#i got the magic power of the music in me ( lyric meme )

[therecordconnection]

Ranting and Raving: "Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter

Have you ever just been out in the world, minding your business, only to hear a song out in the wild for the first time and it just grabs you in a chokehold? For me, “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter is one of those songs. It’s one of those pop songs that just makes you turn your ear towards a speaker and ask, “Oh. What is this?” I heard it for the first time in a store (rhymes with Schmarget) and then proceeded to listen to it about eighty more times after that. A great pop song will make you do that and this one is one of the best of the year so far. I mean it.

I knew who Sabrina Carpenter was before this song (I mostly live under a rock, but I still be knowing things from time to time) but I’m obviously not her target demographic and nothing she had done before really gripped me the way this has. Everything about “Espresso” is perfect and I’m ready to do what this series does best: annoy you with many MANY words about a song I love. If you want a silly review of this song in a TL;DR single sentence, I would say, “I don’t drink coffee... but this song must be what having a caffeine addiction feels like!”

The first thing that truly gripped me about this song is just how FUN it is! There’s so much magic packed into three and a half minutes and it serves as a perfect reminder of why I love and enjoy pop music when it gets it as right as a Starbucks barista who has my usual order down to a science. It’s upbeat, it’s catchy as hell, the lyrics are fun to sing along to. What more do you need? This isn’t a song that re-invents the wheel and that’s because it knows it doesn’t have to. Like her reference to Nintendo in the chorus (“Switch it up like Nintendo”) the primary concern is about whether the song is fun to listen to and if it’s something you’ll want to hear again and again and not get bored of. In a way, this song is like the Super Mario World of pop music; a song that provides comfort and fun and it doesn’t require a lot of knowledge and skill in order to enjoy. Anybody can pick it up, start playing, and have a good time with it.

Which means a lot these days.

At the time of this writing, everybody and their favorite wine aunt is currently dissecting Taylor Swift’s newest album, The Tortured Poets Department, searching for hidden meanings and clues and signs about her relationships between her and Matty Healy from The 1975 or British actor Joe Alwyn (take your pick). I didn’t hate TTPD, but the album also didn’t do much for me because it’s so deep within the Taylor Discographic Universe (the TDU) that unless you have a decade of lore explained to you, those songs lose a lot of appeal and power. It’s like watching Avengers: Infinity War when all I’ve ever watched is Iron Man. Taylor isn’t the only one that’s been suffering from this. Ariana Grande’s newest album Eternal Sunshine comes with the baggage of that whole thing that happened between her and that dude who played Spongebob on Broadway or something. The most I’ve ever heard about “The Boy Is Mine” in terms of discourse are all the jokes and memes about how she’s singing about a guy who weirdly looks exactly like her brother and spent years being an adult man playing Spongebob on stage. Even Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” the biggest song of last year, loses some of its impact if you’re like me and couldn’t give a shit about Liam Hemsworth or the emotional roller coaster story of her relationship with him. 

Granted, you can still listen to all of these things with their real world inspirations and contexts removed and get just as much, if not more, out of that, but there’s just something really refreshing about being able to enjoy a song without needing an entire “____ iceberg explained” video in order to truly “get it.” I got “Espresso” immediately and the only real world context I can gather is that she probably wrote this song about one or many dudes that have been “down bad” for her. I shudder to think which niche micro-celebrities with the over-inflated attitude that comes with the phrase “I have a post that got over 10,000 notes on Tumblr” have said or done while attempting to shoot their poorly aimed shot with her.

That’s a good place to start talking about the lyrics to the song, which are all about her being playful with a guy and basking in how he is absolutely obsessed and crazy with her. More important than the words themselves is how Sabrina delivers them. There’s a really great balancing act where it’s just the right level of confidence and the belief that you’re hot shit, without going overboard into arrogance. She maintains a constant level of playfulness throughout the entire song and it’s great! It starts as soon as the second line of the chorus hits at the beginning of the song: “Is it that sweet? I guess so.” 

There’s also the line that begins the second verse: “I'm working late 'cause I'm a singer.” I absolutely adore the way she says that line. Every. Single. Time. Again, it’s just the right amount of playful and sarcastic. I can picture the conversation that line would be featured in if anybody she’s dated within the last three years has foolishly asked her if she’s busy tonight.

“Wyd tonight, babe? 😜” “I’m working late.” “What?? Why? 🥺” “...‘cause I’m a singer.”

That line reads like she’s had to answer that question one too many times to one too many idiots. Whether it’s studio time or live performance, singers be working at night. Duh. It’s such a fun line and it gets stuck in your head. You wait for it each time you listen and I can’t imagine the feeling of being in a whole stadium full of people all singing that line together. It’s such a delicate tightrope being walked so damn well, especially since it can go sour so fast if you perform it the wrong way. The following line, “Oh, he looks so cute wrapped around my finger” keeps that playfulness while also making you feel a little bad for the guy. I say a little bad because it’s very obvious who has the power and control in this:

I can't relate to desperation My give-a-fucks are on vacation And I got this one boy and he won't stop calling When they act this way, I know I got 'em

We’ve all known someone who is casually seeing someone and they’re just way crazier about the person they’re seeing than the other is for them. That’s not to say she doesn’t sound invested in this guy during the song, but you get the feeling one of them knows it’s a fun little fling and the other is starting to get obsessed and isn’t seeing things that way. 

It’s not hard to see why he’s getting addicted. I’m hooked on this song the same way dude is hooked on Sabrina. This song has this utterly hypnotic quality to it and at the 1:09 mark when you start hearing “Yes” after every line it reflects getting that hit, that thing you want once you’re addicted and craving more. “Soft skin and I perfumed it for ya” (Yes). “I know I Mountain Dew it for ya” (Yes). “That morning coffee, brewed it for ya” (Yes). It’s a small detail, but I always try to stress that the small details matter and always add up to something bigger. The more you listen, the more you get hooked on her the same way the guy in the song is getting hooked.

Now that I’ve mentioned it, can we talk about that Mountain Dew line? I’m sure some people think it’s a stupid and bad line, but those people are absolutely wrong. It's silly on the surface but works well as a clever double entendre ("I mount and do it for ya"). There’s four lines in this song that I could see somebody writing off as “bad lyrics.” The list includes:

“That’s that me espresso” (A little clunky, but does what it needs to do in order to set up a good metaphor for being the thing someone is addicted to)

“Move it up, down, left, right, oh / Switch it up like Nintendo” (Sounds like a joke bar your friend would spit in the car while making a joke about bad rappers who think they’re geniuses)

“My honeybee, come and get this pollen” (This wouldn’t sound out of place if it was said at the end of a James Bond film)

“I know I Mountain Dew it for ya” (This has definitely been said by a man who thinks he’s a sex god but only lasts the amount of time it takes to microwave a Hot Pocket)

The reason I put all of these lines in an organized list is to show one other thing this song does right: This is a silly song and it basks in the fact that it’s a silly and fun little song.

There’s a quick moment at 2:16, where Sabrina just says the word “stupid” before the song launches into the chorus again. I imagine that’s at the expense of the guy in the song, but I also treat it as her wink-and-nod to me that she’s aware this whole song is just silly, innocent fun and that I too should treat it as such. It doesn’t take anything away from the song, not one bit. If anything, it keeps it light and enhances everything it does right. If Taylor had said “I know I Mountain Dew it for ya” at ANY point during TTPD’s runtime, the masses would’ve erupted with laughter, scorn, and enough posts that you’d never hear the end of it. It works for Sabrina because a lot of her music is more upbeat than Taylor’s recent stuff has been and silly lines like that are quickly becoming her bread and butter. One of the biggest charms about her biggest hit from last year (“Nonsense”) is that it ends with literal nonsense bars that have nothing to do with the rest of the song: “This song catchier than chickenpox is / I bet your house is where my other sock is / Woke up this morning, thought I’d write a pop hit, ha-ha / How quickly can you take your clothes off? Pop quiz.” She’s taken that joke further by making up different stupid and silly outros every night she performs it just to get a laugh out of the audience. My personal favorite one: "This crowd is giving me all the endorphins / I wish someone would rearrange my organs / Philly is the city I was born in". 

The last thing we need to talk about is the absolutely gorgeous and wonderful music video she made for this. It’s a rare Dave Meyers W in this day and age, as he’s responsible for two of the absolute worst videos I’ve seen this decade: Ed Sheeran's "Bad Habits" and the Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa collab "Sweetest Pie." That said, when he’s good, he’s GOOD and it makes you forget every bad video he’s ever made (which is more than just the two I mentioned...)

The cinematography is gorgeous, the choreography is great, Sabrina looks utterly stunning and living her summer beach movie fantasies. Those shots of her doing sixties dances on a surfboard are fantastic and look like they’re straight out of a beach movie from that decade. The whole video has a sixties beach movie look to it, from Sabrina’s outfits all the way to the overall look and glow of the setting. Everything you imagine about a perfect summer is captured beautifully in this video. It’s a fun video that reflects the song in all the best ways. If pop music is escapism and is something designed to take you to another world for a short time, this song and video do just that. We’re all better for it.

Pop songs can be totally serious works of art, but “Espresso” proves they don’t always have to be. Sometimes a song can just be light and fun. “Espresso” knows what it is and it’s excited to be that for you. If you want to start buying stock in songs that might get the illustrious and coveted “Song of the Summer” status, I’m telling you to invest and put all of your money in this song right now because we’re going to the moon and beyond with it. The video for the song ends with Sabrina getting arrested for stealing a guy’s credit card and throwing him overboard at the beginning, with the final shot being the cop car she’s in having a speaker on top playing a little snippet of what will supposedly be Sabrina’s next song. Whatever she ends up doing next, I’m here for it. “Espresso” made me a fan and I’m excited to see whatever else she’s got because this song is everything I love about pop music packed neatly into three and a half minutes. This image from Twitter (Formerly Twitter) user @___bodacious sums up my feelings on Miss. Carpenter really well:

[rayless-reblogs]

Favorites Meme!

Thanks for thinking of me @deemoyza! I love this kind of thing.

Favorite painter: I say I love this kind of thing and then I don't pick a favorite. When it comes to figure-based art, I love the well-known classics, Alphonse Mucha (just lush and gorgeous), John William Waterhouse (softly cluttered, often a little unsettled) and Philip de Laszlo (fiery and opalescent). If we're talking animal art, I love the equine illustrations of Wesley Dennis (powerful nostalgia), all the shaggy warm creatures of Rosa Bonheur, and Theophile Steinlen's endless snoozing cats. And then with landscapes, there's John Brett (airy pure blues), Frederic Edwin Church (ethereal), and Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (otherworldly, surreal).

