Music to Write the Words Going By

For some reason, I seem to like working to certain songs on repeat. I listen to them pretty much 20 or 30 times a day, and then a new song is ‘the one’ and I listen to that forever and a day instead. Such as Chapter 13 (and I am pleased, so pleased to report that it is finished!) was written mainly by the help of Take That.

This is quite a confession… You see, I was never a ‘Thatter’. They came on the scene just when I grew out of boy bands and was about to plunge headlong into grunge. My boy band (as everyone has one lurking in the music closet, or the girl band equivalent) was New Kids on the Block. Now I have said that publicly, can anyone point me the way to the virtual stocks? I thank you.

However, it appears the sneaky under-the-radar subliminal advertising on the television is more influential than one would think. All Christmas I have been inadvertently bumping into the Morrison’s advert using the Take That song ‘Shine’. It didn’t make much of an impression, until last week I suddenly I had to find it on youtube and listen a gadzillion times while writing Chapter 13. Why is that? Does it mean that after 20 or so listens, you will like the song no matter what? Is it because it sounds a smidgeon like ELO’s Mr Blue Sky? Perhaps it is just a really well crafted song? Who knows – but there I was, listening to Shine, being all inspired.

Then last night whilst flicking channels I came across the Pet Shop Boys ‘What Have I Done to Deserve This?’ and enjoyed it, thinking I hadn’t heard that for a while. I get up today, click open the novel... and suddenly need to find that song on youtube and listen to that all day instead. I seem to listen, do a page, listen again, do another page… Bizarre.

Now I find myself sitting down and humming U2’s ‘Vertigo’. I was humming this when aiming things at the sink... erm, I mean 'washing up' earlier. This is how the madness starts, you know. I have already found it on youtube and listened to it four times. Whoops, five. *clicks open chapter 14*