#they are so nature boy nat king cole

[veveisveryuncool]

hello moominvalley i come bearing gifts (doodles made at 3AM) 🎁🎁🎁

[yuugen-benni]

Fontaine's characters and their songs !

Neuvillette:

''I can hear the sound of rain in my heart, of the tears that I hide, And it tears me apart, 'cause I keep them inside'' - Rain in My heart by Frank Sinatra

Navia:

''She keeps her Moët et Chandon In her pretty cabinet "Let them eat cake, " she says Just like Marie Antoinette'' - Killer Queen by Queen

Freminet:

''There was a boy A very strange enchanted boy They say he wandered very far Very far Over land and sea A little shy And sad of eye'' - Nature Boy by Nat King cole

Furina:

"Have mercy" (I can get a little lonely) "On me" (sometimes, I can get a little) "And keep me company" (I can get a little lonely) I said- '' - Lonely by Imagine Dragons

Lyney and Lynette:

''You're in the psycho circus I say welcome to the show I've been waiting here to be your guide So come Reveal the secrets that you keep inside Step up!'' - Psycho Circus by KISS

Arlecchino:

''Are you feeling nervous? His voice means to deceive you My voice just wants to lead you Below the surface'' - Below the surface by Griffinilla

Did you have any ideas? Reblog and write the lyrics of the song and the name of the character!

[bella-rose29]

The Greatest Thing - Lockwood x fem!reader

requested by anon: Hi, I love the way you write! I was wondering (if requests are still open) if you could write a Lockwood x reader where reader's mother died when she was little for some reason, and by taking on a case reader and Lockwood find themselves having to fight the ghost of reader's mother ? And maybe even Lockwood calming Reader down after the mission? Feel free to change parts. (btw: sorry if English is terrible, I'm Italian, English is not my native language)

my lovely you don't need to apologise for your English, it's better than a lot of actual English people I know (myself included) <333

sorry this took me so long, but hopefully you enjoy!!

for reference, the song that's mentioned is specifically Nat King Cole's version of Nature Boy from 1948 <3

Word count: 4.2k

Warnings: swearing (only a lil), brief mentions of cancer (not explicit though), idk if there's anything else

I did just copy and paste the tag list from DTH part 9 so feel free to not read this if you don't want to! <3

It was nearly one in the morning when the telephone rang. 

This was odd, because the phone had been broken for a little over twenty years. 

It was more sentimental than anything else, and it was kept as a reminder of someone long gone, as was the typewriter that sat on the shelves next to the telephone, on top of the case it came in so that it could be admired. There was a record player too, although that was in perfect working condition, unlike the other two objects. 

The ringing of the telephone woke up the inhabitant of the bedroom, and he groggily rubbed at his eyes as he sat up and turned the light on. The glare made him wince, but when he realised the broken telephone on his shelf was ringing, his eyes shot wide open. He scrambled for the working phone on his bedside table, trying not to panic too much and failing as he punched in the numbers. The line rang three times before someone picked up, and his breathing was shaky. 

“Hello? I think there’s a ghost in my bedroom.”

~~~

“Lockwood? You awake?” Y/n pushed open the door to the library, making note of the dim light that shone under the door. Her voice was quiet, just in case he’d actually managed to fall asleep, but as soon as she stepped inside she saw him sat in his usual armchair with a book.

“Everything alright?” he asked. 

“Not really. Dad’s just phoned me.” She took the chair next to him, watching as he put a bookmark in place and held the book closed on his lap. 

“Ah, that’s who was calling.” He frowned. “You don’t sound too happy about it.”

“He thinks there’s a ghost in his room. Said the old telephone that Mum bought ages ago started ringing just now. He wants us to come and check it out as soon as we can.”

“How do we know it’s not just… someone calling?”

“It’s broken, Lockwood. Has been for ages. Pretty sure it was broken when Mum got it, but she thought it looked nice.”

“Right. Well… you know the house layout, and where things are. And if you’re not too tired… I suppose we could head over now? Only if you wanted. Your father is welcome to stay here if he wants, too.”

“Thank you, Lockwood. I don’t know that I’ll be able to sleep, not knowing Dad’s in danger. And he won’t want to go outside at this time of night anyway, not without a safe route to somewhere else. You sure you’re alright with going on a case now?”

“Of course I am, Y/n. Especially for you.” She tried not to flush too much at how sincerely he had said it and pushed out of the chair. 

“Okay then. I’ll just… go and get changed.” She was still in her pyjamas from earlier. Lockwood was, predictably, in a suit, just without the jacket and tie. She was certain they were a second skin on him now. 

“Meet me by the front door in ten? I’ll get the kit ready.”

“Sure. Don’t forget the biscuits like you did last time.”

~~~

It took five minutes of quietly moving around the attic so as not to wake Lucy for Y/n to get changed. She wasn’t entirely successful in being silent, since the floorboards creaked every two seconds and she fell over trying to get her jumper on because she got stuck inside it and didn’t see the corner of her bed, but somehow Lucy slept through it all. Y/n headed downstairs, wincing when the steps groaned under her weight, and went to find Lockwood in the basement. He was nearly done packing up the bags, and when he caught sight of her his smile was blinding. 

“You all ready to go?”

“Yeah, think so. I’ve been thinking, about what the Source could be?” she said, although her voice lifted at the end to make it sound more like she was asking him a question. Lockwood nodded, zipping up the second kit bag and handing it to her when she reached for it. “I feel like the phone is too obvious, but if it’s some sort of Poltergeist it might be a good idea to check anyway. There’s quite a lot of things that could be a Source, actually. Mum loved collecting old stuff, said it reminded her of her childhood.”

“She wasn’t an agent, was she?”

“No. No Talent. Not with a capital ‘t’ anyway. She was amazing at loads of other things though.” They were in the hallway now, grabbing their rapiers out of the stand. Lockwood shrugged on his coat. 

“What do you know about the history of the house? Any murders or deaths that could result in a Visitor?”

“No. There was Mum’s, but Dad got the place sorted out as soon as he could. DEPRAC came in and cleared the room.”

“Well, we’ll see what we can find, yeah?”

“Yeah. Thanks,” she said when he opened the front door and gestured for her to go first. Lockwood must have called a cab, because now there sat one just in front of the gate. “I told Dad to get into the kitchen and turn the table lamp on, ‘cause a couple years ago he got iron strips put in the floor, so he should be alright in there. We can get this taxi to wait for him and bring him here, right?”

“Of course. That was a smart move, both the iron strips and your suggestion. We’ll make the kitchen our main retreat, then.”

Ten minutes later they were pulling up outside her childhood home, and as soon as the taxi stopped Y/n was opening the door and rushing to greet her dad. Lockwood was talking to the driver, paying him for the journey they’d just taken and asking if he might stay a little longer to take a passenger back to 35 Portland Row. 

“Hi, Dad, you alright?” Y/n breathed, wrapping her arms around her father. 

“Been better, love. I’m glad you and your boyfriend are here though.”

“He’s not my boyfriend, Dad,” she said, feeling heat creep up her neck. “Lockwood’s my boss.”

“I just thought that since you talk about him all the time, y’know? Lockwood this and Lockwood that.”

“I’m gonna walk away now, I think. Have fun with the ghost!” she joked, knowing that she would never leave her father in a house where there was a possible haunting. “We, uh… we thought it might be best if you went to Portland Row for tonight while we work here. It’s a standard procedure to not have the clients in the house, but normally they’ve got somewhere to go and a bit more notice, and Lockwood said you can take his bed if you wanted. We have also got a sofa, but it’s not nearly as comfortable as a bed.”

“Alright, love. You’ll be alright, just the two of you?”

“Yeah.”

“I take it he’s keeping that cab for me?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay then. I’ll see you in the morning, love.” He must have known that she would ask him to leave the house because he reached behind him and picked up a bag, hoisting it over his shoulder and planting a quick kiss on her cheek. 

“Bye, Dad!”

She watched as he sent a small wave over his shoulder, shaking Lockwood by the hand and thanking him for the offer of a place to stay, and then he was getting in the taxi and going back the way that she and Lockwood had come from. 