Favorite poet/writer: That's even harder. Let's focus on just poets because it's narrower. I once heard Emily Dickinson described as terrifying in her spare use of language, and that's always resonated with me -- and it's something I've tried to angle towards in some of my own poetry.

Favorite band: Am realizing I don't connect as much with bands as with solo artists, so while there are lots of individual songs by bands that I like, I don't have a big pool to draw from. I've always liked the Something Real album by Meg & Dia -- very mid-2000s rock with a lot of cluttered lyrics. But I don't know enough about them overall to really say I'm a fan of them.

Favorite meal & drink: My family's macaroni and cheese recipe, which is kind of weird and atypical (it has cheese, but not an actual cheese sauce) but so cheddary and hearty and good. When I was learning to cook, mastering the macaroni and cheese was a big milestone. And then for drinks, a really good hot chocolate. One of our local restaurants has an amazing one with an enormous homemade marshmallow. For stuff in a packet, I love Starbuck's salted caramel version.

Favorite outfit aesthetic/style: I would maybe call it low-key romantic? I wear a lot of skirts, and I typically always put on jewelry when I go out. I like dark colors (though I've been branching into brighter colors and pastels), some light goth and medievaly elements. I like airy flowy lines, but I also want structure and shape. Am a huge fan of boots with skirts. Current favorite outfit is a dark floral corduroy mini over black leggings, black tee, and a long open-knit burgundy sweater. And of course boots. Adding a cameo necklace or pin gives it a little bit of Victoriana.

Favorite singer: Right now, it's a lot of Tori Amos. She has so many good stand-out lines, beautiful melodies, and also just so much music I still haven't even listened to, even after being a fan for well over ten years. Recently discovered her song "The Maids of Elfen-Mere" and may have to check out the album.

Favorite item you own: Hard to pick one. The year I finished writing The Price and Prey of Magic, someone, without knowing what was in the book, got me a pendant with stag antlers for Christmas. Stags are a big motif in the novel, and it felt like such a lovely, special coincidence. The person has since died, and so wearing the necklace is extra meaningful to me now; I wore it for my first book signing.

Favorite perfume: I don't wear perfume regularly. But my favorite scents are fairly straightforward -- vanilla, orange, rosemary and mint -- pretty simple stuff.

Thank you again! As for tagging, if you see this and would like to do it, go for it!

[misc-obeyme]

hi i LOVE your threads that bind series (and all ur other work). i was curious about if you had any more info on arsenios? like, his power seems to be persuasion through song, is it in like a siren kinda way or? and any other tidbits if youd like to share *insert marge simpson 'i just think theyre neat' meme* <3 also every demon ever being 100% done with solomons shit before he even opens his mouth lmao

asldfjkaskldf anon... you have no idea what this means to me lol.

I will be posting the next chapter of The Threads That Bind tonight! It really kinda took on a life of its own when I started writing it, but I actually like how it turned out. It means so much to me that other people are enjoying it!

As for Arsenios, well... I have a lot of info on him lol. It just happened that he fit in with this story so I decided to include him because I am fond of him and I really wanted to write about him more. Being asked about him makes me sooo happy!

So to explain his power a little more, it was initially inspired by the concept of human musicians making a deal with the devil in exchange for musical talent. The ones who come out of nowhere and play amazingly well, but then die young tragic deaths. I figured it made sense that the demon who was making those deals would be good at music themselves and maybe their power was rooted in all things musical.

Arsenios spent a lot of time answering summons from humans that wanted to make deals to gain musical talent. He had to make pacts with them and in that way lent them his power in the form of skill. Of course, these were just regular humans and not immortal sorcerers, so they did inevitably die young, thus releasing Arsenios from whatever pact he had made with them. And of course he got their soul out of the deal.

Something really terrible happened to him, though, and changed his whole life, so he doesn't actually do that anymore. It happened some time after Lucifer and his brothers fell, but before MC showed up in the OG.

Now he mostly spends his time performing at gigs in various places throughout the Devildom. He's not super famous, just kind of a local musician, but he's busy enough that he needs a manager to book things for him. He only goes to RAD sporadically because of this and he only goes at all because Barbatos talked him into it.

He can choose whether or not to weave magic into his song and he rarely does it. But it is kind of like a siren song when he does do it. Depending on the intention, he can persuade people to do things. But it's kind of subtle, he was really going hard in The Threads That Bind lol. More often, he uses it as kind of a suggestion and he only needs a handful of notes. He can use instruments to do it, too, but because he often doesn't need much, he usually just sings.

I had him singing in what I called the "ancient language of demons" because I didn't wanna make up lyrics lol. But the lyrics can have an impact on the power of the song. For instance, if he sings in a language that the person being influenced can understand, it lingers a lot longer in their mind and can be more powerful. He's nervous about doing this to humans because he doesn't want to drive them mad by accident, so he sticks with demonic for them.

Arsenios could write entire songs that weave complex spells if he really wanted to, but he has no such ambitions, so he doesn't bother.

And you know it's so funny because I LOVE Solomon, but Arsenios only barely tolerates him and it is so fun to write. I think they could become friends eventually. Arsenios actually respects his power and he's secretly impressed by it, but good luck getting him to admit it lol.

Anyway, I didn't mean for this to get so long! But I felt like some context was needed about where the idea for his power comes from. And of course I could write about him all day lol.

Thank you so much for asking and I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! <3

[jannwrites]

music ask meme: BIG MESS (2021) by DANNY ELFMAN.

a selection of lyrics from the 2021 album big mess. modified slightly for rp purposes.

there isn’t time for a revolution.

i’m gonna try to get away from your compelling mist of lies and misconceptions.

you suffocate me.

i’m so sorry that i didn’t die or just evaporate into a toxic cloud.

your eyes are empty. cold and black.

i am not afraid to die. i’m still alive.

i won’t let you bury me.

that’s what i need to believe.

i’ve got no place to go.

it’s just like me to say i’m sorry.

i’m right back where i started.

i’ve got no destiny.

in time we all create ourselves.

everybody sees you.

aren’t you lonely?

i try to believe, but you’re making it really hard.

what do we think when the world’s burning?

you had me dancing on the mountaintops. you had me dancing by the riverside.

you made me feeling i was special.

i’m giving it up, ‘cause it ain’t mine.

i used to feel i could bounce on my feet. 

it’s just a magic trick.

you know they’re so composed while they take the power from right under your nose.

you thought that you’d never see the day when the whole damn thing could be taken away.

you were right about the things you saw.

when did our fears start taking over?

were we always just some random driftwood waiting for a current to abandon us into a tide of resignation?

my imagination never saw this.

choose your sides.

when will we learn not to repeat the same damn horrors from the past?

i think i know you.

we’ve lived so many lifetimes and died so many times.

we belong together.

everything is crumbling.

choose your poison.

my own motherfucking life burned down like a hole in the warm soft ground.

take my hand in my hand and my eloquent knife through my heart.

isolation gives me time to meditate on all the things i learned to hate, evaluate, and irradiate.

don’t you know i love you?

i thought that you were here, because i think i see you now and then.

i remember life as it used to be.

i’m not sure there’s a place for me.

i can’t see you but i know you’re there.

ain’t it a sin how the others play the game?

damn shame. nothing we can do but cry.

he took my body and he took my pride and you.

break any rules and they might tell.

now nobody likes you. what a shame.

i want to see you. without your clothes, without your skin.

i’d give the world just to touch your skin.

[rei-the-head-shaker]

ESC 2022 - 1st Impressions (PT. 1)

Since ESC will start today, I decided to do a first round of listening, to get in the vibe and have a better grasp on what the songs are about and who are the artists singing them, since last year I struggled a bit!

Alright let's go! 🎉

Albania: Ronela Hajati – Sekret

I really enjoy the sound and the vibes of this song! I also liked the mix of english and Albanian language. It made me feel like I at least understood the song a bit even though I didn't have the translation of the entire song. I appreciated that!

Latvia: Citi Zēni – Eat your salad

I'm so mad at ESC for having to censor songs! Even though they are going to censor it, this song will never loose its power. It is iconic from start to end! It convey a message in such a memeable way! I think I'm in love... 😍 This song is going to make history!

Lithuania: Monika Liu – Sentimentai

In my life I unfortunately never had many occasion to hear people speak Lithuanian and listen to this song made me feel sad about it because it really sounds good! And I also fell ib love with Monika Liu's voice! I really liked the song too! Basically take sadness ans make it sensual. It made me want to cry while dancing in someone's arms! Hope to find it in a few playlist about characters I like!

Switzerland: Marius Baer – Boys do cry

I love this song with all my heart! I cried while listening to it, and I think I'm going to do it again and again every time I will listen to it! Marius Baer's voice is amazing and I think it is part of why the song is so emotional! I love the meaning and the message it delivers! I'm still crying!

Slovenia: LPS – Disko

EXCUSE ME?! HOW OLD ARE THEY?!Love them! They made me want to dance, that's a really good sign! Haven't had the chance to read the translation of the lyrics though... Hope the lyrics are as good as the vibes they have!

Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra – Stefania

I love this song so much! The kind of song Ukraine brought to Eurovision in the past two years (I've started following eurovision in 2021, so I have no idea what happened before) truly fascinates me! The meaning it conveys, the importance it has!

Bulgaria: Intelligent Music Project – Intention

This sounds a bit nostalgic (?!) I don't know how to properly explain it... But it feels like those kind of music you would hear in "old" teen movies! If you miss them, then that's the song you'll need!

Netherlands: S10 – De diepte

Oh... I'm sad now... NOICE! 🙃 The heartbreak I'm feeling in this moment is powerful! I just remembered my Ex... I'm not ok... 💔🙃

Moldova: Zdob şi Zdub & Frații Advahov – Trentuțul

This gave me such a Summer Festival vibes! I want people to dance to this song when summer festival will come back!

Portugal: Maro – Saudade, saudade

Damn! The sound and the harmonies of this song are amazing, it really lulls you to sleep while crying! That's the type of vibe I got! Also loved English and Portuguese alternating each other! Loved it!

