#i was definitely not listening to adele as i wrote this

[bethanydelleman]

Georgiana was so Freaked Out in Lambton because she KNEW

This is basically headcanon because we don’t know these things!

Firstly, I know people imagine that Darcy told Georgiana various levels of things about Elizabeth, but I tend to think he told her very little. We know he wrote letters in Hertfordshire to his sister, but at that point he is trying NOT to be in love with Elizabeth, so I’d bet he wasn’t writing too much about her. Then he goes to London and I’m sure he was all, “That was weird, let's forget about her.” so again, probably not saying much to his sister about the Bennets. He is also a very reserved sort of person.

Then we have Rosings, maybe he wrote to Georgiana about Elizabeth? But he didn’t even visit her for the first week, then still seems to be deciding if he’s going to actually do it or not. So I suspect no, he wasn’t telling his sister yet. And then when he goes back to London HE IS DEFINITELY NOT SAYING ANYTHING. (I mean not to his kid sister, I hope he had like someone to confide in... and eat ice cream while listening to Someone Like You by Adele)

So then we get to Pemberley, where Darcy says his sister is eager to meet Elizabeth. Honestly, I think that’s a social nicety, not the truth. I don’t think Georgiana knows shit about Elizabeth, for about another 12 hours.

Then Georgiana gets home and Darcy accosts her all excited and is like, “YOU HAVE TO MEET THIS GIRL AT THE INN IN LAMBTON SHE IS THE BEST GIRL EVER AND WE ARE GOING NOW SO GO HAVE THE REGENCY EQUIVALENT OF A SHOWER AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO LAMBTON TO MEET THIS AWESOME GIRL BECAUSE SHE IS THE HEIGHT OF EXCELLENCE.”

(This is partially canon, Georgiana basically got home and then went right to meet Elizabeth. Elizabeth was not expecting that because long gross carriage ride. We also know Darcy talked up Elizabeth so much he rendered his sister incapable of thinking ill of her.)

Now we have poor Georgiana, who is naturally shy, and she is fully aware that she’s meeting her future sister-in-law/the woman marrying her guardian/the lady who will probably be bringing her out into society and yeah, that’s a lot of pressure. So of course she could barely speak at all! She’s probably terrified that she’ll say something wrong and Elizabeth will dislike her.

Anyway, that’s my take. And the way the narrator talks about the “formidable introduction” I just feel like Georgiana had suspicions.

[cherienymphe]

Not in the sense of talent or anything but more so that she's 34 and her musical competitor is Olivia Rodrigo 🧍🏾‍♀️ I for the life of me cannot understand how people got it into their heads that it's Beyoncé when they are catering to two different demographics. More often than not, people who listen to beyonce like that are not listening to Taylor and vice versa. It's more likely to be Olivia Rodrigo because Olivia and Taylor are catering to the same demographic and are making the same kind of music

The thing is that even Taylor knows Olivia is her main competitor 😭 she wouldn’t have sued her for deja vu otherwise. And so many ppl try to say that Olivia’s team gave her credits but I don’t buy it. Taylor (or her team, it doesn’t rlly matter) absolutely asked for them. Like the proof that they have beef is literally right there 💀 she and conan were used to promote fearless tv and then a year-and-a-half later when Conan was asked if he had listened to midnights he said he “hadn’t gotten around to it.” People want to use the excuse that Olivia is trying to form her own brand and distance herself from the mega Swiftie she was acting like in the beginning of her career when their lack of interaction at awards shows is brought up. Also don’t even get me started on the fact that Taylor asked Olivia’s best friend and her boyfriend’s ex to open for her on tour 😭 it obviously wasn’t done with the intention of hurting Olivia but it had to have been tough to see that as a lifelong fan

Idk if you saw the tiktok from that one Canadian marketing graduate but he basically made a video about why Taylor’s brand isn’t gonna be sustainable forever. Not expecting you to watch it because it’s nine minutes long but I’m just gonna put it here anyways:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLFpn3eQ/

At the beginning of the video he brings up the two categories of pop stars which are 1. The untouchables and 2. The relatables. Taylor falls under the second category meanwhile Beyoncé falls under the first which is just one of the many reasons she is far from being Taylor’s competitor.

Also ppl getting upset that Olivia’s concert isn’t suitable for kids unlike Taylor’s is sending me. Like what did u expect? Olivia is twenty-one years old and not only that but did u not listen to the album before taking your kid to her concert? It’s so obviously too mature for children 💀 she’s had this stereotype since sour came out that she’s for thirteen year olds and that just couldn’t be farther from the truth. Also idk if Taylor’s concerts bring suitable for kids is necessarily a flex on Taylor’s part…

When you remember that Adele is only one year older than Taylor it kinda puts things into perspective… their music is just so different and I’m not talking abt the sound. It’s the maturity aspect of it

The thing about the untouchable vs the relatable is very true. Love her or hate her, Beyoncé definitely has gained this divine like aura over the years. People don't even care about being able to relate to beyonce. She's quite literally worshipped it's insane 😭 whereas Taylor does push this narrative of her being just like the other girls who deal with all the things you do and she's like your best friend who understands you and she wrote this specifically for you

I'm not too versed in the Olivia and Taylor "beef" but I did catch wind of it and I will say it has to suck to basically have a "never meet your idols" moment. As for their shows, Olivia's not being as kid appropriate checks out. Yes I do think both makes music for teenagers and young adults but Olivia's very much gives female rage and teenage angst and not caring about being the dutiful daughter but instead just letting your emotions go wild and not letting yourself be controlled. To me her music is like a teenager who is angry about being a teenager and dealing with teenage bullshit and teenage heartbreak. That makes sense to me because she's 20 and literally living it/just lived it.

And yes ever since someone pointed out the age difference between Taylor and Adele (or lack thereof) it blew my mind 🧍🏾‍♀️the gap in their music could not be more stark

[florilegia-or-what-you-will]

Commonplace Songs

So. Here’s the thing. I have a bad habit of skimming, especially when I’m reading rubrics. I don’t notice I’m doing it but it can mean I miss important bits of information, such as the part about your last entry being a 250 word retrospective. Luckily I am aware of this deficiency of mine so I tend to check my rubrics periodically to make sure I haven’t missed anything. So I wrote the post. But. Before I realized there was a set end to the life of this blog I still intended my own form of wrap-up. I decided to make a playlist with at least one song per reading from this class. Even after I knew I just had to write a lil paragraph I couldn’t get the idea out of my head so here is the playlist anyway. [Commonplace Songs] Obviously it would be a bit of a time commitment to listen to the whole thing, so this was mostly just for my own enjoyment, but I had too much fun not to share. Notes for each song under the cut.

Abbess Hild & Caedmon, & Caedmon’s Hymn - Sisters of Mercy - Leonard Cohen

This one was honestly one of the most difficult to figure out. I generally struggled most to find songs for the explicitly religious texts, but I think this one works pretty well if you think of it as being from Caedmon’s perspective.

The Exeter Book Riddles - The Riddle Song - Joan Baez | Scarborough Fair - Simon and Garfunkel

These are cheating a little I know, since they both have very old origins themselves. I did consider including Schubert’s Swansong as a reference to Riddle 7, but I’ve tried to stick with songs that have lyrics.

The Wanderer - Man of Constant Sorrow - Joan Baez

Man of Constant Sorrow is really a modern version of The Wanderer to me. An exile “bound to ramble” away from their loved ones, unable to see them again in this life.

Deor - This Too Shall Pass - Danny Schmidt

This one is obvious from the title, and she makes rings! What more could you ask?

The Wife’s Lament - You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me - Dusty Springfield | One Too Many Mornings - Joan Baez

You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me really captures the tragedy of still being in love with someone who’s abandoned you. I think the desire for physical proximity really works with The Wife’s Lament. One Too Many Mornings works for the feeling of physical, but more importantly, temporal distance. The tortuous, and at the same time mundane passing of time, and the feeling of it being too late.

Wulf and Eadwacer - Farewell Wanderlust - The Amazing Devil

I struggled with this one. Another song considered was Better Man by Pearl Jam but I think Farewell Wanderlust works better even if it's less specific. It's got the anger, frustration, heartbreak, and defeat going for it. 

Dream of the Rood - The Becoming - Nine Inch Nails 

I decided no church music was allowed which made this one harder. I decided to lean into the slight body horror of the description of the cross shifting between bloodstained and bejewelled. Also: “He’s covered with scabs he’s broken and sore” just like Jesus! Obviously this doesn’t really suit the glorious tone the poem was going for, but I personally found the poem a bit unsettling.

Judith - Glory and Gore - Lorde | The Dismemberment Song - Blue Kid

Glory and Gore definitely fits the tone of the poem best, it's hard to explain why without going line by line, but trust me this one is exceptionally good for Judith. The Dismemberment Song is here even though it's not quite right, because it was suggested to me and it made me laugh. Content warning though, it is very clinically detailed about, you know, dismemberment.

