#Also technically this is for a song I'm transcribing

[eepy-jazz-musicians]

I am delighted to inform you that musicians do get the same sick sense of joy that writers get when they write the most horrific situations for their characters. Except, I'm writing the most wretched things for the poor musicians who look at my scores. They'll never know what hit em'

The pianist is going to be the saddest wettest most pathetic person in existance after I hit 'em with these.

[ballroomeddie]

get to know your mutual

i was tagged by a bunch of cool people @thebloodysmut @tanktopdiaz @livesbetweenpages @sadgayeddie (i might've missed someone 😭 but I appreciate all the tags) 🫶🏾

Favorite Color: 🤔 don't think I have one, technically. i tend to say glitter/shimmer 💖✨ (yes it's a color) when i'm put on the spot , so that ig. my brother claims that his fav color is "rich nigga colors" <- translation: jewel tones. and i find that kinda funny, so that too. for comedic purposes.

Currently Reading: fiction: how high we go in the dark by sequoia nagamatsu (re-read), the fifth season by n.k jemisin (re-read). nonfiction: the ethnic cleansing of palestine by ilan papp��

Last Song: ma meilleur ennemie by stromae (from the arcane soundtrack)

Most Recent Film: sinners <- A BANGIN PIECE OF ART 😍. i watched it 2x

Most Recent Series: 911

Sweet/Salty/Savory/Sour: definitely savory

Tea or Coffee: tea, no milk with a lil bit of honey or 1 cube of brown sugar. alternatively: tea, plain, no additives. white, red, green, black, herbal it doesn't really matter. not a fan of matcha tea tho & i feel like that's an unpopular opinion

Working On: nothing fandom related. i've been conducting and transcribing interviews for my dissertation. also doing peer reviews

tagging: anyone that hasn't done it/wants to do it again. i love seeing everyone's answers. been on an impromptu hiatus & i get the impression that a lot of ppl did this while i was gone

[alliumdykes]

Omg hi ur so sexy and awesome hahaha talk about the game How Fish Is Made hahaha

Omg wow hi person who totally isn't me I'm going to talk about How Fish Is Made and its semi-sequel/next chapter The Last One Then Another.

Spoilers under the cut, this is very long.

Ok so I just LOVE this game sm. Like I am luring you in with haha funny joke for my long-ass essay rant explination thingy.

But I love this game. The feeling of being in the machine. It's both organic and mechanical. It makes the machine feel biological and man-made at the same time. But also neither. It feels wrong. All the fish you meet NEED to know if you choose up or down. It's the most important choice you make. You MUST choose up or down. It leads into a debate about if you should choose up or down, fishes telling you to choose up while another yells at you to choose down because their so smart they were stuck.

You find a fish whos in fear, they can't choose up or down? Do they go up with their best friend? Or down with the rest of their family? They need you to choose for them. You fall down flesh tunnels, fish seeing frozen fish and calling it art. Its so disgustingly human in some way. At one point you need to open a gate, but a fish is stuck in the gears, thinking there was a way to beat choosing up or down. And technically they did. But not through escape. but from being killed by you, you have to kill someone to progress. And you have no choice.

You enter a room full of water, but you can't swim. you can never swim. you must flop.You meet a fish whos tongue had been devoured by Cymothoa exigua, who sings you a cheerful song about how you just have to live with the bullshit that you are put through. After you are put through the song full of parasites there you must continue on your journey. You enter a room full of fish eggs everywhere and you are forced to stop. you get a dialogue text saying "Why do you deserve it? Will you be able to live with it? Try and try and try and try and try again. Ah, those double action hinges have always been there, just for you, right? You'll come back. Everyone does. Weak. Or you'll go looking. one way or another, right? Weak." Before your forced to keep walking, thinking about what you were told. I like to think its some meta-commentary thing, about how we will go look for another ending of the game, if you do something different you will get another, better ending.

This can also be interpreted as how in life if we make a choice, we could choose one. but in the end we will always want to see what happens if we choose something else. Maybe if I did this instead it'll of end out better? Maybe if I do this in this way instead of that it will be better! but it doesn't matter.

You enter a room, with lights and a fish in the middle. They say this is about conviction. But also. They're just a fish in a room with intimidating lighting, they acknowledge this. How do we know that they know it? They just look smart.

When you finally make the choice a fish whos seen the amount whos gone up and down. You ask the fish to go up or down, they say that whatever one they go through that they will tell you what they see. but you don't.

You go through. You get a message that I transcribed here. I like to think that the monologue is about the selfishness that comes with grief. That you feel that you've had it the worse, what you have gone through is worse then what everyone else has gone through. no one else has gone through the same suffering that you have gone through. but its not true. its rude and selfish.

You can get two endings, a large blob when you go up and you become apart of a sandwich if you go down. I think this is meant to be that no matter what you choose, their as bad as each other. But you have a choice, the only good thing is that you have a choice.

Ok now onto The Last One Then Another.

This takes place after the first, and your in a large blob no matter if you choose up or down. You free the blob and start to (quite literally) consume bits of dead fish around you, gaining enough to burst through a shut door. a fish asks to come with you. you can say yes and consume the fish, or you can just leave. this is the only time you can do this, the only time you don't have to consume.

You go to a boat or bathtub (I'm unsure) and you follow the light to a bloody bandaged head where you can only see an eye and the mouth of the man. You can rather leave or consume. You aren't large enough to consume though. so you must leave. You go through this fleshy tunnel where there's a fish feasting on a birthday cake. You have the option to leave or consume. Although but you have to consume to progress. You go back to the main area where a whole is opened in the middle. You go down to see just the eye of the bandaged man after consuming a small fish.

The man tells you a joke that goes like this "Three men are in the hospital. The first man cries 'I lost both my hands, they told me I'll never work again!' The second man wails 'I lost both my legs, they told me I'll never work again! The third man? He rejoices 'I lost my hearing, they'll never be able to tell me I'm fired again'" before laughing and just sitting there.

You go through a thing where it's only able to fit a specific size, you go into a room, with fish parts, a bunch of mouth wash and a fish covered in mouth wash. The fish cries for you to take them with you. Saying that choosing up or down was stupid. or was it left or right? They can't remember. So you take them with you. You go back to the main area and go up to the bandaged and what do you do? You consume him. You have no choice. You must consume.

You then change into a first person perspective cutscene, your a person on a ship giving pain killers to a bandaged man without both hands, without both feet and with no ears. A Deaf man who has no hands and feet, like each of the men in the joke. You feed the man painkillers with the first option being the same mouthwash in the room near the bathtub boat thing. You feed the man the painkillers then get an ad for mouth wash. and then the Cymothoa exigua in friend-os mouth appears asking you to wishlist the game mouthwash.

I like to think the second part/chapter is about over consumption. You must consume consume consume. And the choice you made that was extremely important doesn't matter, because all you must do is consume.

Anyways thats my thoughts :3

[felixcloud6288]

PMMM Episodes 1-4 recap

Before I continue watching Puella Magi Madoka Magica, I want to gather my thoughts so far.

I think it's worth pointing out that I knew the basic premise going into the story and I know it's a deconstruction of the Magical Girl genre. I also know Kyubey is not a benevolent being. But I don't really know anything else.

I've seen a lot of fanart of Madoka in her magical girl attire so I'm genuinely surprised the series isn't her taking the deal on day 1 and going on magical adventures. Instead, the conflict seems to be Kyubey trying to get Madoka to become a Magical Girl while Homura tries to stop her from doing so.

The song that was playing during the cold opening in episode 1 is also the second ending theme, so I'm expecting that scene is near the end of the series and Madoka still hadn't become a magical girl.

I kind of think Kyubey is full of shit when he talks about granting wishes. He made his offer to Mami when she was about to die in a car crash and tried to get Sayaka and Madoka to make a contract when Mami was killed by a witch. These were situations where they had nothing to gain but everything to lose if they didn't accept his contract (By the way, the technical term for this is a Leonine contract).

He does have magical abilities as proven when he healed Kyosuke's arm but he seems to try putting his targets in situations where he effectively doesn't have to do anything for them.

I'm also curious about those soul gems. Anything called a soul gem is obviously bad. And magical girls need to constantly recharge them using grief seeds. So do they have their souls placed in those gems and they die if they run out of magic? Also, the animation when Mami used the grief seed showed something flowing OUT of the soul gem. So does using magic cause some sort of negative buildup in their souls?

I'm kind of curious what those witch runes all say. At the very least, the witches are all using the same alphabet though they're all using different fonts. The witch in episode 4 is exceedingly chatty compared to the previous ones since there's tons of writing during its scene.

But since I don't know what language everything is supposed to be in, it would be hard to transcribe everything. For all I know, everything is in German.

And speaking of the witches, each of them has a different theme about their domains, personalities, etc. But they all seem to have an obsession over something.

The one from episode 2 seems obsessed with flowers and gardening. It got really upset when Mami damaged the flowers.

The one from episode 3 is obsessed with food, especially desserts. Strangely, its familiars look like mice. Not really sure how they tie into the food theme.

The one from episode 4 has the least cohesive theme but I want to say they have an obsession with dolls and games. The gameboy directional pad is a recurring pattern in their domain and several background elements had an NES/SNES sprite design to them.

I guess my last thoughts so far are going to be toward the art and music. PMMM has a very distinct art style. If you know what PMMM is, you'd definitely recognize any screenshots or fanarts that it is PMMM.

Most of the budget probably went into the witches. The animation tends to be a little off-model from time to time. But the animation team knew where to put their focus because motion is wonderfully fluid.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned rewatching .hack//SIGN and realizing that that anime was very formative in the kind of media I like, and this show is hitting the same brain chemicals. If I were ten years younger, I can imagine watching this show and it being what forms the basis of what I like in story-telling media. I love the music (Yuki Kajiura made the music for this and .hack//SIGN), I love the disorienting animation style with the witches, and I love how there's clearly so much more to this story and it would require a second rewatch to fully understand everything.