Croatia: Mia Dimšić – Guilty pleasure

Oooh~ I like this! It sounds so good! I can see it being used for a few edits and playlists! 👀

Denmark: Reddi – The show

YES! YES! YES! This is me! This is my song! It felt so relatable in an extraordinary energetic way! I fucking want to destroy everything! 🔥🔥🔥

Austria: LUM!X feat. Pia Maria – Halo

Oooh~! I like this too! It gave me similar feelings to Denmark's song! I'm feeling like destroying something! 🔥🔥🔥

Iceland: Systur – Með Hækkandi Sól

This song is something so gentle and soft but also so powerful at the same time! The kind of song that played outside at night would feel like a magical experience. I voyage of its own... Love the vibes!

Greece: Amanda Georgiandi Tenfjord – Die together

Sound (?!) wise it is not the song that struck me the most, but I really enjoyed this one too! I'm waiting for edit with this song too! The lyrics are great!

Norway: Subwoolfer – Give that wolf a banana

Oh my God! They have meme power like Latvia, but of a totally different brand! I'm living for this! THANK YOU!

Armenia: Rosa Linn – Snap

This song is relatable for me! The kind of song I would listen to late at night or during a trip, or maybe both! I could also see that being in a few playlists and some nice and sad edits! Can't wait to see them!

[xaharadesert]

Bard MC - Headcanon

Arcana Characters (Main 6) x MC

A/N: Okie dokie, this one is for a very lovely and very patient anon! Their request for an MC who can control magic through music is super cool! Honestly, I didn’t know exactly what a bard was when I first received this request, so I’ll be adding in a couple references about that as a joke :) I also tried to leave it ambiguous between whether the MC sings or plays an instrument, but I may have failed. My apologies, these may be a bit shorter than what you’re all used too, but I was struggling with this a little bit (also I am half asleep as I am finishing this, so I’m sorry if some of it doesn’t make sense). Also, I’m very sorry about using an outdated meme, but the oppurtunity was right there and I had to use it. As always, I recognize Asra’s non-binary gender orientation but will be using he/him pronouns! Please let me know if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes :) Requests are open!

❤️Julian❤️

Oh, yeah, he knows what a bard is

Like a singer... right?

Nope

When you tell him that you control magic through music, he has a small crisis and reevaluates every bard he’s ever met

He suddenly has quite a few questions about the inherent magic of music

Curious as always, he wants to learn more about how music acts as a medium for magic, which means a lot of questions

Most of his questions are based in psychology, because a small part of him that constantly doubts magic believes that you’re just a scientific genius

Overall, he supports you, of course

He loves music and the fact that you can cast spells using it is just an added bonus

Julian is already thinking about all the musical adventures you’ll have together

If you offer to teach him, he’ll respectfully decline

He’ll stick to the ordinary kind of music, thank you

On that note, unless it messes with your magic he will absolutely sing along whenever you’re preparing a spell

If this is a problem he’ll sing quietly to himself to avoid being a distraction

He’s sorry if it’s annoying to you, but he really loves singing

When he’s constantly surrounded by music he finds it hard to keep quiet

But if you’re okay with him joining in? He’ll belt some made-up lyrics at the top of his lungs

He may accidentally sing over you and your music, so even if it was originally fine, it will unintentionally cause problems

🧡Portia🧡

Oh, a bard!

That’s uh... a music thing, right?

I mean, she was mostly right

When you tell her that you can control magic through music she’s ecstatic

Magic in and of itself is super cool, but music too?! That’s amazing!

Portia wasn’t the biggest fan of music before, but you can bet your butt she is now!

She loves listening to you preform magic, and even if your not doing a spell, she loves listening to you

She wants to know what kind of songs control what kind of spells

In fact, she wants to know everything about your magic

You might as well be her official teacher because she never stops asking questions

In fact, asking if you can teach her eventually does come up

She’s a very eager student, although she often goes off track and starts inventing her own music

It’s not as effective, but she’s definitely having fun

Even if she never actually learns the magic part, she learned a cool new musical skill

She’ll create silly little songs to make you laugh

Sometimes when you use a particularly sad song for a spell, she’ll start to tear up

This can be a bit of a distraction, but she swears she’s not actually upset

You’re just amazing at what you do

Once Julian needed your help and her response was “this is so sad, MC play Despacito”

💛Lucio💛

Of course he knows what a bard is!

At least that’s what he claims

In reality he has no idea, he always referred to them as “music people”

So when you tell him about controlling magic through music he’s suddenly feeling a little afraid of every musician he made fun of in the past

He’ll never admit that out loud, though

Lucio thinks what you do is amazing

You can do magic AND you’re musically talented! That’s double the talent!

For a moment he considered mocking Asra for being less talented than you before remembering that you and Asra are friends

That doesn’t stop him from showing off your talents to everyone else, though!

Whether you really want to or not, you’ll probably have to show literally every Vesuvian your abilities at least once

Lucio himself isn’t particularly interested in learning your form of magic

He’d rather watch and listen as you preform spells

He doesn’t really want you to teach anyone else though, but he can’t really stop you if you choose to anyway

Sometimes he’ll ask you to preform a spell just so he can listen to you

He especially loves to hear slower songs for spells that ward off nightmares

When he listens to you, he genuinely feels calm and peaceful

He just exists in a perfect moment, with nobody but you and him

On a side note, though, sometimes when you’re showing off for other people he’ll try to sing along and it’ll always end up sounding horrible

💚Muriel💚

Doesn’t even pretend to know what a bard is

He never really had a reason to know, so he doesn’t

When you first tell him, he feels a bit awkward because he feels as if you expected him to know

But of course, your brand of magic was pretty unique so explaining your abilities was old hat by now

He’s not exactly sure how he feels about your methods

Of course he loves and supports you, but your magic... it’s just... a lot

It seems to require a lot of noise, and it draws way too much attention in his opinion

He would never try to change you, but he shrinks into himself whenever you gain a crowd from performing a spell in public

He starts to feel differently about it the first time he hears a slower song

When your music is soft and soothing he inadvertently feels himself relax

Knowing that you’re beside him, doing what you love, brings him a lot of inexplicable joy

Muriel doesn’t really have any interest in learning your kind of magic for himself, if he’s being honest

Although, he never minds when you want to talk about the complexities

He doesn’t mind very much if you need to practice late at night at home, because he doesn’t need to worry about other people intruding

Personally, he has no real uses for your magic so he never asks for your help

That isn’t to say he won’t accept it; if you want to use a song to help with menial tasks once in a while he won’t complain

The one exception is if you start using it for some creepy spell in the middle of the night

Then he may have a few complaints

💙Asra💙

The only one who actually knows what a bard is without your explanation

He was there throughout most of your magical growth, so he already knows a lot about it

In all honesty, if it weren’t for you, he probably would have been just as oblivious as everyone else

He loves how unique your method of performing magic is

Asra has never met anyone quite like you, and he doubts he ever will

Watching you perform your magic is one of his favourite hobbies (if you can really count that as a hobby)

Observing how your magic interacts with your music is incredible to him

He’s a little jealous, but he’d never say that out loud

You offered to teach him years ago and he eagerly accepted, but he never quite got the hang of it

In the end, he learned most of the theory behind it, but he mostly stuck to his own brand of magic

Even if he does admire your magic more than he admires his own, he does love the contrast between the two of you

(Spoilers) when he brought you back and was re-teaching you most things, your magic was one of the hardest

He felt horrible that he couldn’t properly demonstrate for you, but after teaching you the theories again, you seemed to pick it up on your own

On a side note though, helping you relearn your magic did allow him to grasp a couple of basic spells with your method, which makes him super excited

All in all he’s just thrilled that you have such a strong and unique brand of magic

He’s proud of how much you’ve grown into it, despite not having a proper mentor

Asra is a fan of quite a few unique types of music, but listening to whatever kind of music your using has definitely helped him settle on a few favourite songs

He doesn’t have a favourite kind of musical spell, so he’s excited no matter what kind of magic your performing

One time he even convinced you to cast a spell to heat up some tea faster just because he wanted to hear your music

💜Nadia💜

A bard?

As in, one who recites poetry, correct?

She uses the definition of a bard when describing what she thinks you do

Nadia is pleasantly surprised to find that your definition of bard is much more powerful, although she now has a few questions about how you go about defining words

She doesn’t have very much magical experience, so she was unaware of how unique your brand of magic was

But when she finds out exactly what it is you do?

She’s so excited

Nadia definitely loves music, although she leans toward slightly more refined tastes

She starts to question her favourite songs when she first hears you perform a spell

You manage to convey so much emotion, regardless of how long a spell or song is

She feels her heart pound in her chest whenever you use a lot of emotion in a spell

If you offer to teach her, she’ll have to politely decline

She knows how to play piano, sure, and her singing voice isn’t the worst, but she isn’t particularly interested in studying magic

She’ll just leave that part up to you

Of course, she’s always content to watch you perform, although sometimes it is a bit disruptive

If she needs a quick spell while in a meeting, a whole song can be a bit of a problem

She learns to work around this though, because she would never want you to ever change who you are

Although, she will admit she found it humorous when you chose a particularly aggressive song for a spell when trying to prove a point to Valerius

[creativenicocorner]

Slides a ⭐ for a star person :p

Holy shit it took over a year and I barely remember which fanfic ask this is about...I think it's like a director's cut one? REGARDLESS! I do remember the star was to like talk about whatever - and while looking for a WIP I came across an attempt to answer this WITHIN a wip? Past Nico what were you thinking?!

I do know this was written sometime before Ch15 of Terpsichore came out, because there were a few references? But I rephrased the wording a bit.

Forgive me for using this as an excuse to just babble on about how I choose the music titles for chapter sections in Terpsichore, but also, I'm not entirely sorry haha Without further Ado! Here’s hoping this rambling makes sense haha!!

⭐ AN ANSWER!（♥￫ｏ￩♥）

So it’s taken me a long time to figure out how I wanted to answer this. For a while I was going to ramble about M*A*S*H how it was a rather formative show for me growing up, especially in its anti-war message as well as how it feels like a comedy played in a minor key. There was even going to be a link to a video essay on the show, and then I was going to hint at a want to write a series following the changelings in a pre-show context in the sort of vibe M*A*S*H gave.

But it got lost, and weighty…and…idk, I can’t seem to stick to a lot of things these days? I don’t know.

But there’s always been in me the want to attempt to explain why I choose the music pieces I choose to title the sections in each chapter. Cause despite the little message at the bottom of the first chapter and the last chapter talking about motifs leitmotifs…writing prose is nothing like composing music.