The Battle of Maldon - Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

This one is pretty obvious right? I came so very close to including Waterloo by ABBA as well, but I do have some restraint.

History of the Kings of Britain - Set Fire to the Rain - Adele | Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears

Set Fire to the Rain is for Igerna. All that love, and vulnerability, and secrets, and distrust. This song is just about Igerna to me now, it's pretty perfect for her. Everybody Wants to Rule the World works really well for Arthurian legend. “Nothing ever lasts forever, everybody wants to rule the world”

The Mabinogi - Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac | She’s Always A Woman - Billy Joel

Rhiannon is ludicrously obvious, I don’t think I need to explain. She’s Always A Woman is also about Rhiannon, specifically how Pwyll defends her and keeps her as his queen even though everyone is against her.

Lanval - Who is She? - I Monster | Come Wander With Me - Jeff Alexander

I feel like a magical woman appearing out of nowhere to be your girlfriend would actually be pretty trippy, hence Who is She? Come Wander With Me is a bit more suitable tonally. Have fun wandering off, never to be seen again, Lanval!

Ancrene Wisse - Agoraphobia - Deerhunter

As you might expect, from a song called Agoraphobia, this works well for anchoresses. The lyrics match the actual daily life of an anchoress surprisingly well.

Middle English Lyrics - Luck Be a Lady - Frank Sinatra

With regard to The Lady Dame Fortune is both frende and foe

Sir Orfeo - Frozen Pines - Lord Huron | Word Spins Madly On - The Weepies

Frozen Pines captures the frozen-in-time-ness and its about seeking a lost loved one in the woods. It's perfect. World Spins Madly On works because time has also very much not frozen, and they are apart from one another, knowing, and at the same time not knowing, where the other is. Honourable mention to Nothing Takes the Place of You by Toussaint McCall, which just wasn’t quite right, but has a maturity the other two lack.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight I - Family Friend - The Vaccines

Poor Gawain is the only responsible adult at court. Jokes aside, this is a really good character song for Gawain.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight II-III - All in Green Went My Love Riding - Joan Baez

I’ve mentioned this one before. It's too perfect not to include.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight IV - Little Lion Man - Mumford and Sons

Another character portrait for my favourite boy Gawain! This also works for him in Morte d’Arthur. He tries so hard, and always comes just a little bit short, and then blames himself mercilessly.

Canterbury Tales – General Prologue - Prologue: Into the Woods - Stephen Sondheim

I’ll be honest, I had no idea what to do for this one, but I committed to a song per reading. It does work well in a way. They are both prologues that introduce a billion archetypal characters at once, tell you what they want, and make fun of the a little. Sondheim could have done a kick-ass musical adaptation of The Canterbury Tales.

Piers Plowman – Prologue - Land of the Believer - The Weather Girls

Club music perilously close to gospel music, I wouldn’t be surprised if this genuinely was about Jesus and religion. I considered skipping Piers Plowman because we didn’t actually go over it in class, but I’m a completionist.

Chaucer – Canterbury Tales – The Miller’s Tale - You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi

Oh Absolon… I considered going with Tainted Love, but I needed a ridiculous song for a ridiculous story.

Chaucer – Canterbury Tales – The Miller’s Tale - Put the Blame on Mame - “Rita Hayeworth” Anita Ellis

On the other hand, Put the Blame on Mame is about a beautiful woman being blamed for disasters both natural and human, but which is supposed to, in my opinion, make you think about how ridiculous it is to actually blame a woman for that kind of thing.

Julian of Norwich – A Revelation of Love - Space Age Love Song - A Flock of Seagulls

I love taking songs that aren’t supposed to be about Jesus and making them about Jesus, and Jesus in the role of alien girlfriend is funny to me. That said, it does work really well for the transcendent vibe of medieval mysticism.

The Book of Margery Kempe - Crazy - Gnarls Barkley | Policy of Truth - Depeche Mode

I found it a bit difficult to take Margery seriously at first, because she is patently a ridiculous person, but is she really crazy just because others think she is? Trying to think of songs for her is actually what made me take more seriously what her life was like. She experienced many dangers and a lot of persecution for living her truth, hence Policy of Truth.

The Book of Margery Kempe - Sad Eyed  Lady of the Lowlands - Joan Baez

A singular, and shockingly untouchable woman.

Second Shepherd’s Play - Mack the Knife - Ella Fitzgerald | Sheep - Pink Floyd

I admit, these are both kind of joke songs, but they do work! Mack because Mac, sheep because sheep.

Second Shepherd’s Play - Under Pressure - Queen and David Bowie

The slightly more serious choice for this play. It matches the complaining of the shepherds at the beginning of the play, and it has references to prayer, and a desire for change that works given it is a nativity play.

Noah’s Flood - Rain on Me - Lady Gaga (feat. Ariana Grande)

Okay, hear me out. I know it's a club song, but it's actually perfect for Noah’s wife. I can’t go line by line, but it expresses disappointment with a relationship, be it with God or Noah, but it also expresses gratitude for being alive, even though they wish they were “dry” , a reference to rain, and alcohol.

The Crucifixion - Blowing��� in the Wind - Joan Baez

This one was really hard without just choosing a song literally about the crucifixion, which would be cheating. Blowing in the Wind is about ignorance and apathy to human suffering, which is also what characterises the Roman soldiers. Also, yes, I will pick the Joan Baez version of every song I can. Thank you for asking.

Mankind -  WWJD - The Axis of Awesome | Out of Touch - Hall and Oates

Mankind - Send Them Off! - Bastille

WWJD is another joke song, but you can’t tell me a group of demons in a morality play wouldn’t sing this. Like the demons in the play, it humorously pokes at a question people would really be asking about how they are supposed to ever live up to Jesus. Out of Touch and Send Them Off! are more straightforwardly readable as Mankind singing to/for Mercy.

Morte d’Arthur, book 1 - Tower Song - Martha Wainright | In the Blood (feat. Ashley Barrett) - Darren Korb

Tower Song is my other song for Igerna. It works along the same lines as Ste Fire to the Rain, but it's a little more vicious. I was torn about including In the Blood, even though it works well for Arthur, because of course it does, I transposed one young hero who is the future of his people, onto another. I still think the Arthurian angle changes the way the song reads enough for it to work, though.

Morte d’Arthur,  book 8 - Happy Ending - MIKA | Heavy Crown - Trixie Mattel

For Happy Ending, please see my previous post on Lancelot and Guinevere. Heavy Crown is for Arthur, “Winning’s losing with a couple strings [...] Gotta be the last to know”, I think it suits the melancholy of all the lost glory Camelot, and how inevitable the whole thing felt to Arthur the second he was confronted by Agravaine and Mordred about Guinevere and Lancelot

[electricrogue]

Top five songs to listen to for writing fanfics for the ask game, please. :)

I don't exactly work like that xD.

Like normally I either create a playlist for a specific work and then I start writing (I only did that three times and not with fanfic per se, long story). Or I pick a song and write a songfic - did that a few times too. Or it's just whatever I have on my Spotify playlist at the moment.

Or if I'm feeling really crazy - I did that only once but it worked and I am proud of it because I nailed it so I will mention it here even though it wasn't fanfic - I just put my playlist on shuffle took the first song that came up and wrote a chapter on it.

... but none of this is actually answering your ask. So I will give you something else. Songs I might find myself listening to while writing certain stuff. Not a top because different genres different songs so apples and oranges you know xD. Also disclaimer I have a thing for girls in metal bonus points if they have an apocalypse kink so *shrugs*. And I have a bigger thing for Sharon den Adel so yeah xD

That being said...

for smut stuff - Bad Things - Jace Everett - bit on the nose I know but eh xD. Plus Sharon doesn't do porn lyrics wise at least

for family stuff... I didn't write much in this direction but if I would I would definitely go with Safe and Sound - My Indigo

not sure what I would apply this to? Maybe a fucked up AU? But it is a very cinematic song and I have been obsessed with it lately so I am mentioning it. Is There Anybody Out There - Beyond the Black

if it's something more action packed... Like 80% of Within Temptation songs would work here. But probably either Trophy Hunter or Raise Your Banner

and for fluffy lovey dovey stuff the ultimate Teslen song sorry I don't make the rules :D. October and April - The Rasmus and Anette Olzen

[youareinlovees]

I thought the ATW10 performance on SNL was great and her two interviews were good but yeah the film premiere she definitely didn’t seem to be doing great, she looked so tired and the interviewers were trying to bring up Jake which clearly annoyed her. I think the combo of Joe suddenly going back to work out of the country, having to move all her release stuff up a week (including finishing her videos) because of Adele and the whole internet (including fans) constantly making Jake and scarf jokes completely running it into the ground. Not surprised she wrote something like “they’re bringing up my history, but you aren’t even listening” around then.

