The Character Karaoke Tag

So when I saw Ivie do this post, I was pretty excited, because I really enjoy music and poetry and whatnot, though, admittedly, in genres some people don't listen to much *cough cough* bluegrass *cough cough*.  And when I saw she tagged me, I was really excited and couldn't wait to get started on this!

Here are the rules:

~Thank the person who tagged you (thanks Ivie, you're great!!!)

~Answer the questions (below)

~Tag any number of people (below the below)

Quick Note: I'll be using my main WIP, the Betrayal and Bravery trilogy, not Rauladin (the draft I just finished and have been posting about).  Just so no one is confused.

Question One

It's your OTP's wedding day. What's the song that plays during their first dance?

Well, I'm not going to say who they are, because spoilers.  But firstly, I would choose Homeland, which is a song from my trilogy.  It's beautiful, if I may say so.  But I jolly well can't find a YouTube video for that right now (though perhaps I may record it and put it on SoundCloud someday) so I also chose King Arthur's Inn, by Danny Rayel.  It has the medieval/fantasy sound that I'm looking for.

Question Two

What song describes your protagonist?

Well, Marywyn Windborne is a simple villager, one who has not seen much outside her home, so when she begins her adventures, she looks at everything with child-like eyes, seeing so many wondrous things that are new and amazing to her.  And so I went with Wunderkind, by Alanis Morissette. 

Question Three

Any instrument players or characters tied to instruments?

Oh, boy!  When Ivie reached this question in her post, I was like, man, if I had to answer that question it would be sooooo long!!!!  Because, yeah, I have a lot of characters that play and/or sing.  I'm withholding last names because of spoilers and also I'm changing a few in the current edit, so why get y'all mixed up?

Marywyn.  She has a lovely singing voice, which is key to the second book, Words of Song.  She also eventually learns to play a few chords on the lute, so she can get by when disguised as a minstrel, though it's not really natural for her.  And once she took Duren's fiddle and attempted to play it, but we won't speak any more of that embarrassing moment of her life...

Wisdom.  She has a great love for any kind of music, and while she doesn't play anything, she wishes she could.  Instead, she often sings harmony or lead.  She has a powerful, natural singing ability.

Rayn.  Yet another singer, with a deep, rich voice that's so beautiful you would cry to hear it.  He also plays the harp (not the big one you typically see, but a smaller, portable version).  He probably plays a larger one (or could if given the chance) but since he usually plays during the music-makings in the hay loft above the stable, it's much easier to bring a small one.

Jaran.  He sings when happy, though he's not very good (okay, he's pretty bad).  However, he knows it, so he usually just whistles all the time, or uses his bad voice when a situation seems to call for it.

Duren.  His fiddle is his voice, for he no longer speaks.  He carries his instrument on his back, and uses it to communicate (plucking a string to catch attention or make a point, or even in warning; sometimes he'll play very softly to set a mood; when he's upset at something, he'll also play to get the anger out).  Very talented, can even mimic animal sounds with his bow and strings.  People who knew him years ago said he also had a lovely singing voice, but it's only legend now.

Tach the Minstrel.  As his name suggests, he makes his living singing and playing his lute.  He travels the land in search of new songs and tales.

Ondore and Nahale are rumored to be very talented singers and harp players, but try as others might ask, these two have yet to acquiesce to their requests.

Antine.  He keeps a small flute in his pocket, which he takes out and plays whenever he is bored (which is often, as he has a small attention span).  May or may not discover a working bagpipe and learn how to play it...

And then there are the other singers and players you see in inns or at music-makings.  But I won't give you names and such.

To be honest, the Russian movie Only Old Men are Going to Battle inspired the musical warriors of the West Band a lot.

Question Four

Go-to songs for battle, romance, or intense scenes?

Admittedly, I don't select certain songs for the particular scene - I tend to just select a random album and write with that playing faintly in the background.  I prefer to listen to soundtracks while writing and avoid music with lyrics altogether, as that can turn my focus from the story to the song. 

My all-time noveling album is The Village soundtrack.  Hauntingly beautiful, it keeps me entertained and also doesn't distract from writing.  But I'll listen to the Marvel movie soundtracks, Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit, Narnia, or whatever else suits my fancy for the day. 

Question Five

What song matches the first scene in your book?

The Gravel Road works well for the beginning - starting off softly, as Marywyn begins her story in the peaceful farming lands, and then stopping to the eerie quietness as she sees the coming Rochen army.  Then the pace picks up as she realizes they are in danger and she runs to warn the village.

Question Six

If your book was made into a TV show, what would the intro be?

Hmm... can I use Homeland again?  :D

If not, then probably Jump for Joy, from the Black Beauty soundtrack.  It's short (themes from tv shows generally are short, right? like, just for during the opening titles or something?), and has that lovely fiddle, and is really pretty. 

Question Seven

If you receive a call from an agent saying your book is being published, what is your celebratory song?

https://soundcloud.com/connorq/psalm-45-tune-golden-hill?in=connorq/sets/the-psalms-sung-1650-version

Check it out - a beautiful tune with the words of Psalm 45, one of my favorite Psalms, from the 1650 Psalter.  This is usually the song (or Psalm!) that comes first to my lips when I have a sudden urge to sing (that or Psalm 51).

The Re-Tag: anyone who has listened to a song this week!!  (And if you haven't checked out any of those videos, then I'm disappointed.)

Anyone else enjoy music?  Music in their stories?  Poetry in their stories?  Anyone else listen to bluegrass or watch old Russian films?