And not only that I’m sure less than half of the people reading the fic will listen along with the playlist. Which is 100000% fine! I anticipate it even!

Because at best, those sectional pieces serve less as soundtrack more like a silent movie’s musical medley.

Because it’s the written word, and I’m not Andrew Hussie ldgj though the day I find out how to put a little ‘play button’ to listen to music during a fic, I might do that. But at this point in time Hell No haha.

Despite this, there is a process behind my music selections.

There is a difference between what I consider ‘corpse de ballet’/ ‘ensemble’ sections, and ‘leads’ / ‘duet’ sections.

Or what my poor readers go through as ‘a shit ton of prospective shifts’ and two prospectives at best, at the same time. I don’t know why I’m such a fan of bouncing between perspectives so much that you probably feel seasick. I always consider it a miracle anyone understands what the heck is going on dfjglk The answer is probably because I like third person omniscient writing, and am a sucker for situational/character irony. But I’m also a grammar school drop out haha and don’t actually know the rules of writing by heart? I’m just a fool with a bunch of vibes and a dictionary doing their best lol.

[ stressed coffee sip ] Fake it til you make it baby

But yeah! Enough borderline weird self deprecating! Let’s talk music!!

So! Usually when writing a section I try and think about who are the central characters in the section, and or what is the theme/emotion I’m trying to call on. Is there a motif, or a reference I can play on musically? An idea or concept I can echo or even enhance? Will it be a specific genera of music tied to a character because that character embodies and or is known for a specific genera (example: Nomura and Opera- more on that at during ACTII )

Once I answer those questions, I’m able to narrow down my music choices. Which, again, acts more like a book of suggested musical medley orchestras and musicians would purchase during the silent movie era as like a cheat sheet of what they could play during a specific scene.

So…for instance, for a character like Barbara Lake I wouldn’t use video game music -or maybe I could…but it would only be in terms of perhaps referencing her son.- who I would have a higher chance at choosing to select a video game music piece for (hang on to your butts ACT II Zelda soundtrack).

In the fic I’ve built the idea that in order to explain Barbara’s ability to paint, that she not only took classes but was part of the production team in putting on a play, mainly in set design painting props. Which opens me to a world of musical options when it comes to Barbara’s character. Especially when certain musicals hold songs that can be really fitting to her character later on. An example of this can be seen in ch3 “Aquarius”, and ch14 “Julia”.

Ch3 is Barbara’s big planned picnic date. The first date she and Walter go on after she ingested the binding spell. The two of them coming together, but also the magic of which awakening something magical inside.

And Ch14 in which the binding spell is broken, but also whatever was holding Barbara’s potential to reaching towards that magical something inside her is also broken. And in a sort of my own attempt at written diegesis between the narrative and the song selections in the sections, the lyrics to Aquarius is written out as Barbara depends into the water. In which it is no longer the dawning of Aquarius, Aquarius is starting to take center stage. Their cue is played.

That would be my example on a very character driven musical choice.

Not only that, but it is at Ch3 where Walter is influenced more and more to Barbara’s appreciation to musicals, so much so that it begins to influence his own array of music pieces. His dreams no longer dialogue from movies he fell asleep to, but sometimes full on reproductions of staged musicals and plays. An example of this can be seen in Ch11 On the Right Track from Pippin the Musical - which oof I could go into a full dissertation on in regards to changelings/Pippin and The Pale Lady/Leading Player.

Not only that, but due to influence from Barbara’s love we get the moment of Walter’s ‘I want’ section piece in the form of Ch9 “Corner of the Sky” (aka Pippin’s I want song as well). The moment before this happened there was the interaction with Angor AND Otto AND the repercussions of Angor attacking the school. It is clear to these characters that Strickler is not giving his all in killing Jim, and perhaps never tried to give his all. Something that Otto proclaims as Strickler making excuses, and Strickler insists is tact.

Then there is the situational character driven choice.

I’m going to continue to use Barbara as an example here, and say that THIS can be seen in Ch2 “No. 9 – Finale Andante” and ch12 “Le Lac Des Cygnes Introduction: Moderato Assai”

Both of these music pieces come from Swan Lake. The reasoning behind the choice is probably asinine in thought process (Barbara Lake, Swan Lake), but also thought out in the sense of the following:

In Season3 of Trollhunters Morgana, in order to attempt to reacquire her shadow staff from Strickler (“The Exorcism of Clair Nuñez), transforms herself to take Barbara Lake’s physical form.

IN THE BALLET SWAN LAKE The wizard Von Rothbart, in order to obtain what they want, transforms (granted someone else) Odile to look like the hero Odette in order to trick the prince into proclaiming this imposter Odile as their one true love. In which Odile is the mirror to Odette, and while looking similar (in fact typically the ballerina who performs as Oddette would also perform as Odile) are opposites in spirit.

And, at least in Terpsichore, what near primordial eldritch force can rival that of the Eldritch Queen that we know from cannon will inevitably impersonate Barbara Lake?

But wait, there’s more.

In chapter 2 the piece used in section 2 is the end of ACTI from Swan Lake. The music hints not only the arrival of Odette, but also her inevitable tragedy. What is written in this section, briefly at that cause we watched how the scene plays out in the show, you don’t need me writing that back at you, but I digress- What is WRITTEN in this section is Barbara sipping the enchanted tea that binds herself to Waltolomew Strickler. Something that you, the viewer and fan will know ends in tragedy, as do I the writer and also fan knows will end in tragedy. The only people out of the loop here are the poor poor characters.

And then the revolving door of bad situations that is ch12 happens, and we return to Swan Lake with “Le Lac Des Cygnes Introduction” In which Barbara is introduced to Jim Lake’s Trollhunting world, finally. But wait! There’s EVEN more.

Because not only is Barbara introduced to Jim’s Trollhunting world, Barbara begins to allow herself an introduction to that weird magical more that’s inside her via dream. And YOU/WE the reader/writer/audience, are introduced to the strange figure Giselle is talking to on the beach of Lake Superior…who…well, you’ve probably already have an idea as to who that figure is ;)c

There are also moments when I just select a song piece because I think it fits Thematially well - ch11’s “Powerhouse” section. Aka the music that plays in Looney Tunes whenever an assembly line montage occurs - to which in that section Jim Draal and Walter are putting together the booby-traps to thwart Angor Rot (as well as try to reassemble some sort of emotional connection between them). Or it could be a reference to a meme I really enjoyed, example Ch12’s “Roundabout” aka the music piece known vernacularly as “The Jojo Meme” but also like…meme aside it’s really good and fits and just lkfgjkgsdj I have a lot of feels about Roundabout and I won’t apologize for it haha

And yet, something I pride myself in, is that you don’t need to know all of this to enjoy the story. It isn’t necessary to listen to the Swan Lake pieces or even the Musicals, or even the Jojo Meme. Because, if I did my job right, those echoes ought to be in the writing. The pieces to the section have always been optional. Just little markings in a booklet to be given to you the reader/composer as a suggestion and you can choose to play those pieces along to the silent film, or boot up a ragtime. And that’s the power you have. And that’s equally as wonderful!

[missmitchieg]

Me: *listens to Rush to see what the fuss is about with Luke wearing their shirt*

Rush:

Well, I sang some sad songs Oh yes, and cried some bad tears

You've done me no right But you've done me some wrong Left me lonely each night While I sing my sad song

Know your place in life is where you want to be Don't let them tell you that you owe it all to me Keep on looking forward...no use in looking 'round Hold your head above the ground and they won't bring you down

Live for yourself...there's no one else More worth living for Begging hands and bleeding hearts will only cry out for more

Well, I know they've always told you Selfishness was wrong Yet it was for me, not you, I came to write this song

I've got a livin' that's rough, a future that's tough You know what I mean Blankers and boasters, all the bluffers and posers I'm not into that scene

You can tell me that I got no class Look around, you'll see who's laughin' last Don't give me speeches cause they're oh so droll Leave me alone, let me rock and roll

Got an itchin' to rock, a hate for small talk I'm funny that way Got my sights on the stars, won't get that far But I'll try anyway

I just like to please, I don't like to tease I'm easy like that Don't like long rests, I must confess I'm an impatient cat

You can tell me that I got no class Look around, you'll see who's laughin' last Don't give me speeches cause they're oh so droll Leave me alone, let me rock and roll

I do the best that I can I'm just what I am I do the best that I can Well, I know what I am

I do the best that I can I'm just what I am I do the best that I can Well, I know what I am

Got an itchin' to rock, a hate for small talk I'm funny that way Got my sights on the stars, won't get that far But I'll try anyway

Rock and rollin's a scream, makin' millions my dream Well, I do that a lot I'll just give it a try, won't let good times pass me by They're all I've got

Well, there's a time for feelin' as good as we can The time is now and there's no stoppin' us There's a time for livin' as high as we can Behind us you will only see our dust So we just keep smilin', move onward every day And try to keep our thoughts away from home We're travelin' all around, no time to settle down And satisfy our wanderlust to roam You know we're havin' good days And we hope they're gonna last Our future still looks brighter than our past We feel no need to worry No reason to be sad Our memories remind us Maybe road life's not so bad Well from sea to shining sea and a hundred points between Still we go on diggin' every show The cities in the land all extend a welcome hand 'Til the morning when it's time for us to go Well, you know we're havin' good days And we hope they're gonna last Our future still looks brighter than our past We feel no need to worry, no reason to be sad Our memories remind us Maybe road life's not so bad Oh, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah Maybe road life's not so bad

You don't get something for nothing You can't have freedom for free You won't get wise With the sleep still in your eyes No matter what your dreams might be What you own is your own kingdom What you do is your own glory What you love is your own power What you live is your own story In your head is the answer Let it guide you along Let your heart be the anchor And the beat of your own song

All the same we take our chances Laughed at by time Tricked by circumstances Plus ca change Plus c'est la meme chose The more that things change The more they stay the same Now I've gained some understanding Of the only world that we see Things that I once dreamed of Have become reality These walls that still surround me Still contain the same old me Just one more who's searching for A world that ought to be

Begin the day with a friendly voice A companion unobtrusive Plays that song that's so elusive And the magic music makes your morning mood Off on your way, hit the open road There is magic at your fingers For the Spirit ever lingers Undemanding contact in your happy solitude Invisible airwaves crackle with life Bright antennae bristle with the energy Emotional feedback on timeless wavelength Bearing a gift beyond price, almost free All this machinery making modern music Can still be open-hearted Not so coldly charted It's really just a question of your honesty, yeah Your honesty One likes to believe in the freedom of music But glittering prizes and endless compromises Shatter the illusion of integrity Invisible airwaves crackle with life Bright antennae bristle with the energy Emotional feedback on timeless wavelength Bearing a gift beyond price, almost free "For the words of the profits were written on the studio wall Concert hall And echoes with the sound of salesmen...of salesmen...of salesmen."