.

[a-moment-captured]

but i also do feel like he could tour this album! people tour their most vulnerable albums all the time:

adele being able to sing songs from 30 (and all her other albums tbh), ariana grande with thank u next, i’m sure mac would’ve toured his swimming album if he was still here, amy winehouse with back to black and even her frank album had very vulnerable songs, the list goes on

of course i can see why some people think it’s not a touring album and why he might not do it - as he’s never been this vulnerable throughout a complete body of work before, but i wouldn’t completely write off the idea. maybe he’ll do it but won’t rap all the songs from it. he’s also doing some festivals so we’ll see what the set list is like for those.

but that’s my opinion!

It’ll be interesting to see how he incorporates this album in with his shows. With this album stripping down to who Jackman is, not Jack, I think could be a little harder for him to do on a tour.

Adele and Ariana were further into their career when they wrote such emotional and honest albums.

I definitely haven’t written it off yet but with Jack, you never know. We were never anticipating a new album and definitely not what he gave us.

I’m still speechless over the album. I’m on my way for a getaway weekend and will listen to it on the way.

[naturalblue22]

tagged by @edwardbateman

17 questions

Nickname: don't have one because i like my name the way it is

Sign: so you want to know my birthdate? 🤨

Height: so you want to know my height? 🤨 mayhaps my fingerprints as well? a nice description of my face? 🤨🤨

Last thing I googled: 'lenny face'

Song stuck in my head: 'drama' by txt

Number of followers: hundreds of zombies and like two active mutuals

Amount of sleep: a good amount

Lucky number: 22! the number two twice is so simple yet satisfying

Dream job: gold smith who gets gold, silver and precious stones for free and is highly demanded

Wearing: black turtleneck + jeans (i looked exactly like Steve Jobs <-this is a joke stolen from my immortal, the greatest fanfiction of all times)

movies/books that summarize me: my atlas from 1874 because i'm also beautiful and have no idea how to pronounce chinese cities

favourite song: that's a difficult question... maybe 'river lea' by Adele because you know how it is with bodies of water

favourite instrument: to play: clarinet; to listen to: harp and guqin

aesthetic: clothes: fashion coward; room decoration: some vintage things, some paper stuck somewhere, some bamboo and three billy shelves i try to ignore. my 'a e s t h e t i c' pinterest board is kind of hard to describe, there're a lot of old perfume bottles, interesting textiles, painted porcelain and cats. and definitely something like dark academia because i like pretty books and wax seals

favourite author: idk, i don't tend to read many books from the same author anymore. Yoko Ogawa wrote two very good books but idk what her other works are like...

favourite animal noise: purring and my cat's sleeptalking, blackbirds singing.

random: ummm i ate noodles today

[d-criss-news]

20 Questions With Darren Criss: How Acting Has Helped Him Make New Music

While Darren Criss has graced our TV screens with a range of characters, from high schooler Blaine Anderson on Glee to serial killer Andrew Cunanan on The Assassination of Gianni Versace, he was last spotted just being himself, on our For You Page on TikTok. “I’m walking to rehearsal with a guitar on my back with a Trader Joe’s bag ... I did not bring an umbrella because I forgot that it was raining. I’m rocking that NYC musician life,” the Glee alum explained in the hilarious clip posted three days ago.

While Criss’ acting work has earned him acclaim and stardom, he leaned into making music during the pandemic. On Aug. 20, he dropped a new EP, Masquerade, featuring five new tracks that Criss says were inspired by the different characters Criss has embraced throughout his career. After Criss wrote songs for his musical comedy web series Royalties and Apple TV+’s animated sitcom Central Park before the pandemic struck the United States, he then used those experiences as a precursor to his new EP. As Criss continues to promote his new music, he answered 20 of Billboard's questions – giving us a peek into how his new EP came together, and how growing up in San Fransisco shaped him as an actor, singer and all-around artist.

1. What inspired your latest project, Masquerade?

Although I would have preferred that it come at a far less grim cost, I finally had the time. Before the pandemic, I had written 10 new songs for my show Royalties -- along with an original song for Disney and another for Apple’s Central Park. These were all assignments in which I was writing for a certain scenario and character. Go figure. It was the most music I had ever written in a calendar year. This really emboldened me to rethink how I made my own music— to start putting a focus on “character creation” in my songs, rather than personal reflection. The latter was not proving to be as productive. The alchemy of having this time and having set a new intention with my own songwriting and producing made me put on a few of my favorite masques and throw myself a Masquerade.

2. How do you think your background as an actor complements your music?

They are one and the same to me. I treat acting roles like musical pieces— dialogue is like scoring a melody; there’s pace, dynamics, cadence, tone. Physical characterization is like producing -- zeroing in on the bass line, deciding on the kick pattern. Vocal characterization is like choosing the right sonic experience, choosing the most effective snare sound, and mixing the high end or low end. It goes without saying that it works in the complete opposite direction. Making each song is taking on a different role literally and employing the use of different masques to maximize the effectiveness of the particular story being told.

3. On Instagram  you wrote that “Masquerade is a small collection of the variety of musical masques that have always inspired me.” Which track do you identify with most in your real life?

Everybody absorbs songs differently. Some key into the lyrics, some into the melody, some the production, some into vocal performance. When I listen to songs, I consider all of their value on totally different scales. So it’s hard to say if there’s any track I “identify” with more than any others, since I -- by nature -- identify with all of them. I think I just identify with certain aspects more than others. If it helps for a more interesting answer, I will say I enjoy the slightly more classical, playful -- dare I say -- more Broadway-leaning wordplay of “Walk of Shame,” but that’s just talking about lyricism. I enjoy the attitude of “F*kn Around,” the batsh--t musicality of “I Can’t Dance,” the relentless grooves of “Let’s” and “For A Night Like This.” All have different ingredients I really enjoy having an excuse to dive into.

4. What’s the first piece of music that you bought for yourself, and what was the medium?

Beatles audio cassettes: “Help” and “Hard Day’s Night.” I just listened on repeat on a tape-playing Walkman until my brother and I got a stereo for our room with a CD player in it, which was  when I just bought the same two albums again, but this time as compact discs.

5. What was the first concert you saw?It’s hard to say, because my parents took us to a lot of classical concerts when we were small. But I guess this question usually refers to what was the first concert you went to on your own volition, and that my friend, was definitely Warped Tour ’01. My brother and I went on our own— two teenagers going to their first music festival, in the golden age of that particular genre and culture. It was f--king incredible.

6. What did your parents do for a living when you were a kid?

My dad was in private banking and advised really, really wealthy people on how to handle their money. My mom was, by choice, a stay-at-home mom, but in reality, she was my dad’s consigliere. They discussed absolutely everything together. They were a real team, and I saw that every single day in the house. They both had a background in finance (That’s how they met in the first place.) and were incredibly skilled at all the hardcore adulting things that I absolutely suck at. They were total finance wizards together. So of course, instead of becoming an accountant, I picked up playing the guitar and ran as far I could with it. Luckily, they were all about it.

7. What was your favorite homecooked meal growing up?

My dad was an incredible chef. For special occasions, I’d request his crab cakes. They were unreal. I’ve never had a crab cake anywhere in the world that was good as my dad’s.

8. Who made you realize you could be an artist full-time?

I don’t know if I’ve actually realized that yet.

9. What’s at the top of your professional bucket list?

The specifics change every day, but the core idea at the top is to continue being consistently inconsistent with my choices, and to keep getting audiences to constantly reconsider their consideration of me. But I mean, sure, what performer doesn’t want to play Coachella? What songwriter doesn’t want to have Adele sing one of their songs? What actor doesn’t want to be in a Wes Anderson film?

10.  How did your hometown/city shape who you are?

San Francisco. I mean, come on. I was really lucky. The older I get, the more grateful I am for just being born and raised there. It’s an incredibly diverse, culturally rich, colorful, inclusive, vibrant city. By the time I was born, it had served as a beacon for millions of creative, out-of-the-box thinkers to gather and thrive. I grew up around that. The combination of that with having parents, who were unbelievably supportive of the arts themselves, laid an incredibly fortunate foundation to consider the life of an artist as a legitimately viable option. It’s a foundation that I am supremely aware is not the case for millions of young artists around the world. I was absurdly lucky.

11.  What’s the last song you listened to?

I mean probably one of mine, but not by choice. I know, lame. But I’m promoting a new EP, what’d you expect? But if you wanna know what I’ve been listening to, as far as new s--t is concerned: a lot of Lizzy McAlpine, Remi Wolf, and Charlie Burg.