I get why this is such an iconic anime despite it being so short.

back

[trenchgardens-ooc-ooc-ooc-ooc]

i'm sure One Million Kazillion people have asked you this but if not Perpep for the ask game?

Just one more! This is specifically for Beforan Perpep. Not Bard's Collage or Alternia. Perpep

favorite thing about them Playing her is so fun. She's just a little guy. She is just a little guy, yknow? I also love how she talks. Its not the best transcribed on my part but its just cute. Her intonation is cute.

least favorite thing about them Probably just my... like. Inability to keep up with her timescale... I decided all my ocs have some time distortion shit going on with them because of my executive dysfunction. There are. several things in her drafts that are there because i wanted to draw a picture for it and never did. There are... so many...

favorite line Ok so if youve been here for a while, she once was really mad at Raveri, the other Raveri, and wrote a whole rant about him. That was funny I liked that. I also liked the time she was talking about the horrorterrors and drew one of them with her text.

brOTP Uhhhhhh I still dont really get this im ngl. An otp but platonic, so either a qppr or like... just being good friends? buddies? Well that'd've probably also been old Raveri. They were sopor chess buddies. They did sopor slime and played chess.

OTP Uh... Hm... Yknow, again, I don't really ship Perpep. I guess her alt!self Oftcas has an 'otp' with (B!)Detheo. Their wierd fuckin biuniversal asses. Postgame she has a pitch thing going on with Somati, but her whole situation makes it kind of... I think her intimacy is pretty heavily wounded. Yknow... from being a human pet. Being without a relationship after so long of it being the default is hard though. Something that happens during the game that makes this part easier, but she does feel it really intensely. It's why she gets with Somati actually. Its technically pitch and she thinks of it that way even if it resembles a pale relationship a little more because of how Perpep is. It's not entirely NOT pale on somati's part, but it is pitch. Not the angry kind of pitch though, the like... theyre two individually really chill people who start fucking with shit to compete when theyre together. Mentos and coke ship.

nOTP Shrugs. You'd probably think I'd say Perpep and her culler, but thats narratively interesting to me. Uhhh I guess she would be really bad with Alpha Detheo. Like they wouldn't mix at all and their preconceptions about the other would clash so bad i think they might just kind of avoid eachother a little bit. Curiosity on both sides, with fear twinging Perpep's and logical guilt on Detheo's. Logical guilt being like... not guilt guilt but like. Ah a version of me hurt this person in a very sick way. This has added a level of morality to my self image that is troubling and I will have to consider deeply what went wrong in my other life to ensure something like that does not happen in this one. Also I should stay away from Perpep because she definitely doesn't want any more Detheo in her life. (Not entirely wrong on that last count but not right either)

random headcanon Perpep is the cuddliest motherfucker on the planet. During her session, about from the Entering when she loses track of Cinimon to her death during the Among Us conference between her, Miyers, Respit, and Sphinx, she's really fucking nervous and crabby because of touch starvation. Thats actually part of why she throws so much shade during that little meeting. She's not got a lot of emotional skill, so when she feels negatively, those emotions leech into her other emotions like dye in water. She has a hard time distinguishing between different stressors almost. Like if her emotional state was a body, and her stress was caused by a horsefly biting her on one side, she would project the same anger in every direction. She's new to this, yk.

unpopular opinion uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh My unpopular opinion is you should go on her blog and look at the posts under #captures and appreciate those drawings :-)

song i associate with them Ohoho. Hold on let me get the Perpeplaylist Taroko by August Greenwood Death by Melanie Martinez New Normal by Jack Stauber Boys Will Be Bugs by Cavetown I Can Talk by Two Door Cinema Club Otherside by the Red Hot Chilipeppers Sports by Beach Bunny (Voiceclaim also) Wreckingball specifically the cover by The Orion Experience In that order. LMK if you have any guesses on how her timeline fits to those. I feel like its pretty obvious but I am also the writer so yk.

favorite picture of them

This is stil the funniest thing ive ever drawn i think. She flashbanged herself poor fishie.

This one which is still way detailed. Im kinda sad no one ever asked about the collar, to get a closer look at the picture, the bullet, the rook, the tiny grub hons, the necklaces, the bident, or . any of that. I also planned to have it be more obvious that those are *somati's* clothes. If you look in captures you'll see his dad's dead body. Thats where she got the sgrub disks. College and Exec disorder got in the way of the pictures of Snapdad i planned for Somati to post... I might end up redoing that though. Shrug.

And obviously this picture from her postgame band on Continua. LOOK At her. she is such a sweetie.

[kingofthewilderwest]

Bill Monroe challenges Mcgucket to a dueling banjo session. Who wins?

XD Here goes an unnecessarily detailed answer, as one might expect from me.

Father of Bluegrass Bill Monroe (1911-1996) was a virtuosic mandolinist (also no slouch on guitar) who incorporated fiddling influences into his playing. Rather than an old-style shimmering tremelo, Bill Monroe attacked the strings in an impressive combination of rhythmic adroitness and dogged melody. His playing had rhythmic quirks bluegrass mandolinists tease on today, but I think it augments rather than detracts from his iconic sound.

Historically speaking, Monroe stepped the game up for virtuosity in American country music. Even when he was in his twenties, performing duos and trios with his brothers on the radio in a more old-time style, his technical alacrity caught attention. Monroe fashioned bluegrass with blues and even jazz influences, such as the idea of instrumentalists taking turns doing technical instrumental breaks, one after the other. Thus, not only did he have to be at a high standard, but he pushed everyone in his band to match it. This man regularly performed hundreds of songs at a whim with good ear and improv ability.

Now, Fidds, my beloved... how does he compare? We hear relatively little of Fiddleford McGucket's banjo picking in Gravity Falls. What information we could glean is contradictory due to animation and sound design inaccuracy. I apologize for upcoming jargon, but I'll explain. ;)

McGucket owns multiple banjos. All banjos he's owned lack planetary tuners, which tends to indicate a low-cost banjo beginners and non-serious players use. However, given as McGucket has dedicatedly played banjo since at least the 1970s, and is dedicated enough to own a collection, this suggests a more invested player. (Of course, you can play for years and be passionate and still suck, but there's a higher chance you're good, hah!) Looking at the meta context, the animators would have no idea they were connotating lower-end instruments, so let's go with writing intent: McGucket is the banjo guy playing with love and passion for decades.

McGucket is most often seen with open-backs, but also has had a Seeger (long-neck) banjo and a resonator. Open-back and Seeger banjos suggest McGucket plays in the old-time style, which is (often) based on repeated rhythms and chords. That we've never seen Fiddleford McGucket wear finger picks also matches old-time. Now, I love old-time, it's gorgeous. But. Old-time banjo doesn't... shred... so in a dueling session, this would be trumped by Monroe's more advanced approach.

On the other hand, McGucket has a resonator. Resonator banjos can and have been used for old-time styles, but in general: if you have a resonator, you're a three-finger style bluegrass picker. This is a very different technique than old-time and will start to put McGucket in the competition. It's also said in Journal 3 he loves listening to high-intensity bluegrass, and when we hear sound clips of McGucket playing, it's in the three-finger bluegrass style. They animate him wrong to be making those sounds, but those are the sounds they're evoking. So, given animation is always inaccurate depicting instruments and performance, bluegrass is the genre associated most directly with McGucket, the animators and maybe even composer might've had no knowledge of old-time and its sounds, and the soundtrack always evokes bluegrass-style banjo... the Gravity Falls team probably wanted to indicate McGucket played bluegrass-style banjo.

I'm not on a computer with speakers to listen to McGucket playing, but I distinctly remember A Tale of Two Stans. I can and have played that riff. I'll transcribe (more or less) it by memory rn.

McGucket is approximately playing the first few measures of Foggy Mountain Breakdown with the barcodes pulled off. He starts with the Foggy Mountain roll on a G chord, then descends to do a forward roll on an e minor chord. Without jargon, this means he's playing two very simple right hand patterns. These patterns are ones a baby banjo picker would learn in their first month playing.

And that's exactly what happened when you know how the soundtrack developed! Gravity Falls' composer learned some banjo for GF. He's doing what I would... learn baby-baby basics so you can record an instrument live. But this means that, because he learned juuuust enough to get the banjo sound in GF (S1 banjo sounds worse than S2 because of this learning curve, too), he can't depict McGucket as a skilled picker. He does an impressive job with the above measures given his inexperience (the tone is better than I'd expect), but the material itself is rudimentary.

Contrast this with Bill Monroe in one of his beloved instrumentals, Southern Flavor (he is the mandolinist who starts the song, first soloist):

Given what Gravity Falls put in the show, McGucket wouldn't stand a chance against Monroe. McGucket wouldn't get hired by Monroe. Obviously we have to do legwork to go beyond imperfect depictions - the limited knowledge and playing ability of animators and composer - so it's very fair to say McGucket is better than anything presented. But, even then, he's got zero shot competing against a professional who expanded virtuosity of a music style and forced musicians around him to get up to his level. Bluegrass had come into its own and many, many, many amateur players were playing breathtakingly by the 1960s and 1970s. But you ain't gonna beat the master who got 'em all there.

[inkofamethyst]

April 26, 2025

So. Bass guitar. This summer. Self-taught. Let's go.

I think I'll keep the goal of 60 minutes or practice time each day, but I want to add a bit more theory and, like, written work to my learning this time. So in addition to the daily 60 (up to 90) minutes of play time (largely consisting of fingering exercises, scales, and book work (I've already picked my two/three main books that I plan to buy, but I may borrow some from the library) with some sight-reading and playing by ear (maaaaybe also following a YouTube series, but I haven't picked one so I'm not sure about that yet)), I think I want to do half an hour at least a few times a week of transcribing basslines, watching theory lectures, and doing some theory practice.