Lockwood had the keys to the house in his hand, and before he unlocked the front door (her father had locked it when he’d seen the taxi approach) he turned back. “Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“I can do this, Lockwood. For my Dad. Besides, if something’s only just surfacing now from one of the antiques, it can’t be too bad can it? I mean, it didn’t hurt my dad.”

~~~

As it turned out, it was quite bad. 

Not in a holy-shit-this-ghost-will-kill-us way, but more in a holy-shit-why-does-this-house-feel-worse-than-a-graveyard-at-night? way. 

Y/n had grown up in this house, had only really moved out two years ago, and she had never once felt unsafe or uneasy. Walking around it now, though, doing initial readings of sensations and temperature, she wondered how her father had managed to stay positive. Most things she just got echoes of her own childhood, her laughter as she ran through the halls while her parents chased her when she was three, baking in the kitchen and licking the bowl when she was five, crying when she tripped and slid down the last couple of steps on the stairs and grazed her knee at the bottom, and her mother pressing kisses to her hair and a plaster to her tiny injury when she was six. But underneath it all there was a malaise, something unsettling that seeped into Y/n and Lockwood’s bones and made them cautious. 

“Does it normally feel like this?” he asked when they made it to the top of the stairs and around most of the rooms, one hand on his rapier hilt. They hadn’t drawn their weapons yet, but they knew it was only a matter of time. 

“No. Dad would have said something.” The thermometer beeped, alerting them of a drop in temperature. Lockwood checked it where it sat attached to his belt. 

“Minus two. It was three degrees just now.” They stood in silence on the landing, both looking at the thermometer. “Well, only one door left, I suppose. Do you want to do it or should I?”

“I’ll do it.” She made her way to the door of her parents’ bedroom and took a shaky breath before placing her hand on the doorknob. Immediately a rush of memories hit her, from when her parents first moved in after their marriage, to the day she was born in that room, to the countless times Y/n had crept in in the night because she’d had a bad dream, up to the point when her mother had last touched the handle. It went further, but the force of the memory of her mother made her push the door open and step over the threshold. 

Lockwood was right behind her, and she heard him draw in a breath and reach into his coat for his sunglasses. Y/n whipped around to look at him just as he pushed them over his eyes, catching the last of his squint while he warily studied the bed. “Why are you putting those on?”  she asked, not liking the wobble that accompanied it. 

“Death glow on the bed. Are…” he hesitated for a moment, and she imagined his eyes darting between her and the bed behind her. “Are you absolutely sure that your father got the house cleaned out?” His voice was soft, like he was trying to not agitate her too much, but she got defensive anyway. 

“Yes. He wouldn’t lie about something like that, not when he had a six year old living in a possibly haunted house!”

“But… and I’m not doubting you, or your father, I just need to know, were you here when the house got cleaned out after your mother passed?”

“No, Dad sent me to my friend’s house. He said it wouldn’t be good for us to be in the house while they were working.”

“So you never actually saw people cleaning out this place?” She froze, catching on to what Lockwood was getting at. 

“No,” she whispered, turning to look back at the bed. Her mother had died in it over ten years ago from untreated cancer, completely unexpectedly. She’d gone peacefully at least, in her sleep, but it had broken the two members of the family that had been left behind. Her father had told her that he’d call DEPRAC and get the house cleaned out, to keep the two of them safe, but now as she grabbed a hold of the doorknob again she realised there was no memory of people coming in to do that job. “Shit. Shit shit shit shit.”

“Hey,” Lockwood said, sunglasses still perched on his nose. “It’s alright. We’re agents, and we’re Lockwood and Co. I know… I know this won’t be easy, Y/n/n, but we can do this. You can do this. Just breathe in, and back out. Good. Right. Have a think: what in here could be the Source? Hey, focus, Y/n.” His tone grew a little harsher as he grabbed her shoulders, pulling her away from the door. 

“Why wouldn’t he clean the house?” Her breath was coming too quickly now, and her eyes couldn’t settle on any one thing. “Why, Lockwood? Why wouldn’t he do it?”

“Because sometimes we love someone too much to have them gone forever.” Her eyes finally stopped moving around, instead meeting his and making her draw in a breath at the vulnerability in his eyes. His voice had been rough with emotion, and immediately she thought of the door on the landing back at 35 Portland Row. As quickly as he had opened up, his walls had snapped back into place, and he was leaning back and smiling softly at her. “Let’s try not to focus on that too much, yeah? Maybe the phone?” As though he had summoned it, the old telephone on the shelf started ringing as soon as he finished talking. “Okay… that was weird.”

“It’s not even got wires attached to it,” Y/n breathed. 

“Visitor is definitely a Poltergeist then. There’s no apparition which is good, because no ghost-touch. That’s also bad though. No way of really knowing what the Source could be.” She tuned Lockwood out, knowing that he would just be talking himself through the situation they were in, and kept on staring at the telephone. It hadn’t stopped ringing. 

Music suddenly started blaring out of the record player, despite there not being any record to play. It was a song that Y/n recognised, although she couldn’t remember where from. 

“Is that… is that ‘Nature Boy’?” Lockwood asked, glancing incredulously at the record player. 

“Oh my god. Yeah. It was Mum’s favourite song, specifically this version.” Her mother would often be found with it playing on the record player in the study downstairs, and she’d told Y/n the story behind it a million times. She’d been adamant that Y/n never forget the words, and now as it played she knew it was her mother haunting this room. 

“I think it’s broken,” Lockwood said when the song skipped back to repeat the last section of the song. 

“The greatest thing…”

“No, it’s not. Maybe it’s the record player? Maybe that’s the Source?” The music stopped, and she knew she was wrong. “Okay… so the telephone is the Source?” At once the music started again, but from a different point. 

“But very wise…”

“Is… is your mother helping us?” 

“I think so.” 

“… Why?”

“Maybe she just wants to move on?”

“But very wise…”

“Okay this is freaking me out a little bit now,” she said, moving over to the telephone. It stopped ringing when she got close enough to reach out and touch it, and she glanced at Lockwood. “Silver net?” He wordlessly passed her one, his sunglasses still obscuring his eyes. His face was impassive and she couldn’t figure out what he was thinking, but he was focused on the record player. It had continued playing from where her mother’s ghost had skipped back to help them, and was finishing up the last lines of the song. 

“The greatest thing… you’ll ever learn… is just to love… and be loved… in return…”

The room became silent after that, and both Lockwood and Y/n stood staring at the record player. Nothing moved until Y/n finally broke out of whatever world she had disappeared into, slowly placing the silver net over the telephone and wrapping it carefully. At once the temperature lifted, and just before she had finished containing the Source of her mother’s ghost she heard a sigh in the air, as though someone was finally being allowed some peace. 

“We should head over to the furnaces,” Lockwood finally said. “Unless you wanted to put it in a silver glass case?”

“I’ll talk to Dad about it in the morning.”

“Alright. Here, let me…” he stepped over and gently removed the telephone from her hands. “Why don’t you go and sort out the kitchen, get all our things together? I’ll get a taxi for us.” Y/n nodded, not taking her eyes off of the bundle in his arms. “Y/n?”

“Hmm?” She was unfocused, untethered to this world, and his voice was muffled. She vaguely noted Lockwood putting the Source down and coming closer to her, and then he was hugging her tightly, pressing her into his chest and his lips to her head when she drew in a shaky breath and sobbed. 

“It’s alright. It’s alright.”

She wasn’t sure how long they were there for, her crying into his dress shirt and him rubbing her back and whispering softly to her, but by the time she pulled back, her sobs reduced to slight hitches in her breath, her throat was sore and her eyes puffy. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, Y/n.”

~~~

It was nearly three in the morning when the telephone rang. 

This wasn’t odd, because this time it was Lockwood phoning Portland Row to let them know that the ghost had been dealt with, and he and Y/n were coming back. 

Y/n had remained silent for the duration of the taxi ride back to 35 Portland Row, staring out the window with her eyes looking at something that Lockwood couldn’t see. He knew what it was like, to be in her position, but he had no idea how to comfort her other than just being here. She’d gripped him earlier, when they were hugging, like she thought he might be the next one to leave. It had broken his heart and made it swell at the same time that she had held him so tightly, but now he was left to wonder how else he might help. 

She was still silent when they walked through the front door. 

Her father came out of the living room to greet them, and Y/n had frozen, rapier mid-air while she went to put it away in the umbrella stand. Lockwood had put his own rapier away, and the sound made her snap out of whatever trance she had been in and finish her previous action before taking one last look at her father and running upstairs. Lockwood shrugged off his long coat, hanging it on the stand. 

“It was her mother,” he said, looking at the stairs instead of at the man he was talking to. “I think she’s upset that you lied to her, about clearing out the house.”

“I couldn’t-” he broke off, coughing slightly to clear his throat when emotion clogged it up. “I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“I know.” He could barely look at that door on the landing most of the time. He turned to face Y/n’s father. “But you made that house unsafe. You got lucky. She was a Poltergeist, but completely unaggressive like they normally are. Very lucky, in fact, because there was no chance of you being ghost-touched. But still, you should have told her.” The man nodded, tears starting to fall on his cheeks. 

“I suppose you put the Source in the furnaces then?”

“No, actually. I asked Y/n what she wanted to do, and she said she’d talk to you. You could keep it, so long as it was in a sealed silver glass box. You wouldn’t have to lose her again.”

“That would be great, thank you. Is it safe here overnight?”

“I’ll put it in the storeroom downstairs,” Lockwood smiled, one of his classic customer service smiles, and moved towards the kitchen. “Whereabouts did you decide to sleep in the end? The living room?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright. Well, goodnight, sir.”