12.  If you could see any artist in concert, dead or alive, who would it be?

The Beatles is an obvious "yeah, duh." Sammy Davis, Mel Tormé, or of course, Nat King Cole. I would’ve loved to see Howard Ashman give a lecture on his creative process and his body of work.

13. What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen happen in the crowd of one of your sets?

I feel like just having a crowd at all, at any one of my sets, is pretty wild enough.

14. What’s your karaoke go-to?

The real answer to this I’ll write into a book one day, because I have a lot to say about karaoke etiquette. I have two options here: I can either name a song that I like to sing for me, for fun, or I can name a song that really gets the group going. The answer depends on what kind of karaoke night we’re dealing with here. So I will say, after I’ve selected a ton of songs that services a decent enough party vibe for everyone else, then I would do one for me, and that would be the Beatles’ “Oh! Darling.”

15. What’s one thing your most devoted fans don’t know about you?

What I have up my sleeve.

16. What TV show did you binge-watch over the past year?

Dave is a stroke of genius. There are episodes that I believe are bona fide masterpieces. Also, My Brilliant Friend is a masterclass in cinematic television.

17. What movie, or song, always makes you cry?

It’s A Wonderful Life.

18. What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?

Get used to sharing everything about yourself and your life now, or more astutely, to the idea that you don’t necessarily get to control how your life is shared. I know it’s not really your thing, but you’re gonna have to get used to it, so start building up those calluses now. And don’t worry, all the stuff you love now will be cool again in your mid-thirties, so keep some of those clothes because you’ll be a full-blown fashion icon if you just keep wearing exactly what you’re wearing. Oh nd also, put money into Apple and Facebook.

19.  What new hobby did you take on in the last year?

I’ve always been a linguaphile. My idea of leisure time is getting to study or review other languages. This past year, I took the time to finally dive into learning how to read, write, and speak Japanese. Other than making music, it was one of the biggest components of my 2020-2021.

20. What do you hope to accomplish or experience by the end of 2021?

I hope I get to play live shows again.

[omegalomania]

I think tumblr ate my ask or it just didn't sent but what are your favorite Bastille songs / what are some songs you recommend?

i did NOT get this ask im very sorry anon.

it's genuinely hard for me to narrow down cause bastille is pretty up there in terms of favorite artists. i love all their shit, but a special mention goes out to their second studio album wild world since it's the one that made me a Fan

uh so here's a primer i guess i spent too much time on this lmao.

if you wanna listen to their big hits:

flaws - their first single in the uk. if you ever listened to ship playlists on 8tracks in like 2013-2015 then you've probably heard this song or a variant on it at some point.

pompeii - this is the song that really put them on the map and you definitely know it. it dominated the charts all over the place.

happier - the marshmello song that you've definitely heard before too. i think bastille wrote this for justin bieber or some shit but then decided they liked it too much to give it to him? lmao. anyway if you're not digging the version you hear on the radio all the time i recommend trying the stripped down version

good grief - their big hit off their second album. big in the uk, didn't really make as many waves elsewhere, but it's a really solid song anyway. one of those "upbeat tunes that's actually really fucking sad" ones

things we lost in the fire - another one off their first album. if you live in a wildfire area this might not be one to turn to. or maybe you'll find it cathartic idk i certainly do!!

quarter past midnight - a song about escapism, as was fitting when it was released in 2018 and equally fitting now. running away for a night of fucking around with friends, craving any kind of brief departure from the chaos of the modern world

skulls - this one was not a hit or a single and is technically a bonus track but i'm including it because once again if you ever clicked on a ship playlist on 8tracks in like 2013-2015 you've heard this one. and you know what that was justified this one is also good

if you wanna feel existentially depressed:

their whole discography. i mean i kid but i also don't. that's just kind of how bastille does it. BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS ones that hit me in particular would beeee

two evils - kind of a grim, haunting one introspecting about morality of the self.

oblivion - musing about the afterlife, love, and how time changes all of us.

those nights - contemplating what it is we seek when we plunge into reckless escapism, and the inherent loneliness of it; how even when surrounded by people there's still the pressure of the world outside, continuously coming to pieces

the draw - this one was written about the pull of pursuing a career in music vs. staying home with family and friends. in a broader sense, it can apply to a lot of things. i always felt it resonated with feelings of paranoia and displacement

winter of our youth - discusses childhood, nostalgia, and regret. if it feels like everything's slipping away, is it easier to relive the past, especially if the past is tinted rose?

sleepsong - loneliness, desperation, and the cyclical, abyss-like nature of all it encapsulates

if you want discussion of serious topics:

final hour - a bonus track off their second album that also became a bonus track off their third album? anyway this song talks about climate change and gun control. happy stuff

doom days - this one talks about, uh, everything! doomscrolling, political divides, escalating national tensions, climate change again, etc.

the currents - a song centered on political rhetoric and the power that figureheads have over the masses, the way they can orchestrate hate. basically it's not so subtly aimed at donald trump lmao, dan's literally sung it as much in a few live settings

WHAT YOU GONNA DO??? - social media addiction and the way capitalism and corporate interests have annexed our online experiences, fighting desperately for our attention as they seek to monetize every available aspect of our lives

four walls (the ballad of perry smith) - well this one is about uh. perry smith. who was charged with the death penalty for killing 4 people in the late 50's. but it's less directly about him and more a discussion of the morality of the death penalty and capital punishment

snakes - burgeoning anxieties and the impulse to turn to easy outs, like ignorance or alcoholism, to escape the world's global problems

if you want some pop culture sprinkled on top:

icarus - greek mythology. i like this one because it addresses something that i feel isn't addressed enough in discussions of this myth, which is that icarus is a very young lad. less about the pride of the fall, and more about the inherent tragedy of that.

laura palmer - the whole song is a david lynch shoutout. i've never seen twin peaks myself but the song still slaps.

daniel in the den - christian mythology. discusses the biblical tale of daniel in the lion's den and links that up to themes of betrayal and family.

poet - this one's a double feature, referencing both william shakespeare's sonnet 18 and edmund spencer's sonnet 75. also one of my favorites.

send them off! - this is another one of my favorites of theirs. it's also been described by dan as "othello meets the exorcist" and it very much delivers there

if you want something uplifting:

joy - while bastille (understandably) has a bit of reputation as a band that makes sad music about sad things, they've definitely got some happier songs in their catalogue. pun intended cha ching. this one's one of their more straightforwardly happy tunes

survivin' - this was a song they wrote while they were touring and then felt weird about releasing once the panini hit because it felt a bit on the nose. they ended up releasing it anyway and i am so glad they did cause it's a mood

act of kindness - the "happy" part here is debatable but i'm gonna include it anyway. it’s when someone does something nice for you and that impulse Changes you way down deep you know???

warmth - one of those "the world's going to shit but at least we have each other" kinds of tunes

the anchor - one of those "the world's going to shit but you're the one fucking thing that's still keeping me here" kinds of tunes

give me the future - their latest single as of this writing and one of the more optimistic tracks in their catalogue imo! it's yearning, but it's also with a genuine hope for the future.

and LASTLY. because im going to take every chance i can to plug this band. im going to throw some collabs and covers at you because there's one thing this band does SUPER well and it's collabs and covers.

of the night - this is the big one. it mashes up rhythm of the night by corona and rhythm is a dancer by SNAP! and it's so good they still do this one live and it goes off every time.

no angels - a mashup of "no scrubs" by TLC and "angels" by the xx, poured into a strangely mournful tune with clips from the hitchcock movie psycho. doesn't sound like it should work but it does. kinda really does.

torn apart - with GRADES and lizzo no less!!! it's got two parts but they're both excellent listen to them both

weapon - collab with angel haze, dan priddy, and F*U*G*Z and one of my absolute favorites

remains - remix of their song "skulls" but featuring rag'n'bone man and skunk anansie that adds an entire new dimension to the song, really fucking excellent

old town road mashup - lil nas x's old town road meets lizzo's good as hell meets radiohead's talk show host meets talking heads' road to nowhere meets the osmond's crazy horse. "what the fuck that shouldn't work" i KNOW and yet here it is!! BLATANTLY BANGING!!!

we can't stop - one of the few times dan smith subtly changes the lyrics of the song he's covering (most of the time he opts to keep the original pronouns and the like, which is very nice to see). anyway this one mixes miley cyrus's we can't stop with eminem's lose yourself and billy ray cyrus's achy breaky heart. and also the lion king's i just can't wait to be king is there. yes i know it sounds batshit especially because the whole thing is surprisingly melodic and heartfelt and you know what it works.

anyone but me x nightmares - mashing up joy crookes' anyone but me with easy life's nightmares and absolutely one of my favorites.

bad guy mashup - how many songs can they include with the word "bad" in the title? we've got bad guy (billie eilish), bad decisions (bastille), bad romance (lady gaga), and bad blood (taylor swift). bastille even has a song called bad blood and they didnt use it. they used taylor swift's version. also the distinctive guitar riff from dick dale's misirlou is there.

somebody mashup - how many songs can they include with the word "some" in the title? someone like you (adele), somebody told me (the killers), somebody to love (queen), use somebody (kings of leon), and someone you loved (lewis capaldi). seriously these guys take mashups to a new level.

final song - this is a cover of MØ's final song. it also adds in craig david's 7 days and, impossibly enough, europe's final countdown. how does it work. how.

