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March 30, 2007

Beatles vs. Stones

By Laurence Musgrove

This morning I received an e-mail from a new colleague of mine about some workshop topics on writing. I met her last week at the massive Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), in New York City. We’re both new members of the executive board of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning (AEPL), a National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) affiliate organization that is interested in promoting teaching and learning beyond traditional disciplines and methodologies.

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She’s the recently elected associate chair trying to brainstorm some ideas for upcoming workshops and conferences. I’m the new treasurer trying to get my Excel columns to add up right.

At our meeting in the escalatored bowels of the Manhattan Hilton, the board agreed that the 2008 workshop would be titled “The Rhetorical Art of Reflection,” but in her e-mail today to me and the other board members, she suggested that the 2009 workshop might be on a topic related to the connections between music and writing.

This e-mail popped up as I was sitting here at my laptop in my university office listening to Van Morrison’s album “Tupelo Honey” and writing copy for a Web site for our recently approved general education program and curriculum.

I wrote back to her wondering if anyone else like me had this kind of continual digital soundtrack running through their media players while tapping along on their keyboards and wristing red laser mouse pods. I thought it would be interesting to find out what other folks listen to when they write, headphoned or not. I also recommended a new income-generating idea for our little AEPL assemblage: a CD collection of greatest hits for writing, recommended by the usual galaxy of comp/rhet stars. Hey, Peter Elbow! What are you listening to? Cheryl Glenn? Raul Sanchez?

My preferences for writing of course are situational, just like they should be for any good rhetorician. As I’m writing this essay, I’m listening to “Ethiopiques, Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz & Musique Instrumentale, 1969-1974” by musician-arranger Mulatu Astatqe. My daughter sent it to me last year, and I ripped it immediately into my playlists. Other writing favorites in jazz include “Consummation” by the Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Orchestra, passed on to me by my neighbor Bill, Lionel Hampton’s “Mostly Ballads” and “Mostly Blues,” and some other favorites from the early 70’s: Keith Jarrett’s “The Köln Concert,” and “The Colours of Chlöe” by Eberhard Weber.

Here at my desk with the tangle of wires running from the scanner, printer, PDA cradle, and leftover Gateway 2000 speakers, I start off the day usually with something to get the blood moving, like Los Pregoneros Del Puerto and their traditional music of Veracruz, Paco de Lucia’s “Anthologia Vol. 1,” or that dobro-infused live double play by Alison Krauss and Union Station.

Or if I’m particularly stressed out and need to write and relax, I click on “Union” or “Devotion” by Rasa, R. Carlos Nakai’s “Cycles. Vol. 2,” or Clannad’s “Landmarks.”

But if I’m just chugging along during the day, I go to the old faithfuls: the soundtrack from Ken Burns’ “Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery,” Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “Stones in the Road,” Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks,” some Puccini or Neil Young’s “Comes a Time.”

Given the slice and dice randomized nature of iTunes and Napster, I realize that speaking of music in terms of albums is very old school, but the extended play of the 50 to 60 minute tune after tune fits my writing rhythm pretty well. Once a playlist is over, I know it’s time to take a break, push away from my desk, stand up and lean back to stretch out my stiff back, wander out into the hallway of that other world, or walk downstairs and check my campus mailbox to see what junk I can toss into the recycling bins nearby.

When I was a longhaired college kid, I had Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Marvin Gaye, Cat Stevens, and Joni Mitchell in pretty much constant rotation on my scratchy stereo, one skewered vinyl dropping down on the next until it was time to flip the stack over again. In those days, I was listening for lyrics and rhyme as much as anything, thinking I was a writer in the company of writers who also happen to play music. These days I’m listening for melody and rhythm as much as anything, thinking I’m a writer in the company of musicians who also happen to keep me writing.

I guess I don’t know if a workshop on music and writing is such a good idea after all. Right now I’m thinking it would be just about as useful as any other workshop on the preferences folks have about writing: pencil vs. pen, medium vs. fine tip, black vs. blue, laptop vs. desktop, blank pad vs. college-ruled vs. yellow legal pad, at the desk vs. in bed, PC vs. Mac, Bach vs. Mozart. Seems all too personal, finicky, and idiosyncratic to me. Kind of like writing, if you know what I mean.

Laurence Musgrove is an associate professor of English and foreign languages at Saint Xavier University, in Chicago.

