#i feel like lots of things about mj would resonate a lot with vice. and i mean A LOT. nonconformity & the courage to be themselves...

[cathymee]

why does showtime have random episodes where they just make as much mj references as they can

[skymade]

on blog playlist.

   I feel like I talk about them a lot, but I put a lot of time, thought, and energy into my blog playlists – purely for my own enjoyment! I like them being there, I like listening to them. Music is important to me, and giving my kids “OfficialTM” music is just… fun. The overall feel and all lyrics of the song must be perfectly accurate to the character to be included. ( Therefore, there’s usually a lot of other music that’s on the cusp that’s denied entry, so to speak. )

     Willow’s blog playlist comes from a variety of genres, but they’re mostly upbeat, dance-y music. It is definitely in chronological order. 

Living in Another World by Neon Trees “They’ve been telling me to come of age, I’ve been going through an awkward phase  They’ve been trying hard to wake me up, singing stuff that never gets me off  Don’t mind me, I’m living in another world!  Don’t mind me, I’m living in another world!” 

   We start off with the Neon Trees, spelling what it’s like for Willow as a teen, to be in her own little world, consistently. It has a whimsical, sort of “soft angst” feel that completely resonates with my poor angel. 

The City by Madeon  “There is a place in the distance,  A place that I’ve been dreaming of  Time and space don’t exist and  We can dance like there’s no tomorrow  There is a place! Oh, time and space...!” 

   This song echoes a lot of the previous song’s feelings -- but rather than believing she’s living in another world, she’s wishing she was. It comes right after her mother and Winter disappear ( I had what I wanted -- it went away so fast. ), and begins her pining for being among the stars. 

Fly Away by Lenny Kravitz “Let's go and see the stars The Milky Way, Or even Mars Where it could just be ours Let's fade into the sun Let your spirit fly Where we are one Just for a little fun Oh oh, oh yeah! I want to get away I want to fly away Yeah yeah yeah!”

   More pining to get off of this sky-forsaken planet, and imagining what it would be like to just fly away from everything. This music is very indicative of her style at the time, as well. 

I Don’t Care by Fallout Boy “Erase myself and let go, Start it over again in Mexico These friends, they don't love you They just love the hotel suites! Now I don't care what you think, As long as it's about me The best of us can find happiness, in misery!”

   This rock song appears as Willow starts dating a lot of people that hold no affection for her. They don’t care about her, just about her status, just about the fact that she’s another lay. But that’s okay, because she’s still finding happiness in this misery, and she doesn’t care what they think -- as long as it’s about her.  

I Just Wanna Run by The Downton Friction “I just wanna run  I’m out here all alone  I try to call your house  Can’t reach you on the phone I gather up my nerve  I’m packing up my bag  It’s more than you deserve  Don’t treat me like a drag!  I’m feeling like I keep on talking, I’m repeating, Myself my words lost all meaning  I keep talking, I repeat myself  I just wanna run! Hide it away Run because they’re chasing me down I just wanna run Throw it away Run before they’re finding me out I just wanna run!” 

   But you know? No. Even if she has relationships here, fuck this. She wants to leave Amyr. She’s done with these people abusing her. She’s sick of being treated like shit. She’s getting out of here, before they can stop her. 

Watch Me by Icon for Hire “I am not afraid to fall You can watch me lose it all I'll get it wrong, 'til I get it right At least I'm making scenes in the meantime!” 

   So, here she is. She’s leaving. Watch Her! :) This song is very clearly directed to those that Willow feels like don’t do anything, don’t reach out and force themselves to achieve their dreams. ... A little bit at Tallow, because she’s finding him at this point. Also, as an aside? I love the titles leading up here. I don’t care; I just wanna run... watch me! 

Message Man by 21 Pilots  “The loser hides behind A mask of my disguise And who I am today Is worse than other times You don't know what I've done I'm wanted and on the run I'm wanted and on the run So I'm taking this moment to live in the future.” 

   And this is where she leaves Amyr. She’s wanted and on the run, finally, now that she’s off, with Tallow! She’s free! Wanted, on the run, but free! 

Weak by AJR “One sip? Bad for me One hit? Bad for me One kiss? Bad for me But I give in so easily! And no, thank you!  Is how it should've gone I should stay strong... But I'm weak, and what's wrong with that? Boy, oh boy, I love it when I fall for that! I'm weak, and what's wrong with that? Boy, oh boy, I love it when I fall for that!” 

   Willow only feels the barest, slightest of regret at loving her ‘habits’ now that Tallow so vehemently opposes them, and though she’s “trying”... skies, who cares? She’s weak, and what’s wrong with that! This begins introducing, as well, the electropop genre that more or less follows us throughout the rest of the playlist. 