ALL RIGHT. THATS ALL IVE GOT IN ME. HOPE THIS HELPED ANON AND IM SORRY IF THIS IS TOO MUCH

[tesslahey]

pretty boy- rafe cameron

pairings: rafe cameron x fem!reader

warnings: fluff

a/n: this just came to me so i wrote it down. short lil blurb bc im bored and dont feel like sleeping. i hope u like it. also school has been fucking exhausting so i cant upload that much merp:( #howdoitellmyparentsiwanttodropoutandbecomeafulltimefanfictionwriter

*DISCLAIMER- I say chick-fila a lot, its a fast food chain, if you don’t know it, I’m sorry, I’m just sorry for you.*

kissy

-tess

masterlist

You and Rafe have been dating for a few months now, so you were still in the beginning phase of your relationship. You wouldn’t say it was the honeymoon phase, because you struggled with anxiety and Rafe has been struggling with addiction for a while now. 50% of your relationship was comforting each other.

However, these days were your favorite. You would pick up Rafe after school and drive around, without a destination, just enjoying each others company. Driving was your only escape from your mind, so you spent, a lot of time in the car. And Rafe didn’t mind, in fact, he found it cute the way you looked so relaxed and care free. 

He thought you were the most beautiful person he’d ever seen. Being a rich kid with daddy’s money, lots of girls flocked toward him, normally with the intention of reaping the benefits of his wealth. However, you weren’t like that. You often talked about how you thought money was a pointless idea to measure the worth of humans, and Rafe could listen to you speak on things you were interested in for hours. 

You rolled down the windows as you neared tanny hill, while blaring your favorite music at the moment. Rafe closed the door to his house, or “estate” to be technical, and headed toward your black jeep wrangler. Bug. That was the name you gave your car. You didn’t have an explanation as to why that was the name. It just came to you. 

“Rafael” that was your greeting for Rafe, and when you greeted him in any other way, he always assumed you were mad at him. 

“Y/n/n, looking delightful as always.” he replied while shutting your door. 

“So I was thinking we pick up chick-fila and drive as far as bugs will take us before she can’t breath, then we hitch-hike home. Sound like a plan?”

“I can’t think of anything I would like more. Except a new girlfriend maybe.”

“Watch your mouth Cameron. You loose aux privileges after that one.”

You both buckled your seatbelts and left off for your unknown destination. Chick-fila first of course. 

Your playlist was very, abstract, as Rafe liked to call it. In one car ride, you went from Adele, to Asap Ferg, to One Direction, to the Beatles. 

The first song to come on was Jesse’s Girl. Rafe your chapstick as a microphone while singing, horribly, but definitely singing. You couldn’t help but laugh at the boy.

You picked up your chick-fila, ordering 2 extra orders of fries, for the road of course. Rafe leaned over the center console to ask for barbecue sauce, which baffled you. After you pulled away from the ordering microphone, you turned your head in disgust.

“Did you really just ask for barbecue sauce from chick-fila.”

“Yeah why”

“How could you order barbecue sauce when chick-fila sauce exists. I might have to break up with you right now. That is a red flag I can’t ignore.”

“Chick-fila barbecue sauce is elite, no discussion.”

“Yeah whatever I’ll remember this.”

You got your food and ate your road fries. One of your favorite songs came on, Chasing Pavements by Adele. You belted the song at the top of your lungs. Rafe always told you that your voice was too good to ignore, but singing was your escape. You didn’t want it to be anything other than that. And he was probably biased anyway. 

You drove to a lookout to finish your food. You brought blankets and laid them out to stargaze, one of your favorite past times. You always loved astrology, and could talk about it forever. Rafe had his arm wrapped around you while you rested your arm on his chest. You occasionally looked up at him, and he would lean down and peck your lips, then your nose, and finally your forehead. 

In that moment, you wished you could take a picture, and show the whole world that this is the Rafe Cameron that you love. Not the disappointment of a son, or the unavailable brother, or the rich kid coke addict, but the sweet and loving person that he is. 

You dozed off to the sound of his heart beating under you. The next thing you knew, he was carrying you to the car. He put the blanket on top of you and put the top on the wrangler, because it got colder once the sun went down. He got in the drivers seat, and drove away from your secret hideout. 

You woke up when you were about 20 minutes from Kildare. You yawned and stretched at much as you could in your car. 

“Good morning love” Rafe said while looking down at you and smiling.

‘Eyes on the road Cameron.” You replied in your sleepy voice. 

He just laughed at relaxed into his seat. You couldn’t help but stare at him. How his messed up hair flowed in front of his hair. How the moonlight gave his eyes a watery look. He looked so pretty. 

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” he commented. And you took your phone out and snapped a picture before he could react. 

“I didn't mean literally.”

“well now I can look at it forever. your a pretty boy you know that right Rafael?

He looked surprised by the comment. He wasn’t used to the feminine compliment, since his dad made him feel like anything feminine was weak. But in that moment, he felt strong. 

Like he had everything he’d ever want. And she was sitting next to him.

a/n- JNDJNWNR#UN i rlly love this so very much and im passing away now. this is my dream relashionship right here. BYE LOVES i dont know you but i love you.

[toraashi]

Haikyuu Boys as Songs From My “Songs I’ve Cried To At 3am” Playlist

A/N: Hello all! No, I did not need to make this, but I hope you enjoy it because I did spend a lot of time on it 😂. This playlist is literally all over the place, so hopefully this is entertaining lmao

[ All of the songs have YouTube links on them if you want to hear them! They’re all amazing songs! ]

Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6jdHk3a83shoAGgG7mPw21?si=x77gHbPwQ1eja-ehrljOLw

Karasuno:

Hinata: Sofia by Clairo. It’s actually kind of a happy song and Hinata is a ray of sunshine. I cried to it purely because of the line “I think we could do it if we tried.” LIKE I WAS SOBBING

Kageyama: Bravado by Lorde. I cried to this when I was a kid and I’ve assigned it to him because of it’s like about her rising above her shortcomings to embrace her career/fame and Kageyama basically did that when he chilled out from the king of the court thing

Suga: Epiphany by BTS because he learned to let go of his envy of Kageyama and be happy for his team and himself even though he wasn’t on the starting line-up

Daichi: Not About Angels by Birdy and Next To You from Parasyte cuz that’s the part where the girl dies. Rest in Peace Daichi 😔💔🪦 some angels leave us too soon

Tsukki: Car Radio by Twenty One Pilots. Idk he just screams TOP to me

Yamaguchi: Literally this OST from Mulan where she cuts all her hair off. Also Bravado by Lorde and Epiphany by BTS because he radiates all of those “overcoming my weaknesses and mental barriers to become my best self” vibes

Nishinoya: Training Wheels by Melanie Martinez because of the scene of him biking as a kid he used to be scared of everything and now he’s not and I just love my baby boi

Tanaka: If You’re Not The One by Daniel Bedingfield because he would sing that to Kiyoko TELL ME HE WOULDN’T YOU CANNOT BECAUSE HE WOULD BECAUSE THEY LOVE EACH OTHER ugly cries

Seijoh:

Oikawa: Girl From Mars by Cosmic Child because space AND BECAUSE IT’S LITERALLY ABOUT SOMEONE WHO HIDES THEIR SADNESS AND THAT’S OIKAWA HE’S DEPRESSED. That’s self-explanatory. And the Most Beautiful Moment In Life by BTS because it’s literally about Suga putting his all into basketball and neglecting his life to the point that he’s scared of it and I just feel like that’s Oikawa

Iwaizumi: Heart by Heart by Demi Lovato because I feel like he’d just be the best sweetest boyfriend and like the romance would just be so passionate and I- that’s all I love Iwa

Nekoma:

Kuroo: Mind over Matter by Young the Giant and Hometown Glory by Adele. Kuroo gives me intense “cute neighbor boy you’ve had a crush on forever” vibes. Mind Over Matter never fails to make me sob

Kenma: SUBWOOFER LULLABY LMAOOO and This Side of Paradise by Coyote Theory because I want to be lonely with Kenma

Lev: Class of 2013 by Mitski because Lev is def the bby of the family and 100% needed to be kicked out of the house

Yaku: Like or Like Like by Minature Tigers cuz it’s happy and I just can’t imagine Yaku as anything but happy or maybe frustrated tbh. I’m not sure why I cried to this song but I definitely did.