“You’re a good lad, Mr. Lockwood. I can see why my Y/n likes you so much. Goodnight,” he waved, disappearing into the living room and closing the door behind him. Lockwood stood in the hallway, Source still wrapped in the silver net, and tried not to blush too much at the way those words had been said. 

~~~

“What are you doing in here?”

Y/n jumped at the sound of Lockwood’s voice, and immediately felt a little guilty for intruding on his personal space. “Sorry,” she muttered. “I didn’t want to wake Lucy up, ‘cause she hasn’t been sleeping well recently, so I came in here. Sorry.”

“That’s alright.” He went to grab his pyjamas, then did a double-take. “Is that my shirt?”

“Oh.” She looked down and flushed. “I didn’t… I forgot that by not going up to the attic I wouldn’t have anything to sleep in, so… yeah.”

“Oh.” 

She wished he would say more, because his gaze was as heavy as the silence that settled over them after that single syllable. 

“Lockwood?”

A pause. “Yeah?”

“I can leave-”

“No!” He swallowed thickly, then repeated himself. “No. I mean, no point waking Lucy up, is there? I’ll be back in a bit, just… going to go get changed.” She watched him leave, and then five minutes later she watched him come back. 

“You alright?”

“Yeah,” he answered, sounding anything but. He looked… nervous? Why the hell was he nervous? “You?”

“I’m alright.” She tried not to laugh, settling for an amused smile instead, and waited for him to get into bed next to her and turn off the light. Once it was dark (or as dark as it could be with the ghost lamp outside the window), she heard him shuffle around in his bed so that he was facing her. The outline of his face was barely visible, but it was enough that she could make out where his eyes were, and where his faint smile was. “Lockwood?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. For earlier.”

“I already told you, anytime.” They went quiet, just enjoying the comfort of Lockwood’s bedroom. “I talked to your dad, by the way. He said he didn’t want to lose her again, so I’ve offered to sort out a case for the phone in the morning. I also told him off for lying to you, which terrified me, because your dad is not a small man.” Y/n let out a snort at the last part, and she saw the faint light from outside light up Lockwood’s teeth as he grinned. 

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I did. Back at the house, you were… well, I’m not really sure what you were. But you weren’t you, and it scared me. It’s like you went somewhere else, Y/n. I just can’t lose you, is all.”

“Oh.” Now it was her turn to not say much, and she could feel him fidgeting. 

“Your dad said something. About you.”

“What? What did he say?” Her heart was beating faster, not knowing if he’d said something good or bad. 

“He said that you like me a lot.” Now her heart was thumping for a different reason. 

“Well, yeah. It’s difficult not to like you, Lockwood, you’re a very likeable person, you know? Very-”

“Why are you nervous?”

“What?”

“You’re talking really fast. You do that when you’re nervous. Why are you nervous?” Damn him for knowing her so well. 

“Uh… I just… I don’t know.” She did know, but how could she admit to her boss that she had the biggest crush on him while they were lying in his bed together?

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have- it just sounded like he meant it in a… in a like like way.” She took a deep breath, and decided to bite the bullet. At least if it was dark she couldn’t see his face when he rejected her. 

“He did. I… I’ve liked you for a while, actually.” There was no response, and suddenly it all seemed like a terrible idea. “Lockwood?”

“How long?” There was no discernible emotion in his voice. 

“About two years?”

“So… since you got here?”

“Yeah, basically.”

“You’re telling me,” he started, frustration seeping through, and she shrunk in on herself a little. “You’re telling me that we could have been together this entire time?!”

“Yeah, I guess so. Wait,” she frowned, “wait what did you just say?”

“It took us removing your mother’s Source from your childhood home and your father telling me that you really like me for this to happen?!”

“… Yeah?” She heard him bring his hands up to his face and groan, and then heard him shuffle around again. A moment later his hand was touching hers, tentatively at first, then lacing his fingers through hers and tugging her closer to him when he realised he’d found her. She ended up curled into his side, her head in the crook of his neck, and his arms wrapped around her torso under the duvet. 

“Well I know you’re free after we wake up, so right after we get the glass case sorted out I’m taking you out for food.”

“Like a date?”

“Exactly like that.”

It wasn’t long after that that the pair of them fell asleep, and before she drifted off in Lockwood’s arms, she couldn’t help but think how her mother had been right about loving and being loved, and how it was the greatest thing in the world. 

tag list: @ahead-fullofdreams, @aislinrayne, @anathemaloren, @anthgoldenhrry, @augustisintheair, @avdiobliss, @aysha4life, @bobbys-not-that-small, @briar-rose23, @curseofhecate, @dangelnleif, @edible-rat-vomit, @el-de-phi, @ell0ra-br3kk3r, @ettadear, @fearlessmoony, @fudosl, @idkbubs, @imaginebeingmentallystable, @informedimagining, @karensirkobabes, @lady-ashfade, @light-23, @locklyebrainrot, @locklyle1kanij, @locknco, @magicandrosewaters, @mentallyillsodapop, @mischivana, @mitskiswift99, @mrsklockwood, @mrsyixingunicorn10, @newbooksmell777, @no-morning-glories, @novelizt, @phlooper, @ran23sblog, @reggiepeterss, @simrah1012, @somethingrandomwatzit, @star-of-velaris, @superpositvecloudshipper, @t2sh0, @taygrls, @tournesol77, @whistle1whistle, @whenselenefallsinlove, @wordsarelife, @y0urm0m12, @zoom1374, @asyouwish-fromcabin3, @magicandrosewaters

[illdowhatiwantthanks]

HOT 100 HCs: Emily Prentiss

Friends. Colleagues. I am starting a new thing (but not ending any old things, don't worry babes). I'm calling it HOT 100 Headcanons. Basically, I've created playlists for characters that include all the songs that they love and/or have shaped them in some way. I take cues from the canon characters (for example, canon Emily was a rocker in high school, so her playlist includes quite a bit of rock).

I don't know if anyone else will enjoy this or care about it and, frankly, I don't care. I really enjoyed making it, and I really do believe it's doing deep dives like this that help you really get to know a character (or your HC of them, anyway). Enjoy, if you're into that kind of thing!

HOT 100 HCs: Emily Prentiss

Note(s): When I think of the Criminal Minds characters, I always think of them as being Elite Team-age in the present. If Paget Brewster’s age roughly equals Emily’s, then Emily joined the BAU when she was 36/37. If we move the Elite Team timeline up so it starts in 2024, she’d have been born in 1987. That’s the date I work from when calculating these Hot 100 Lists.

(Also, the first parentheses is the date the song was released. The second is the age Emily was when it was released.)

Nat King Cole, “Nature Boy” (March 29, 1948) (N/A)

Emily’s grandfather didn’t have tapes or CDs at his chalet in the French Alps, but he did have a turntable, and Nat King Cole was one of his favorites to spin. Now it always reminds Emily of him. She still likes to spin Nat King Cole and dance with you in the living room.

2. Édith Piaf, “Milord” (May 8, 1949) (N/A)

Another record straight from her grandfather’s house. They listened to a lot of Édith Piaf, but this was her favorite as a little girl. She thought it was funny, and it helped her learn how to do uvular trills, since French wasn’t her first language.

3. Juliette Gréco, “Sur les quais du vieux Paris” (October 1951) (N/A)

Little Emily didn’t get to go to Paris much, mostly just as a stopover on the way to her grandfather’s. But whenever her grandfather brought her back to her mom, he’d take her around Paris for a day, and she always thought it was the most magical place in the world.

4. Georges Brassens, “Je Me Suis Fait Tout Petit” (February 2, 1956) (N/A)

Her grandfather played classical-style guitar and loved the work of Georges Brassens. He often played it and sang for Emily. Georges Brassens was a significantly better singer than her grandfather was, but sometimes Emily wishes she had a recording of her grandfather instead of Brassens. Nevertheless, listening to it still reminds her of sitting with him on the hillsides while he played.

5. Léo Ferré, “L’affiche rouge” (February 1961) (N/A)

Another favorite of Emily’s grandfather. He was a star of French chanson, a folk music tradition driven heavily by lyrics, almost like poetry put to music. Her grandfather would sometimes read her the poems first and then play her the songs afterward.

6. Marie Laforêt, “Marie douceur, Marie colère” (1966) (N/A)

One of Emily’s first favorite rock songs. She heard this version long before she even knew who Mick Jagger was and, to this day, she could defend in a dissertation-length essay why Marie Laforêt’s lyrics are better than the original.

7. Jacqueline Taieb, “Le cœur au bout des doigts” (1967) (N/A)

A dancing-in-the-living-room standby for Emily at her grandfather’s.

8. Patty Pravo, “La bambola” (May 1968) (N/A)

Emily didn’t discover this one until she lived in Italy, but it’s a perfect sad song, great for dramatically belting in your room or in the car. Which is exactly what she did for months after the asshole of a boy who knocked her up dropped her and she had to go through the abortion process almost alone.

9. Maxime Le Forestier, “San Francisco” (1971) (N/A)

One of the “newest” records her grandfather owned. He only conceded to buying it because Maxime Le Forestier covered so much of Georges Brassens’ work. He ended up loving it. Emily’s first instinct is still to pronounce “San Francisco” like Le Forestier does in this song.

10. Meat Loaf, “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” (October 21, 1977) (N/A)

Inexplicably, Meat Loaf is one of the only English-speaking artists that Emily’s grandfather liked.

11. Lio, “Le Banana Split” (November 1979) (N/A)

Her grandfather hated this song so much, but she loved it, so he bought it for her anyway. Teeny baby Emily could not get enough of the word “banana,” in any language.

12. Grover Washington, Jr., “Just the Two of Us (feat. Bill Withers)” (1980) (N/A)

Emily’s mom loves Bill Withers. One of Emily’s best memories of childhood is dancing to this song with her mom. Now her favorite memory is dancing to it with you at your wedding.

13. Yazoo, “Only You” (August 16, 1982) (N/A)

A regular on Emily’s mom’s boom box when Emily was young.

14. Metallica, “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (July 27, 1984) (N/A)

Discovered during *Emily's teen rock era.*

15. Madonna, “Into the Groove” (July 15, 1985) (N/A)

