#songs for strordo

[phierie]

star-crossed

@stephenstrangebingo prompt ‘stars’. OKAY SO bear with me on this one but that prompt made me think of the song Stars from les mis which kinda gives me strordo vibes, so, here we are with a stupidly self-indulgent les mis-inspired AU or something along those lines

[doctorstrangekinkmeme]

The First Kamar-Taj Big Bang

This big bang was conceived with the hope of boosting Doctor Strange character related fan content. Your content must include at least two or more characters from Kamar-Taj or Metro Gen, and these characters must be the focus of your fic/art/vid. Rare-pairs are not only welcomed, but encouraged. 

Date: Deadline for submissions on September 30. Big reveal on October 31st, 2020

Rules:

All content should be marked with warnings, if needed.

Content such as incest, pedophile, and pairings with huge age gaps are not permitted.

All fics should be between 1,000 to 5,000 words

Art should be more than a quick sketch.

All creations should have a focus on Doctor Strange characters and pairings. Creations should be at least 75% composed of these characters.

Fanmixes/playlists should be no longer than 15 songs per playlist

You may submit more than one entry.

Many thanks to @strordo​ for making the fantastic new header banner. And many thanks as well to the mysterious lovely soul who made the awesome announcement graphic ^^

[botanycameos]

The song “Breath” by Breaking Benjamin gives me such dramatic & tragic post Hong Kong Strordo feels.

[mianmimi]

I saw the alternate DS ending, the deleted scene you mentioned, and *clutches heart* Stephen is joking with Wong and then Wong mentions Mordo and Stephen’s face falls instantly. Just one mention of Mordo has that effect on him T_T btw, Wong mentioning that song is kinda gay? I mean, that’s a lovesong about a wayward lover, her lover telling her he will always wait for her, for the time she stops slutting it up and comes back to him because he loves her. Marvel, don’t play with my heart OTL

https://youtu.be/McOmcNwqprA

Ah Nonny! I just had to share this version of “Time Is On My Side.” I love it so much. And yes, it’s very telling that they chose that song out of all the time themed songs out there in the world lol. I mean come on....

But just wait and see

You'll come running back (I won't have to worry no more)

You'll come running back (spend the rest of my life with you, baby)

You'll come running back to me

Go ahead, go ahead and light up the town

It just screams strordo. Of Stephen being hopeful that things will work out and Mordo will return to him and he won’t have to worry anymore and oh my god is that my heart soaring to the heavens?!? *incoherent screaming*

It is perfect!

[mianmimi]

“I’m most curious about what they’re gonna do with Mordo”

Apparently DS2 filmed at Freemason Hall. It might be my Mordo stan brain, but I think this is related to him. The Mordo family might be high ranking Freemasons or something like that. After the Baron Zemo reveal I’m all like

👏🏾 BARON 👏🏾 KARL 👏🏾 AMADEUS 👏🏾 MORDO 👏🏾 LET’S GO 👏🏾

A BLACK MAN AS EUROPEAN ARISTOCRACY 👏🏾 LET’S GO 👏🏾

Anyway, unrelated but I’m kinda sorta but not really getting into Doja Cat and Say So is the kind of Empowered Thot Karl Mordo song that I was looking for him in the sequel?

It's been a long time since you fell in love / You ain't coming out your shell, you ain't really been yourself / Tell me, what must I do? (Do tell, my love) / 'Cause luckily I'm good at reading

Like it, love it, need it, bad / Take it, own it, steal it, fast / Boy, stop playing, grab my ass / Why you actin' like you shy? / Shut it, save it, keep it pushin' / Why you beating 'round the bush? / Knowin' you want all this woman / Never knock it 'til you try

Realer than anybody you had, and pretty / All of the body, the ass and titties

It’s giving me Mordo being his cute and thotty self and just smiling at Stephen from across the room like… I know you want this ass, you know you want this ass, why you playin’ shy? I’m the best thing that’s ever happened and will ever happen to you, so you better fuck me till I see stars, daddy *flips the locks back* omg I cannot believe we might be getting chiwetel dreadlocks again we gonna eat REAL good with this movie y’all I can feel it

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For the listening pleasure of our other Nonnies, here’s Say So by Doja Cat

https://youtu.be/uAYG46w1SCA

I never actually looked up the lyrics for this song until now and boy oh boy I was way off 🤣 I thought it was just so cute little bop but then the lyrics were clearly more romp romp in bed than bubble gum pop, ya know? *eye brow wiggle*

Ahhh I need me some sexy, confident, Baron Karl Mordo. Especially if he turns that eye fucking up to a hundred. Hot damn he’s gonna look stunning.