I think my biggest mistake with uke was not keeping to a rigid practice regimen. I borrowed one intro book from the library, watched a youtube video or two, learned a few basic chords, then pretty much just played the same few songs over and over from tabs, effectively plateauing my skill level. With saxophone, I kept to a regimen but stopped varying the exercises as much. I will not allow myself the same fate for bass, especially since my goal is to be able to play with others and eventually improvise.

On the occasion that I have a late lab day, I will just do theory work to be considerate of my roommate. Wednesdays I may have to leave lab a bit early to get in enough practice time and still make it to DnD. There might be the occasional evening event around the city during the week that I might also have to work around. My social calendar is much more complex than when I was a rising junior in high school learning the saxophone (few friends, couldn't drive, in the suburbs) or a rising junior in college learning the ukelele (covid, in the suburbs, slightly more friends tho). I don't mind being busy, though. Better than doomscrolling, better than bedrotting, better than YouTube.

I have a final project due on the 12th, and even though my other class doesn't technically end until its exam on the 21st (T.T), its last day of class is also the 12th, so I think I could begin as early as the 13th (or even the 12th if I get my project in early (unlikely but not impossible)). I could probably start even earlier, but I don't want to get in the way of finishing my project or preparing for my quals.

Today I'm thankful that I went to go see some random jazz performance. It was really really good!! (Also got me thinking that I may learn the basslines to some jazz standards, too. It'll be good to have experience across genres, I think.)

[bulletbilltime]

Haven't done a personal chart update in a while but since I'm mid-hyperfixation here goes:

2025 Week 8 (ending Feb. 22nd)

This week is a big moment for LiS-adjacent gamers, as DontNod's new release Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, fully locks down the top 3. The Wild Unknown and Dreamers by former Chromatics members Ruth Radelet, Nat Walker and Adam Miller all debut at #1 and #3 respectively (marking their technical 2nd #1 as Chromatics' Shadow hit #1 in late 2023 for 4 weeks thanks to Twin Peaks: The Return), with Montreal electronic producer Milk & Bone notching their first ever charting hit with Velvet Cove at #2.

Full breakdown of the charts & the full list of songs can be found below the cut:

(Transcribed: The Wild Unknown with 73 plays, Velvet Cove with 43 plays, and Dreamers with 22 plays)

All three songs had a large play count this week , which runs afoul of many of the #1 hits this year. Both top 2 songs far outpace the biggest play counts of this year's top songs so far (the biggest #1 hits this year prior to this week, Jenny Dna's Heart of the world and Amaia's Magia En Benidorm, all notched 30 plays). Furthermore, Dreamers' play count outpaces over half of this year's #1 songs (including the aforementioned songs, only Death Cab For Cutie's The New Year on the first week managed to outdo it at 29 plays).

As for the rest of the Top 10: Last week's runner-up song, Jon Hopkins' Light Through The Veins, slips 2-4. Tyler The Creator's St. Chroma makes a solid top 5 re-entry as it returns at #5. Of Monsters And Men make their first debut since 2013's Little Talks, being pushed thanks to being referenced in the newest chapter of shisumo's Where The Dead Cannot Speak.

Then we have The Weeknd and Playboi Carti's Timeless entering the top 10 in its 3rd week as it rockets 27-7. Lady Gaga's Abracadabra rebounds 38-8, and Quinn's i dont want that many friends in the first place bounces back 47-9. Finally, Kendrick Lamar makes a return to the top 10 as squabble up, a former #1 hit, moves up 16-10.

Outside the top 10, Harry James' Sleepy Lagoon splashes right up to the border of the top 10, as it surges 41-11. Rahim C Redcar also had a surprise solid week, as both KOMPROMAT's I Did Not Forget You featuring him, and RED BIRDMAN EMERGENCY both rocket up 28-12 and 50-13 respectively, both hitting new peaks. Japanese Breakfast's Orlando In Love also finally breaks stagnancy, returning to the top 20 5 weeks after its initial top 10 debut as it bounces back from last week's re-entry 39-16.

Thanks to Lost Records, Beach House's Myth makes a return at #19, over 7 years after the song's initial lackluster chart run. (Despite CrownNote saying the song charted for 4 weeks prior to this week, it has only charted for 1 week in the Weekly Chart era. The other 3 weeks are from the weekly approximations of the July 2017 charts) The song seems primed for a Top 10 (if not Top 5) entry next week, along with Cocteau Twins' Cherry Coloured Funk which sadly missed the cut to make it this week by 1 play. That song peaked at #10 back in 2021, so it will likely be hitting a new peak when it does.

Another surprise winner this week is New York rapper MIKE, as he debuts Man In The Mirror at #20, sees Bear Trap return at #33, a slight dip for 222 going 33-36, and his remix of Tinashe's Nasty titled "dat phonk phonk (nasty)" under his producer alias DJ Blackpower debuting at #40. The rapper has been a chart mainstay since his breakthrough in 2022, but in spite of his ubiquity has yet to achieve a single #1 hit. With the Lost Records fever going full force, it seems unlikely he'll be hitting this milestone anytime soon, but Man in the Mirror seems like it could be a promising candidate for this achievement.

And here's the full list of songs in this week's chart!

(★) (1) (-) Ruth Radelet, Nat Walker, Adam Miller - The Wild Unknown (Peak: #1) (Weeks: 1) (★) (2) (-) Milk & Bone - Velvet Cove (Peak: #2) (Weeks: 1) (★) (3) (-) Ruth Radelet, Nat Walker, Adam Miller - Dreamers (Peak: #3) (Weeks: 1) (▼) (4) (2) Jon Hopkins - Light Through The Veins (Peak: #2) (Weeks: 2) (RE) (5) (-) Tyler, the Creator ft. Daniel Caesar - St. Chroma (Peak: #4) (Weeks: 3) (★) (6) (-) Of Monsters and Men - Crystals (Peak: #6) (Weeks: 1) (▲) (7) (27) The Weeknd ft. Playboi Carti - Timeless (Peak: #7) (Weeks: 3) (▲) (8) (38) Lady Gaga - Abracadabra (Peak: #2) (Weeks: 3) (▲) (9) (47) Quinn - I don’t want that many friends in the first place (Peak: #5) (Weeks: 4) (▲) (10) (16) Kendrick Lamar - squabble up (Peak: #1) (Weeks: 5) (▲) (11) (41) Harry James - Sleepy Lagoon (Peak: #11) (Weeks: 4) (▲) (12) (28) KOMPROMAT ft. Rahim C Redcar - I Did Not Forget You (Peak: #12) (Weeks: 2) (▲) (13) (50) Rahim C Redcar - RED BIRDMAN EMERGENCY (Peak: #13) (Weeks: 6) (▼) (14) (1) Coldplay, Jon Hopkins - Moon Music (Peak: #1) (Weeks: 2) (▲) (15) (40) The Naked And Famous - What We Want (Peak: #2) (Weeks: 4) (▲) (16) (39) Japanese Breakfast - Orlando In Love (Peak: #6) (Weeks: 4) (▲) (17) (29) Jenny Dna - Yours (Peak: #10) (Weeks: 8) (▲) (18) (44) Tame Impala - The Moment (Peak: #18) (Weeks: 3) (RE) (19) (-) Beach House - Myth (Peak: #19) (Weeks: 2) (●) (20) (-) MIKE - Man In The Mirror (Peak: #20) (Weeks: 1) (▼) (21) (14) Sturgill Simpson - Breakers Roar (Peak: #14) (Weeks: 2) (▲) (22) (36) Lewd Mangoes - Only Human (Peak: #2) (Weeks: 9) (▼) (23) (3) Amaia - Magia En Benidorm (Peak: #1) (Weeks: 3) (▼) (24) (5) Brandon Boone - The Princess (Peak: #5) (Weeks: 3) (▼) (25) (9) Imagine Dragons - Amsterdam (Peak: #9) (Weeks: 3) (▼) (26) (4) Cortisa Star - Bad ASF (Peak: #4) (Weeks: 2) (▼) (27) (23) Dam - Dathiruni (Peak: #23) (Weeks: 3) (▲) (28) (48) Brandon Boone - Our Happy Ending (Peak: #2) (Weeks: 5) (▼) (29) (12) Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse Of The Heart (Peak: #2) (Weeks: 12) (▼) (30) (26) Adrianne Lenker - Sadness As A Gift (Peak: #1) (Weeks: 7) (▼) (31) (18) Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar - Never Catch Me (Peak: #18) (Weeks: 11) (RE) (32) (-) Death Cab For Cutie - The New Year (Peak: #1) (Weeks: 7) (RE) (33) (-) MIKE - Bear Trap (Peak: #26) (Weeks: 3) (▼) (34) (30) Kendrick Lamar ft. SZA - luther (Peak: #12) (Weeks: 7) (▲) (35) (42) Kodaline - The One (Peak: #1) (Weeks: 12) (▼) (36) (33) MIKE - 222 (Peak: #11) (Weeks: 7) (▲) (37) (46) David North - Childhood Dreams (Peak: #17) (Weeks: 5) (▼) (38) (37) Chappell Roan - Pink Pony Club (Peak: #21) (Weeks: 3) (▼) (39) (10) American Football - Never Meant (Peak: #4) (Weeks: 7) (●) (40) (-) DJ Blackpower - dat phonk phonk (nasty) (Peak: #40) (Weeks: 1) (RE) (41) (-) Caroline Polachek - Look At Me Now (Peak: #2) (Weeks: 8) (▼) (42) (31) Jenny Dna - Heart of the world (Peak: #1) (Weeks: 6) (▼) (43) (15) Jenny Owen Youngs - Sunfish (Peak: #2) (Weeks: 10) (RE) (44) (-) MOMI ft. Hatchie - My Name Is Nobody (Peak: #4) (Weeks: 6) (▼) (45) (19) Alexander Zonjic - Doin' The D (Peak: #4) (Weeks: 5) (RE) (46) (-) Ottmar Liebert - Barcelona Nights (Peak: #3) (Weeks: 4) (▼) (47) (20) Jonathan Morali - Golden Hour (Peak: #7) (Weeks: 8) (▼) (48) (32) Ethel Cain - Gibson Girl (Peak: #15) (Weeks: 8) (▼) (49) (45) Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Somewhere Over The Rainbow / What A Wonderful World (Peak: #6) (Weeks: 7) (▼) (50) (13) Underscores ft. Jane Remover - Uncanny long arms (Peak: #4) (Weeks: 6)

[thatbanditqueen]

@vintageshanny this is so very hard, I know you and I have had long discussions about "Little Darlin'" and I may have come to a point where I love live performances and home recordings more than the polished studio albums because of those little moments that make them imperfect or different and you see him there underneath and through and on top of the music. I also love LOVE love seeing his face and movements and interactions with the crowd and feeling the energy of the live performance.