Emily’s mom is a big Madonna fan, so there was a lot of Madonna in little Emily’s house.

16. Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Cities in Dust” (April 21, 1986) (N/A)

Discovered during *Emily’s teenage rock era*

17. Berlin, “Take My Breath Away” (May 13, 1986) (N/A)

Top Gun was Emily’s mom’s favorite movie for a solid decade of her childhood, so Emily was very familiar with the music. This song was her favorite.

18. Alannah Myles, “Black Velvet” (March 14, 1989) (1)

Emily will tell you that she remembers being young and trying on her mom’s makeup in front of the mirror to this song.

19. Metallica, “Enter Sandman” (August 12, 1991) (3)

Discovered during *Emily's teen rock era.*

20. Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (September 26, 1991) (3)

Didn’t discover Nirvana until her teen years, but Nevermind remains one of her favorite albums of all time.

21. Lara Fabian, “Je Suis Malade” (1994) (6)

Tiny little Emily heard this in a café in Paris with her mom and begged her mom to buy it on vinyl so she could bring it to her grandfather’s. Her mom obliged, mostly to shut her up, and Emily spent all summer listening to it. It was the first song that ever gave her chills. She still knows every word, still loves to belt it in the car, and still swears up and down that Lara Fabian’s version is better than Celine Dion’s.

22. Tori Amos, “Cornflake Girl” (January 31, 1994) (6)

Emily’s mom went through a real Tori Amos phase. Little Emily genuinely thought this song was about cereal and asked her mom to play it over and over again.

23. Beck, “Loser” (March 1, 1994) (6)

Little Emily loved the slide guitar and that the song said “loser,” which her mom did not let her call anyone.

24. Bush, “Comedown” (December 6, 1994) (7)

Emily was late to discover a lot of ‘90s and 2000s rock because it was hard to access non-mainstream American music abroad, but when iTunes came around when she was 13 or 14, she spent an ungodly amount of her mom’s money buying songs and albums, including this one.

25. Collective Soul, “December” (March 15, 1995) (7)

Discovered during *Emily’s teenage rock era*

26. April March, “Le Temps de l’amour” (October 20, 1995) (8)

Another favorite from her French summers. A sneak peak of later punk rock Emily.

27. April March, “Chick Habit” (October 20, 1995) (8)

Emily lords it over every gay she knows that she knew this song from the original album and not from But I’m a Cheerleader. But she does love But I’m a Cheerleader… This was her favorite CD for a solid year or more.

28. The Smashing Pumpkins, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” (October 23, 1995) (8)

Discovered during *Emily’s teenage rock era*

29. OMC, “How Bizarre” (January 1, 1996) (8)

A favorite track on Emily’s favorite CD, Now That’s What I Call Music! 3.

30. Backstreet Boys, “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” (May 6, 1996) (8)

All the kids knew this one, in any country Emily visited or lived in.

31. Khaled, “Aïcha” (November 1996) (9)

Emily’s mom was the U.S. ambassador to Oman for a few years during Emily’s childhood. Emily learned Arabic quickly and tried very hard, as she did in all the places she lived, to fit in seamlessly with the people around her. So, of course, the songs she sang and danced to with her friends were the ones popular in Oman at the time.

32. Third Eye Blind, “Jumper” (April 8, 1997)

Discovered during *Emily’s teenage rock era*

33. Rachid Taha, “Ya Rayah” (August 5, 1997) (9)

Another favorite of Emily and her friends during her time in Oman. They even had a little choreographed dance they did all together.

34. Will Smith, “Miami” (October 3, 1997) (9)

Tiny Emily genuinely thought she was the baddest little bitch in the world for knowing all these lyrics, despite having never been to Miami or a club or anything.

35. Britney Spears, “...Baby One More Time” (January 12, 1999) (9)

Honestly, what ‘90s kid didn’t have a formative moment with a Britney Spears song?

36. Buena Vista Social Club, “Chan Chan” (September 16, 1997) (9)

Emily was an adult when she discovered Buena Vista Social Club, but they’re one of her very favorites on vinyl now. She started listening to them while she learned Spanish in college.

37. Green Day, “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” (October 4, 1997) (9)

Discovered during *Emily’s teenage rock era*

38. Hakim, “Wala Wahed” (1998) (10)

Emily’s mom was transferred to Cairo in 1998, where Emily had to start over again–but thankfully not with a completely new language. She really liked sha’bi music, and her best friend’s dad played drums in a jeel band.

39. Less Than Jake, “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads” (January 1, 1998) (11)

One of Emily’s earlier alt finds. She loved it.

40. Cher, “Believe” (October 19, 1998) (11)

Another favorite of Emily’s mom’s. On repeat in little Emily’s kitchen in Cairo.

41. Alaa Zalzali, “Akli Tar” (1999) (11)

Emily was obsessed with this song and the whole album because it combined two languages she knew and loved: Arabic and French.

42. Crazy Town, “Butterfly” (November 4, 1999) (12)

Emily loved this song so much, and she jokes that looking back it should have been a huge flag that she was gay.

43. A Perfect Circle, “Judith” (January 1, 2000) (12)

*Emily’s teenage rock era*

44. Anastacia, “I’m Outta Love” (February 29, 2000) (12)

Even Emily’s hard little rock heart still loved a pop anthem.

45. Pascale Machaalani, “Nour El Chams” (June 25, 2000) (12)

All the girls in Cairo wanted to be Pascale Machaalani. Think of her as the Beyoncé of Emily’s preteen years.

46. Rage Against The Machine, “Renegades” (December 5, 2000) (13)

One of the first rock songs Emily discovered and fell in love with. She still knows all the words.

47. Staind, “Outside” (May 22, 2001) (13)

*Emily’s teenage rock era*

48. System of a Down, “Toxicity” (September 4, 2001) (13)

*Emily’s teenage rock era*

49. Noir Désir, “La vent nous portera” (September 11, 2001) (13)

Even when she lived in the Middle East, Emily still spent summers with her grandfather in France. As always, he’d let her have a day in Paris when she flew in, and she always visited a music store to buy all the new French alt albums she could find.

50. Hoobastank, “Crawling In The Dark” (November 20, 2001) (14)

*Emily’s teenage rock era*

51. Saliva, “Always” (January 1, 2002) (14)

Emily’s mom considered sending her to therapy because she listened to this song so much.

52. Seether, “Driven Under” (January 1, 2002) (14)

*Emily’s teenage rock era*

53. Seether, “Fine Again” (January 1, 2002) (14)

*Emily’s teenage rock era*

54. Sum 41, “The Hell Song” (January 1, 2002) (14)

*Emily’s teenage rock era*

55. Mango, “La rondine” (July 9, 2002) (14)

Wildly popular while Emily lived in Italy. Think of him as the Peter Gabriel of Italian music.

56. Chevelle, “The Red” (October 8, 2002) (14)

*Emily’s teenage rock era*

57. Audioslave, “Cochise” (November 17, 2002) (15)

Italy Emily was baby rocker Emily, but she wasn’t very external about it because the Catholic church was not a fan.

58. Evanescence, “Bring Me To Life” (March 4, 2003) (15)

Another song that was on repeat for Emily post-abortion. Sweet baby Emily was so depressed and honestly really needed to go to therapy. She wouldn’t say she likes the song now, exactly, but it brings her back to a specific time and place that were very formative for her.

59. Linkin Park, “Lying from You” (March 25, 2003) (15)

A classic teenager Linkin Park moment.

60. The Darkness, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” (July 7, 2003) (15)

*Emily’s teenage rock era*

61. Three Days Grace, “I Hate Everything About You” (July 22, 2003) (15)

Emily will tell you that this song is what she felt like most of the time in Italy, trying really hard to fit in, trying to like boys, really liking girls, all-in-all having a terrible time.

62. Jet, “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” (September 15, 2003) (15)

Emily jokes that this one also should have been a dead giveaway that she liked girls.

63. Keane, “Somewhere Only We Know” (May 10, 2004) (16)

She will never admit it, but this song still makes her cry.

64. Seether, “Remedy” (January 1, 2005) (17)

Emily is a little embarrassed about liking Seether so much, but she really does.

65. Negrita, “Rotolando Verso Sud” (January 21, 2005) (17)

A favorite of Emily’s after she and her mom moved back to the States in 2004. She felt very out of place, which makes sense considering she’d grown up across several countries. She found a lot of comfort in listening to music in her other languages, since she didn’t really get to hear it spoken anymore.

66. Negramaro, “Estate” (February 7, 2005) (17)

By this point, Emily's deep in her rebellious rocker phase. Because it’s Emily, her dramatic rocker music is in several languages, though.

67. System of a Down, “Lonely Day” (November 22, 2005) (18)

Technically not a teenager anymore, an adult. But now her music taste is pretty solidly set on rock (with some variations here and there).

68. Rihanna, “SOS” (April 10, 2006) (18)

Not usually a big pop fan, but she has a huge soft spot for Rihanna. Particularly this song because she says that’s how obsessive she is about you. It always makes you laugh.

69. AFI, “Prelude 12/21” (June 6, 2006) (18)

She’s a drama queen, she just won’t admit it.

70. My Chemical Romance, “Teenagers” (19)

*Emily’s adult rock era*

71. Fall Out Boy, “Thnks fr th Mmrs” (January 1, 2007) (19)

Yes, even Emily likes listening to Fall Out Boy sometimes.

72. Avril Lavigne, “Girlfriend” (April 17, 2007) (19)

Okay, but who doesn’t love Avril Lavigne?

73. Linkin Park, “Given Up” (May 14, 2007) (19)

Adult Emily still loves Linkin Park. It’s nostalgic now.

74. Vampire Weekend, “A-Punk” (January 29, 2008) (20)

*Emily’s adult rock era* (but make it less dramatic and depressing than usual)

75. Max Gazzè, “Il Solito Sesso” (February 29, 2008) (20)

Sure, she’s in college, but she still loves Italian music and keeps up with her friends from Italy. Plus, she’s starting to accept that she likes girls, and the girls love it when she speaks Italian.

76. Katy Perry, “I Kissed a Girl” (June 17, 2008) (20)

Loves this song for very obvious reasons. Plus, when this came out there wasn’t really much queer girl music and Emily was in her feral, fresh-out-of-the-closet baby lesbian era.

77. Halestorm, “Mz. Hyde” (April 9, 2012) (24)

Oof. Big ol’ crush on Lzzy Hale.

78. Superheaven, “Youngest Daughter” (April 5, 2013) (25)

Once a rocker, always a rocker.

79. Indila, “Tourner Dans Le Vide” (February 24, 2014) (26)

Emily is a huge fan of Indila because her music sounds like a combination of French and Arabic, and it reminds of her childhood.

80. Highly Suspect, “Lydia” (July 17, 2015) (27)

Big fan of Highly Suspect.

81. K. Flay, “Blood In The Cut” (April 17, 2017) (29)