[mianmimi]

Whenever I see a headcanon that says Cloaky and Stephen are bonded, that relics and their masters have a psychic and empathic connection, all I can think about is Mordo and Stephen standing next to each other, talking about whatever, and then Mordo jumps a bit and goes, "Did you... did you just squeeze my arse?" But it wasn't Stephen, it was Cloaky, because even a sentient piece of fabric knows that booty needs a good squeeze every now and then. Master, I sensed you wanted 'dat ass' was I good?

I love this scenario. Especially if they’re still at the stage where they’re clearly interested in each other but still dancing around the prospect of it, not sure who and how to make the first move. Then Cloaky’s sensing all this tension between them and goes fuck it *squeeze* Meanwhile the boots are stumbling to get Mordo closer to Stephen.

Relic matchmakers. Reliable 100%. They know their masters better than anyone. Cloaky knows Stephen’s been eyeing that ass. Boots know that Mordo’s been pining for Stephen and moaning his name in his sleep. Time to work together to end this misery! Let’s get our masters together!

Great...now I’m imagining the song from Parent Trap, “Let’s Get Together,” while a montage plays of the relics doing their best to get these two together.

https://youtu.be/B3W8gHB-7PU

Cue Cloaky tripping Stephen to land right on Mordo. Or the boots running away from Mordo so he runs right into the shower where Stephen’s struggling to get his clothes off, the scenarios go on! ;)

[mianmimi]

Listening to Chiwetel sing My Heart Belongs to Daddy (thank god for Kinky Boots!) gives me this image of Mordo being confident and flirty but 100% faithful to his man ofc. Mordo serving his Soft Thot™ aesthetic all over Kamar-Taj and Kathmandu and whatever place, city, or country is blessed enough to receive it. But he’s not spending the night with any man, mind you. He’s got his eyes on Stephen and he’s waiting for Stephen to make the first move.

My personal headcanon is that Mordo never makes the first move, and also, that he thinks Stephen is straight and that’s why he never outright says “I dream every night about you holding me in your arms with me running my fingers through your silver hair, I mean—what?” Even if you (or they, for that matter) don’t have a daddy kink, it’s adorable to picture Mordo running his fingers thru Stephen’s gray hair, singing to him that his heart belongs to daddy <3 Mordo singing all those sexy old-school songs to Stephen omg or Stephen singing to Mordo old-school hard rock songs or the silliest pop songs?? STEPHEN SINGING TO MORDO TERRIBLY OFF-KEY BUT MORDO LOVES IT ANYWAY

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Sweet Nonny, Kinky Boots has truly blessed us. I feel like so many of fanon lore have roots in Kinky Boots. From Mordo being into lingerie to him having a gorgeous singing voice. It just absolutely fits *heavily swoon*

There’s something about Mordo that gives this air that he can clearly get any man he sets his sights on....yet chooses not to. You know he can steal your man but he won’t. He knows his powers can be lethal and final, yet chooses restraint. There’s so much confidence and power in that, but also overwhelming gentleness. He’s strong enough to be kind. Powerful enough to be sweet.

And I love love love LOVE the idea of Mordo singing old school love songs to Stephen while touching those signature silver strands ^^ Just imagine Stephen listening when his mouth slightly open, just speechless for a minute or so before trying to join in. He’s so off key Mordo wonders if he broke into a brand new song altogether hehe XD And yes, Mordo would still melt from it. I bet you it’s something none of his former lovers tried with him. And if you subscribe to Kaerdo, I don’t think Kaecillius is really the singing type. So after all those years of doing all the singing and praising, it’s finally nice to have someone seranading him.

https://youtu.be/70YCz93Ii7A

I really tried to find a clip somewhere of Chiwetel singing “My heart belongs to daddy,” but couldn’t find any at all T____T I did find the wonderful Eartha Kitt’s version though! This version carries the flirty, sexy, yet intensely sweet vibe I can see coming from Mordo. Our sweet baron is a gift to men dear nonnies. And I can only hope whoever he chooses to love will be worthy of it.

[mianmimi]

I was listening to Celine Dion again cause old habits die hard 😅 My mom adored Celine Dion and played her CDs nonstop when I was a kid so that voice has been engrained in my brain. But anyways.....this song 😍

Whenever I hear “If You Ask Me To” I always think of Mordo considering letting himself fall in love again after some deep heartache. I originally imagined him and Stephen, post Kaerdo. But it could also be him and Wong. Or him and someone he meets after running away. I just love the idea of him giving love another chance 🥺

I said I'd never let nobody near my heart again, darlin'

I said I'd never let nobody in

But if you asked me to

I just might change my mind

And let you in my life, forever

If you asked me to

I just might give my heart

And stay here in your arms forever

If you asked me to

If you asked me to

😭 Just give me Karl falling in love with a man who adores him!!!!