Fukurodani:

Bokuto: Always Forever by Cults. I want to be with Bokuto always forever and it’s just so sweet and pure and that’s Kou for you and I just love him and this song makes me feel so much. And One of One by Duendita because that’s how he’d make his s/o feel. I’m not wrong.

Akaashi: GOLD RUSH BY TAYLOR SWIFT. WHY? Because Akaashi is absolutely stunning and that’s what the song talks about. ALSO THIS OST FROM HXH BECAUSE IT’S THE PART WHERE KILLUA IS LIKE “GON YOU ARE LIGHT” AND THAT’S LITERALLY HOW AKAASHI FEELS ABOUT BOKUTO TELL ME I’M WRONG YOU CAN’T. Also Everything I Wanted by Billie Eilish because he would. HE WOULD. No.1 Reliable boi Kaashi

Shiratorizawa:

Ushijima: Ghostin by Ariana Grande because I want to ghost him. Not really but like the only pity I ever had for him was when his parents bullied him for being left-handed like wtf was that

Tendo: …yeah I cried to Unravel from Tokyo Ghoul at 3am, but listen I’m giving it to Tendo because he did not deserve to be called a monster like he is literally an angel and I’m glad he embraced it but like TF HE WAS A CHILD.

Semi: 505 by Arctic Monkeys. Semi the actual celebrity. He writes music like this. Semi deadass would write this song. Semi is a sex icon as an adult for sure. He deserves this song

Inarizaki:

Kita: New Year’s Day by Taylor Swift. Kita is the one to enjoy the domestic moments in life after the party with. He’d stay and help you pick up the party, HE’S LITERALLY PERFECT OKAY?? And Wait by M83. It just gives me Kita vibes.

Aran: The Night by Lovewave. It’s so calm like my boy Aran is and like just imagine walking home late at night with him and then like parting ways forever. It just screams Aran.

Osamu: SATISFIED FROM HAMILTON. Yeah, I cried to this because I have a little sister. And Osamu gives me intense “I sacrifice a lot for my impulsive sibling and they don’t see it” vibes 

Atsumu: NUMBER 1 PARTY ANTHEM by Artic Monkeys. This song literally just screams Atsumu. I can’t explain it. Sexy, heartbroken Atsumu trying to hit up a girl at the bar as a distraction just to find out she’s taken just immediately reminds me of Atsumu. Also Boyish by Japanese Breakfast cuz I wrote a fic about it. 

Suna: Quit by Cashmere Cat and Ariana Grande. Idk. It just makes me think of him. Maybe it’s because it talks about the person she’s leaving like a drug and Suna gives me intense stoner vibes.

Other:

Sakusa: Clean by Taylor Swift 🤷🏻‍♀️

MASTERLISTS

Send Requests Here!

[marvella15]

Astaire and Rogers Rewatch Part 11: Kisses, Partnership, and Final Thoughts

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made 10 films together. That’s more than Judy Garland and Andy Hardy. More than Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Almost one-third of Astaire’s musical filmography also stars Rogers. That’s incredible by the standards of any decade. 

I’ve had a lot of thoughts throughout this rewatch and I’ve distilled some of the larger ones into this wrap-up post. So here we go.

Kisses

It felt important to talk about the kisses and distinct lack of them in their own section. As I mentioned in my Carefree post, Astaire didn’t like big romantic scenes, especially those that involved kissing. He preferred to let the romance happen in the dancing. 

But here’s the problem with that:

After he made his last RKO film with Ginger Rogers, Astaire went on to make many more musicals with other leading ladies and he kissed all of them. 

Look at 1941’s “You’ll Never Get Rich” with Rita Hayworth. Or Holiday Inn with Virginia Dale and Marjorie Reynolds (though I can’t remember if he kisses Reynolds). Or Easter Parade with Ann Miller and Judy Garland.

Through the rest of his film career, Astaire almost always kissed his leading lady. So what was the hesitancy with Ginger Rogers?

I know it seems like I’m making this all Astaire’s “fault” but… well it kind of was. It’s not like Rogers was stomping around demanding to be kissed. But she certainly wasn’t the one going off with the script with her spouse and coming back to declare for any number of reasons why she and Astaire shouldn’t kiss in the film. On the other hand, he was definitely doing that. 

If you’re in any way thinking this was a case of “oh he didn’t like Ginger so he didn’t want to kiss her” let me stop you right there. Because you’re wrong (see my Barkleys of Broadway post as well as the Final Thoughts section here). And maybe it was the opposite.

Now look, I think you could chalk this up to Astaire being shy (which he was) or his newness to the movie business (also true) or simply an unease with romance on the screen. But it feels worth mentioning, again, that he and Rogers had a previous romantic relationship. They’d dated in New York prior to her moving to Hollywood. They also absolutely made out during that time because Rogers wrote about in her autobiography. So kissing each other was familiar territory. 

I’ll just cut to the chase. Astaire had only been married for a few months when he and Rogers started making their series of films. By all accounts, he was deeply in love with his wife, whom he had spent two years pursuing. He may have felt that repeatedly kissing his ex-girlfriend on screen while also performing some undeniably sensual dance numbers wasn’t a good idea for the health of his new marriage. 

Perhaps there were even lingering feelings between him and Rogers, though it must be noted that she was also married from 1934-1940 (to Lew Ayres). And if you have feelings for someone who is not your spouse, you need to have boundaries. Or maybe it was some combo of this and/or other factors. 

In all, the Astaire/Rogers films don’t necessarily suffer from the lack of kissing between the two leads. A strange element to this discussion is the kisses we do get prior to the first “romantic” clinch in Carefree. There’s a peck on the cheek in Gay Divorcee and a comical kiss on the lips by Rogers (and it’s mainly one-sided) in Top Hat. But why not make either of those, especially the first one, an actual kiss?? 

And if comical kisses were going to be inserted anywhere, they should land in Roberta or Follow the Fleet, the two films where Astaire and Rogers have the snarkiest relationships because their characters have a history together. 

Moreover, there are glaring moments where a kiss should obviously be. Such as somewhere in Swing Time. For goodness sake, they joke about not kissing in “A Fine Romance” and then have a scene where it appears they’ve kissed off-screen. Give us the real thing! Which they did, eventually, in Carefree and it’s… pretty lackluster imo. Their kisses in The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle and The Barkleys of Broadway look and feel much more heartfelt. 

So sure, the Astaire/Rogers films aren’t worse off for not having their leads kiss but they could have sometimes been improved. Shall We Dance’s plot hinges on a secret relationship between the two main characters and yet we never see them actually romantic together. That said, it’s a bit entertaining, if also kind of annoying, how often the plots in nearly every Astaire/Rogers film bend over backward to avoid showing us a kiss. 

(my gif)

Partnership

It’s undisputed that Rogers is Astaire’s greatest partner, both in terms of dance and on-screen companion. They play off each other remarkably well, with an ease that hints at their personal relationship. Astaire had spent most of his life partnered with his sister, Adele, so he had learned how to make a lady look good during a dance and put the audience’s focus on her. 

But Rogers doesn’t really need his help. She commands the screen so entirely at times that it takes pointed effort to look anywhere but her. Her ability to continue acting (and acting well) in the midst of dancing absolutely sets her apart from not only Astaire’s other dance partners but other musical stars of the day. A large part of what makes her dances with Astaire so enduring is that she sells the romance, rapture, and joy of those minutes with him. 

Katharine Hepburn quipped that Rogers gave Astaire “sex” and he gave her “class.” I think a more apt observation may be that he elevated/improved her dancing and she elevated/improved his acting. That makes sense to me since she was more experienced as an actress and he as a dancer. 

Doing this rewatch made me even more resolute that every critic who remarks on her lack of technical dancing skills is an idiot. Just look at “Isn’t it a Lovely Day.” She matches Astaire step for step and he’s not exactly going easy on her. 

Then there are the romantic duets. Let’s talk about the sexiness of those dances because look. Astaire had been partnered almost exclusively with his sister up until then. He’d had maybe maybe a handful of other partners prior to pairing up with Rogers on screen. 

There’s no question he was a talented performer and choreographer but I do find myself asking exactly when and how he learned to look at his partner so seductively. He certainly wasn’t doing that with his sister! 

Plus there’s the nature of his dances with Rogers. There is a heat between them that is especially pronounced during the Hays Code era of Hollywood. Even Flying Down to Rio, where they barely dance together, has some steamy moments. “Night and Day” in Gay Divorcee and, to a slightly lesser extent, “Cheek to Cheek” in Top Hat are very obviously dancing metaphors for sex. And Astaire and Rogers get away with it while also not diluting the meaning of the dance one single bit. 

