging for a fist around it
Already choking on my pride, so there’s no use crying about it

I’m headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there’s an old man sitting on the throne that’s saying that I probably shouldn’t be so mean
I’m headed straight for the castle
They’ve got the kingdom locked up
And there’s an old man sitting on the throne that’s saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut”

3. Youth by Troye Sivan

I love the lyrics to this song. Not only that, but the entire atmosphere of it – it’s so uplifting and whimsical and it makes me want to write a story about two people, ditching everything and running away together. When I hear this song, I think of road trips and getting away from normal life and friendship – even romance! I don’t usually like to write contemporary, but this song makes me want to do so!

“What if
What if we run away
What if
What if we left today
What if
We said goodbye to safe and sound
What if
What if we’re hard to find
What if
What if we lost our minds
What if
We let them fall behind, and they’re never found

And when the lights start flashing like a photo booth
And the stars exploding
We’ll be fireproof

My youth
My youth is yours
Trippin’ on skies, sippin’ waterfalls
My youth
My youth is yours
Run away now and forevermore
My youth
My youth is yours
The truth so loud you can’t ignore
My youth, my youth, my youth
My youth is yours”

4. Writings on the Wall by Sam Smith

Ooh, this song is lovely. LOVELY I TELL YOU. It makes me think of secret agents, spies and risks and romance. I kind of feel like writing a story from the perspective on a villain when I listen to this song – a villain, yet, his moral compass is conflicted and shifts throughout the story. Ooh, I feel a real story coming along! CAN YOU FEEL IT?!

“I’ve been here before
But always hit the floor
I’ve spent a lifetime running
And I always get away
But with you I’m feeling something
That makes me want to stay

I’m prepared for this
I never shoot to miss
But I feel like a storm is coming
If I’m gonna make it through the day
Then there’s no more use in running
This is something I gotta face

If I risk it all
Could you break my fall?”

5. Radioactive by Imagine Dragons

This song makes me want to write in the dystopian genre. It makes me want to write about revolutions and apocalypses and the world falling apart. A nuclear apocalypse, possibly? YAS. Characters with superhuman abilities? YAAS.

“I’m waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I’m breathing in the chemicals

I’m breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa

I’m waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my system blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I’m radioactive, radioactive”

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Oops, I couldn’t think of ten. BUT, I did get halfway, woot woot! There are not many songs out there that can inspire a story – at least with me, it’s a song that’s unique, with deep lyrics and a tune that really gives you that itching feeling to write. Mainstream songs never seem to make me feel like writing a story. But give me more undiscovered songs and artists, and there is a multitude of more opportunities. 

Do certain songs make YOU want to write stories?

If so, what songs are they?