Also, as I was writing this I found out that Celine’s version was a cover! The original was Patti LaBelle.

Patti is amazing and I was so happy to find out she sang this too! 😭

[mianmimi]

OK but is it just me or is Eartha Kitt's I Want to Be Evil a Mordo song??? It's prime Mordo releasing his beautiful thot self to the world and I love it ❤ DS2 needs to deliver on Evil Diva Mordo. Stephen: Babe, stop it with the murder, pls? Mordo: *dramatically reclines on a dais* If you take off your robe and tunic you might convince me… The one reason why Stephen never manages to capture Mordo or stop his schemes is that every single time he goes to Mordo’s lair they just fuck and Stephen forgets all about what he was about to do and lets Mordo be with a half-hearted threat like “ok be good now, no more killing or I’ll have to come back” lmao

I love, love, love the fact that we have that exact song sung by Chiwetel himself! And oh so sexy too. Like really, this song just drips with sex appeal and confidence like hot damn! The image of Karl dressing sexier and bolder each time he encounters Stephen is just hnnnnngggghhhh *nosebleeds*

Stephen looks at Karl all stunned and speechless each time, literally a loss of words while Karl’s delivering his villain speech. Then it leads to Karl snapping because hello did you just hear a word I said?! And Stephen’s drooling like an idiot and Karl’s gotta pick up his jaw off the floor. Also at the same time maybe Karl’s robe also falls to the floor *eyebrow wiggle* Ahhh how it sings in my heart!

Also it’s pretty awesome that Mordo singing “I Wanna Be Evil” while being an absolute sex bomb has been embraced by so many.

[mianmimi]

Here I come to ruin y'all’s headcanon week with this dumb as fuck headcanon that won’t leave me alone. Stephen is a hard-working boy, right? He studies a lot, bless him. Now, I know this is 100% wrong because the fucking movie showed him studying. But I can’t help imagining Stephen studying with music blasting the fick out in the background. He plays loud as fuck music while he studies. The room is sealed, so the sound won’t come out, but the second anyone opens that door they’re getting their ears blown the fuck out with Pat Benatar’s Shadows of the Night or Stevie Nicks’s Edge of Seventeen lmao If it’s Mordo the one opening that door, you bet your ass Stephen will take pull him in and make him dance. Stephen wrapping Mordo in his arms, trying to twirl him around, and both of them laughing and just having a good time

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This imagery is super sweet Nonny! I’m genuinely in love with it, especially the song selections!

Shadows of the Night has such a fun, flirty vibe:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHeZZ00ku7k

Edge of Seventeen is a super classic as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmPgMc3R8zg

I can see it very clearly Nonny. Stephen soundproofing his room and getting into antics when he needs a study break lol, or just a chance to unwind. It’s canon that he’s a music buff so I can see him acquiring a very sizable playlist in Kamar Taj. Hehehehe and now I’m giggling at the thought of Kamar Taj having such a peaceful, tranquil afternoon, perhaps Wong leading out in meditation in the courtyard with several masters and students. And then suddenly there’s a very LOUD and quick burst of 80s rock blasting all over, shaking everyone out of their peaceful state. Really it was just the door opening to Stephen’s room just long enough for Mordo to get pulled in, but everyone knows now hehehe.

[mianmimi]

I went through an Emilie Autumn binge last week and ended up with enough material for an entire Mordo + all those problematic men in his life playlist. But I’m a lazy bitch and didn’t do that, so instead I’m sharing some of the songs with y’all in hopes that you enjoy them and cry with me about our favorite soft aristocrat :)

Liar (Kaerdo):

“I want to hold you to the sun

I want to be your favorite one

I want to show you all the beauty you don’t need to know you hold

I’m hurting you for your own good

I’d die for you, you know I would”

“I want to heal you, pretty sweet

Throw those rose petals at your feet”

“I want to earn your trust

Your faith

Your heart

You’ll never be deceived”

That’s a summary of Kaerdo, for me. Kaecilius being obsessed with Mordo, a beautiful young man, who never truly loved him and was just barely out of his teens and with a lot of love to give and no one to give it to. Mordo moved on. But Kaecilius never did. He put Mordo on a pedestal and kept him there as the ultimate trophy, the ultimate reward for himself only. Not a person but an ideal that Kaecilius was the only one worthy enough to possess.