Astaire crafted those dances himself specifically for himself and Rogers so he knew exactly what he was doing and communicating and so did she. For a guy who jumped through hoops to avoid kissing his dance partner on screen until their eighth film together, he sure put a lot of tension, sexuality, and deep romance into their dances. 

For her part, Rogers again matched him. Although I often commented about how much he smiles and gazes at her while they are dancing, she regularly did the same towards him. They injected softness and genuine affection into those dances. They were both good actors but it wasn’t always acting. 

(my gif)

Final Thoughts

Every time I watch one of their films, I discover something new. There’s so much I wish we knew but we never will, like what they’re whispering to each other those times we can see them talking during a dance. Or what rehearsals, which were apparently grueling but filled with laughter, really looked like (“I’ll Be Hard to Handle” in Roberta is the closest we’ll get). Or the many other ways Rogers fine-tuned their dances, adding elements here and there that made a marked difference. 

They held each other in very high regard and were extremely fond of one another. Michael Feinstein tells a story about meeting Astaire for the first time. Feinstein was playing piano at a party and Rogers, whom he knew, asked if he’d “met Fred.” When Feinstein replied he hadn’t, she took him over to meet her friend and former costar who shyly but sweetly listened to Feinstein fanboy over him. 

Astaire and Rogers remained good friends throughout their lives, with him sending her a very sweet note that she cherished about her performance in Kitty Foyle (for which she won an Oscar) and also gifting her with an ornate travel watch at one point (as mentioned in the “feather dress” section of my Top Hat post). She said he was one of the few men she knew who was an excellent dancer off-camera as well as on. Their affection for one another is evident in their films and it’s one of the many reasons I come back to their movies again and again. 

Thanks for joining me for this rewatch! I’ve gotten notes from a few of you and that’s been so kind and also a huge surprise. I was almost certain no one would read these posts lol

[bbymochiroll]

Anyone who is a beginner or curious in the world of Korean Pop~  5 album that you should listen in korean music world

The Korean music industry has become an area that attracts everyone's attention in recent years. This great effect, which started with the use of Korea's power in the field of fine arts and the right marketing, caused many people to wonder about the music produced in this sector. This thread is for all people who have trouble finding their voice in this huge world or who want to try new genres. I hope you have fun.

Number five Adult Ceremony by Park Ji Yoon

Park Ji-yoon was one of the names whose music was appreciated by a certain group of people in Korea in the past. Her music style has more of a mature and erotic ambiance and it reminds me of Bjork. If Bjork had made a soundtrack to a Korean movie from the 90s, it would definitely look like this. If you like experimental music and mature music, you should definitely check out this album.

Number four 나의 외로움이 널 부를 때 by Jang Pil-Soon

Jang Pil Soon is a vegetarian Korean musician in her mid-50s. Along with being one of the most loved names of her era, her creativity makes her stand out. People who are new to Korean music generally argue that this music genre is not artistic enough, but with the right choices, it is not difficult to find the right fish for you from this large pool. If experimental music is too heavy for you but you still want to hear new sounds and if the vocal skills of the artists are valuable to you, this is the album you are looking for. If you like people who like to make songs that stand out with their vocals like Whitney or Adele, you can deal with this album.

Number three Good Boy by Zai.Ro

The fact that male artists produce vocal-heavy romantic ambiance-based songs was something that always stood out to me in my Korean music adventure. To see the male Korean pop artists, who are usually chosen for TV series or movies, sang their romantic songs with a not very exciting background and leave the scene, frankly, I didn't find it very amusing. However, the Good Boy album is a special album that has managed to separate itself from this not so fun world. Full of intense romance and disappointment, you'll feel like you're navigating a european director's short film. If you are interested in songs by names like Norah Jones or Mariah Carey but if you find names like Lana Del Rey too negative, this is the right album for you.

Number two Full Moon by SUNMI

Even though many people criticize the Korean music as not artistic enough. some people say that they like it to be positive but they are afraid to listen because it is too loud or too different from classic american pop songs. In my opinion, Sunmi generally never got the recognition she deserved because her company didn't give her the promotion she needed. This is a situation that is unfortunately experienced in the world of Korean pop, and this is the most important reason for the criticism of American or European listeners about the similarity of all songs. It takes time for creative names to come to the fore, as all the songs prepared for marketing always get the approval of the same names. Full Moon album is a quiet pop album. If you're looking for a korean pop album that doesn't produce much poetic music like Katy Perry, but doesn't make music like the noisy korean pop music that you're prejudiced against, this is the right album for you.

Number one IN LIFE by Stray Kids

Stray Kids is a group that has been talking about a lot lately and I'm sure most of you know it. Be it the success they showed in the competitions on Korean television, and the fact that they are a group that clearly proves that they have improved themselves with each album, highlights them. The vocal abilities of the Stray Kids members are the kind I don't see much in other boy groups because the vocal skills of each member are very different from the group on their own. Even though I always see names with similar vocal abilities coming together in the member selections of boy groups under normal conditions, the situation is the opposite for stray kids and this creates a very nice ambiance. Since this album is designed purely for performance, it does not contain much poetry. So if you like house music or edm pop music this is the right album for you.

Bonus Track Outterspace by Kang Daniel

Kang Daniel's latest album Yellow is still the best Korean male pop music album released this year in my opinion. You can find the article I wrote about that album in my profile. Kang Daniel has always been a special name for me because although all of his songs have hit potential, he is one of the rare names that never changes his line. Praised by his fans for both his kind personality and hard work, Kang Daniel is also a really good name at making a poetic pop album. Outterspace is a song with modern disco overtones and I think most people will love it. If you like the popular TikTok songs today, you should definitely give this song a chance.

Thank you for reading. Please don't forget to share your favorite albums with me. We all need the power of music. All love xoxo.

[mmmleckerlecker]

Please do go off about why you chose certain chapter titles

I wanna know it all 👀

Well. I mean. *cracks knuckles* If you insist....

(putting in a read more tho cause I just break down every chapter title so it gets lengthy)

Some of them are kinda obvious and simple. Like “The Meeting” details Felix and Benji’s first meeting. Duh.

“‘Someone Like You’” is named after a quote in the chapter HOWEVER it IS a quote that comes back once Felix learns about consuming and what Mrs. Marotta truly meant when she said it.

I think “Lion’s Den” was my first ‘clever’ chapter title. There’s not really anything deeper to it than being a reference to the fact that Benji innocently walks into a house filled with preds (the majority of which have consumed fatally)

“The Truth” is simply named for the fact that it’s the chapter where Felix learns the truth about preds and consuming. However, it’s somewhat unintentional (maybe I did it subconsciously), but I think most chapters that start with ‘the’ in the title, are sort of markers for important milestones in the story/character arcs. So, for instance, so far the Big Things to happen have truly been their meeting and learning the truth

“Trust” is also pretty straightforward but I do think it’s the beginning of a sort of reoccurring theme in the story. I also just find the concept of trust fascinating, especially when it’s given to people who naturally don’t seem to deserve it (like Felix)

And then there’s “Crush”!! This chapter was definitely named after the fact that it’s about Camille’s crush on Felix. HOWEVER I liked the sound of it because it was a sort of dark foreshadowing for how their relationship would evolve as time went on.

Was the chapter “Changes” inspired a little bit by the David Bowie song? Maybe so. Do I hear it play in my head every time I read the chapter title? Who is to say? (Same kind of goes for “‘Someone Like You’” where that Adele song plays)

Mmm and “Instinct” was of course named after the fact that this is when Felix’s pred instincts really kick into overdrive and start pushing him down the road to becoming Lux. I know it’s another simple title but I like to think it mirrors “Trust” in a way. Not only are they single word titles, but they’re both reoccurring themes in the story. They’re also both sort of the defining factor in Felix and Benji’s relationship. Does Benji have enough trust in Felix that he’s safe? Are Felix’s instincts powerful enough to jeopardize that safety? Only time will tell...

Okay now listen. Imma be honest. The line, “For Benji,” was NOT originally in this chapter. I was trying to come up with a title and I was like “doesn’t Felix think that to himself at some point?” Turns out ahh nope he didn’t. But no worries. I can do what I want. I simply slipped it in there and now it’s the chapter title. I really only wanted this title For The Drama.

Oof the title for “A Single Condition” was a little difficult to come up with. It’s just that SO MUCH happens in this chapter. It’s the longest chapter in the story so far.* But ultimately the line about Prey Man having a single condition really stood out to me as it’s basically the driving force for the next few chapters so that’s how I got that chapter title. (*Now when I say it’s the longest in the story, I mean it’s the longest POSTED chapter. There’s been more than one chapter I’ve had to split into two when posting cause they’re just too damn long.)