SO, to limit myself, I have decided to focus on the 1950s because that is where I am writing right now and also my head is right between baby Elvis' legs, much like the camera at one point in his early performance of Long Tall Sally at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in 1956. What would I give to have been at the Louisiana Hayride in 1954, 55 or 56? I could count some of the TV performances because they are also technically live, but I wanted the energy of a larger audience in the background for this game, and the thing about the Hayride is that there were 3,500 people at the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport which made these essentially live concerts. We are so lucky this show was being transcribed (syndicated) by CBS and not just broadcast out live because they are probably the best quality live performances from the 1950s.

"Maybelline" August, 13th 1955, Louisana Hayride

Ughhh, his voice introducing this song, he is so excited and nervous and in a hurry and I love hearing him pause and rephrase how he himself. Seriously try not to melt as he says "yeah" as he stumbles along. I also love how he addressed the audience as "Friends" in the 1950s, and how high he spoke, and how you can still hear the country in his voice. I'm linking the YT and cheating because there are three other songs from this performance on here that are also really good, but I have to link this one because it has the full audience reaction, which is clipped on the Spotify track. His vocal performance is raw and guttural and smooth and rough all at once and has the full range of his Hillbilly Cat energy. I love the way he yells "Hit it" before Scotty's short solo or riff or whatever that is. Ok, I've set the video to start at Maybelline but highly rec the whole thing.

"Blue Suede Shoes," New Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas, May 6, 1956

In his book, Guralnick talks about how Elvis did jokes between songs that were often dirty or vulgar in his 1950s concerts, and I get mad writing this thinking about how he was probably interviewing people about this and didn't transcribe or get publish some of their recollections of what Elvis would say on stage. The recordings from Elvis' first show in Vegas has some clips of him talking between songs, and I live for it. You can kind of tell he is exhausted too, at one point he says he is "Too pooped to pop," but I I also like that, I like hearing how he was after 13 days performing in Vegas and being on a crazy tour schedule through the year. This song has my favorite spat of his chatter with the audience. I think the performance of Blue Suede Shoes is fine, but the drum solo and the way the band plays with timing and jams is what I like because it is different and seems like a fun live response to being in Vega. But the main reason I chose this recording is that I love hearing Elvis speaking to the audience. Before the song, he fit a mess of jokes into a minute or so of talking, from "Heartburn Motel" to "Get Out of the Stables Grandma, You're Too Old to be Horsein' Around." Then he pays tribute to comedian Phil Silvers and Ray Bolger (the actor who played the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, among other roles) who had come to see him and I just love knowing/hearing how his performance was a part of the larger pop culture scene at the time. Then he sort of makes a crack about Roy Acuff being out there someone where. Acuff was a mainstay of the Grand Ole Opry and Elvis performed with him quite a bit on the road, but I imagine there was a bit if vinegar in his offhanded remark because of the response he got from Acuff at the Opry. Which seems even more Elvis to me to have a little resentment festering and bubbling to surface. So, yes, come for the tea on this one and stay for the drum solo.

Also, as an aside, Elvis' first Vegas residency is usually considered to be a flop but I just read this article about why it was not in many ways, if that is something you are interested.

"I Was the One" Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show on September 26 1956.

Ok, I have set the video to start when the Governor of Mississippi gives Elvis some ridiculous wire guitar because his little smile just makes me swoon. I also could have picked any song from this set, this filmed concert is popular for a reason, it is one of the few recordings of him live from the 1950s and I love it if only for the way the sound of screaming girls pervades the entire thing! Then there is the long sleeved velvet shirt he is wearing in the hot, September heat, that he got as a gift from one woman (Natalie Wood) and then made another woman (his girlfriend Barbara Hearn) in charge of bringing to the concert because god forbid he is in charge of his own clothing and then she forgot it and had to go get it and bring it back. This whole backstory and costume choice in the heat seems quintessentially Elvis. Ugh, but this performance, I could watch it on a loop. It is one of my favorite songs, and I love watching him plug his ears to hear himself over the screaming women. Just watching his face, the way he holds the mic, oh god. The way he kind of slurs the words as he croons, the way he digs into the "She lived, she laughed, she loved, she cried, and it was all for me" and rolls his shoulders at 6:56 and again at 7:56, ughhhh nksdfghjkl. When he sings "when she broke my leg" instead of heart, ugh, I don't know what I love more, the joke or how he clearly amuses himself here.... Also his little giggle at the end as he looks at the crowd? FUCK ME SIDEWAYS. And then his little country voice. The sheer chaos of this fucking fair too, at one point during the film you can see a train going by in the background. The stage seems like it is set up in such an open and uncomfortable way. And his poise and magnetism is so palpable and amazing and perhaps even fueled by the chaos and the people. I set up the timecode to start right before this song, but again, highly rec watching or rewatching it all.

ok, tagging a few people who may or may not have already been tagged..

@moonchild-daniella@peskybedtime @shakerattlescroll @deke-rivers-1957 @leopardandstuds @loving-elvis @everythingelvispresley @alienelvisobsession @lookingforrainbows. @freudianslumber @ab4eva

Elvis lovers - it’s that time again! This week’s question is…..what are your top three live song performances? I definitely have not heard all the live stuff that’s available, so I’m really excited to see all of your answers and add them to my playlist! ❤️❤️❤️ Don’t forget to put the reasons why it speaks to you! Reading about everyone’s love for this man just makes my heart swell. 😘❤️

Such a Night (March 25, 1961 Pearl Harbor) - This concert is amazing, and this song in particular just puts me in a good mood. The little growling noises he does throughout are just so sexy, and the song is so upbeat. I love that you can hear the playful dynamic between him and the audience. There are so many amazing songs from this concert that he rarely performed again - Reconsider Baby, It’s Now or Never, I Need Your Love Tonight. And the corny jokes are already in full effect! He was really just his dorky self on stage, and I love it so much!

My Babe (Elvis Live 1969 Disc 9 - August 25, 1969 Las Vegas Midnight Show) - This is one of my favorite blues songs, and I was so excited when I first saw that Elvis covered it. (If you like blues, listen to Little Walter’s version. It is a great song, and I wish that Elvis had sung all the verses - I’d love to hear him sing “When she’s hot there ain’t no coolin’ her.” 😉😍) The amount of sexiness he oozes in this vocal is almost criminal. When he sings “she don’t, she don’t, she don’t, oh God,” I bet every woman there felt something…unspeakable. And the grunting! Whew…I need to recover from just thinking about this performance. 🥵 Really everything from this first Vegas run is just superb - the bluesy arrangement for Heartbreak Hotel is another favorite for me.

Funny How Time Slips Away (Elvis on Tour Disc 3 - April 14, 1972 Greensboro) - I love this song so much, and this particular version just does things to me. Right before he starts the song, he asks them to turn the house lights up, and when he says “I-I-It’s funny because I-I-I can’t see you really,” his sweet little stutter just melts my heart. Then when he sings, “How am I doin’? Well I’m sweatin’ a little bit baby, but I guess I’m doin’ fine,” it makes a lot more than my heart react. 😉😍😂 I just love how you get a feel for his interaction with the audience in this performance, and I like when he says “let her have it, man, let her have it” to security (I think about someone trying to get a scarf). My other favorite live performance of this is at Madison Square Garden. In that one, you actually can hear him stutter while singing a line, and I love that he goes up and hits that falsetto note when he sings “Remember what I told you,” and then drops way back down. I think he just had a lot of fun singing this, considering it’s kind of a sad song.

Runner-up goes to You’re the Reason I’m Living (March 22, 1975 Midnight Show). I think this is the only time he performed this live (someone correct me if I’m wrong), and it feels like just a beautiful dedication to his fans. Again you can hear his sweet stutter before he starts, and I like how you can hear him direct the band on what to do during the song. He performs the song so beautifully and then concludes by saying “That was, probably you could tell, totally unrehearsed.” Um, no, I could not tell that at all because it was amazing! ❤️

Again tagging past participants, but if you love Elvis and his music, please join in! 😘

@whositmcwhatsit @be-my-ally @thatbanditqueen @ellie-24 @plasticfantasticl0ver @lookingforrainbows @prompted-wordsmith @flwrs4aust @iloveelvis @argeriant18 @loving-elvis @alienelvisobsession @ab4eva @manebioniclegali @deke-rivers-1957 @rjmartin11 @c-rosenn @elvisalltheway101 @satninroses @doll-elvis @devilsflowerr @missmaywemeetagain @presleysdarling @troubleinapinksuit @cryingabtab @generoustreemystic @samfangirls

[mysticmessengeraudio]

heyy i was just wondering if you were ever going to transcribe light and daffodils? you said you wanted to a while back, so i was just wondering if that's still going to happen. anyway, i realize it takes time to do this stuff, but i was just curious if you're still thinking about doing it or not, as i would love to play it on piano! if you're not that's ok too (obviously it's your choice) cheers!