*various other lyrics I'm too lazy to copy-paste*

Me: .......Ohhhhhhhhh. Ok, I get it now.

[chaoticlarrie]

A love letter to fandoms

I just wanted to express how much I love fandom spaces. It’s gonna be a sappy useless post but bear with me.

Since I was young teen, fandom spaces online have been a refuge for me. A second home. It’s one of my most effective coping mechanism for my very depressed brain and always has been.

I’ve always had trouble expressing strong emotions in my life. Because I was raised to be calm, collected, reasonable, smart and critical.

Strong outburst of emotions, positive or negative, were always fround upon, mocked or punished. So I had to find an outlet for my strong emotions. And for me it was fandoms. I can go completely crazy over a specific tv show and if no one in my life can bear listening to me going nuts over it, I can go online and find my people, the other ones that are just as crazy as me and we can be content with each other.

Because every one needs to feel strong emotions from time to time. For some it’s falling in love again and again, for others it’s partying to the point of exhaustion for the body and mind, for others it’s drugs, for others it’s extreme sports. We all want that rush of adrenaline, that euphoria. But none of those options are safe. And for me fandoms were that outlet. That get way to euphoria. I would fall in love with a piece of fiction or a band and their music and I would give them that power over me. I gave the power to a book, to a song, even to a celebrity to make me cry, to make me happy, to make me euphoric. I chose to gave them that power when I entered the fandom. Because I knew that it meant that the next time I hear news about it, I would feel that strong emotion.

We all chose to be emotionally invested, committed into these fandoms.

It’s about that rush of adrenaline when a big news drop about a new season of your favourite show, it’s about that warm feeling of being so proud of one of your favourite celeb when they accomplish something, it’s about that trepidation and the delicious and torturous waiting before a midnight release, it’s about that euphoria when you’re at a concert of your favourite band, surrounded by people who all sing the same lyrics with you, it’s about that deep sense of comfort and belonging when you find a piece of fiction that perfectly encapsulates everything you are and want to be, it’s about that immense relief that you get when you can finally listen to that song that makes everything better.

I don’t know where I would be if I couldn’t escape from time to time to a place where I see so many talented and passionate people talking about those things that are so important to me.

And yeah there’s drama in every fandom from time to time. But it’s always worth it and I feel like we’re always better off in the end.

So thank you to the Harry Potter fandom for the amazing creations, fan fictions, fan arts, plays, projects, for inventing real quidditch... for expanding this universe that he’s so huge and magical because of you, the fans. For taking a stand against the very author of the thing we have in common and taking it as an opportunity to raise awareness and inclusivity for every trans and non binary potterheads. For making Harry Potter OURS so that the legacy of the fandom can live on even if we leave the author behind.

Thank you to the One Direction fandom, that is always oh so full of drama. The one that got me onto tumblr all those years ago where I felt like I found my people. Thank you for your fics, your art, the gifs, the craziness and the dedication. Thank you for making me grow out of my “I’m not like other girls” phase. Thank you to the Larry shippers for making me believe in love. Thank you for the rainbow direction projects and movement that made us all feel celebrated. Being a 1D fan on Tumblr at the peak of 1D fame was some of the most fun I’ve ever had on the internet and I regret nothing.

Thank you to the Supernatural fandom, even if it’s only been 2 months for me. For making me want to see that show that is good but so bad but so good. Thank you for the memes. Thank you for hallucinating with me a better written version of the show. Thank you for the fix it fics. Thank you for using that random cw show as starting point for discussion around queer rep and mental health. Thank you for demanding, all those years ago, that even mainstream teen dramas on tv be better for all of us. You had a real and positive impact on how tv shows are made and thought of, don’t ever doubt it.

And I could so say so many thank yous to so many others but,

I guess what I’m trying to say basically, is a big thank you, to all of you, for not being cool.

Don’t get me wrong, we’re the coolest mofos on this fucking planet. BUT. We don’t play it cool. No matter the fandom, we all have passionate and very strong emotions about specific subjects and we’re completely unhinged on this hellsite (affectionate) about it.

I love seeing someone going apeshit in the tags of a Louis Tomlinson pic cause they can’t express how much they love him other wise.

I love seeing a long ass post about psychoanalysing Dean Winchester, putting more thought into it than even the writers of the show ever did.

I love seeing someone who spends hours making a very elaborate collage of Harry styles painted nails.

I love seeing the very elaborate fan arts of a potterhead who transformed Hogwarts in a place full of gays, ace, bi, non binaries, trans and poc through their drawings.

I love all the inside jokes and concepts inherent to each fandom. The things that you understand only after spending time in the fandom. The way that we can all be a bit too crazy about our passions on here without being mocked.

Fandom is a safe space for strong emotions and I love you all for that.

If I made any sense in this long ass post and you feel me, I would love for people to add what they’re thankful for in their apecific fandoms even if we don’t share it. Thanks, love you all 😘

[lordxgrinnyxboy]

rewatching tgm, wifi being useless edition 2/?

every time i hear puppet!Dea say “when a story is raw and real” i see Mr. Gordon Ramsey memes, they just scroll across my vision and there’s nothing i can do to stop it u-u

ngl im kinda in love with Mojo Puppeteer

the foot shimmy during this scene, like right as Ursus gets up off the floor Gwyn/Mr. Maskell does this little ankle squirm. u-u

foreaaaaaaaaaarmmmmssssss

love how mr maskell doesn't emote w/his face while puppeteering but ms. brisson's just facially so into this performance and honestly so's ms. onitiri

also love all the different bits of ribbon and such puppet!Dea’s hair is made of. several different textures in there

kay but the way he makes the prince puppet kinda bounce in place as he sings “only those three words could ever free me from the curse” it just makes it look like the prince is kindof adorably excited about this

im just now realizing that one part of the puppet is supposed to be the prince’s mouth and not his chin or something.

Dea’s soft “oh” when their hands touch

foreaaaaaarmsssss

Gwynlit always looks so shook as they step back from each other after the aging up sequence like he’s full dear-in-headlights (i know it’s ‘deer’ in headlights but he is Dear to Me so)

and really so is Dea for a second there

oh god her look of alarm  changes to a smile the second Gwyn starts singing. i need a minute.

i love these two so much

the harmony will never not end my life why is it so powerful

idk what they put in this song but every single time my aroace self is like “shfjshfsj play this at my wedding” and then i have to be like “wait.”

Dea’s adorable and i hope she knows how adorable she is

im cry they’re so cute they’re so cute i love these two

Quake is on it about letting ppl know entertainment’s cancelled due to the king dying Quake is ready Quake loves her job so much

oh so  the barrels are just there for Dirry-Moir and Osric to have somewhere to sit while Ursus tells the story okay

wait how quick did dude just throw on his Clarence costume and climb in the coffin that was. super duper fast

he’s literally offscreen for 24 seconds and managed to

holy cats how does he do it

wait also mojo tho. mojo had to put on his priest costume

wait also Osric and Dirry-Moir had to put on their Lord attire

and they say movies are supposed to be magic

just continuing to absolutely love every character played by ms. obianyo

love how they just. have trombones. 10/10

i mean i guess the costume changes aren’t super complicated like throw on a robe and a wig but STILL within 24 seconds? i think it’s impressive

oh hey jojo-as-a-random-lord is also here

ohhhhh is that why Jojo’s costume is Like That then? to make it easier to switch characters real fast? but no actually???

the hats on the lords tho. we’ve got Fish Lord, Bunny Lord,,, maybe some kind of Bird or Chicken Lord...

so it’s a Pig’s Foot that killed Clarence and the name of the holy relic translates to like, “pig’s flower” ...thematic....dots.......

oop there’s Only a Clown

ngl i kinda love Archbishop Kupsak. a weird dude.

would love to know why Angelica thought she needed to ‘make a law’ regarding traitors being brought to justice. just curious about her thought-process. heck she could probably have her own musical.

WAIT MS OBIANYO PLAYS THE TROMBONE. SICK.

wait hey, hey. hey. petition for ms. obianyo to play a FATE.

oh god it’s my least favorite scene

skip? no...but? no u-u

jojo apologize to the trash clown

scene too stressful

genuinely have no thoughts, head completely empty

CART SCENE CART SCENE CART SCENE

is that a bowl and spoon on th-

separate post separate post gentlefolks of the jury i

jaw twitch

okay but Dea gets this Look when Gwyn asks Ursus “who did this to me” she looks a little Surprised

does not react however to “who carved me into this freak”

the hand flex as Gwyn walks away from Ursus after Ursus Won’t Let Him Talk

oh Osric you absolute delight

beauty and the beast ii destroys me every time gwyn’s just steadily wilting but trying to hold on but he can’t and Dea’s so supportive

would love to know what Ursus’ take on all this would’ve been if he hadn’t been involved. like would he still be hell-bent on not letting Gwyn remember or would he have been more chill about letting Gwyn make that decision for himself

like on the one hand i can see why Ursus would think that maybe Gwyn would be better off not remembering, but also making him forget clearly didn’t actually help him suffer any less, it just gave him a different kind of suffering. He’s wrung-out tormented and Ursus can’t/won’t help him because of the potential repercussions of Gwyn learning the truth. which do include some Worst Timeline options for how that could go but. also include a few Gwyn’s Able To Move On And Live Well, With Or Without Ursus options so.

idk i just feel like after a certain point of seeing how Gwyn’s basically falling apart over all this Ursus really should’ve considered having that difficult Discussion bc that boy was Not getting better on Ursus’ Plan A

also the whole dismissively invalidating ur kid’s struggle is not a good look Ursus

i love him and absolutely believe he is definitely Trying His Best but he’s #Problematic_Dad for sure

that bit where Ursus notices Josiana as if for the first time and does that little bow to her oh my goodness XD

also him just trying so hard to keep it together in the lead-up to Born Broken. debating whether Ursus sticking his head through the curtain is the funniest part of this show. probably not but it’s real close

Dea’s so pretty and i love her outfit u-u

and her blue makeup

and her lovely lovely eyes like wow she’s Perfect

this girl is in her element and im fully convinced that in the version of events where Gwyn and Dea stay on as Lord and Lady Dea does some addressing of parliament or whatever, has speaking engagements, she’s all kinds of involved.

there’s tears in Ursus’ eyes during this bit and i don’t agree w/him but i do feel bad for him. he does want to do right by these kids but he’s just...it’s not working out for him because he can’t have it both ways.

i mean genuinely tho Ursus is so desperate to forget/bury/escape/move on from the past but in adopting Gwyn and trying to be a family and a fresh start for him...that shut down any chance of that actually happening.

no but fr Ursus’ face when Dea says “it doesn’t keep us safe, Father, it turns us against you” which is like. probably the exact thing he’s afraid of happening if they ever learn the truth.