Castle Down (Wordo):

“You can see that I swim through the sea of painful

You have watched as I put myself from the floor

And you were there when I built my tower with pebbles in the rain

Trying to balance so that I had a life with what I didn’t have anymore”

“You seem so devoted

Your love is unconditional

You were self-promoted

I never asked you”

“And would you tear my castle down, stone by stone,

And let the wind run through my windows

Till there is nothing left but a battered rose?”

Wong (along with TAO) was there for Mordo when no one else was. My personal take on Wordo is that they were an item for quite some time, even longer than Kaecilius and Mordo were (which imo wasn’t much). They understood they were better as friends a few years before the events of DS happened, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an unconditional love between them that will never leave either of them. They have gone thru way too much shit to stop loving each other. Wong gets Mordo like one else can and vice versa. Except for mama TAO, of course ;)

Misery Loves Company (Strordo):

“It’s not the time

It’s not the place

I’m just another pretty face

So don’t come any closer”

“You’re not the first

You’re not the last

How many more?

Don’t even ask”

“Do I need you?

Yes and no

Do I want you?

Maybe so”

“Did you plan this all along?

Did you care if it was wrong?

Who’s getting warmer now that I am gone?”

“I’m not for you

You’re not for me

I’ll kill you first

Just wait and see

You devil under cover”

This is prime Post-DS Strordo, do I even need to explain it? lol

It was this and Shalott because I swear my doctoral thesis will be titled: How the MCU’s Karl Mordo Is (Unintentionally yet Actually) a Tragic Maiden. Because he is. He’s written and acted and directed as a tragic maiden character type but as a gay man. And it’d be fucking brilliant if it’d been intentional and they keep it going for the sequels.

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WHOA Nonny my sweet, sweet nonny this is wonderful! I’ll put my responses under a cut. I’ve never heard any of her songs before so this was a fun new thing to explore!

So for the first song, Liar, it truly does give kaerdo vibes! I gotta admit though, that part where the lyrics go “Are you suffering?” over and over scared the hell outta me. And I think that’s the point. The song just sounds obsessive and possessive, two qualities that drip from kaerdo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI35_-ryDZo

For some reason, whenever I try to link to the video it just puts up the link and not the actual video. Usually, the video pops on the post and I don’t know what I’m doing wrong to just get a link.  :/ Sorry about that nonny. I’ll try to edit it again so the video shows up. But yes! I personally think that Mordo did love Kaecilius immensely and the feeling was mutual. But due to their different values and perspectives on how magic should be used, ultimately they had to separate. The song captures the aftermath of that. It’s haunting. 

And as for Castle Down in regards to Wordo, it totally does fit. To be honest I think this song is my favorite from the three you mentioned. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtsJuSkG9Og

Wordo is probably my second most favorite ship, second only to strordo. It’s a beautiful trope in my opinion. I absolutely love friends to lovers stories, and with a friendship as deep and entangled with each other as Wordo, I’m completely smitten and bitten. Their unconditional love for each other, whether platonic or romantic, is something wonderful to see. It feels amazing to know that there’s at least that one person who understands you and won’t flake out when things go wrong or when at you’re worst. With Wordo they truly meet each other, both in their best and in their mess. It’s a gorgeous love story and I wish more would give it a chance. 

And then, at last, we come to “Misery Loves Company,” the strordo song. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMkklex2A1g

What really stood out to me here Nonny is the back and forth dialogue. At least that’s what it sounds like to me. I mean at first I just heard it as Mordo’s thoughts but then I started to imagine it’s an argument between Stephen and Mordo. 

I’m not for you You’re not for me I’ll kill you first You wait and see You devil undercover You’re not a prince You’re not a friend You’re just a child And in the end You’re one more selfish lover

I’m a bit of a musical nutcase so when I heard this song and read the lyrics I thought of them on stage exchanging this dialogue. It’s such a heartwreching thing to witness but also super fasincating! Thank you again nonny for writing this in!

[mianmimi]

Song: *mentions the words “magic” or “strange”*

Me: omg... strordo song ;__;

[mianmimi]

Hope you’re feeling better :( Doctor talk is always scary stuff… except when it’s DS talk lol. And then that absolutely awful stuff with Lyft (never using them again, tbh). I was hoping to bring a music rec that’d make you feel better, but honestly, Japan’s catalogue can be interpreted as melancholic (I’d say “contemplative” suits it best tho), so… sorry lol. Still, Japan's Nightporter is such a Strordo song. It both takes me to Stephen thinking of Mordo post DS knowing he can't stop loving him and probably never will no matter how much time passes, and Mordo trying to forget Stephen by having sex with other men* yet he can't forget his love for Stephen. (* which afaik is the meaning of the song according to the author. "Nightporters" are the men he makes love with, and then watches them all go, waiting for the next one to come, wash rinse repeat, waiting for The One.)