Of course I’d love to! I’m at the start of a new school semester so I should have a bit more time to dedicate to transcribing it (...I may have already done the first page a while back before I got distracted by Endless Struggle...). Thanks for the request! Might have to bump it up on my priority list if people like you are interested ^^

[hatari-translations]

Sigur Rós - Inní mér syngur vitleysingur (Within Me Sings a Madman) - transcript/translation

Another very late request, from @fern-29. Sigur Rós lyrics are always a bit cryptic and not super clear but I did my best!

Icelandic transcript

Á silfur-á Lýsir allan heiminn og augun blá skera stjörnuhiminn Ég óska mér og loka nú augunum Já, gerðu það, nú rætist saga Ó nei

Á stjörnuhraða Inni í hjarta springur flugvélarbrak Oní jörðu syngur Ég óska mér og loka nú augunum Já, gerðu það, langar á dans(?) Allt gleymist í smásmá stund og rætist samt Opna augun Ó nei

Minn besti vinur hverju sem dynur Ég kyngi tári og anda hári Illum látum, í faðmi grátum Þegar við hittumst Þegar við kyssumst Varirnar brenndu, höldumst í hendur Ég sé þig vakinn Ég sé þig nakinn Inní mér syngur vitleysingur

Allt látið vaða, við hlaupum hraðar Allt verður smærra Ég öskra hærra Er erfiðara, í burtu fara Minn besti vinur hverju sem dynur Illum látum, í faðmi grátum Ég kyngi tári og anda hári Þegar við hittumst Þegar við kyssumst Varirnar brenndu, höldumst í hendur Ég sé þig vakinn Ég sé þig nakinn Inní mér syngur vitleysingur

Transcription notes

I see some lyrics online that I don't trust because they have what appears to me to be grammatical nonsense in them, like "er er við aða" and "alltaf þið vaða" and "lágfara dans" (not technically grammatically incorrect, but I have never seen the word "lágfara" before, and when I Google it all I'm getting is the supposed lyrics of this song plus a single news article where it's a translation of "lowrider" as in a modified car, which I don't think makes a lot of sense here). I've done my best to transcribe what I think these parts are, but I could be wrong.

"Ó nei" technically sounds more like "Á nei", but that doesn't make any sense. Jónsi's vowels can be drawn out into entirely different vowels, but this does mean technically an interpretation of the same line that merely involves a different vowel getting shifted would be "á ný" (anew). I could see either one being it.

"Langar á dans" is what I'm hearing for what the other lyrics have as "lágfara dans", which is also a bit weird but could theoretically be it; I think what I'm hearing sounds like "langar að dans", but that would only make sense if it was "langar að dansa", and there's distinctly no a at the end.

English translation

On a silver river Lights up the whole world and the blue eyes cut across the starry sky I make a wish and close my eyes Yes, please, now a story comes true Oh no

At the speed of stars Inside my heart the wreck of an airplane explodes singing down in the ground I make a wish and close my eyes Yes, please, I want to go to a dance(?) Everything's forgotten for a brief, brief moment and still comes true Open my eyes Oh no

My best friend no matter what happens I swallow a tear and breathe in hair A tantrum, we cry in an embrace When we meet When we kiss The lips burned, let's hold hands I see you awake I see you naked Within me sings a madman

Let everything go, we run faster Everything gets smaller I yell louder It's harder, go away My best friend no matter what happens A tantrum, we cry in an embrace I swallow a tear and breathe in hair When we meet When we kiss The lips burned, let's hold hands I see you awake I see you naked Within me sings a madman

Translation notes

These lyrics are quite cryptic, as is often the case with Sigur Rós, and there's a lot of sort of disconnected phrases where it's not entirely clear how they relate to each other, so the translation can only be a bit vague.

The "you" in the song appears to be masculine: "Ég sé þig nakinn" only makes sense that way, unless it was actually "Ég sé þig, nakinn", as in I see you while I am naked. I doubt that's it, though.

"Vitleysingur" can mean a madman or just an idiot; madman feels more in line with the song so I went with that, but it could be either.

[karmicbias]

OKAY SO

Putting this under a cut because it's going to be long. I logged into tumblr on my laptop for this so you know I'm in it now.

And I'm going to have to do it in installments, mostly because I need to sleep and I don't think anyone's going to read the full breakdown of all 10 songs in one gulp anyway.

Today I'll look at the first couple of tracks, The Breeze and Lucifer & Lucia.

I started transcribing the lyrics when I heard the one from Kaisarion but didn't find any other recycles. A lot of these older lyrics are pretty clunky and/or grammatically incorrect (or indecipherable!).

However.

There are SO MANY bits that feel like they line up a little too well with Sister and Nihil's story to be coincidental. Hard to say if this is Tobias' version of the "Alpha Couple" and eventually they made their way into Ghost lore, or if this was part of the vision all along.

Actually, was it @gravehags who had a message about the Lucifer/Lilith parallels for Natalie and Copia? Because I think that's possibly where Tobias started with this idea, though I'm getting ahead of myself.

I did a full pass on the lyrics and then hopped over to Genius to see what else was going on and if anyone else had started, or had parsed some of the phrases I couldn't. I updated what I could, and it's still a bit of a mess - a couple of the tracks are merged for some reason, and I've definitely got gaps, but let's work with what we've got.

1 - The Breeze

So we have video of this song being performed - Tobias playing with Magna Carta Cartel

I was born to receive[?] when you kissed me And suddenly fate intervened Maybe I'll die on the day when you leave me But I live now, in the time in between

Nihil got his infernal eye when Sister kissed him in Dance Macabre. But this would imply he was destined in some way. I've seen it proposed that she brought him back to the fold - not into the fold - that night, which I think is an excellent and insightful read given the rest of the lore as presented.

While Nihil "left" first technically speaking, it would be fair to say he truly "lived" while he was Papa. And both those ghosts are still around (sorry, did you say, If you have ghosts? Ahem.)

I was born to receive[?] when you kissed me 23 nights since Halloween Maybe I'll die on the day when you leave me But I live now, in the time in between

Dance Macabre took place on Halloween, right? The number 23 has a lot of things going on as far as symbolism and mysticism: 23 Engima (and keep "enigma" in your mind for when we look at track 3. I don't have any specific conclusion here but it's interesting to noodle on.

2 - Lucifer and Lucia

Here's where it really starts getting interesting. Immediately we're prompted to overlay the Orpheus myth with Lucifer's fall (and this won't be the last time we look at that story):

"Go on," said Persephone And do not turn around to see Because if you do You will walk alone For eternity Walls were stained with our romance You know it's easy to enhance And it's so easy to go insane from but a glance

So within this read, Nihil and Sister mirror the story he's telling about Lucifer/Lucia and Orpheus/Eurydice: doomed couples. Maybe we'll learn more about this later (soon?).

Walls stained with romance? A disturbing glance (or eye)?

You remember the scene in the music video, right?

So putting that aside, who the eff is Lucia? I had no idea. But look at who she is in Swedish traditional stories! Yes, she's also a saint. And unquestionably another figure we maybe more commonly recognize as, you guessed it... Lilith.

The Lucia tradition can be traced back both to the martyr St Lucia of Syracuse (died in 304) and to the Swedish legend of Lucia as Adam’s first wife. It is said that she consorted with the Devil and that her children were invisible infernals. The name may be associated with both lux (light) and Lucifer (Satan), and its origins are difficult to determine.

I'm not drawing any specific conclusions here (YET), but come on. That's too good for us to ignore. So what else do we find in the lyrics? Not a lot - it's mostly a lot of Orphic moaning about one's fate, but:

You are the bearer And I will follow your guiding light

Well - Lucia = light (as does Lucifer, but let me cook). And the bearer of light - or should we say in this case, sight (Nihil's infernal eye).

Sister was perhaps a Prime Mover, perhaps not, but either way unquestionably the mother in the center of our story. And, I have to call out, a bearer of hidden (invisible, infernal) children - at least one of whom would certainly be infernally powerful and important one day.

Where does that leave us with the Orpheus myth in all this? The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is about trusting the person you love - your soulmate, your other half (as though you were really one person, reunited), the person who is so much a part of you that you virtually have the same name - over any doubts you may harbor.

Are we supposed to see Nihil and Sister as incarnations of Lucifer and Lucia/Lilith? I think maybe. Certainly there's still lots of story to be told there - both through Passiflora and for Sister and Nihil. And we've still got that pesky Antichrist thread just laying around, untied.

I'm going to keep building my case, so just bear with me as I get everything else put together.

Mwahahahahahaha...

There's some real Sister and Nihil readings you can make of the Passiflora lyrics, y'all. Annotations forthcoming, probably.

[thegothicviking]

As re-entering a link from herzeleid.com never seem to work (??) I usually copy and paste the actual text. Remember a transcription of Flake chatting with fans that I posted from early 00'? Before this Paul had a similar if not the same chat. I have already too long post in tumblr now so it will be broken down in 2 parts!

PAUL CHAT WITH FANS part I

Transcribed by Jeremy Williams

Taken from Rammstein.com chat

October 26 , 2005

_____________________________

Mod: Hello to you all. Thanks for coming out. Paul will be here in just a few minutes. And then we're going to get started.