*strums lyre* it’s a sad tale, it’s a tragedy!

Musical Ursus is fully a good dude who did one Stupid Thing and spent the rest of his life trying to control the damage only to make it Worse and then he died and i’m so! 😭

at the end of the second 30minutes but im keep going

Dea and Gwyn are holding hands so intently im feeling feelings about

harmonyyyyyyyy

ngl though i wonder if given Ursus’ “dear god, you pick your moments” and “who did what to you” if maybe this is something that’s just been festering and hasn’t been verbally brought up until the show’s events

“What do you want?! BLOOD?!” i mean u did script him as saying he wants to kill a man

“I can’t tell you anything you don’t already know” i mean technically that’s true bc technically Gwyn does know, he just doesn’t remember, which is pretty much the same as not knowing but ayyyyyyyyyy

would love to know what Ursus thought was coming when Gwyn said “I can only tell them what I know I am” like

wait no but “I can’t tell you anything you don’t already know” being followed by “I can only tell them what I know I am” idk how to say but oh heck oh heck oh heck heck oh no.

but yeah Ursus’ little glances at Gwyn and then the Turn as Gwyn starts to sing. i just wonder what Ursus is thinking just then

ohhhhhhhhh wait a minute now. stars stripped from the sky. the play on the lyrics from within Ursus’ show. the conversation they just had. is Freak Show (partially?) a vaguepost at Ursus 👀

no but the Wiggle before that next to last “watch me smile” tho

needs the backbend 🍹

hello Puppet Helmet Thing. i’ve developed a fondness for you, you unexplained and kind of weird yet near-infinitely interpretable element of the show.

and cutting here for length uwu

[annathesimple]

What everybody brought to the ESC (sprinkled with my humble opinion)

Albania: desire to call the storm your brother (yeah, I dig it and it made me poetic, shut up), run from civilization and make the spirits of the wild your allies. Also: Cleopatra Mom in a Pride dress can I squeal with joy??!

Armenia: empowering song and beautiful performer. I hope she brings her suit *winks*, oh, yeah, and the braids, the braids!! And a familiar face to Ukrainians! ;)

Australia: stop shitting on them, the pips know what Eurovision is about, look at them this year: try to describe this without the word extra. They just embodied the moth&lamp meme. Brought: the daughter-dress of 2018 Estonia and Russia paired with the sexiest dementor you've seen

Austria: if she will look into me like she did in the music video than maybe I will break down, she is tearing at my walls. Brought:  blue hair to make me listen, and it works.

Azerbaijan: a medal for aesthetic goal. It might not exist yet, but it freaking should. Also, I am stealing so many of the things that they used in the music video, you just watch me

Belarus: that white outfit of hers. Or the legs. No, the outfit. Or the legs?.. Which one of these makes me keep staring? (Also brought all these dislikes from Belarussian people, which reminds me - RIP the potato masterpiece of this year)

Belgium: quality Netflix Original's soundtrack. Also a soundtrack to a montage of you running towards your goal and honestly - it's sweet.

Croatia: KAO HEROOOOOJ!!! Also: piano?? hopefully a piano?? We need it, come on, people need to fill out theirs esc bingos, people want to get drunk and we will help them! Also: stairs?? Possknly many stairs??

Cyprus: "Fuego" got reborn and we are being delivered heavy dance beats again, yay!

Czech Republic: oh, the funk, they stolen it? and added an 80' bassline? I hate it and I love it, you have no idea how hard are my relationship with this song is. But facts are facts.

Denmark: A MOTHERFUCKING HUGE CHAIR, I hope they bring it: I am supporting a policy that if you have a lot of space - you should do crazy shit with it. Also: brought German, cause Germany couldn't

Estonia: Aviici wibes and, oh yeah!, another song about a storm! I vote to start a new category for esc bingo: songs featuring storm in their lyrics or title. Also: guitar? Pretty please

Finland: Darude. As a rule I don't list people here, but the rules don't apply to you once you become a meme. Also: Poison Ivy just came to dance on a rotating cube in the middle of the stage - cause that's what you do, that's what I would have done if only I have been confident enough.

France: good boy, cinnamon roll, his wigs are the best and are not to be snatched, ok??! I am getting serious "Phoenix" wibes. Also: cute glasses!

Georgia: yes! They brought these awesome back vocals for which I love them so much!! Also: I feel like Georgia has its goal to make us love Georgian, and idk about you, but it works on mee~~

Germany: SISTAH!!! It's caraoce night and Elsa and Pocahontas are winning it. Also: can I talk about how refreshing it is to see a female duo?

Greece: actual Greece aesthetic wibes?? Beauty, so much beauty. Also: give them swords!! Allow them swords on the stage, cowards!!

Hungary: a song about a dad! I sense a streak! And I want to kiss everybody responsible for keeping it in Hungarian. Also: whistling! That you cannot get out of your head!

Iceland: they got last place last time so they are angry now, ahah. But honestly, we haven't even started yet  and Hatari is already a meme, and we all know that it's the true currency of Eurovision fame. They are worth an essay, it's just I won't do it here.

Ireland: light happy pop for you to finally relax. And, for some reason, nostalgia? I blame Irish magic.

Israel: an Israeli Freddy Mercury with a strong song and a pinch of Disney sound. Interesting in a good way vocals.

Italy: "ramadan" rimed with "Jackie Chan", a big fuck you to all the haters and international versions of D.Trump. Also: ~~soldiii~~, ~~soldiii~~

Latvia: your soundtrack for soft and quiet, warm night walks. Magic the color of black and crimson velvet. The ocean of the eyes.

Lithuania: that one song that encourages you to stand up and go towards what you want, plants a seed of self appreciation inside of you. Good stuff. And his voice is higher than the expectations of your relatives.

Malta: another aesthetics award!! Also - I can't possibly say no to people who put chameleons into music videos. Also: another member of "nana" squad!

Moldova: this year it's them who is bringing us a ballad: and a solid one, + the voice

Montenegro: oh yes!! Finally!! A grandpa!! With a beard!! Playing a traditional instrument!! The sacred commandments are being followed!! Also snow in May aesthetic.

North Macedonia: a powerful ballad for girls and I am here for it!! Go and break the rules! Make everybody fucking emotional!! We need it and we deserve it!

Norway: the sickest Christmas party in a Narnia setting: LET ME IIIN.The furry jokes. And if u think they will stop any time soon - you are wildly misguided. And now we have another version of what does the fox say!

Poland: if you haven't heard them already - probably they brought smth you haven't really expected from them as a folk band. They make me feel things. The outfits!! I said THE OUTFITS!!

Portugal: a true to life representation of my last two brain cells. It's so eary, so unusual that I am in love. Back in my days (and it's like a week ago) I had to do a half an hour long deep YouTube dive to get to music like this. Artttt

Romania: abandoned mansions aesthetic, possible mythical wibes, yessss, bring it to meee!

Russia: Lazarev. They brought Lazarev. You know who he is, what can I say except for: why is his signing is so good??hmm

San Marino: a true leader of "nanana" squad appears!! I like to think that's how San Marino celebrates all of its national holidays. They've always came to Eurovision to party, and they are proving a point once again.

Serbia: I know many like to complain about ballads: but come on, we need at least some, and Serbia delivered, at least we always can rely on Balcan countries for that! Also: I hope she brings her crystal horns with her to the stage, they paid them so much attention!

Slovenia: depressed youth love brought you some indi to relax but also to float into space contemplating your choices.

Spain: is here to cure your depression in case any of the previous songs triggered it. Brought a party, the Sun, and the most Spanish sounding thing I have ever heard. I feel like they thrive out of dandelion wine.

Sweden: changed their formula a bit and suddenly in works on me, and it works very well! There is a literall door to heaven above the stage! That's where they came from! Also: I am in love with the back vocal singers.

Switzerland: a Spanish wibe + some Asian notes/sound?? + heavy dance beat = yeah, they got me, it is indeed good to dance to.

The Netherlands: brought sensitivity and forced it on me, brought tears and put them behind my eyes. Goodness gracious, whyyy

UK: such a sweet happy song, love how the entries from UK tend to be so sunny and bright recently. Brought me desire to hug my friends and close ones.

Please note that I have no intentions of offending anybody, we all are here to have a good time. I respect everybody on this list.

[corisanna]

When you're designing and/or naming the witches the characters face (not the witches they themselves turn into, like Alexandria), what inspires you to make them what they are (a poisonous tree, a... pumpkin lady..., etc.), and do you try to do what the show did by tying those witches to what the characters fighting them are going through?

She short and unsatisfying answer would be “context, whim, and extensive word/concept association.”

Getting into the thick of it, it all starts with questions:

Which characters are going to be fighting it? What are those characters’ skillsets/strengths/weaknesses? Do I want them to have a hard or easy time of things? What would be hard/easy for them to handle? Is there some kind of shout-out I’m in the mood to make?

Cynthia, the Pumpkin Witch, was the first I made. In that case, I started backwards: I wanted to make a Witch labyrinth based on one of Hachi’s Vocaloid music videos because when I first saw InuCurry’s art in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei I thought of Hachi’s vids. My favorite was “Mrs. Pumpkin’s Comical Dream,” which appears to be about a train crash with multiple fatalities. “Aha, that’s macabre enough for a labyrinth,” I said. The labyrinth I made was kind of a love letter to that song/video. Some of it overflowed into Beatrix and Isidora.