Hearkening back to her dramatic-ass punk-rock youth.

82. Polo & Pan, “Cœur croisé” (May 19, 2017) (29)

Emily loves Polo & Pan. They’re her go-to for international air travel. Something about their music just feels like whimsy and adventure to her.

83. Pomme, “Ceux qui rêvent” (October 6, 2017) (29)

Emily is a dramatic French woman at heart, and you love her for it.

84. Beck, “Dreams” (October 13, 2017) (30)

Beck? Of course she loves Beck. She’s loved Beck since “Loser” came out when she was six.

85. Death Cab for Cutie, “Northern Lights” (August 17, 2018) (30)

For when she’s in her feels.

86. Muse, “Pressure (feat. UCLA Bruin Marching Band)” (November 9, 2018) (31)

It’s Muse. Duh.

87. Alice Merton, “Roots” (January 29, 2019) (31)

Loves this because (a) it’s a fun song and (b) she really relates to the lyrics.

88. Vanille, “Suivre le soleil” (June 7, 2019) (31)

Her go-to for when you’re driving on vacation in the French Riviera. Coincidentally, you don’t know that she’s ever been more attractive driving a convertible with a sun hat on blaring French music that she knows all the words too while treating you to a vacation on the Mediterranean Sea.

89. The Black Keys, “Go” (June 28, 2019) (31)

The Black Keys lean a little blues-rock for Emily usually, but their music is just so damn catchy. Plus, you love them, and that makes her love them.

90. Harry Styles, “Watermelon Sugar” (December 13, 2019)

Loves this song for one reason and one reason only: she heard it was about eating a girl out. She hasn’t heard Billie Eilish’s “LUNCH” yet and, honestly, you’re afraid to show her.

91. The Strokes, “Why Are Sundays So Depressing” (April 10, 2020)

She loves The Strokes. And, also, she thinks Sundays are depressing because she knows she’ll have to leave you and go back to work the next day.

92. cleopatrick, “THE DRAKE” (March 11, 2021) (33)

A current fave. Plus she likes that their Spotify artist description is just “guitar band.” She thinks that’s hilarious.

93. Halestorm, “Back From The Dead” (August 18, 2021) (33)

Emily is, through and through, a Lzzy Hale girl. She was 21 when their first album came out and had a massive crush on Lzzy.  Didn’t know if she wanted to be her or be with her. Lowkey still doesn’t know. You tease her about it relentlessly.

94. Muse, “Will Of The People” (June 1, 2022) (34)

Muse, because duh.

95. Madelline, “dopamine - Version Française” (May 12, 2023) (35)

Still a sucker for French pop all these years later.

96. KennyHoopla, “YOU NEEDED A HIT//” (May 19, 2023) (35)

KennyHoopla brings her straight back to her 2000s rock roots, and she’s obsessed.

97. Mother Mother, “To My Heart” (September 15, 2023) (35)

A new discovery for Emily, but she’s really into them right now.

98. Mammothor, “Inside Out” (December 15, 2023) (36)

*Emily’s adult rock era*

99. St. Vincent, “Broken Man” (February 29, 2024) (36)

Emily loves St. Vincent. She’s not much of a concert person, but you did take her to see St. Vincent for her birthday once and she was over the moon.

100. Doña Manteca, “Tengo una Debilidad” (May 10, 2024) (36)

You found them on TikTok before their album came out and sent it to her. She pre-ordered their album on vinyl, and it’s her favorite thing to dance with you to right now.

[innervoiceart]

"Nature Boy" was Nat King Cole's first big hit, since then it has been covered over 1223 times! The story behind the song is even more sensational

Joe Moondad has the strange story of eden ahbez:

"In the late 40s, there was a rumor that there was a "hermit," disenchanted and disillusioned with the world, supposedly "out-of-sync" with society, living in California in a cave under one of the L’s in the Hollywood sign.

No one really cared about this strange man, until one night in 1947, when someone tried to enter backstage at the Lincoln Theater in Los Angeles. Nat King Cole was playing there, and the man said he had something for Cole. Of course, the employees didn't let the strange man see Cole, so he gave whatever he had with Cole's manager.

What he had was a song sheet, which Cole would later take a look at. Cole liked the song and wanted to record it, but he had to find the strange man. When asked, the people who saw the man said he was strange, indeed, with shoulder-length hair and beard, wearing sandals and a white robe.

Cole finally tracked him down in New York City. When Cole asked him where he was staying, the strange man declared he was staying at the best hotel in New York - outside, literally, in Central Park. He said his name was eden ahbez (spelled all in lower-case letters). The song he gave Cole was titled, "Nature Boy." It became Cole's first big hit, and was soon covered by other artists through the years, from Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan to Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, most recently.

Of course, the media went crazy about the strange, mysterious man who handed Nat King Cole, one of the biggest hits during that time. Everyone went out to try to find out more about him.

What little they found was that he was once an orphan, who never stayed at one place very long, living in various foster homes. He explained he just never fit in and was always searching, for something.

["They say he wandered very far...

Very far, over land and sea..."

They found out he would hop freight trains and walked across country several times, subsisting solely on raw fruits and vegetables, then one day he completely vanished.

["A little shy and sad of eye...

But very wise was he..."]

He finally showed up again in the Hollywood hills. When a policeman stopped the strange, long-haired man with beard, sandals, and robe, ahbez simply replied, "I look crazy but I'm not. And the funny thing is that other people don't look crazy but they are."

["And then one day...

One magic day he passed my way..."]

He then showed up backstage at Nat King Cole's concert in Los Angeles, to present him with the song, "Nature Boy." No one seems to really know why he selected Cole, there were some rumors that he came out of hiding when he began to hear about the racism going on and trouble throughout the world, and he thought "King" was the best person at that time to pass his message along.

["While we spoke of many things...

Fools and Kings..."]

When he was asked about racism, he replied, "Some white people hate black people, and some white people love black people, some black people hate white people, and some black people love white people. So you see it's not an issue of black and white, it's an issue of Lovers and Haters."

It was that theme of love that he continued to talk about, what was missing in the world, and what would be needed in the future if we are to survive.

ahbez would eventually get his message out, especially after the counter-culture finally caught up with him and the hippie movement began, when other artists such as Donovan, Grace Slick, and the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson sought him out. He also wrote songs for Eartha Kitt and had another song recorded by Sam Cooke.

In 2009, Congressman Bill Aswad recited the last lyrics of the song before the Vermont House of Representatives at the passing of his state's same-sex marriage bill in '09.

Author Raymond Knapp described the track as a "mystically charged vagabond song" whose lyrics evoked an intense sense of loss and haplessness, with the final line delivering a universal truth, described by Knapp as "indestructible" and "salvaged somehow from the perilous journey of life."

["This he said to me...

The greatest thing you'll ever learn...

Is just to love and be loved in return."]

"George Alexander Aberle (April 15, 1908 – March 4, 1995), known as eden ahbez, was an American songwriter and recording artist of the 1940s to 1960s, whose lifestyle in California was influential in the hippie movement.

He was known to friends simply as ahbe.

Ahbez composed the song "Nature Boy", which became a No. 1 hit for eight weeks in 1948 for Nat "King" Cole.

Living a bucolic life from at least the 1940s, he traveled in sandals and wore shoulder-length hair and beard, and white robes. He camped out below the first L in the Hollywood Sign above Los Angeles and studied Oriental mysticism. He slept outdoors with his family and ate vegetables, fruits, and nuts. He claimed to live on three dollars per week.

In the mid-1950s, he wrote songs for Eartha Kitt, Frankie Laine, and others, as well as writing some rock-and-roll novelty songs. In 1957, his song "Lonely Island" was recorded by Sam Cooke, becoming the second and final Ahbez composition to hit the Top 40.

In 1959, he began recording instrumental music, which combined his signature somber tones with exotic arrangements and (according to the record sleeve) "primitive rhythms". He often performed bongo, flute, and poetry gigs at beat coffeehouses in the Los Angeles area. In 1960, he recorded his only solo LP, Eden's Island, for Del-Fi Records.

This mixed beatnik poetry with exotica arrangements. Ahbez promoted the album through a coast-to-coast walking tour making personal appearances, but it sold poorly.

During the 1960s, ahbez released five singles. Grace Slick's band, the Great Society, recorded a version of "Nature Boy" in 1966 and ahbez was photographed in the studio with Brian Wilson during a session for the Smile album in early 1967. Later that year, British singer Donovan sought out ahbez in Palm Springs, and the two wanderers shared a reportedly "near-telepathic" conversation. In the 1970s, Big Star's Alex Chilton recorded a version of "Nature Boy" with the photographer William Eggleston on piano. The song was finally released as a bonus track on the 1992 Rykodisc re-release of the album Third/Sister Lovers.

In 1974, ahbez was reported to be living in the Los Angeles suburb of Sunland, and he owned a record label named Sunland Records, for which he was recording under the name "Eden Abba." From the late 1980s until his death, ahbez worked closely with Joe Romersa, an engineer/drummer in Los Angeles. The master tapes, photos, and final works of eden ahbez are in Romersa's possession.

Ahbez died on March 4, 1995, of injuries sustained in a car accident, at the age of 86. Another album, Echoes from Nature Boy, was released posthumously."

[keldjinfae]

I was tagged for this by the magnificent @oldefashioned. So, if I were a playlist, this would be my name in song (I admittedly snuck in both of my URLs here, since most people know me by another name elsewhere and just happen to know that sometimes I go here, too): Keep the Streets Empty For Me by Fever Ray Eat the Elephant by A Perfect Circle Latch by Disclosure (featuring Sam Smith) Dare by Gorillaz Jane Says by Jane's Addiction Innuendo by Queen Nature Boy by Nat King Cole Failure by Breaking Benjamin A Shanty In Old Shanty Town by Johnny Long Elastic Heart by Sia New Year's Prayer by Jeff Buckley I'm Afraid of Americans by David Bowie Xerces by Deftones Easy Tonight by Five for Fighting Learning to Fly by Pink Floyd Everlong by Foo Fighters Terrible Lie by Nine Inch Nails Hang On Me by St. Vincent