Now “The Scorpion” is one I’m super proud of. I uh dunno how many people got the reference but it’s to the Fable called “The Scorpion and the Frog” where a scorpion asks for a ride across the river on the back of the frog. The frog refuses at first, saying the scorpion will surely sting and kill him while he swims. The scorpion reassures the frog, saying that if he dies, the scorpion will also die by drowning as he cannot swim. The frog agrees to help.... and the scorpion stings him. As they both die, the frog asks why the scorpion did it, and the scorpion responds that it’s simply in his nature. The Scorpion, in this case, is Felix who betrays Benji simply by giving in to his nature. (Note that I don’t really agree with the message behind the fable, but ya know... The Symbolism.)

And then obviously “The Frog” is a reference to Benji who also makes the mistake of trusting his natural enemy and paying for it dearly. (Fun fact but these two chapters where originally one that I split into two to keep the lengths reasonable. And BOY WAS IT A GOOD DECISION. That one week between releases where everyone was LOSING it because they didn’t know whether Felix would let Benji out or not.... was a Good Week)

I think “A New Perspective” was a pretty straightforward title decision. As low key as the chapter itself. I do find it interesting tho that both chapters that start with “A” in the title have to do with Benji getting his world rocked upon learning how other prey view preds

YASSS and then there’s “Lux.” I like this chapter title purely because I don’t think people realized the significance of it when I first posted it. Like it really was like “oh Felix has a cute nickname. That’s fun!” And then several chapters later it’s just “oh okay so Lux really is this whole different side to him huh?” Like this chapter is the absolute true beginning to Lux. Love it.

And for “Lilian” this was a chapter title meant to mirror the previous one. They’re the only two chapters named after a character, they’re back to back, and they both start with an L (although that wasn’t intentional, it just sorta happened lol). This chapter was also originally combined into one chapter with the previous chapter, but again, I broke them up to save on length.

“The Alliance” was simply named for the Pred-Prey Alliance in the chapter, also the driving force for the main conflict (but also note that it’s another chapter title that starts with “the”)

AND THEN we have “The Facility,” the title for which is meant to mirror the one before it because... this is it. These are the two chapters that cement Camille and Felix going down completely opposite paths with Benji stuck right in the middle.

“Homecoming” I think is... a kind uncreative title. But truly not much happens in the chapter itself except that.... Benji comes home

Now for “A Place to Belong” (note how this is the other chapter title that begins with “A”), I think simply titling it “Epomis” was a huge temptation. It’s The Big Reveal and it would sort of mirror the title for chapter 17 “The Facility.” HOWEVER. I thought naming it that would be too much of a spoiler. Especially if a new reader happened to be skimming through the list of chapters. It would give away the significance too soon. And I hate giving spoilers away more than I liked the drama of the title, so I went with “A Place to Belong” instead.

Okay and I’m very much proud of “Golden Boy” because it’s such a small line in the chapter, and the title itself is vague enough that no one would question it until they had more context. And then you get the context and you REALIZE how significant The Golden Boy really is. (Also maybe a little bit cause Lux’s name means “light” and I just like the image of golden light)

“Busy Work” was another one of those uninspired titles for another one or those lowkey Benji chapters. Hmm maybe they should get a category of their own since they keep happening. Anydays. The title mayyy have also been a small reference to the Avatar episode “Bitter Work” in which Toph first (attempts) to teach Aang to earthbend. (Because that show is my favorite ever and I think it inspires my writing a lot in general.)

“The Mission” title is also quite obvious but notice how it’s another “The” title! This is the chapter that marks the beginning of Benji’s path back to Felix/Lux. I’d say that’s pretty important.

Mmmm I love the title for “‘To Live and Give.’” When I first wrote that line a few chapters earlier I was evil smiling to myself about how I was planning to bring it back with a MUCH darker twist. I love it.

“‘All Mouths That Surround You’” aka one of my fave chapters. The perfect intro for the new Lux. This is a reference, of course, to the alt-J song “Every Other Freckle,” which I’ve associated with Lux from the beginning. Now. I realize that some (most) lyric sites list that line as “all baths that surround you.” I think out of context, that line sounds strange, but there IS another line that’s clearly “all showers that shower you” so I guess that would make more sense to include baths as well. But is that as sexy as “mouths”? Absolutely not. So we improvise, overcome, adapt. Moving right along.

“The Reunion,” which I sorta mentioned earlier, is meant to mirror the very first chapter, “The Meeting” and I think that’s beautiful. Like I’m all about taking everything that seemed happy and innocent in the beginning of this story and twisting it so it matches the darker tone of the rest.

“Table Talks” is a little bit of a meh title to me but I do find it entertaining that I think table talks are usually.... not as angsty and full of conflict as Benji and Lux’s is.

“Kleptoparasite” is, as mentioned earlier, a reference to Lux stealing Cecil’s prey. It’s the ~scientific~ term for an animal that acquires its prey by stealing it from other predators. I mostly chose it because I wanted something more clever than “Stolen Prey” (and also I like incorporating Real Life stuff into the story. Like how Epomis is a beetle whose larvae practice predator/prey role-reversal in nature).

And finally there’s “Crumple” which is a callback all the way to chapter 6 “Crush.” This time Camille really IS a crumpled mess. The chapter really hits home with how her and Lux’s relationship has changed over the years. And, of course, it’s just me again doing the classic twist of making things in the early years darker to fit the later years.

Okay! That’s everything up to date so far! I hope this is what you meant when you wanted to “know all” 😂

[coolestfinch]

one time at dinner my sister was playing adele for some mood music or whatever. blah blah blah she mentions how some of adeles songs are about a man she liked but didnt like her back. i was like oh haha queen been there before then i mentioned how sam smith got a LOT of backlash for doing the same thing (a guy he liked was straight so he wrote songs about him or whatever) and i mentioned how this double standard comes across as kind of homophobic, that its okay for a straight woman to write songs about unrequited love but a gay man is being predatory and shouldnt have done that blah blah blah. like just say u hate gay people??? anyway!!! then my sister and her husband immediately go "i dont think thats homophobic" and i had to resist the urge to tear them limb from limb. like oh im sorry i forgot straight people know more about homophobia than dykes thank u for reminding me xx and i dont mean that in a "straight people can never talk about homophobia" kind of way, just that straight people should shut their fucking mouths and listen when a gay person says something is homophobic. maybe there are details about the sam smith situation i was never made aware of that would change the narrative and explain the criticism he got to me, but its been years and ive never heard anything beyond he just made some songs about unrequited love. regardless, thats not the point, dear sister, its just that i want to bite the head off of straight allies who quite literally, in ur case, talk over gay people -_- uhm....so not epic

(sam smith is non binary and uses they/them pronouns, but im assuming anon did not know this)

but yea, ur sister and her husband sounds like dicks. straight people don't get to police what is and isnt homophobic (and that DEFINITELY is). 

[fitzrove]

soft like summer rain - 13 and 15

Thank you so so much for asking!!! I’m too overworked and overwhelmed by uni to write fic right now so talking about past, finished fics instead makes me super happy ((and strokes my ego XD)).

13: What music did you listen to, if any, to get in the mood for writing this story? Or if you didn’t listen to anything, what do you think readers should listen to to accompany us while reading?

This is actually one of the few fics I’ve written that’s extensive enough to grow a proper playlist around it, and I’m going to share it with you!!

I mean, I do sometimes collect Mood Songs for other fics too, but I’m not at all prolific with them. I also must confess that @jasmiinitee helped me out with collecting many of these songs, and I also owe some of the chapter titles to her, because I based them on the songs from this list :D

The list is here. The title translates to “Peter, I want to love”, which is a random old Finnish movie that I saw on sale in the local megamarket around the time I started writing the fic. Thankfully, that didn’t become the title of the entire fanfic XD Also, because of that list, Dolly Parton’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ was my most-listened song of 2019... and so were many others. I had that playing on the background a whole lot, whether I was writing or plotting at the time!

My fave songs from the list in addition to ‘I Will Always Love You’ are ‘Someone Like You’ by Adele (fitting and PAINFUL), ‘3′ by Britney Spears (lol) and ‘Rocky Mountain High’ by John Denver, which I hadn’t heard before and only did because jasmiinitee put it on the list. It’s one of the most atmospheric songs on the list and also like, ever. Also honorary mentions cos I can’t resist: The Marvelettes’ ‘Please Mr Postman’ and Sonny & Cher’s ‘500 Miles’.

15: What did you learn from writing this fic?

It gave me so much confidence, because I’ve literally written a book-length work now!! Definitely taught me planning and outlining, because it’s the first work I’ve ever written that really required a chapter structure and proper outline. Also editing and rewriting, and I think my patience may have marginally improved when I decided to post it all in one go over three days instead of periodically as I wrote it during the course of four months.

i want the sequel so bad why am i in university im probably gonna have like 8 million assignments due next weeeeeeeek

fanfic writer asks