“official” lyrics [bolding the bits I used; also ref unofficial lyrics in the video]

The jacaranda's blooming, an impolite exchange of speeches Where shall we go? A merrily weeping song Jack laughed, "Leave your heretical feelings behind!" Give me chocolate, a beggar's weeping song A scarecrow suddenly shaking with sobs Prejudiced against pumpkin pie Oh la lu la lu la, will you dance with me? The moon's still sleeping ("You called? You called?" asks Turnip-Head) See? Now all the caskets are gone How boring I'm sensitive to fake magic and power lines Said the witch glaring beneath the overpass Jack got all huffy, "Keep your obscene emotions!" The datura bloomed as if to spite me The goats are up to something... Waiting for the train Let's hold hands, two may pass Wandering home through the [subway tunnels] (Superior, inferior, a pile of corpses?) See? In the swarm of ants at the swap meet The moon's still sleeping "Hey! Mrs. Pumpkin! I'm here to escort you home!" When did this night destroy my dream? I want to stay here and dance! Derangement like a dream (Inferior, inferior, a pile of fools) The joy I spit out lit up by the lanterns Oh la lu la lu la, will you dance with me? Not that I expected an answer ("Too bad! Too bad!" says Turnip-Head) See? Now all the caskets are gone How boring In the settled mud Waiting for morning in the thicket On the train

So I tossed bits from the words and the visuals together. I needed more material, so I played word/concept association.

Pumpkin, dancing, having to leave a dance led to Cinderella. That’s why the lanterns are glass slippers with embers (cinders) in them and where the clock/midnight/bell-tolling theme came from. I think I slapped fairy wings on the scarecrows as a reference to the Fairy Godmother.

From Cinderella, I Googled Cindy and Cynthia. I focused on Wikipedia’s disambiguation page for “Cynthia.” The two things that stuck out were the bizarre fame of a plaster mannequin named Cynthia in the 1930s (if I got drunk you could probably convince me to research and argue that she was an early example of both a meme and viral marketing) and the butterfly subgenus commonly called painted ladies. So there were the mannequin and butterfly wings. I thought that was batshit enough for one labyrinth. I named the turnip-head scarecrows Jakob because Jack(-o-lantern) is short form of it and jack-o-lanterns are/were turnips as well as pumpkins. I think I named the dancers Charles and Charlene for the Charleston dance but I’m not sure now.

I knew I wanted this Witch to be more tricky than powerful in a way that Karin and Yuzu would have extreme difficulty taking down without help or foreknowledge. I decided to have the actual weak spot be high and distant because the twins (at that point of the story) are weak at ranged attacks and Homura is basically the queen of ranged attacks. All the obstacles and enemy abilities were created by working backwards from the weak point by thinking of ways the girls could get to it and conjuring up ways to cut off that option or make it a trap.

So. There’s the Pumpkin Witch.

I have a post about Beatrix somewhere in my Infinity tag if you want to see the process for that. My starting point for it was the girls’ cover story that they met at the botanical gardens in Tokyo. So I knew I wanted a plant/garden theme. When I thought of “dangerous plant” I thought of “poisonous plants.” For me, that brings to mind the story “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” I went wild from there. The woman in that is Beatrice. That made me think Beatrix, which made me think of The Bride in Kill Bill. I researched minutiae about Kill Bill characters and found a scrapped concept for Gogo Yubari to have a twin named Yuki. There was my batshit homicidal magical girl.

It all depends on what hole I need to fill, really. Then it’s the equivalent of a wiki walk of word/concept association.

I hope this makes sense and isn’t too rambly.

[sasslightertm-a]

Nightwish — “She Is My Sin” lyric starters

“Take heed, dear heart.”

“Once apart she can touch nor me nor you.”

“Dressed as one, a wolf will betray a lamb.”

“Lead astray the gazers, the razors on your seducing skin.”

“In the meadow of sinful thoughts, every flower’s a perfect one.”

“To paradise with pleasure haunted, haunted by fear.”

“A sin for him, desire within, desire within.”

“A burning veil for the bride too dear for him.”

“Fall in love with your deep dark sin.”

“I am the Fallen.”

“You are what my sins enclose.”

“Lust is not as creative as its discovery.”

“Bless me, undress me.”

“Pick your prey in a wicked way.”

“God, I must confess... I do envy the sinners.”

“A sin for him, desire within. A burning veil for the bride too dear for him.”

[thesinglesjukebox]

LIZZO - GOOD AS HELL

[7.55]

We look forward to "Juice" hitting the top 40 sometime in 2021..

Katie Gill: It is infinitely amusing that with Lizzo's career trajectory, her songs that are 2-3 years old are getting the radio play instead of her current work. Granted, "Good As Hell" is an absolute banger. But it's an absolute banger that is obviously a product of Lizzo's earlier work, especially when compared the the musical evolution she shows on Cuz I Love You. It's also an absolute banger that seems tailor-made for inclusion in movie trailers or makeover montages but hey, get that bread Lizzo. [7]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: Lizzo singles don't expire after three years; they're just like chardonnay, get better over time. [8]

Thomas Inskeep: Goddamn, Lizzo can wring every bit of strength out of a female empowerment lyric, can't she? And she nails the rapping/singing combo like no one since -- I dunno, Lauryn Hill? In fact, maybe she's the rightful heir to L-Boogie's throne? And she does it all so damn joyfully to boot. Talk about fresh air on the radio. [8]

Joshua Copperman: After enjoying Big GRRL Small World, I remember hearing that Lizzo signed to Atlantic, working with the insufferably goofy producer Ricky Reed. It felt like a classic "sell-out" moment even if the term has lost all meaning. This song felt destined to blow up, but went nowhere. Neither did "Phone," and neither did "Truth Hurts." Cuz I Love You could incorporate her earlier, more political work in ways that felt authentic... but then "Truth Hurts" got massive, and "Good As Hell" is well on its way. There's a sense that Lizzo will go further in the shouting party anthem direction. She's a great interview, and a fantastic live performer, but it's disappointing to foresee a Bruno Mars-style trajectory when there's so much more to offer. At this rate, Big GRRL Small World could see a rerelease as the darker, more ambitious follow up, but she's still clearly happier making mindless party music. If she saves the thoughtful political commentary for when Terry Gross calls her "brave", that's okay. [6]

Stephen Eisermann: It is so hard to fault Lizzo's older material. While it's very easy to be cynical about self-empowerment anthems today, Lizzo has consistently shown that she excels at putting herself, a plus-size black woman, first and showing other people how to put themselves first. It's hard to separate her past hits from whatever current story she is involved in (like that horrid Postmates debacle), but, fuck, you are full lying if you say you don't smile on even your worst day when you play this chorus. The background vocals, the energy, the personality -- no part doesn't hold up. There is no chorus like a Lizzo chorus, no matter how long it has taken people to notice. [8]

Alfred Soto: Lizzo released a terrific album this year, you know, on which her sense of rhythm and how a star in waiting presents her material meshes wit the body-positivity messages. [6]

Tobi Tella: Sometimes the strength of a song is enough to push past any factors trying to stop it from entering the public conciousness. "Good As Hell" is a little corny, sure, but it's also empowerment without pandering, an uplifting song that doesn't feel the need to insert generic platitudes. Most of all, it's fun, which is something I think 2019 music totally misses most of the time. [8]

Kayla Beardslee: Personally, I'm looking forward to a couple singles from now, when Lizzo's team will be looking so far in the past for singles to push that they'll arrive at a point before her music career began and encounter a time paradox. If "Truth Hurts" can go #1 two years after its release, anything is possible, and why can't that include Lizzo deconstructing our understanding of time as a linear concept? Oh, and I'm supposed to review the song, too. Yeah, "Good As Hell" bops, will bop, has bopped, bops in the subjunctive, etc. The vocals are fantastic, and the piano riff gives the song a constant feeling of forward motion. It's the kind of track that makes you want to sing along, and even if (like me) you fail at imitating Lizzo's attention-grabbing vibrato, "Good As Hell" is so relentlessly fun that you'll feel happy about it anyways. [8]

Kylo Nocom: The power of hindsight is very strange. I used to see talk go around about how "Good as Hell" sounded like it could have been a hit, and now that it is one, is that underdog appeal still here? I used to think that her being compared to Natasha Bedingfield in Pitchfork's review of Cuz I Love You was unfair, but in hindsight, it's not really that far off. Values PSAs had "Where Is the Love?" then, and the soundtrack to them would be "Good as Hell" now. That's not a condemnation: corny stays in fashion, and with sounds as lovely as the ones Lizzo selects (namely, the drum kit of the chorus and the sampled vocal belts) it's easy to ignore how ultimately juvenile the message feels. [8]

Jackie Powell: Right now as we speak, "Good as Hell" sits at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was featured in the third film in the cult series "Barbershop," which starred fellow women in hip-hop Eve and Nicki Minaj, both whom Lizzo currently eclipses in relevance. Like the film, this track came out three years ago. This sleeper hit, along with Lizzo's career, has emerged from the ashes. They are a collective rising like a phoenix but with slightly more swagger and chock-full of sass. How is all of this possible? Lizzo's entire being defines what it means to be living in 2019. Self-care, inner strength, and an IDGAF attitude. That's why "Good as Hell" hit harder in 2019 rather than three years earlier. Zane Lowe has referred to this track as an "instant vintage vibe" and that's due to clean but predictable production from Ricky Reed. Lizzo's delivery functions in between a bounce in the verses and sweeping call and response in the pre-chorus and the hook. Her magic remains in the way she works to make her raps more digestible for listeners who live on the throwback playlists on Spotify. She's creating a similar product to Mark Ronson in that they both aim to bring sounds from then and now together in a triumphant union. Thank goodness for Lizzo, someone who has the secret recipe to make anyone feel "as good as hell," a task far from effortless. [7]

Vikram Joseph: It seems kind of fitting that I'm writing this before work on a wet Monday morning, because "Good As Hell" is transformative in a way that's hard to resist. Taylor Swift might have recently claimed that she "want[s] your dreary Mondays" (ok, not yours, Joe Alwyn's), but "Good As Hell" simply will not allow them to exist -- at least for 2 minutes and 37 seconds. It achieves this mostly because of the melancholy that lurks in the corners of the song, and because of the way that classic descending chord progression confers a sense of unconditional positivity in the face of chronic adversity. The delivery of "baby, how you feeling?" should win awards -- most singers would sell it as uncomplicated celebration, but Lizzo sounds incredibly empathetic, concerned even, like she half-expects the answer might be "like shit, Lizzo, I feel like shit." And the song's instant meme -- "hair toss, check my nails!" -- is actually a performance piece in putting your best self out there when your heart feels bruised and tired. The strange, wonderful alchemy of "Good As Hell" is that, through method-acting feeling good as hell when all of your instincts tell you that you really don't, it actually makes you feel fucking incredible. [9]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[fortyflightower]

artist ask babey!!😌🤙 the smiths, charli xcx, LANA DEL REY. i could do more. we shall see

CAITLYN YOU MADE THIS SO HARD FOR ME.... thank u but also i hate you 😤 sorry this is so long i just have a lot of thoughts and i don’t know how to shut up. i told you this was going to be a novel and here it is. writers doing nanowrimo wish they were me.