And in turn, I have some no-pressure tags for @renmackree @ephemeronidwrites @nerdherderette @ice-mage @caseyvalhalla

[pluckysidekick]

I’m back with Part 2 of my playlist of Great American Songbook standards and other classic songs that embody Nace’s journey in Season 4, inspired by @emorfili’s post. Check out Part 1 here. Both posts contain Spotify links, but you can find all of these tracks on Apple Music and YouTube. DM me for a link to the entire playlist. Shall we?

1. Picking up with fan favorite Episode 408, George Benson’s 1976 slammin’ This Masquerade, written by Leon Russell, works on so many levels for this episode: Nancy and Ace having to pretend to be each other in front on Thom, acting as if everything is OK between them, with neither saying what they really feel. “We tried to talk it over but the words got in the way, We're lost inside this lonely game we play.”

2. They Can’t Take That Away from Me is so perfect for the 408 sunset scene when Ace returns Nancy’s necklace, and they seem to come to some kind of peace (for the present). They may not have been able to make it work, but they still have a deep bond that no one can take away. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s duet of the Gershwin classic is the version.

3. Witchcraft - Frank Sinatra’s definitive version works for so much of Nancy Drew, but I picked it for Episode 409 for Nancy and Ace’s twin supernatural storylines, each of them beginning to fall for someone who may not be what they seem, and of course for Bess’s day in court defending the supernatural, and exposing the real history of Horseshoe Bay with witchcraft.

4. Nancy tells Nick in 409 that she wants a relationship that’s simpler than the ‘messy’ state of things with Ace (although note the look on her face as she says it). A Sunday Kind of Love by Etta James describes so well what Nancy thinks she wants in 409 and going into 410. Meanwhile Ace is falling under the spell of his mystery ghost - you could even say he’s Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered (I would). I went with Doris Day’s classic take from 1950.

5. Speaking of 410, I had to give a nod to Tristan Glass with Nat King Cole’s Nature Boy. Poor Tristan really goes through it this season and especially in this episode as he fights for his life when his would-be date shoots him, and from which he recovers only for his parents to kidnap and attempt to sacrifice her. I hope he has a nice life!

6. Episode 411 has Nancy crashing Ace’s Seder and causing a storm inside The Claw when she tries to raise Alice to discover how she died. Harold Arlen’s Stormy Weather sung by Lena Horne really drives home Ace’s stormy emotions, Nancy’s desperation (“Don't know why, there's no sun up in the sky, Stormy weather, Since my man and I ain't together, keeps raining all of the time”) and Alice’s pain that generates the storm.

7. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea - The tension between Nancy and Ace that spills over from 411 to Episode 412 is all the more shocking because we’re used to them being soft with each other. But once Nancy is hot on the trail of the sin she erased, she’s not going to give up. Harold Arlen’s song, here sung by Tony Bennett in 1964, perfectly depicts that tension as Ace tries to give Nancy the runaround (and of course she isn’t having it): “I don’t want you, But I hate to lose you, You’ve got me in between, The devil and the deep blue sea”.

8. I’ve Got You Under My Skin - The venom that erupts when Ace & Nancy repeatedly confront each other in 412 couldn’t exist without the strong feelings that still run under the surface. Nancy admitting that she hasn’t moved on, and the look Ace gives her - they’ve got each other under their skin. Frank Sinatra’s 1956 gorgeous recording of the Cole Porter tune mirrors the back and forth of the star-crossed lovers throughout the season, but especially as we near the end.

9. “Oh Sinnerman, where you going to run to?” That’s the question this traditional spiritual continues to ask throughout Nina Simone’s 1965 powerhouse of a track. Nancy and Ace are both on the run in 412 — Nancy toward the truth of their sin, and Ace away from it. In Episode 413, they work together with the Crew and Tristan to lift the sin fog that’s infected the town, and discover Nancy’s soul connection to the root of the town’s sin. This legendary recording captures the frenetic energy of Nancy and Ace’s journey toward redemption and forgiveness.

10. The finale quickly moves from chaos to resolution of all of our favorite characters’ futures — and for Nancy and Ace’s relationship. Johnny Hartman’s voice on 1963’s My One and Only Love is simply beautiful, capturing Ace’s emotion as he finally comes back to Nancy, heart in hand. Swoon.

11. It Had to Be You - I had to include this one, recorded by Harry Connick, Jr. for another epic slow burn, friends to lovers romance, 1989’s When Harry Met Sally. Nancy and Ace are the soulmates that chose each other (and their friends), which this song’s lyrics capture so perfectly: “For nobody else gives me a thrill, with all your faults, I love you still, it had to be you, wonderful you, it had to be you.”

12. Cheek to Cheek - We didn't get the 6 minute director's cut of this scene that included a little dance with a dip (grr), but we did get that sense of effervescence once Ace and Nancy have broken the curse. Ella and Louis trading off verses on Irving Berlin's timeless classic is just the mood.

13. Ending on a sentimental note, At Last Nancy and Ace are together, and they and all of the Crew have the next part of their journeys mapped out. This lovely Etta James 1960 track is a perfect ending for this playlist, and for Nancy and Ace, Bess, George, and Nick as they say goodbye to The Claw.

So there you have it, my picks for Nace S4, classic style. Would love to hear what you think! Tell me your favorite pick, what I missed, or what you would have chosen instead. Hope this playlist brings a little joy this festive season - I think it’s the perfect background soundtrack for reading all of the @secretsleuthexchange fics!

[the-celluloid-correspondent]

Fallout Season One: Starts Off With an Explosive Bang.

In a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants, and bandits.

“Flash, bam, alakazam. Out of an orange colored sky” are the opening words to Nat King Cole's song “Orange Colored Sky”, which describes his feeling of falling in love. But Prime Video’s adaptation of the beloved game franchise, Fallout, it takes a much more sinister and literal meaning as that Orange Colored Sky marks the beginning of the thermonuclear apocalypse and the ends of the world.

I have not played the Fallout games, but I am familiar with the franchise as I have watched some gameplay and lore videos regarding Fallout. The games don’t really have a story structure as they are an open-world RPG, where the player can do whatever they want in a nuclear wasteland. It is filled with unique worldbuilding as the aesthetics are a mix of what the 1950s thought the future would be and a thermonuclear apocalypse. Furthermore, the series' iconic dark humor and brutal violence add to the fun nature of the games. So adapting this franchise into a television series was going to be very interesting as Amazon’s history with adaptations have either been massive hits like The Boys and Invincible, or massive clusterfucks like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and The Wheel of Time. Thankfully, Fallout is a masterful adaptation of the video game franchise that sticks true to the games while also being accessible and fun to those unfamiliar with the franchise. 

Fallout flawlessly captures the essence and look of the franchise right down to the last bottlecap. The costume and production design swiftly transports viewers into a world of stark contrasts. From the pristine, utopian 1950s aesthetics of the vaults to the radioactive Wild West of the surface is meticulously rendered. Furthermore, it nails the game's twisted and dark humor as well as the horrors of thermonuclear warfare. Now some lore changes will make some purists unhappy, but Fallout is a faithful adaptation of the game. 

The series' narrative simplicity proves to be both its strength and its weakness. Centered around three characters vying for a MacGuffin, with two intertwining subplots—one set in the vaults and the other as a prelude to the nuclear devastation—the storyline is straightforward yet interconnected. Each subplot offers vital insights into the others, weaving a compelling narrative without resorting to misleading twists. However, despite its apparent simplicity, the storyline occasionally feels contrived and lacks consistent internal logic. It's unexpected for such a straightforward plot to stumble over basic storytelling elements. However, this flaw can be readily forgiven given the impeccably crafted characters. 

Our trio of main characters is exquisitely portrayed, with performances worthy of acclaim, possibly even Emmy-worthy. Ella Purnell's portrayal of Lucy is particularly remarkable; she brings depth to a character archetype that might have easily fallen flat in less capable hands. As the moral compass of the show, Lucy is portrayed with a blend of bubbly naivety and genuine kindness that never veers into caricature thanks to Purnell's natural charisma. Witnessing her gradual transformation into a hardened survivor as he learns from her mistakes and takes advice from others without compromising her core values is both riveting and emotionally resonant.

Aaron Clifton Moten, a veteran of the industry for nearly two decades, delivers a breakthrough performance in Fallout as he embodies every gamer's fantasy by donning the Armor of The Brotherhood of Steel. His portrayal of a sheltered man-child who is trying to do the right thing when he realizes the religious military cult he grew up in views him as expendable. To see him try to break away from the cult while also battling his inner designer for power is a fascinating character development. As he navigates his character's journey alongside Lucy, offering guidance on the harsh realities of the wasteland, Moten's performance is both poignant and subtly humorous, showcasing his impeccable comedic timing.

However, the biggest standout performance of the series is Walton Goggins as Copper Howard and The Ghoul. These two characters are on opposite sides of the moral spectrum. When he is Cooper in the past, he is a morally righteous character who slowly realizes that he might have sold his soul to the devil by promoting Vault-tec. To watch his slow realization of the evils of not only the company he has associated with, but the woman he has married is a powerful moral reckoning. Then his transformation into the hardened, badass, Ghoul with no moral code has a tragic undertone. To see a man become the very thing he hates is tragic. Yet watching him slowly regain his moral code while interacting with Lucy is powerful. This is a layered performance from Goggins that is centered entirely on moral conflict. If he does not receive an Emmy, I am going to riot. 

