Guest Post
Song List Inspired by My Book
I've put together a music playlist inspired by my novel, The Key to Circus-Mom Highway. I used to be a DJ for blues dancing events, but haven’t done that since before the pandemic, so this was FUN! Some songs relate to themes in the book, some relate to the characters, some I chose purely for the song title, and some of these songs are mentioned in the book. So the genres in this list are all over the place. Hopefully, it’ll make you a little bit curious...
2) TOXIC
by Britney Spears. This song is in the first scene of the book. It’s playing in the
strip club where Jesse bartends, the dead-end job she leaves after that first
scene.
3) NIGHTMARE
by Halsey. This might be a good theme song for Jesse. It’s got a harder edge
and it talks about going through difficult things in life. It’s defiant. (“I
keep a record of the wreckage in my life. I gotta recognize the weapon in my
mind”).
4) NEW
BLOWTOP BLUES by Deborah Cox. For when Jesse gets the phone call about the death of her birth
mom. (“I got bad news, Baby. And you’re the first to know.”)
5) I
SMELL TROUBLE by The Ron Teamer Band. When Jesse shows up on her big sister’s doorstep needing a place
to stay. Jennifer opens the door. Cue music. (“I smell trouble. Trouble just
walked through that door.
6) I
CAN FOLLOW THE RULES SONG by HeidiSongs (Heidi
Butkus). I stumbled across this “indoctrination” song on YouTube when I was
looking for a theme song for Jennifer, songs about always following the rules.
It was created to teach young kids in school. I think this was probably Jen’s
favorite song as a little girl! Lol
7)
PEOPLE ARE STRANGE by The Doors.
Chose this one mostly for the title, once Jesse and Jen
start meeting the, uh, unusual cast of supporting characters.
8)
YA YA by Buckwheat Zydeco.
This song appears in the book when the sisters arrive in
Thibodeaux, Louisiana. Harville Poupard is playing it as he cooks crawfish
etouffee.
9)
IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME by Cher.
It’s in the book, playing in the club in New Orleans when
Jesse and Jennifer walk in.
10) JACKIE
ONASSIS by Human Sexual Response. In the book– the first time they
see their brother Jack. He’s onstage.
11) NEW
ORLEANS BUMP by Wynton Marsalis. I could hear this fun
instrumental play over the scene where Jesse and Jen are putting on disguises
outside the club in New Orleans.
12) OLD
SHOES (& PICTURE POSTCARDS) by Tom Waits. During the scene where the siblings are finally hearing
part of their mom’s story and are looking through boxes of mementos. (“So
goodbye, so long. The road calls me, dear. And your tears cannot bind me
anymore. And farewell to the girl with the sun in her eyes…”)
13) SWEET
THING by Rufus and Chaka Khan. This song is in the book in a
flashback high school party scene about their birth mother in the ‘70s.
14) OUTTA
MY HEAD AND BACK IN MY BED by Loretta Lynn.
This song is in the book in a flashback scene about their birth mother in a Louisiana
bar, also in the ‘70s.
15) ANGIE
by The Rolling Stones. This song is in the book in a
flashback scene about their birth mother, Angie Hartley. That’s all I’ll say
about this scene…
16) MOTHERLESS
CHILD by Bar Scott. For the scene with Jesse on the
back porch in the middle of the night as she thinks about the mother she’ll
never know.
17) BAD
DREAMS (Stripped) by Faouzia. I came across this song looking
for Jack’s “issue” song. OMG, what a VOICE this woman has!!
18) EVERY
DAY IS A WINDING ROAD by Cheryl Crow. Because life is like a road trip.
19) TURN
THIS CAR AROUND by the Boom Chicka Boys. Chose this solely for the title. Lol!
20) YOUR
WIFE’S BEEN CHEATIN’ ON US by Little Milton. This song is in the book. It’s played in the juke joint.
21) HIT
THE ROAD JACK by Casey Abrams & Haley Reinhart.
I love this version of this song. For when Jack and
Jennifer rescue Jesse.
22) I
CAN’T MAKE YOU LOVE ME by Bonnie Raitt. This is in the book–Jennifer’s
new ringtone for her husband.
23) BE
MY HUSBAND by The No Shit Shirleys. When Jen opens up to Jesse
about her husband Sean.
24) ON
THE ROAD AGAIN by Willie Nelson. When their car breaks down and they
get stuck in Milan, GA. (“On the road again. I just can’t wait to get on the
road again”).
25) REDNECKER
by Hardy. For Sy. ("My
truck's louder than your truck/And my collar's a little bluer/You might think
that you're redneck/But I'm rednecker than you.")
26) MURDERED
BY LOVE by the Toler Brothers. For the Sy/Shailene/Jimmy drama.
27) THE
TWILIGHT ZONE THEME SONG. This one’s in the book.
28) GEORGIA
by Ray Charles. In the book–Westley’s doorbell.
29) WIPER
BLADES by Zane Taylor and Andre Hando. Jesse sitting with Jack under a
tree in the rain. (“You got me feelin’ some type o’ way. But I don’t really
feel right today. We like to wipe away them tears and fears, like wiper
blades.”)
30) BURY
ME IN GEORGIA by Kane Brown. When they go to their mom’s final
home.
31) YOUR
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE by Mose Allison. A funny song for when Jesse and
Lex hit it off. Foreshadowing for another novel? Hmm...
32) THE
FINDING-MY-FAMILY BLUES written by… me! You won’t be able to find this anywhere. (Yet.) It’s just
the lyrics that are written currently. The lyrics appear in the book, written
by Jesse, about the road trip experience.
- She’s been skydiving, paragliding, bungee jumping, ziplining through a rainforest, and scuba diving with stingrays;
- she has an extensive PEZ dispenser collection;
- she played Connor Walsh on As the World Turns for seven years;
- she’s been in the Oval Office at the White House after hours;
- she’s related to the Hatfields of the infamous Hatfield/McCoy feud; and
- her comedic rap music video “Fine, I’ll Write My Own Damn Song” won numerous awards in the film festival circuit.
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