The Terror of Knowing

Another Tuesday, another Top Ten Tuesday. For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by the book bloggers and list lovers, The Broke and the Bookish, and each week they post a topic for bloggers to respond to. This week’s theme is about music and books, specifically Top Ten Songs I Wish Were Books.

This week’s prompt means pinpointing songs whose lyrics have such great storytelling for such a short form that I would like to see them expanded and sustained into a novel length narrative. Luckily, most of the music I listen to is lyric-focused so this should be easy… even though it is difficult to pick only ten! I think the chosen songs speak for themselves so I’ll simply provide links to where you can listen to them, along with my favourite lyrics from then which I think would provide great novel inspiration.

10. Foreigner’s God – Hozier
(Listen here | Track by Track)

She moved with shameless wonder
The perfect creature rarely seen
Since some liar brought the thunder
When the land was godless and free

9. Under the Gun – The Killers
(Listen here)

Yeah she’s got a criminal mind
He’s got a reason to pray
His life is under the gun
He’s got to hold every day

8. Shake It Out – Florence + the Machine
(Listen here)

I like to keep my issues drawn
It’s always darkest before the dawn
And I’ve been a fool and I’ve been blind
I can never leave the past behind

7. Just Be – Paloma Faith
(Listen here | Chat about song)

When you’re sick of the every day
When you’re tired of my voice
When you tell me you’ll walk out that door
That’s when I know that you’ll stay

6. Glitter and Gold – Barns Courtney
(Listen here)

Do you walk in the valley of kings?
Do you walk in the shadow of men who sold their lives to a dream?
Do you ponder the manner of things, in the dark…

5. Viva La Vida – Coldplay
(Listen here)

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy’s eyes
Listened as the crowd would sing
‘Now the old king is dead long live the king’

4. Dust Bowl Dance – Mumford and Sons
(Listen here)

There will come a time I will look in your eye
You will pray to the God that you’ve always denied
Then I’ll go out back and I’ll get my gun
I’ll say, ‘You haven’t met me, I am the only son’

3. Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? – Paloma Faith
(Listen here)

He took my hand and asked me truths aside
To his questions I replied:
Do you want the truth or something beautiful?
Just close your eyes and make believe
Do you want the truth or something beautiful?
I am happy to deceive you

2. Poet – Bastille
(Listen here)

Your body lies upon the sheets of paper and words so sweet
I can’t say the words so I wrote them into my verse
Now you’ll live through the ages, I can feel your pulse in the pages

1. From Eden – Hozier
(Listen here | Track by Track)

Honey, you’re familiar, like my mirror years ago
Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword
Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me I should know
I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door

Yeah, I’m a sucker for Hozier’s lyrics – seeing them live in January didn’t help the obsession, to be honest! But I thought having them bookend the top ten would be fun, so there we have it. Have you participated in this week’s Top Ten Tuesday? Do link me below if so, I’d love to find some new music.