To watch these three characters learn and grow from one another is a testament to the power of writing excellent characters with fully realized arcs. I can’t wait to see where these characters go into their future seasons. Will they keep to their ways or will they realize they have a common enemy? 

In conclusion, Fallout emerges as a compelling adaptation of the successful game franchise. It understands and respects not only the source material but also the fanbase as the series is clearly made for them. I can’t wait to see what lies in the next season, but I know that I am excited to see New Vegas. 

My Rating: B+

[guttersniper]

LIST 5 SONGS THAT INSPIRE YOU TO WRITE YOUR MUSE.

trouble's braids, tom waits

nature boy, nat king cole

running kind, merle haggard & the strangers

old man, neil young

the city of new orleans, arlo guthrie

bonus songs: the partisan, leonard cohen; hot and dirty in the city by labi siffre; you should've seen the other guy, nathaniel rateliff; hobo's lullaby, pete seeger + playlist

LIST 10 QUOTES THAT INSPIRE YOU TO WRITE YOUR MUSE.

try explaining a life bundled with episodes of this -- swallowing mud, swallowing glass, the smell of blood on the first four knuckles. -- richard siken

those years gaze up at me like a hound. the centuries watch as we walk off the sheer cliff of them. my eyes adjust to the dark, but my heart never. -- hua xi

one of the things i try to do: memorize the smallest, most mundane and ordinary, unprepossessing, and virtually invisible of physical moments: the look and feel of a certain wall at a certain time on a certain day. those walls, those little shacks, those cats in the sun: all that is lacking in self-consciousness i seek to hold in vision, memory. (simple composition, color tints, a wash of light, crumbled brick, cold shadow, stillness, rose-color dirt, a twitching whisker.) -- michelle anderson-binczak

people talk of "social outcasts." the words apparently denote the miserable losers of the world, the vicious ones, but i feel as though i have been a "social outcast" from the moment i was born. if ever i meet someone society has designated as an outcast, i invariably feel affection for him, an emotion which carries me away in melting tenderness. -- osamu dazai

he knew french and german. he knew the periodic table. he knew--as much as he didn't care to--large parts of the bible almost by memory. he knew how to help birth a calf and rewire a lamp and unclog a drain and the most efficient way to harvest a walnut tree and which mushrooms were poisonous and which were not and how to bale hay and how to test a watermelon, an apple, a squash, a muskmelon for freshness by thunking it in the right spot. (and then he knew things he wished he didn't, things he hoped never to have to use again, things that, when he thought of them or dreamed of them at night, made him curl into himself with hatred and shame.) -- hanya yanagihara

the girl fits her body into the space between the bed and the wall. she is a stalk, exhausted. she will do something with this. she will surround these bones with flesh. she will cultivate night vision. she will train her tongue to lie still in her mouth and listen. the girl slips into sleep. her dream is red and raging. she will remember to build something human with it. -- lucille clifton

what voice is this cut in the air as though a wound itself had speech / give her small hands / give her dark hair / give her a wound no word can reach -- christian wiman

what does it feel like to be lonely? it feels like being hungry: like being hungry when everyone around you is readying for a feast. it feels shameful and alarming, and over time these feelings radiate outwards, making the lonely person increasingly isolated, increasingly estranged. it hurts, in the way that feelings do, and it also has physical consequences that take place invisibly, inside the closed compartments of the body. it advances, is what i'm trying to say, cold as ice and clear as glass, enclosing and engulfing. -- olivia liang

maybe it’s better to have the terrible times first. i don’t know. maybe then, you can have, if you live, a better life, a real life, because you had to fight so hard to get it away--you know?--from the mad dog who held it in his teeth. but then your life has all those tooth marks, too, all those tatters and all that blood. -- james baldwin

out there where small things scratched and sometimes touched. where words could be spoken that would close your ears shut. where, if you were alone, feeling could overtake you and stick to you like a shadow. out there where there were places in which things so bad had happened that when you went near them it would happen again. -- toni morrison

bonus quotes: there is nothing in this story that’s not a dagger. (hieu minh nguyen); this may be unpleasant to consider, may even be a bad place to begin, but if there were a nicer way to tell this story it wouldn’t be this story. (catherine lacey); most of it happened without music, the clink of a spoon from the kitchen. / someone talking. silence. / someone sleeping. someone watching somebody sleep. (marie howe); look now: my heart is a fist of barbed wire. (analicia sotelo); now you wear your skin like iron and your breath as hard as kerosene. (townes van zandt); i seize on little things / you can tell a lot about people / by the way they comb their hair / or the way they don't look you in the eye. (nikki giovanni)

[sleepipipi]

Tag game

Ty @saltaccountonphone for tagging me😖💕

Last Song - Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy". I listen to this song frequently. It means a lot to me.

Currently Watching - Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. It's so good! I should have watched it ages ago :)

Three Ships - Zelda × Link, Asuka × Shinji, Winry × Edward.

Favorite Color - Baby Blue👉👈 Likely because it's been a part of my life since the moment I was born. I was gifted a baby blue security blanket by my grandmother which I still have. However I like other hues of blue too. It's a very calming and natural color (like the sky or ocean). Runner up would be green for that same reason.

Currently Consuming - Blueberries😋

First Ship - I suppose it was Zelda x Link (OoT)

Place of Birth - I was delivered by Catholic nuns on an island far to the east (Japan)

Relationship Status - I have unfortunately been too busy to find someone... I work too hard. But it's always been my greatest dream to fall in love with a girl who loves me and spend the rest of our days together🥺👉👈💕 (I am a hopeless romantic, but too introverted to find someone) I just have to find the right person. Which is hard😞👉👈 My last girlfriend did some things that would not be considered healthy, and after reflection I had to break it off😞😞...

Last Movie - Secondhand Lions

Currently Working on:

Living

100% completing Pokémon Fire Red

Building a functioning hydroponics system

Learning to live with chronic pain

My taxess

Tagging - @wondertwin1 @m05t4rd3ntly @mistressxmommy @hentaiiibabyyyy @ifuckdumb

[dolores-hazy]

I was tagged by @poppiesandpromises to share my current top 10 songs. So here they are, not necessarily in order:

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

[positivelybeastly]

[ 🎼 ] + 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏

For Beast and Simon please <3

Nature Boy, by Nat King Cole.

"There was a boy A very strange enchanted boy They say he wandered very far Very far

Over land and sea A little shy and sad of eye But very wise was he

And then one day A magic day he passed my way And while we spoke of many things Fools and kings This he said to me "The greatest thing you'll ever learn Is just to love and be loved in return"

2. Love Again, by Dua Lipa.

"I never thought that I would find a way out I never thought I'd hear my heartbeat so loud I can't believe there's something left in my chest anymore But goddamn, you got me in love again

I used to think that I was made out of stone I used to spend so many nights on my own I never knew I had it in me to dance anymore But goddamn, you got me in love again

Show me that heaven's right here, baby Touch me, so I know I'm not crazy Never have I ever met somebody like you Used to be afraid of love and what it might do But goddamn, you got me in love again."

3. Rhythm of the Night, by DeBarge.

"When it feels like the world is on your shoulders And all of the madness has got you going crazy It's time to get out, step out into the street Where all of the action is right there at your feet

Well, I know a place where we can dance the whole night away Underneath electric stars Just come with me and we can shake your blues right away You'll be doing fine when the music starts, oh

To the beat of the rhythm of the night (Dance until the morning light) Forget about the worries on your mind (You can leave them all behind) To the beat of the rhythm of the night (Oh, the rhythm of the night, oh yeah)."

4. About Damn Time, by Lizzo.

It's bad bitch o'clock, yeah, it's thick-thirty I've been through a lot but I'm still flirty (okay) Is everybody back up in the buildin'? It's been a minute, tell me how you're healin' 'Cause I'm about to get into my feelings How you feelin'? How you feel right now?

Oh, I've been so down and under pressure I'm way too fine to be this stressed, yeah Oh, I'm not the girl I was or used to be Uh, bitch, I might be better

Turn up the music, turn down the lights I got a feelin' I'm gon' be alright Okay (okay), alright It's about damn time (time) Turn up the music, let's celebrate (alright) I got a feelin' I'm gon' be okay Okay (okay), alright It's about damn time."

5. Free As A Bird, by The Beatles.

"Whatever happened to The life that we once knew? Can we really live without each other? Where did we lose the touch That seemed to mean so much? It always made me feel so

Free, as a bird Like the next best thing to be Free as a bird Home, (home) home and dry Like a homing bird I'll fly As a bird on wings

Whatever happened to The life that we once knew? Always made me feel so free."

Part 2 of the Wonderbeast requests - the first part can be found here.

[freebirdyance]

C'mon, pick up, please...

Negotiation cases are possibly the most dangerous cases Enzo ever takes, and his current position is proof of this.

He'd managed to convince the guy to put the gun down, but not before getting shot three times, twice nonlethally, the last one going right through his stomach. He'd called an ambulance but he wanted to hear Yancy's voice if he didn't make it, and it'd be comforting to hear him if he did make it through this either way.