Paul: Let's go!

niti: +++

Mod: Sorry, there was a technical problem. But the chat will start soon.

niti: +++

**atomrt: how do you chose the sounds for each song because all of them fit perfectly?**

Paul: Thanks a lot! Sometimes that works out well, sometimes not so well.+++

**maria: Your album covers have always sparked a lot of controversy. Which cover is your favourite and why?**

Paul: The cover for Sehnsucht was the most dramatic in my opinion.+++

**Benzramm: What was coming out of the fake penis during the live act "Bück Dich"? **

Paul: That was water with Ouzo to make it milky.+++

**Beurgueur: Good evening, Have you ever thought to write a metal-opera based on rammstein’ story?**

Paul: Hopefully not. We have enough theater elements already.+++

**MafiUndomiel: I was at River Plate Stadium in Argentina, 1999, when you toured with KISS. You did almost surpassed KISS music and show with your impact, and many people was really impressed. I still remember the silence during Du Hast, as Till was singing the refrain. What do you remember of Argentina, of this show? **

Paul: Yeah, that was unbelievable. It's a shame that we can't play in South America this time. Flake was seriously ill.+++

**MafiUndomiel: Did Till write Te Quiero Puta on his own, or had some kind of external help? I know it's not very complicated, nor elaborated in the lyrics, but it's not easy to put two or three sentences together if you don't know the language... believe me! I'm still trying with German!**

Paul: He had some help from his girlfriend and from Flake's friend from Chile.

Paul: But Till can already speak Spanish so well that he only had a few questions about grammar.+++

**monkeyman: What type of gear do you use when recording in the studio?**

Paul: This would take two hours to list. Too much for now. Sorry.+++

**Hugo: Why did you choose almost the same cover for the japanese version of Reise, Reise and Rosenrot? **

Paul: Because we thought it would be a shame to use the cover only for the Japanese edition.+++

**MafiUndomiel: There are many bands that edited DVD and VHS with the footage they got when they recorded their albums, the creative process and all that stuff. Since many R+ fans are really interested in knowing "Rammstein's kitchen", have you considered releasing something of that kind?

** Paul: I filmed some of the footage during Reise, Reise and it will come out sometime on a DVD as bonus material.+++

**blastedop: What happened to Live DVD? It was delayed? **

Paul: Yeah a little bit, but we're going to try to do it this year.+++

**MafiUndomiel: I wanted to know how did you put your setlists together when you go to a country you've never been... you mix old and new material, or you prefer to show your new material above all, and play only the "classics"? **

Paul: We play a mix of both old and new.+++

**Jenna: As you are possibly the most successful band from Germany (singing in German) that you are expected to represent German music and culture to the rest of the world? **

Paul: It was never our plan to play all over the world.

Paul: Sometimes we wonder ourselves how this all happened.+++

**beurgueur: what american film director would you enjoy to make a ckip with **

Paul: Tarantino.+++

**Benzramm: Did you ever get hurt when you were working with fire on the live acts ? **

Paul: Sometimes.+++

**aeon: One Rammstein member said you had a movie project with Werner Herzog. Do you think this project will be carried out and would you like to act in something different from Rammstein videos ? **

Paul: It's been awhile with WErner herzog. Maybe it will work out, there's still a plan to do it.

Paul: +++

**Rammsteinizied: Dear Paul: What is your favorite live performance effect? (like the flamethrowes in Feuer frei or the bow in DRSG) **

Paul: The nose flame throwers that we use in Feuer frei!+++

**MafiUndomiel: Which was your first guitar? Do you still own it? **

Paul: It was a Telecaster copy. A cheap one. I gave away my first guitars at an auction for a good cause. No idea whether it worked out.+++

**Straya: This has been in my mind for a while now, and I must ask. From the sample songs on the official site, it seems Rosenrot might be your 'hardest/loudest' albums, the songs seem 'hard', in a way, like Ich Will, Feuer Frei, and Mein Teil; what do you think of this? **

Paul: I don't think so. There are fewer sequences so the guitars come out better.+++

**Synthema: Do you still feel that being in Rammstein is almost like being in a six-way marriage? Does the band still function as a tight a unit or have things drifted apart? **

Paul: Yeah.

Paul: We're still together. Knock on wood. We've been together for 10 years and now that we've gone through our crisis, we feel better than ever.

Paul: We've got money, success, beautiful women and all the rest.

Paul: Things can only get worse.+++

**Jenna: Do you think your videos help to stop you taking yourselves too seriously? **

Paul: We've always taken ourselves less seriously than many people think. our best friends know this.

Paul: At the moment, we don't feel like making any humouress videos.+++

**whiskeypapa: When writing a song, how many/what kinds of revisions does the song go through before finally making it onto an album? **

Paul: Some songs make it out directly as we conceived them. With other songs, we make 20 versions and they still don't make it.

Paul: +++

**Noora: HI! I'm a fashion and design student from Finland and I was wondering about your stage costumes...How much do you participate in the designing and making of the outfits that you use on your tours? I understand that every album has its own look. Do you first design the outline of the look as a band and hen consult a designer and maker? Thanx and welcome back to Finland! :)**

Paul: Most ideas come directly from the band. For the last outfit, we had the idea to combine Bavarian folkloric outfits with industrial.

Paul: Because Bavarian folklore is not very cool and we like to mix things that you're not supposed to.+++

**Beurgueur: Have you ever thought in what your life would be now if rammstein never was created?**

Paul: No. We don't think that way.+++

**minx: It’s been stated in several interviews that the band has two pyromaniacs in the group, but is there anyone who is not so fond of fire?**

Paul: Everybody in the band has a different specialty.

Paul: Each of us is really equally important.

Paul: It doesn'T matter what each does, it could be better when two are on vacation during preparation and actually help us to make a good video this way.+++

**Badeend: Who thinks of the titles of the cd's? Is it some kind of democraty or is it 1 man that decides?**

Paul: We make the decision as a group but it's not really a democracy. More like a board of directors.+++

**Biz: How have older industrial bands (such as Laibach or KMFDM) influenced you?**

Paul: A lot.

Paul: Also Ministry.+++

**minx: What is the oily black/brown liquid that you are all covered with on stage? Is it a fire retardant liquid?**

Paul: No.

Paul: That's a secret.+++

**minx: Why did you wear a paper bag over your head at the concert in Tallin, last November?**

Paul: I wanted to display an Iraqi prisoner.

Paul: There's a photo of a guy behind barbed wire and he's holding his son but he has a bag on his head.

Paul: That photo really had an impact on me.+++

**aeon: Why do you only do signing sessions in London and Paris? Why not in other big cities f Europe or even Germany? Or is anything planned? **

Paul: Actually we've only planned for Paris. London snuck in at the last minute.

Paul: I don't know any more signing sessions details right now.+++

**Badeend: Did you take gitar lessons or did you teach it on your self?**

Paul: Self-taught.

Paul: +++

**minx: I am going to be at the signing in London on Sunday. Do you enjoy doing those types of promotional events or are they just ‘hard work’?**

Paul: Sometimes it's a lot of fun but other times it can be exhausting.+++

**Synthema: It could be said that the "Rosenrot" photos are quite a departure image-wise from what one would expect from the band. Was this something that was decided by the band for a particular reason, or is this the sort of decision that is out of your hands? Does your management or record label have much control over how you present yourselves, or is that left to you?**

Paul: We don't like to repeat ourselves.

Paul: Usually the band always has the last word on these amtters. But weR'e not always interested in all of the details.+++

**Badeend: What is the new instrument you used in the song Te Quiero Puta?**

Paul: Trumpet.+++

**beurgueur: do you think you'll be on stage again when you'll be 60? (like rolling stones for example...)**

Paul: Hopefully somebody will die first. Then we won'T have to worry about that.+++

**minx: Do you do you all do own make-up for the shows?**

Paul: Yes.+++

**OK-River: Will Rammstein play again "Bück Dich" in a concert, or it is something of the past?**

Paul: I wouldn't say no.+++

**blastedop: Rosenrot is so diferent from Reise Reise. How is this possible if these songs are from Reise Reise recording season?**

Paul: I don'T think so. Listen to the whole album.+++

**Benzramm: Are you a sort of scared when flake is going with his boat in the public ? **

Paul: No.

Paul: But it was always Oli last year.+++

**whiskeypapa: Which of your songs invokes the most emotion from you?**

Paul: Seemann.+++

**MsBehaviour: Greetings from Finland and good evening! My question is, you have been playing together as a band for quite a many years now, and there is a big difference in the sound of Herzeleid and the sound of Reise Reise. Does this "evolution" come naturally to you, or do you make conscious decisions as to where to direct your sound? How do you feel about the change?**

Paul: There are some of us who want to stay the same.

Paul: There's some of us who want to always change.

Paul: These parties fight each other and the result is a new album or a black eye.+++

**MafiUndomiel: Have you heard a cover version of Keine Lust made by a Russian guy called Miguel? What did you think about it?**

Paul: Not yet, unfortunately.+++

**Badeend: Do you have a private jet or do you have to rent a plane?**

Paul: When the record company pays, we fly Business. When we have to pay, it'S Tourist class. Sometimes, when the connections are difficult, we rent a litlle jet.+++

**luna: First "Snow White" now "Rose Red". Do the members of Rammstein have a fondness for fairytales?**

Paul: Who doesn't?+++

**Synthema: Do you still enjoy performing live after all these years, or is it more of a chore now?**

Paul: If we didn't like it, we wouldn't have been around so long.+++

**Benzramm: Is there a double meaning in the songtexts of your songs ? **

Paul: Yeah. But the subtleties and double-meanings get lsot in translation.+++

**Badeend: What is your favorite song or cd?**

Paul: Kill Bill 1.+++

**DRS2G: Is "Hilf Mir" inspired by a Heinrich Hoffmann's tale?!**

Paul: Yes.+++

**Synthema: Have you ever felt that the success of Rammstein has been a negative thing for you in your personal life? That it makes it difficult to decide who to trust and who not to?**

Paul: It is difficult to stay normal despite money and success.