THE SMITHS.... one time i mentioned that i listened to them to one of my art teachers & he asked me what my favorite songs by them were & i completely blanked. it still haunts me to this day but i’m stronger now and i will not make that mistake again

1. back to the old house

this song has everything. the depression. the softness the yearning. ALSO these lyrics...

and you never knew / how much I really liked you / because I never even told you

2. the headmaster ritual

this is the song i listen to when i’m depressed, angry, and considering dropping out of school.

i want to go home / i don't want to stay / give up education / as a bad mistake

belligerent ghouls / run manchester schools / spineless bastards all

this line makes me think of my vid prod teacher 😊😤

3. still ill

had to stop myself from copy pasting all of the lyrics from this one. i also have it on my adam playlist SO.

england is mine, it owes me a living / but ask me why, and I'll spit in your eye

what can i say... i just like the rage and entitlement of this

but we cannot cling to the old dreams anymore / no, we cannot cling to those dreams

no thoughts head empty. i think i like it because it reminds me of that line from ribs by lorde.

does the body rule the mind / or does the mind rule the body? / i dunno

this is so adam core. will not explain any further

4. this charming man

BASIC I KNOW but it was the first song i ever listened to by them (i found it on a gansey playlist on 8tracks back in middle school😔🤟) don’t have any favorite lyrics from this one but the opening is ICONIC.

5. well i wonder

this one.... is SO emo but that’s okay... also the way he sings these lyrics... TOO MUCH 4 me

gasping - dying - but somehow still alive / this is the final stand of all I am / please keep me in mind

honorable mentions are there is a light that never goes out, the boy with the thorn in his side, never had no one ever, cemetery gates, and I WANT THE ONE I CANT HAVE because i’m THAT indecisive

miss Charli XCX... i’m going to be real i don’t listen to her much but when i do i am DOWN TO CLOWN.

1. vroom vroom

i have a playlist called “music to get into a car crash to” and this is the only song on it.

lavender lamborghini, roll up in a blue bikini /bitches on the beaches, lookin' super cute and freaky

Ugh the vibes of this 😩 wish my friends and i could pull this look off

bitches know they can't catch me / (vroom vroom) cute, sexy and my ride's sporty

used this for as a caption for that one tdt drawing i did & i have no regrets. this really embodies the vibes of any scene where ronan & kavinsky are racing.

beep beep, so let's ride

i just think the sound effects are funny

bubblegum-pink ferrari, yeah, I'm so bossy

these are the vibes i would like to embody but never will. also i think barbie & elle woods gave me a primal respect and desire for a pink car.

2. dreamer

nothing to say abt this one except that all i can think abt when i listen to it is that one maggie steifvater copying charli xcx meme. also it’s an absolute banger and one of the songs i blast when i’m going unhinged but in a sexy thot type of way

3. boom clap

this song changed my life when i first heard it on the tfios soundtrack. not that deep but does music have to be? no.

first kiss just like a drug /under your influence / you take me over you're the magic in my veins/ this must be love

boom clap / the sound of my heart / the beat goes on and on and on and on and

HER MIND WHEN SHE WROTE THIS... pop music peaked with this song

LANA. i like listening 2 her music in the winter because the summer depression vibes cancel out seasonal depression like pemdas. she was litchrally my spotify artist of the decade which is so baffling because i don’t feel like i listen to her that much. ALSO every few months i get sucked into a hole of watching concert vids on instagram & it ruins my life.

1. salvatore

the vocals in this... she truly has the range.

I adore you, can't you see, you're meant for me?

catch me if you can / working on my tan / salvatore / dying by the hand / of a foreign man / happily / calling out my name / in the summer rain / ciao amore /salvatore can wait / now it's time to eat / soft ice cream

all of her ooohing and aaahing is great but THIS PART is so sexy. also i almost made a post comparing “dying by the hand of a foreign man happily” & “the choice was death or hurting adam which wasn’t much of a choice at all” but i figured it was too much

2. video games

basic but it’s a classic. also the radical face cover re-ignited my love for this song.

i say you the bestest / lean in for a big kiss put his favorite perfume on / go play your video game

there’s a video of her singing this live where she’s on a swing and she waves her hand when she says “go play your video game” and i think about it every single day

he holds me in his big arms / drunk and i am seeing stars / this is all i think of

this part makes me want to be held 😪

it's you, it's you, it's all for you / everything i do / i tell you all the time / heaven is a place on earth with you

honestly so romantic. what else can i say

3. off to the races

this is my favorite to see live videos of.. the little dance she does to it has me feeling some type of way 🥺😪 one of the classics. lana slapping the roof of this song like “this baby can fit to much daddy kink, drugs, and sex in it”

swimming pool / glimmering darling /white bikini off with my red nail polish

my old man is, a tough man / but he got a soul as sweet as blood red jam / and he shows me, he knows me, every inch of my tar black soul

the imagery of this... UGH

4. california

THIS ENTIRE SONG IS TOO GOOD. i don’t even know what to say abt it except that lana really went off with nfr

you don't ever have to be stronger than you really are / when you're lying in my arms, baby / you don't ever have to go faster than your fastest pace

you're scared to win, scared to lose / i've heard the war was over if you really choose

5. old money

this one makes me cry the hardest out of all her songs because it’s so sad and desperate

blue hydrangea, cold cash divine / cashmere, cologne and white sunshine / red racing cars, sunset and vine / the kids were young and pretty

once again the imagery in her songs is UNPARALLELED.

the power of youth is on my mind

this makes me think abt that lorde quote abt how teenagers sparkle or whatever

and if you call i'll run, run, run / if you change your mind, i’ll come, come, come

bonus: music to watch boys to

SORRY i needed to put this one on here. this one should be near the top but i completely forgot abt it until it came on shuffle play & i don’t feel like renumbering the entire list. this one truly is a ronan song i don’t make the rules (the music to watch boys to is the murder squash song). once again it’s the imagery of it all that gets to me.

i like you a lot / putting on my music while I'm watching the boys / so I do what you want

live to love you / and i love to love you / and I live to love you, boy

nothing gold can stay / like love or lemonade / or sun or summer days / it's all a game to me anyway

diet mountain dew didn’t make it onto this list but i have 2 pairs of heart shaped sunglasses because of it so it has a special place in my heart... lanas impact

other honerable mentions are the greatest, fuck it i love you, venice bitch, dark paradise, BURNING DESIRE and cherry because it’s the only good song on lust for life

[goddessvicky]

Song meme

Rules: List 10 songs you’ve been listening to

Thanks for another tag, @that-wimpy-cowboy-doll!  <3 Giving me the distraction I need when I needed it!

1. Hurts Like Hell by Fleurie - This song has always been a soundtrack when I’m writing. The flow of the lyrics, and the building of suspense is beautiful, and I could see it as the background music in a battle scene. It’s one I always come back to when I need inspiration.

2. Poison & Wine by The Civil Wars  - I’ve always found Joy Williams’ voice like a balm, and she gets to showcase it here in spades. I’ve been in a relationship for almost 19 years and you learn the ins and outs of your partner in ways you never thought possible, and this song speaks to that and is something I can relate to.

3. Freaks and Geeks by Childish Gambino - I count myself lucky AF that I was able to see this man perform live. Hearing all the kids around be singing the lyrics back to him? Amazing. It was before this song was out (he was still riding high on Heartbeat) but the next time we manage to go out to karaoke, this is going to be my go-to song.

4. Good As Hell by Lizzo - Don’t get me wrong, I’m loving EVERYTHING Lizzo has put out there, but this bopper is just so fun and positive and I get a smile on my face just thinking about it.

5. 26 by Paramore - This song is bittersweet. I’ve been following the band since their Riot! album, and have therefore been witness to the rough things they’ve gone through. It’s clear in this song that Hayley’s dealing with some stuff, and it’s beautiful to see it be so raw. “Reality will break your heart, survival will not be the hardest part, it’s keeping all your hope alive when all the rest of you has died.” I feel that lyric on a deeply personal level.

6. Lost In Paradise by Evanescene - Amy Lee was *everything* to me in HS. I actually met the whole band during college. I’ve got a thing for powerful vocals and dammmmmnnn does she fit that bill. The song itself is bittersweet, but the strength she has in her voice... it’s magical.

7. Alexander Hamilton from the musical Hamilton - I start each week by listening to the musical in full. Was very lucky and managed to see the show when it came to Chicago (OMG Wayne Brady played Burr and it was AMAZING) and had absolutely NO KNOWLEDGE of the songs before going in. Getting to experience it for the first time live? Chills.

8. The Village by Wrabel - fitting song, seeing as it’s Pride month, and this one goes out to all my trans brothers and sisters. You are not wrong, or broken, or any of the other ugly things they throw out there. You’re beautiful, from your toes to the tips of your ears. Stunning. Gorgeous.

9. Call Your Girlfriend by Robyn - hey, sometimes you need to put on a fuzzy jacket and dance it out. This song does exactly that. 

10. Grow As We Go by Ben Platt - Let’s just say this song is cathartic after all the twists and turns that come with being in a 19-year-long relationship, but I’m happy to say that things are good, and this song grips my heart in a very deep, personal way.

You say there's so much you don't know You need to go and find yourself You say you'd rather be alone 'Cause you think you won't find it tied to someone else Who said it's true That the growing only happens on your own? They don't know me and you I don't think you have to leave If to change is what you need You can change right next to me When you're high, I'll take the lows You can ebb and I can flow And we'll take it slow And grow as we go Grow as we go You won't be the only one I am unfinished, I've got so much left to learn I don't know how this river runs But I'd like the company through every twist and turn I don't know who we'll become I can't promise it's not written in the stars But I believe that when it's done We're gonna see that it was better That we grew up together Tell me you don't wanna leave 'Cause if change is what you need You can change right next to me When you're high, I'll take the lows You can ebb and I can flow We'll take it slow And grow as we go

Hey you! YEAH! You! If any of my followers are musically inclined, feel free to share in the fun!