One of the Drunks by Panic! at the Disco  “Never dry Every day you're thirsty Bourbon high Sip until you're tipsy Night's young Searching for a feeling  Big fun Dancing with the demons, oh, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit Grips you like a pistol, Wet the whistle, wet the whistle Abyss of ice crystals Every weekend with your friends Every weekday when it ends Damn it's all good... I guess. ... This is what it feels like when you become one of the drunks! This is what it feels like when you become one of the drunks! Searching for a new high, high as the sun, uncomfortably numb This is what it feels like when you become one of the drunks Welcome to the club!”    

   All regret is gone -- Willow is excited to be one of the drunks. Night’s young! She’s drinking, partying with people on different planets! She’s doing everything she’s ever wanted! Damn, it’s all good! ... I... ... guess... 

Young and Menace by Fallout Boy “And I lived so much life, lived so much life I think that God is gonna have to kill me twice Kill me twice like my name was Nikki Sixx I woke up in my shoes again but somewhere you exist, singing, Oops, I Did it again, I Forgot what I was losing my mind about I only wrote this down to MAKE YOU PRESS REWIND AND SEND A MESSAGE, I WAS YOUNG, AND A MENACE!”

   Of course, Willow’s always been young and a menace, but the more she Travels, and the more danger she gets into, the more she starts messing up. And the happier she is about that. She’s not giving any of this up, no sirree. 

Dancing’s Not a Crime by Panic! at the Disco “I’m a moonwalker! I’m like MJ up in the clouds  I know it sounds awkward I’m filthy as charged, filthy as charged You’re a sweet talker  But darlin’, what’chu gonna say now? The midnight marauders  The higher never come down, never come down You can’t take me anywhere, anywhere You can’t take me anywhere, anywhere I’m still uninvited, I’m still gonna light it I’m going insane and I don’t care!  Whatever they tell you,  Dancing, dancing, dancing’s not a crime  Unless you do it without me.” 

   One of the quintessential Willow songs -- Dancing’s Not a Crime. Every line in here speaks to her a little too well. My little partier is truly, genuinely starting to enjoy herself out here, and fully grow into who she’s going to be in the future. 

Sober by Lorde  “Oh God, I'm clean out of air, in my lungs It's all gone Played it so nonchalant It's time we danced with the truth Move along with the truth We're sleeping through all the days I'm acting like I don't see, Every ribbon you used to tie yourself to me.” 

   This song comes around the time that Mila becomes a more permanent fixture in Willow’s life. At some points, this song is directed at Mila, Tallow, and Riddon. The but what will we do when we’re sober? line spells Willow’s terror of the high of Traveling and excitement crashing. What will she do when Mila captures them and grounds her back to Earth?

But It’s Better If You Do by Panic! at the Disco  “And isn't this, exactly where you'd like me? I'm exactly where you'd like me, you know Praying for love in a lap dance And paying in naivety Woah! But I’m Afraid That I Well, I may have faked it.” 

   This is completely after Tallow leaves and Mila abuses her, and is completely directed at the two of them. She’s alone, now, searching people, places, things out -- praying for love, and paying in naivety. All of it, actually. They’ve taken all of it with them. 

Hypnotized by A Lion Named Roar  “I stand and watch you take your potion Are you feeling something, Something you came to forget? And I know you hate this double vision Still the life that you're living They hide in your silhouette Yeah, I got my games and my vices, And I feel a little self righteous, Usually I'm never like this.”

   This song is really... completely just directed at Willow, and how she can make other people hypnotized with her -- usually with the idea of her -- and just... really how she’d look to other people, in this horrible hole that she’s in after she loses Mila and Tallow. 

Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time by Panic! at the Disco “Champagne, cocaine, gasoline And most things in between I roam the city in a shopping cart A pack of camels and a smoke alarm This night is heating up Raise hell and turn it up Saying, "If you go out you might pass out in a drain pipe" Oh yeah! Don't threaten me with a good time It's a hell of a feeling though, It's a hell of a feeling though! Alright, alright! It's a hell of a feeling though, It's a hell of a feeling though! What are these footprints? ... They don't look very human-like Now I wish that I could find my clothes...”

   And... hilariously, this is her horrible life from her perspective. Its beginning repeating alright, alright is sort of her brushing herself off, focusing on continuing her life and her partying... even after all of this shit she’s been subjected to. 

Cut the Kid by Madeon 

   We end with another Madeon song -- this one with no feature, so basically instrumental. The cut words are reminiscent of Willow attempting to speak coherent words Ever, and really loops this playlist to a close. Some of the more instrumental moments give the song an almost... sad or pained quality, honestly, so it’s perfect to close up here with it. In pain, but still her!

   And that’s a wrap!