Paul: We fight this on a daily battle but we usually win.+++

**Beurgueur: from a viewer: what guitar do you use for your c tuning, and what guitar does richard use for this?**

Paul: I play a Gibson Les Paul and Richard plays ESP guitars.+++

**Benzramm: Did you really go to the mountains for the videoclip "Ohne Dich"?**

Paul: Yes. The was the funnest video of them all.

Paul: The thin air up there was difficult.

Paul: I'm impressed by mountain climbers who go even higher.

Paul: It was difficult for our crew and us.+++

**MafiUndomiel: how did you and richard decided who was going to be lead and who rythm guitars?**

Paul: Good question.

Paul: We're both stubborn.

Paul: It's a fight every time but we're still doing alright up to now.

Paul: Actually, the winner is supposed to be the one who plays the best solo.+++

**Badeend: Do you still have to take guitar lessons to play better?**

Paul: No.+++

**blastedop: Do you visit fansites? How about a Top 10 Fansites in the official page?**

Paul: From time to time.+++

**Badeend: Why did you pick just that girl for the Texas vocal in Stirb nich vor Mir?**

Paul: It was our producer's idea.+++

**MafiUndomiel: Paul, is there any country that you´d like to visit or going on tour, and you haven´t yet? Why?**

Paul: Yes, we would love to go to Turkey, Mongolia, Iraq. We know we've got lots of fans there.+++

**Jenna: Which current musicians (Not youselves, I'm sorry) do you think are creating the best work at the moment?**

Paul: System of a Down, Muse, Snoop Doggy Dog, Eminem, Slip Knot, etc.+++

**Rammsteinizied: Dear Paul, How do you feel about us fans?**

Paul: It's an honour.+++

**Minx: Do you have a favourite guitar part in a particular song you really enjoy?**

Paul: +++

**DRS2G: Will "Rosenrot" be the 2nd single from your new album?!**

Paul: Yes.+++

**Straya: I'm wondering how this question has not come up yet... but, plenty of people are asking if you guys will tour in America and Canada. I don't mean for this to be one of those annoying questions. But, has anything be talked about?**

Paul: I'm certain that we'll tour North and South America with our next album.+++

**rammsteinuk: I read in a recent interview that there were some arguments within the band during the production of 'Mutter'. Have there been any more strong disagreements like this since?

**Paul: Thankfully not. There's always stress when six stubborn people meet, but nothing serious.+++

**minx: Most influential musician on yourself?**

Paul: Laibach, Ministry, Metallica, Nirvana.+++

**blastedop: Did you like Benzin video? Schneider didnt.**

Paul: I don't think it's that bad.

Paul: We've had three really good videos in a row, so it'S hard to keep the standards so high.

Paul: I'm glad that there's some variation, next time we'll improve.+++

**whiskeypapa: First, Reise Reise saw a "country moment" with Los, and now Rosenrot has Te Quiero Puta. If you could make a fusion of Rammstein and any other world music (for fun), what would it be?**

Paul: Yes, I interested in all combinations of things that don'T fit together.+++

**Biz: Are there any downsides to being famous?**

Paul: We're famous but we can still buy groceries in Berlin without bodyguards.

Paul: We've got nothing to complain about.

Paul: Our band is famous around the world but we still have normal lives, thank God.+++

**minty: Paul are you looking forward to the world cup next year? who will win?**

Paul: Yes. It doesn'T look good for Germany right now.

Paul: I hope that a miracle happens.+++

**aeon: Do you hope your music will still be appreciated in many years from now or it doesn't matter to you ?**

Paul: I think that we're relatively timeless.

Paul: But that'S probably what every band thinks and two years later nobody cares ...+++

**DRS2G: Was it good to be directed by Jonas Akerlund?!**

Paul: Yes, he's just a cool guy.+++

[inked-out-trees]

7, 20 and 21 for the writing asks?

I didn't mean to go so hard on these asks, but I did, so these are under a cut!

7. What do you think are the characteristics of your personal writing style?

I have a feeling my writing has ended up being quite conversational. I don't often write in objective POVs - I like the inner monologue and it usually allows for some fun comedy moments - and that kind of easy, familiar structure seems to be where I'm most comfortable.

When it comes to content, I'm pretty spot-on with a few tropes (people loving each other, growing together, healing together) but otherwise I like to think versatility is something I'm getting better at. You can usually count on me for fanwork that's longer than I thought it was going to be. I try my best to layer my characters. I think I'm still working on individual voices.

The second half of this question is do others agree with you? And I don't know if that's something I can answer so I'm re-posing the question to anyone who cares - what's the outsider pov on my writing? Anything more to mention?

20. Tell us the meta about your writing that you've always wanted to ramble about.

Here's my director's cut tag, which is technically just four really long posts about the metas of The Keep Going Song, Lookout 3, homeward bound, and the universe is pitted against us. If you're looking for something specific, it might be there - and if it's not feel free to just ask!

I don't know about ramble but I can chat about my beansongs! Like I said in an earlier ask during the ask fight I started the music adventure following the desire to write a specific song (Chris's Waltz). From there I briefly entertained the idea of writing themes for each character (this did not happen) and even math'd out note progressions that matched each character's name (this did not make it in either) - and eventually I settled on just writing for beats of the story, like a film soundtrack.

Aside from the posthumous lullaby in Lookout 3, I've never actually committed to writing music - so a lot of these were slap and go, sticking notes into my music software and moving them around until they sounded okay. Some of the songs (Chris's Waltz and Supposed to Be) I improvised on the piano, recorded, and then cleaned up as I transcribed them. Otherwise it was just me trying to attach a sound to the mood I wanted (I wrote the music and the words simultaneously; some songs came before their scene and some came after) and crossing my fingers. Some fun facts:

I started with Morning - Forward Motion knowing that it would be one of the bookending tracks and I tried to match Intro - Stasis in regards to sound. The two different broadcast tracks are in relative minor and major, again because they are thematic companions. There's a clock noise during Midnight because it's meant to be about time passing, the year moving on. I meant for Shadow Puppets to basically be a mini-score for Max's story, and it's bracketed by Christmas music because that's what's on the radio. There's a line in Midnight that reminds me of a line from the Polar Express soundtrack and I blame that on the fact that I did most of my writing during winter break. Toxic Air was originally called Broadcast, 3:48 and Supposed to Be was originally called This Place of Memory. The last song I finished was Midnight.

Anyway, that was definitely a ramble. But like I said, if you have any more questions - I'm always open!

21. What other medium do you think your story would work well as?

My brain is so desperately cinematic that there's essentially two versions of everything I write: the words and the brain-movie. I can imagine a lot of the moments with perfect clarity - especially moments of silent contemplation, or these times when it would be so good with backing music. I was actually stuck on Bean's Beans for a while because I was seeing a movie instead of a written work, but after I got properly underway it really flowed. (That's also why the End Credits Song is titled the way it is. Cinema vibes. You know when the credits run long enough that you get a real song? That.)

Anyway, long answer short, they would all make great movies I think. Particularly homeward, bound (I would have such a wild time with all the tense moments! and the final fight oh my god!) and the beans (which is already halfway there).

Sorry this is so long. Apparently I have a lot of things to talk about.

[botwstoriesandsuch]

Whats your method for transcribing music from BotW? And, while I'm at it, whats your method for composing?

oh?? Oh??? OH??? Questions about music? Questions about composing for Kip?? You know not what waters you have just unleashed. 

Ok so for the first question, I just transcribe based on the internet, and just by listening to the soundtrack by ear. I kinda just stitch together the melody based on sheet music on musescore, and covers on youtube, and I just kinda see how those versions are composed and then based on that I craft how I want the music to sound on my own version. 

I have this decade old Yamaha DGX640 keyboard that only has five song slots so the most I can(know how to) do is record one two-handed harmony and use my phone to record me playing the melody on top of that. But it’s kinda tedious and the botw songs are usually easy enough to play with just two hands anyhow so I really only use that method when I wanna be fancy. I have a habit of just using left to play arpeggios and by then the music usually sounds full enough. (cough cough that Rito Village one cough cough) So yeah it’s basically a method of studying the basic material online and then making up and crafting whatever stuff sounds nice around it

As for the original comps, well they’re all usually based on some botw concept (as I’m guessing most of the ones you’ve all seen are just the oc themes lol) so I do one of two methods. The first method is I take the key signature of a botw melody that is related to the thing I’m composing for, then I fuck around on a keyboard until I have a melody I think sounds cool. USUALLY I make it on a typical build to coda/climax thing, but the example I’m using is an exception (cause it was my first draft and all I did was repeat the first half with additional harmony)

Ok so I take the key signature, I craft my original part of the music, and then based on the “story” I want to tell, I fuse in a bit of the botw bits within “lows” of the song. So in Zimiri’s Theme for example, I had this certain segment of Kass’ Theme that I liked, so I started based on that key signature. Then I just completely forget about botw while I compose the parts for my character. So Zimiri is a Sheikah poet for the royal family, and also a bard, so I made his theme in 3 to give it that waltz feel. The Eflat key has that...idk the technical term, but it just has that vibe of kindness and serenity and wisdom which is what I’m going for in his character. Now, Zimiri also has a crush on Zelda, but he knows that’s unrequited and he’s mostly ok with that, but that doesn’t stop him from at least dreaming of some unreality where he could dance with her under the stars (uh fic spoilers I guesss). Hence, his main melody, (0:10) the half note Eflat to D to Bflat, is of the same beat pattern of Zelda’s lullaby. And then, uh character arc spoilers! The story I’ve constructed for Zimiri is basically this idea that he comes to understand this battle between what he wants and what he knows he needs to do. He has a harmless crush on Zelda, but he knows he needs to respect her and do what he can as her friend during these rough times. [I mention Zelda a lot but I swear that’s only like 7% of his character] He recognizes that Adello and Revali and a bit of Link, they all want to [REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED] but he tries to push them to be more [REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED], even if that isn’t always successful. He’s mostly a static character, that recognizes what other people want, but wants to help them be better through what they need, which is an ironic trait since it’s a bit contradictory to his whimsical and almost naive cinnamon bun personality as a bard. But that’s like his main thing, you see like, he wants nothing more than to be the hero of the story and to wield a sword and save everyone, and while its OK to dream that, he still is content and fills his role as support, as the “harmony,” the background to the melody if you will. So THAT is why, the song is crafted where it’s grounded into his main melody, those three notes, the halfnote Eflat, to D to Bflat, and while the song ascends and seems to dance in the stars and the harmony (wink wink parallels) rises and becomes more prominent over the course of the song, it ultimately always Always comes back down to those three main notes. It’s like a dream that will eventually fade back into reality. The whole song is an ascension to those higher, magical notes in the “stars,” that comes back down to the essentials of Zimiri, those three main notes, that as said before, are similar to Zelda’s Lullaby, but is purposefully, a full descension in the scale, it doesn’t rise. 