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Comments

Yes — it’s good to know someone else thinks that writing and music are integral. But I agree — they are also very likely personally idiosyncratic. For me — it’s a Broadway musical full-blast over and over again. My second book was “Les Miserables, disc 2″ for about 8 months (I wore out the first one). Each writing project is a different musical. I can look at my vita and remember each distinct musical. It takes me a few days to find “the one” for a new writing project, but then I just repeat it over and over again. I personally think it is about trance possession!

Kathe, Professor of Sociology, at 7:05 am EDT on March 30, 2007

Hard Rock Multitasking

The meaning and significance of this escapes me, but when I read I listen to music .. usually classical, jazz, or soft rock.

But when I write, I “listen” to NPR ... not one of those NPR stations that plays music for most of the day, but “talk NPR.” I mean “All Things Considered,” “Talk of the Nation,” “Diane Rehm” – and God sometimes that’s painful – “Kojo Nnamdi,” “The Writer’s Almanac with Garrison Keillor” “It’s Only a Game with Bill Littlefield,” “Fresh Air with Terry Gross,” “This American Life with Ira Glass,” “Science Friday with Ira Flatow,” “The Computer Guys,” “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me,” “Michael Feldman,” “The Prairie Home Companion,” ... even “Car Talk.”

No doubt this decreases my writing efficiency to some degree, but what do I care. I get done what has to be done, I learn a lot, and I enjoy my work. I admit to being envious of young people whose multitasking skills often include three separate activities ... while I’m limited to two. Life is too short.

Hmmm ... now what did Nina Totenberg just say about Alberto Gonzales?

RWH, at 7:50 am EDT on March 30, 2007

Music

As an administrator for the last dozen years, and a boomer (class of 1971, Washington State University), I’ve been finding Warren Zevon’s “Looking for the Next Best Thing” a way to get to work in the morning. Sometimes, it’s “Lawyers, Guns, and Money.”

Rich, Dean, at 8:00 am EDT on March 30, 2007

Beatles v. Stone

Write now I’m listing to Vienna Teng’s “Dreaming Through the Noise” — melodic, energetic, great lyrics — reading emails and looking for inspiration. You provided it! Thanks.

Marcia, Assistant Professor of History at Lehman College, CUNY, at 8:15 am EDT on March 30, 2007

Beatles Vs. Stones

When I wrote my “road” novel a few years ago, I was listening to the albums of the era (the book is set in 1978). So a steady stream of Kansas, Led Zeppelin, Meatloaf, etc., filled my study as I typed away.

My last book was a collection of 9/11 stories, and for that I chose somber stuff (Mozart’s “Requiem” for example). It was all classical, no rock and roll.

I don’t know if I listen to the music as I write, but I definitely hear it on some level that keeps the creativity flowing.

Vic Lana, at 9:20 am EDT on March 30, 2007

Take me to Kashmir

I like the continuity of a single artist instead of the dissonant jumble of songs shuffling. I have created playlists for my iPod (using portable speakers in my office) that will keep playing for an entire day. One day it will be Led Zeppelin (all of their albums, in order, equaling 7 hours), another day will be Dave Matthews Band (all studio albums, also 7 hours), especially concerts such as their 2005 4-day Red Rocks concert (9 hours), and another will be Talking Heads, U2, Cake, The Rolling Stones, or R.E.M. (Not that I can ever write for this length of time in one sitting but it’s nice to know you won’t be interrupted by the music ending.) A great single album to write to is the Beatles’s new one: L O V E.

It’s all about seeking a musical Nirvana in the background to keep you going. And maybe there’s some wishful thinking that the great writers you’re listening to might seep into your consciousness as you write—you could do worse than listening to writers like Lennon and McCartney!

Thanks for the essay. It’s nice to know others enjoy/need music to write. I once saw a dissertation where the author, in her acknowledgements, thanked her favorite musicians for their accompaniment.

Christian Anderson, Graduate Student at Penn State University, at 9:21 am EDT on March 30, 2007

The Beatles over the Stones

When I’m really “deep” into my writing I need silence; no music, and no CNN in the background. But if I’m writing something “light,” or just doing some research, I need tunes.

Recently I was asked to put together a list of my favorite songs, a kind of “Celebrity Playlist,” and below are the top ten songs from my list. What I listen to varies with my mood (no surprise there), but these are songs that I can listen to at any time and in (almost) any mood.