  Could I ever explain?

This feeling of love, it just lingers on

The fear in my heart that keeps telling me which way to turn

  We'll wander again

Our clothes they are wet; we shy from the rain

Longing to touch all the places we know we can hide

The width of a room that can hold so much pleasure inside

  Here am I alone again

A quiet town where life gives in

Here am I just wondering

Nightporters go, nightporters slip away

  I'll watch for a sign

And if I should ever again cross your mind

I'll sit in my room and wait until nightlife begins

And catching my breath, we'll both brave the weather again

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Thank you Nonny for this! I’ve never heard it before. It’s such a beautiful and haunting song. Listening to it I kept thinking of the scenario you depicted, where Karl’s sleeping with various men to try and move on with his life apart from Stephen. It suited the imagery perfectly! The song’s vibe is very gentle but there’s also that passion you know they once had for each other and they’re still longing for ;____; Incredibly sad, and it drips with strordo feels.

[mianmimi]

I was listening to some old favorites and this autoplayed. Just stopped for a while and took the beauty of this in. It made me think of our boys, particularly from Stephen’s pov. 

No one ever saw me like you do All the things that I could add up to I never knew just what a smile was worth But your eyes say everything without a single word

'Cause there's somethin' in the way you look at me It's as if my heart knows you're the missing piece You made me believe that there's nothing in this world I can't be I never know what you see But there's somethin' in the way you look at me

Idk I just thought about Stephen reflecting on how Karl just looked at him before, seeing the best in him, and trying to get to all that potential despite how abrasive he was at first. Just something sweet and tender to think about my dear nonnies. Karl really helped Stephen ;__; Really saw him differently from how others did. 

[mianmimi]

Sorry for interrupting the flow of awesome headcanons with a song rec ask! :( I was dusting off my Vixen vinyl and Edge of a Broken Heart hit me in Strordo heart hard, and it honestly gave me the best excuse to cry about a fictional men and to rec this band ;) Also for the feels "Crying'" and "Waiting." 💖

These songs are glorious 80s ^^ Love it. 

I can't believe I could've been so blind, but love is strange I thought about it for a long long time, but the truth remains I don't need another lonely night to dry my tears The answer's plain as black and white, and I can see the picture very clear

Damn Nonny. Even the first verse screams Mordo at the very end of the movie too me :( It’s so accurate it hurts.  The perfect summary of his mindset, even down to that very black and white way of thinking, being alone in pain, and being blind, not to mention that pun with love being strange T___T Ouch! Ah gods. 

As for “Crying”...

You're a nightmare everywhere, disguised as a dream Well I got lost, wandering through the darkness in your maze of lies Your trapdoor-way right into my insides, but tonight I won't be cryin', cryin', when I think about you, 'cos I opened my eyes And I won't be cryin', cryin' The tears are falling to the floor, but you won't catch me cryin' anymore

Well, fuck me that’s painful and powerful. For this one, I can see it being from the pov of either of them. Both incredibly stubborn and trying to convince the other (and themselves) that it’s definitely over. Let’s face it, that’s not really gonna happen. Their fates are too tied together now. 

And when it comes to “Waiting”...

I wish you'd realize when we can convide Ah tell me, please tell me, you wanna know what's really here inside Is it love there in your eyes, or is it just a lie

I feel like this is the eternal question for them, at least in my strordo brain. Is it love that still there, or is now just lies? ;___; Ugh my heart!

I’ve found some pretty awesome songs from via recommendations. Thank you for supplying them dear Nonnies!

[mianmimi]

Broken Clocks by SZA gives me MCU-616 Strordo vibes tbh. Mostly because of this: "Been about three years since I dated you/Why you still talking 'bout me like we together?/I moved on for the better/You moved on to whoever" MCU-616 Stephen sounds like a bitter ex when he talks shit about his Mordo ngl 🤭

Ohhh dear Nonny. This is another song I never heard before and wowowowowow. Thank you for introducing this to me! It made me feel weirdly nostalgic and sad about camping in the summer and all those memories.

And you’re right! It definitely gave the vibe that the song is from Mordo’s pov. Just how it talks about having no time but also being stuck in a cycle and being so tired, physically and emotionally, and yet trying to be better 😭

Mordo’s breakup list is probably something to behold to be honest. Put those tunes on blast baby! Let’s hear them feels.