Ok and then Finally, finally finally finally, we come back to that botw aspect. Like all of that, is just the original stuff and the thought that goes into where the notes go and how the stuff moves and plays out, it’s basically like planning a fic outline or something. But anyhow, this idea that I’ve been crafting for Zimiri’s theme, this concept that he understands that even though he might not be the one to save the world or see the fantastical end to the story, this whole ascension and descending thing, with the higher parts being a the stars that aren’t yet in your reach or the dreams that are not yet reality and all that sap? Right so now that’s when we can put a bit of Kass’ Theme into those higher parts. 0:33 and 1:07 are just bits of Kass’ Theme slowed down, specifically, the parts in Kass’ Final Song the time and sacrifice aspects of the legend. “Now resurrected after 10,000 years//Her appointed knight//Gives his life//Shields her figure and pays the price.” You could probably hear the “10,000 year” part most prominently. So one, the botw aspect serves to the themes that I’m going for in this character, and two, it serves as that connection between Zimiri and his eventually successor, a successor who would live out to see a dream that he couldn’t wooAAAoooh parallels. And even still, the segment that I’ve drawn out of Kass’ Theme still descends (seamlessly I might add, if to toot the horn a bit) into Zimiri’s core 3 note theme. So while I’ve written the piece to pick up at those whimsical parts, and to foreshadow and encompass the journey I have planned for this character, I’ve ultimately grounded the music itself to a specific scene that I have written, (and not yet posted I need to finish some other things) where Zimiri playing music to himself under the stars, the melody on his lute serving only to keep the sky company. 

OH RIGHT and I said I had a second method for composing stuff didn’t I ahaha...this post it already way too long and full of uneditted rambling so maybe I’ll gush about that some other time :p

[tangents-within-tangents]

Poor Arthur, his true love is alive again before his eyes but she is not who she was “I had all and then most of you some and now none of you.” “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, haunted by the ghost of you. Oh, take me back to the night we met” Yeah describes their tragic story pretty well :(

(fun fact this is the song that started this whole long af playlist)

…….I’m sorry

Tone shift, lol... Enter Jonathan and Mina Harker! This nerdy-ass dream team is on the case! Transcribing and compiling everything we know about these spooky happenings (and putting it all in chronological order, my kindred spirits lol). The gangs all together!

Also just love to hear "A friend of a friend, is friends with a kook" as "A friend (Seward) of a friend (Lucy), is friends with a kook (Van Helsing)" and hence the Harkers are brought into the squad lol

“What can I give that is all for you? This heart’s no good for it’s split in two. What can I give that is all for you? These arms are all I have. But I’ll hold you like I do love you”

This one is for when Arthur receives some “woman’s sympathy” and comfort from Mina. Honestly a sweet moment. (Obviously not suggesting any romance between them, just her motherly care and his brotherly promise)

This one represents the war room scene where Van Helsing gives a crash course on vampires' abilities and weaknesses. Liked the vibes too

Off we go to cleanse the count’s earth boxes with sacred wafers (this one is kinda interchangeable, solely for the title)

Originally I added this one as some epic music for when the whole squad is all together, which is still true. But the second half of the title shows how keeping Mina in the dark caused some major problems…

Title and vibe fit the ‘baptism of blood’ scene, which for me is probably the scariest and most heartbreaking thing that happens in the book. Plus I think the lyric “Identical words, how they feel brand new against different time frames” fits the way Dracula twists quotes from the Bible

Rest in peace, Renfeild. Honestly his story is so tragic

“Poor Mina told me just now, with the tears running down her dear cheeks, that it is in trouble and trial that our faith is tested—that we must keep on trusting.”

I originally had this one more toward the end but realized it was a lot sadder in tone. This is for Jonathan comforting Mina and both of them looking for hope after these pretty traumatic events. “Night has always pushed out day” “And I took you by the hand and we stood tall” “But there will come a time you’ll see, with no more tears” Yeah you get it

Yeah this is here solely for the line “put white into your hair” Good ol gothic tropes lol, looking strong Jono!

(but also can we talk about how he didn’t technically witness Mina’s assault himself so just hearing about it and worrying about her is what stressed him out so much his hair went white?)

Yeah another from the Many Beautiful Things soundtrack with a fitting vibe and title, I know I know. I included this for one of my favorite moments:

“And oh, Madam Mina, my dear, my dear, may we who love you be there to see, when that red scar, the sign of God’s knowledge of what has been, shall pass away, and leave your forehead as pure as the heart we know.”

oops made myself tear up (this book is so good oof)

Yeah I know I'm not the only one to connect this song to the Harkers, it is just perfect

“To one thing I have made up my mind: if we find out that Mina must be a vampire in the end, then she shall not go into that unknown and terrible land alone. I suppose it is thus that in old times one vampire meant many; just as their hideous bodies could only rest in sacred earth, so the holiest love was the recruiting sergeant for their ghastly ranks.”

THIS MAN! Ugh! But yeah: “If there’s no one beside you when your soul embarks, then I’ll follow you into the dark”

This is one of my favorites on this playlist. It's for Mina as she deals with the lasting effects of Dracula’s attack

“Devil take your claws out of my brain, your lies are driving me insane. Stop sending all my friends away, for you I’d never end my days” (Side note I really love how Van Helsing tells her she must live on, to not let Dracula win, it’s just really sweet and inspiring) “Every second I’m breaking, my whole world is shaking” “My own self betrayed” “Devil take a hint and let me be. You rot in me till I can’t breathe. You shatter every part of me”

Yeah you get the point (also shout out to Sobi bc I love this and all of her songs)

Mina can spy on you back Dracula you s.o.b!

Lol I’m not sorry. Look that’s all she sees every single time she uses the telepathic hypnosis thing, he’s basically trolling

Good thing Mina has a big fat brain she can track you down with anyway sucker (lol pun)

“You forget…that I am the train fiend” !!!!!!!

Need I say more? I considered the “I like trains” song bc funny but I really love the vibe of this one, fits along with one of my favorite images, which is sleep-deprived, white-haired Jonathan just sitting in the corner sharpening his big-ass knife.

"It's many hundred miles and it won't be long" I just think it fits for this part of the book as the crew travels and waits in anticipation

Another one of the playlist og’s lol. Fits amazingly to basically the whole plot but especially to this part as they hunt for Dracula. (I’m actually working on an animatic but that will be a while lol)

Quincey!! Got!! HORSES!!!!

Look it’s just dang good cowboy music, and if we count the ghost of Lucy we do have a band of seven! (While I love this soundtrack, I'd prefer “The Attack” from the Quigley Down Under soundtrack bc the tone is better fitting to the intense chase (and for excellent featuring of banjo) but alas it's sadly not on Spotify)

I know people think the final showdown is anti-climatic but you gotta remember, it was a chase not a fight. A race against time bc as soon as the sun set Dracula would just turn to mist and get away, this was their last chance

Rest in peace, Quincey P. Morris

You were just too cool to survive.

This is both for when Mina’s scar disappears, a beautiful moment with matching imagery:

“The sun was now right down upon the mountain top, and the red gleams fell upon my face, so that it was bathed in rosy light.”

and for

“Seven years ago we all went through the flames; and the happiness of some of us since then is, we think, well worth the pain we endured.”

Our heroes made it through and now it is time for them to heal

“Lift up your head, break down the walls

Don't stop pushing 'til they fall

At first the sun might hurt your eyes

But soon you'll see the beauty in the light”

Yeah it’s kinda cheating because I’m just stealing the emotional context of The Adventure Zone. But again, it just fits! The soft, peaceful, bittersweet epilogue. The well earned happy ending. To me, Jonathan’s final note is the most important part of the book. It shows us that the characters truly did win because they were able to live on and find happiness. Gah I really can’t read it without tearing up

“We want no proofs; we ask none to believe us! This boy will some day know what a brave and gallant woman his mother is. Already he knows her sweetness and loving care; later on he will understand how some men so loved her, that they did dare much for her sake.”

Welp there you have it. Thank you for coming on this journey of overthinking with me. If you stuck around for that whole thing, well good for you I guess. And if no one sees this and I’m just talking to myself, well good for me lol

Since there aren't spoilers anymore I figured I drop my great big chronological, overthought, sometimes deep, sometimes irreverent, oddly specific, book-accurate Dracula playlist

I’m actually surprised at a lot of the stuff I was able to find lol, though it definitely reflects my own taste and interpretations of the novel. Most of the songs are self explanatory but some are more vague so if anyone’s interested I’ll walk through my reasoning in reblogs