1. “Layla” — Derek & the Dominos: The greatest song ever written by the hand of man. Nevermind the heartfelt agony of the first half, and the wonderful piano/guitar duet in the second half, the backstory of this song alone would rank it number one. Eric Clapton is in love with his best friend’s wife, tells her in song, his best friend divorces her, Clapton marries her, and the best friend not only doesn’t kill Clapton, but stands as Best Man at the wedding! Oh yeah, that guy just happens to be George Harrison.

2. “Hotel California” — The Eagles: One of the most “singable” songs ever. “We are all just prisoners here of our own device.” Come on!

3. “Imagine” — John Lennon: “Imagine there’s no Heaven.” Is there a better first line to a song anywhere, anytime? For John’s sake, I hope there is a Heaven. “You may say I’m a dreamer...”

4. “Wonderful Tonight” — Eric Clapton: It’s been eight years, and I still can’t hear this song without thinking of “Her.” Clapton began writing the song in anger, his wife (Yes, THAT wife) was making them late for a party, but it turns out to be a fantastic love song. Can you possibly imagine being the subject of two of the greatest love songs ever written?

5. “Revolution” — The Beatles: John Lennon said he didn’t intend for this song to mean change for the sake of change, but change for something better.

6. “American Pie” — Don McLean: This song always reminds me of youthful optimism, and its fading. It’s not hard (I think) to make a leap from Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and JT Richardson in the ’50s to Martin Luther King, Jr., and Jack and Bobby Kennedy in the ’60s.

7. “The Boys of Summer” — Don Henley: I was hooked on this song from the very first cymbal tap. Another song that reminds me of “Her.” “Don’t look back, you can never look back...”

8. “Take It Easy” — The Eagles: Probably the single greatest “driving song” ever written. “Well, I’ma standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizoner...”

9. “Running On Empty” — Jackson Browne: Probably the second greatest “driving song” ever. “Lookin’ out at the road rushin’ under my wheels, lookin’ back at the years gone by like so many summer fields...”

10. “Rocket Man” — Elton John: “And I think it’s gonna be a long, long time...”

Bud Koenemund, Lehman College, at 9:25 am EDT on March 30, 2007

music for writing

I have wondered about this idea for years because I thought I was the only one who listened to the same music repeatedly while writing. I just had a book accepted by a university press and am working on another. In those cases I often played the same music many times. My current choices, related to a novel in progress, are the piano concerto and symphony No. 1 by Australian composer Colin Brumby.

I am not sure why this musical stimulation works. Perhaps it has to do with generating a rhythm for work, perhaps simply generating a positive, productive attitude over time. Perhaps a fantasy about what music would play with the scene were it a movie. But it does work.

Alan Contreras, at 1:55 pm EDT on March 30, 2007

Beatles vs. Stones

Judging from this article and the responses to it, as well as many of the blogs I read, one thing that people really like to write about is the music that inspires them. Perhaps it is a way that writers say thank you for the inspiration.

Betsy DeGeorge, Publications Manager at University of TN College of SW, at 10:55 am EDT on March 31, 2007

Beatles, hands down. While I don’t always listen to music while writing, I always do while reading. This was not always so. I used to require the “silence of a library” to read, but now I can even read complex theories while listening to music. I’ve also noticed that it has to either be the same song, over and over again, or the same CD played through repeatedly. The music becomes background noise to my thinking. I recently tried to read without music, but it was rather difficult. It’s interesting to note that many writers and readers share this in common. (I had no clue.)

Kim Lewis, writing center specialist at college of lake county, at 3:06 pm EDT on April 2, 2007

Writing Music

While writing my first book during the past three years, I predominantly listened to three New York radio stations: CD 101.9 for smooth jazz if I needed music without lyrics so I could think clearly; 107.5 for R&B music if I needed a good beat and lyrics that wouldn’t be too distracting; and 1071.1 The Peak (www.1071thepeak.com) for rock music I could sing along to, especially when I was doing work that didn’t require my complete concentration. The Peak was especially helpful as I completed lengthy searches for reference material. I will be thanking each of these three stations in my book’s acknowledgement section.

Mr. Un-Common Sense, at 3:30 pm EDT on April 2, 2007

Stones, Beatles & Everyone Else

For anyone who loved and misses “free-form” radio, this gem of a station in Fort Bragg, California, is as close as anybody in commercial radio gets these days.

http://koztlinux.kozt.com:9000/

Richard, Antioch University, LA, at 9:50 pm EDT on April 4, 2007

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