So here he is, slumped again a wall in an alleyway, shakily dialing Yancy's number, bleeding out quickly.

@paperbackpieces-makemewhole

Yancy is on his way out of a business meeting (one of his legitimate businesses, surprisingly), and he's stepping onto the sidewalk when the familiar ringtone reaches his ears. It's a sappy old song called Nature Boy by Nat King Cole, and for whatever reason, he associated it with Enzo.

But before he even answers it, he gets a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that he can't place the reason for. Pressing the answer icon on the screen, he holds it up to his ear. "Hey, darlin'. How's it goin'?"

[mischief-and-tea-by-the-sea]

CHARACTER ASK GAME!!!

Emma: 2, 4, 14, 24

Loki: 5, 15, 16, 25

Tony: 7, 11, 19, 22

Goodness! So many asks! YAY!

Emma Frost:

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

She's highly intelligent and incredibly snarky. She knows who she is, she knows what she wants, and at least by now (I hope), she's not going to let another person treat her like a consolation prize/second choice.

4. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in?

Well, she's been in a movie by a fantastic actress to play her, but the writers were shit and decided that they were just going to treat her like eye candy fluff instead of the beautiful badass that she is. I'd like to see her in a movie again, but I'm not sure how much I trust the MCU (Disney) with her portrayal - and she wouldn't get to interact with some of my favorite characters for her to interact with because the MCU killed those characters off or sent them back in time to 'dance' with the handsy, red-flag giving person who brought Hydra into S.H.I.E.L.D. Emma would probably be better utilized in a book where the powers of her snark and sass and mind aren't hinging on some screenplay writer's/director's shitty sexist agenda.

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character.

Expensive Parisian Runway in the Streets, Comfy Borrowing Her Boyfriend's T-shirts in the Sheets.

24. What other character from another fandom of yours that reminds you of them?

Lagertha from Vikings. Maybe a little bit Bedelia du Maurier from Hannibal but without Bedelia's petty jealousy in Season 3. Maybe a blending of Montespan, Palatine, and Henriette from Versailles.

Loki:

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

Nature Boy by Nat King Cole

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

Tony Stark. Runners up: Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, Emma Frost, Justin Hammer. Following those four: Bruce Banner, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, Fandral.

16. What's your least favorite ship for this character?

Thor and the Grandmaster.

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

Okay my first-first impression of Loki as a Marvel character was that he looked fucking stupid and how could they disrespect my beloved deity that way. (My ex showed me the 80s comics he had, and I had this view of Loki from the first shot - nevermind that I don't mind the look now with Richard E. Grant because it served a fun purpose, a Glorious Purpose, as it were. But I mean, my ex also showed me Logan in those same/year comics, and I thought he looked stupid af, too.) Now I think they do better to portray a good look for Loki as well as his not-evil morally gray sass, but also I love him in the series as well because it shows a versatility to the character as is meant to be in a trickster and not just some one-mood (brooding/dark) that so much of his fans in fandom seem to cling to.

Tony Stark:

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

When fandom pays attention to his PTSD and lets other characters actually notice his PTSD and try to help him rather than mock or try to humiliate/denigrate him for it. When fandom highlights Tony's big loving heart and his love languages with other characters.

11. Would you date this character?

Without hesitation.

19. How about a relationship they have in canon that you don't like?

Pepper Potts. I love them as friends, I do not love them as a romantic relationship because she's too dismissive of his PTSD and all the good he's trying to do. I'm also not partial to his relationships with Janet Van Dyne and Patsy (Trish) Walker (comics).

22. If you're a fic reader, what's something you like in fics when it comes to this character? Something you don't like?

Like: Kind of a repeat of the #7 question above, but also I love when writers perfectly capture Tony's sass and sarcasm. I love the extent that writers (including myself) will go to in order to come up with Tony's nicknames for other characters.

Don't Like: When writers imagine Tony as utterly selfish and spoiled and deliberately cruel. When they make his failures that he learns from and gets back up and does better the next time as some sort of unforgivable crime.

Thanks for all the asks! Don't be afraid, y'all! Give me more asks and other characters and fandoms if you like! These are a blast!

Character Ask Game.

[rosagoldpastel]

My personal aroace statement rant about love

I don't know. Perhaps it's my way of thinking that is way too abstract, complicated, kinda complex, old fashioned or my autistic wired brain is getting it all wrong. idrk

But for me as an aroace love neither is dead or do I feel repelled or disgusted by love nor is love some strange thing that doesn't exist inside my nervous system or is something which I cannot empathize/identify with.

Au contraire.

I love. And I love deeply and when I love, I do love unconditionally.

But my way to practice and show and act upon my love to another one looks different than it is expected and what is known as "romance/romantic" by Mainstream Society. And, in fact, I don't naturally feel romantic attraction in that far-framed way and I don't feel the need to act that way. But I think I sometimes use gestures that can be seen as romantic. But being all lovey dovey makes no sense for me and that's ok.

I actually think it's kind of cute and wholesome to see people in public and in my private circle have these feelings of attraction and share these little romantic motivated acts with each other in gentle and natural behaviors and gestures. But in contrast to that it's rather unpleasant to me to see couples "too intimately involved into each other" at public places, iykwim.

To make it clear, for me as an aroace, love is not the same as romance or romantic feelings of attraction/interest and the motivation to share these acts upon one another. And love is neither the result of romantic attraction nor is love based on it.

Romance, for me, simply is one of so many different "love languages" in this world of creatures and "romantic" is just a human term to define a set and combination of specific arousal(physical and/or mentally like fantasies), behaviors, words, gestures, objects and the motivation to show these and act on in some ways, etc..

The dominant occuring love language upon human societies. At least, that's what mainstream and media wants to prove like it seems (to me).

And I hold the belief that one can feel romantic attraction and the interest/intention to exchange/share romance/romantic motivated love language with another one without actually being in love. And that's OK too.

I believe it must be beautiful if the feelings of romantic attraction and the interest/intention to share these romantic motivated gestures with another one rises from true love for that person or those people- such as an old couple still holding hands in public, spontaneously cuddling and kissing then smiling at each other, going on a date every now and then, without the need to share the same bedroom at night after 40 years of engagement/marriage.

Love is something that grows on the base of trust.

Oftentimes, without one being aware of it until one day, one becomes conscious of the love one feels for someone or something. And it would be the purest and greatest gift for me if the feeling was mutual.

Sometimes I think it must be nice to have those romantic feelings, but in the end I don't want to change one thing of the way I feel and love.

My beloved ones appreciate my own personal love language towards them and so do I theirs towards me.

And that's all that matters.

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn

is just to love and be loved in return."

-Nat King Cole, 'Nature Boy'

(I know other people's opinions are none of my business - but every time I stumble over aroace posts and rants about 'love is dead' and 'anti-love' I am deeply repelled and hurt by it.

If love is dead that means all creation on earth is to be doomed to extinction and that makes me deeply sad.

For me, love needs to be sheltered for everyone, everything and oneself.)

[armageddonpitchman]

TOP 5 SONG ASSOCIATIONS

tagged by @canary-in-a-vault

--

HURT - Johnny Cash

I hurt myself today To see if I still feel I focus on the pain The only thing that's real The needle tears a hole The old familiar sting Try to kill it all away But I remember everything What have I become? My sweetest friend Everyone I know goes away In the end

2. NATURE BOY - Nat King Cole

There was a boy A very strange enchanted boy They say he wandered very far Very far Over land and sea A little shy And sad of eye But very wise was he And then one day One magic day he passed my way And while we spoken of many things Fools and kings This he said to me

3. NO GLORY IN THE WEST - Orville Peck

Hard to think on your feet Tired of begging them just to compete Shoot to win can feel so bittersweet But you take what you can get 'Cause there ain't no glory in the west Blazin' on ahead, burning through it Coming down the bend Nowhere left to go, goin's all we know Ridin' past the best And there's still no rest

4. GOD IS DEAD - Twin Temple

Rivers of evil Run through dying land Swimming in sorrow, they kill, steal, and borrow, there is no tomorrow For the sinners will be damned Ashes to ashes You cannot exhume a soul Who do you trust when corruption and lust, creed of all the unjust Leaves you empty and unwhole? When will this nightmare be over? Tell me When can I empty my head? Will someone tell me the answer? Is God really dead? Is God really dead?

5. AIN'T NO REST FOR THE WICKED - Cage The Elephant

Not even 15 minutes later I'm still walking down the street When I saw the shadow of a man creep out of sight And then he swept up from behind He put a gun up to my head He made it clear he wasn't looking for a fight He said, "Give me all you've got I want your money not your life But if you try to make a move, I won't think twice" I told him, "You can have my cash But first you know I got to ask What made you want to live this kind of life?"

tagging: @defrostedhoward, @caterva, @halofcrged and anyone who wants to do it! :)