Tag: music

Songs We Were Listening to in 1984, Part 2.

Published on by Debbie Johansson2 Comments


This week is the second part of the list of songs I’ve compiled that we listened to in 1984. If you’re interested in seeing the Top 10 songs, you can find them at Rolling Stone.

In 1984, Red Hot Chili Peppers made their debut, Michael Jackson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Madonna sparked controversy with her performance of ‘Like a Virgin’ onstage during the MTV Music Video Awards.

Relax – Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Controversial on its release, it went on to top the UK singles chart, selling 2 million copies in the UK alone. It became one of the most commercially successful songs of the decade.

Footloose – Kenny Loggins

This was one of many movie soundtracks released during 1984. Kevin Bacon looks so cute, and his VW beetle looks eerily familiar to my very first car. 😉

Take on Me – A-ha

This song became an international No.1 hit, and the music video was ahead of its time, winning six awards at the MTV video awards in 1986. It is considered to be the band’s signature song.

When the Doves Cry – Prince

It would be remiss of me to compile a list of songs of 1984, without mentioning the No.1 song of the year. It featured in the film ‘Purple Rain’ and in later years would go on to enter The Rock and Roll’s Hall of Fame.

Thriller – Michael Jackson

I wasn’t a big fan of Michael Jackson, but he sure knew how to dance as shown in this video. The man was practically liquid! Although a long clip (this is the shorter version), it showcased his many talents. I think it was also one of his best songs, and with a cemetery, zombies, and the wonderful Vincent Price, what’s not to love? 😉

What song/songs define the 1980s to you? Do you enjoy listening to movie soundtracks? Was there a song/artist from the 80s you didn’t like, but you’ve since changed your mind?

Image courtesy Pixabay

Songs We Were Listening to in 1984, Part 1.

Published on by Debbie Johansson2 Comments

The year 1984 appears in my next book of short stories. It was the year Michael Jackson’s hair caught fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial, and Elton John got married in Sydney. It was also the year Band Aid released the single ‘Do They Know it’s Christmas?’ which became the fastest-selling single of all time in the UK (and probably to the world’s ears, was the most played single).

If you are interested in seeing the Top 10 songs for the year, you can find them at Rolling Stone, which lists the Top 100 for 1984.

Here I’ve compiled a variety of songs in two parts of what we listened to in 1984.

Burn for You – INXS

This song came from their album The Swing, an album that received international attention, and the rest, as they say, is history. Miss you, Michael!

Rebel Yell – Billy Idol

I wasn’t a big fan of Billy Idol per se, but I did enjoy the music, which I guess is what it’s all about. This one still stands the test of time.

Hold Me Now – Thompson Twins

No twins, no member of the band with the name Thompson, but they did come up with this beautiful, sad song, which was an international success.

You Spin me Round (Like a Record) – Dead or Alive

Okay, I couldn’t resist this one! 😉 This came out at a time when Culture Club and Marilyn were popular.

Pride (In the Name of Love) – U2

I really liked U2 in the 1980s, with some of my friends having crushes on them at the time (yes, Larry was cute). This song went on to become one of their most popular.

I’ll be back next week with another five songs of 1984.

Were you listening to these songs back in 1984? Do you still listen to them? Have you discovered 1980s music and prefer to listen to them instead of/as well as today’s music?

Main image courtesy Pixabay

Do You Listen to Music While Writing?

Published on by Debbie Johansson6 Comments

Whenever I write I usually tend to listen to white noise. I find listening to music with lyrics easily distracting as the words that I’m hearing tend to clash with the words that are forming in my head. This is why I tend to listen to such music between writing sessions, as I find music can be a great motivator and can also help if you are experiencing writer’s block.

While writing my most recent WIP, I managed to make a couple of changes. One was to listen to the sounds of nature instead of always listening to white noise. My nature of choice was listening to waves crashing upon the beach, one of my favourite sounds since childhood. I’ve discovered that not only can some of these sounds be relaxing while you write, but some can also help bring about a sense of atmosphere to our scenes.

The other change I made was listening to certain songs that fitted in well with my WIP’s themes and characters. This allowed me to know my characters better, what their motivations were and helped to develop my plot. This would explain why a lot of writers tend to create playlists for their novels.

During the writing of my WIP, I listened to the album A Beautiful Lie by Thirty Seconds to Mars. Almost every song on that album resonated with me one way or another, for both my characters and for myself on a more personal level during the time I was writing. The lyrics from the title song became embedded into my head, not only for the song itself, but because it was suitably suited to my story. The Kill in particular really stuck and how could I not go past the references to The Shining in this video? 😉

Just as much as we need to experiment with our writing, there are times when we may also need to experiment with our entire writing process. Listening to a variety of music and sounds, as well as creating playlists can all become a part of that creative process.

Do you listen to music while writing or do you prefer silence? Have you found music helpful with your writing process? Do you create playlists for your novels?

Image courtesy of Pixabay