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Some of y'all have written in asking about the songs I mention in the Grant County series. I was playing around in iTunes one day and saw that you can post a mix of your favorite music, and I thought that'd be a good way to share the songs. We are working on getting these listed on Napster, too, but for now they are just on iTunes, which is a free download at www.apple.com.
Joan Jett Cherry Bomb
Fetish
I mention Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" during Lena's opening chapter in Blindsighted. She is speeding down the road listening to a mix tape Sibyl made her when she's pulled over by a patrolman and told that something bad has happened back in Grant County. That being said, for some crazy reason, iTunes doesn't have "Bad Reputation." I really love that song because I remember it from my high school days. Fetish is a freaky album -- Joan is into BDSM now -- but the cut of "Cherry Bomb" is still cool and I believe it's from that same time period (at least it's from my same high school time period)Heart Even it Up
Bebe Le Strange
Everyone knows Lena is a Heart fan -- what can I say? She's a classy gal. There are a lot of Heart songs mentioned in all the books, but this one is from Faithless. Lena is thinking about Greg, her old boyfriend, and she remembers listening to "Even it Up" every weekend while they cleaned the house. This is a kind of funny image to me because I can't see Lena in a pair of rubber gloves, scrub brush in one hand, Toilet Duck in the other. I mean -- seriously -- can you? But of course she cleans because everybody does unless they're super wealthy and spoiled and boy, do I wish I was too because I hate cleaning.Robert Palmer Hey, Julia
Robert Palmer: Best of Both Worlds
Really, you should get "Hey, Julia" along with "Sailing Shoes" and "Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley" since they all belong together, but Julia is the track that Jeb puts on the stereo at the end of Blindsighted. I love Robert Palmer because he sings such sexy, sexy songs. I got a letter once from a woman in England saying that she enjoyed Blindsighted, and then she added, "I see you mentioned my son on page…" Well, I forget the page number, but anyway, I looked it up in the UK edition of Blindsighted and the only name of a man on that page was Robert Palmer. I got all giddy inside just thinking about it. There wasn't a return address to write back, and besides, that'd ruin the fun. When I heard that Palmer died a few years ago, I wondered about this lady -- whether or not he was really her son. I felt very sad because even though I never met the guy, his music is and has been such a big part of my life.Shelby Lynne I'm Confessin'
The Epic Recordings
In A Faint Cold Fear, Cathy and Eddie are listening to this song on a lazy Sunday afternoon when Jeffrey walks up and tells them something that might possibly ruin the rest of their lives. Sara's parents are sitting on the back deck and Eddie is painting Cathy's toenails. I really love this scene, because Eddie puts away the polish quickly, embarrassed that he got caught being romantic in front of Jeffrey. Cathy sings a line from "I'm Confessin'" to Jeffrey, and Jeffrey remembers the song from his and Sara's wedding day. I was having a burst of energy when I wrote this chapter, so it wasn't until a few days later when I stopped and read it that I realized how sad it is.Gregg Allman Demons
No Stranger to the Dark--The Best of Gregg Allman
In Indelible, while Jeffrey and Sara are driving through the back roads of Alabama, they are listening to good Southern rock. Gregg Allman is mentioned, and of course---Lynyrd Skynyrd Sweet Home Alabama
Lynyrd Skynyrd: All Time Greatest Hits
Do I even have to say why this song is perfect? I also have Jeffrey mention Skynyrd when he's at his old house in Kisscut. He's got a mix tape from his teenage years that has the song on there. Man, I seem to have lots of mix tapes in my books. What's up with that?
Heart Oldest Story in the World
Jupiter's Darling
Lena has a great conversation with her old boyfriend about this CD in Faithless. This is the second Heart entry that I chose because (1) I love this song -- hell, I love the whole dang album and (2) it shows that the girls are still rocking.
Wynonna Judd Help Me
New Day Dawning
This song isn't mentioned in any of the books, but it's in my music catalogue and I tend to put it on every song mix I make because I just love the words. In the books, I've said a couple of times that Sara, unlike Jeffrey, isn't a very good dancer. This is the song I imagine was playing the first time they danced together. (And I know it's a cover, but it's better than the original, dagnabbit)
Dolly Parton Jolene
Dolly Parton: Super Hits
For five books, you hear about Jeffrey's sign-maker/lover-whore, but you don't find out her name until Faithless. Sara is lying on her couch, feeling depressed and listening (as one does) to the cover album of Dolly Parton's Just because I'm a Woman when Tessa walks in. Tess takes one look at the jewel case and says, "I guess you skipped the sixth track." That track is "Jolene" which is sung by Mindy Smith, but iTunes doesn't have that version available. If you get the CD, check out "The Grass is Blue" by Norah Jones and "Do I ever Cross Your Mind" by Joan Osborne. Dolly is a poet. I really love her stuff.
Abba Dancing Queen
ABBA - Gold - Greatest Hits
This is the song that's playing at Skaties during the opening of Kisscut. I love the dichotomy of this silly disco song playing while something really bad is happening in the bathroom. The idea of Sara poking her way around the skating rink, holding onto the railing like a kid, is pretty funny, too. I love that she's not very graceful and perfect. I also love Abba, dammit, and I'm not ashamed to say it.
Lyle Lovett My Baby Don't Tolerate
My Baby Don't Tolerate
Here's another one that's not in the books, but it just sounds like the kind of song Jeffrey would like. Other than Sweet Home Alabama as mentioned above, we don't get many musical diddies from Jeffrey -- so this one goes out to all the ladies…
Al Green Love and Happiness
Al Green: Greatest Hits
Another one that's not in there, but a really sexy love song.