It’s hard to make a playlist for a book without giving away too many spoilers. Let’s face it, if you include a funeral song (“In the arms of the Angel,” Sarah McLachlan), wedding song (“At Last,” Etta James), or a just plain depressing song (“Hallelujah”, Jeff Buckley), it gives a rather large hint as to what’s to come. But as a reader, I also don’t like when playlists are too obscure (songs you’ve never heard of) or not in the order in which they would appear in the book. It’s nice to know exactly what scene is playing in an author’s mind when she hears a song.
So behold—my playlist for PROOF OF LIES equipped with the exact chapters that the songs fit. I can’t say too much beyond that, but after you read the book, take another look at this list and see how you think I did.
Epigraph
For a very long time, the bellow lyrics were the epigraph at the beginning of the PROOF OF LIES manuscript. I had to change it, because you know, U2 lyrics don’t come cheap. But in my head, these words are still there (and they’re being song as a duet by Bono and Mary J).
U2 & Mary J. Blige – One
“Have you come here for forgiveness
Have you come to raise the dead
Have you come here to play Jesus
To the lepers in your head
Did I ask too much
More than a lot
You gave me nothing
Now it’s all I got
We’re one
But we’re not the same”
Chapter 2—House Party Scene
Momma I’m Coming Home—Ozzy Osbourne
“I’ve seen your face a hundred times
Everyday we’ve been apart
I don’t care about the sunshine, yeah
‘Cause mama, mama, I’m coming home
I’m coming home”
Chapter 4—Talking to the Police
Unsteady—X Ambassadors
“Mama, come here
Approach, appear
Daddy, I’m alone
‘Cause this house don’t feel like home
If you love me, don’t let go
If you love me, don’t let go
Hold
Hold on
Hold on to me
‘Cause I’m a little unsteady
A little unsteady”
Chapter 20–Cortona, Italy with Luis
Demons—Imagine Dragons
“Don’t want to let you down
But I am hell bound
Though this is all for you
Don’t want to hide the truth
No matter what we breed
We still are made of greed
This is my kingdom come
This is my kingdom come
When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It’s where my demons hide
It’s where my demons hide
Don’t get too close
It’s dark inside
It’s where my demons hide
It’s where my demons hide”
Chapter 26—Leaving Rome, Italy
Don’t Let Me Down—Chainsmokers
“I need you, I need you, I need you right now
Yeah, I need you right now
So don’t let me, don’t let me, don’t let me down
I think I’m losing my mind now
It’s in my head, darling I hope
That you’ll be here, when I need you the most
So don’t let me, don’t let me, don’t let me down
D-Don’t let me down
Don’t let me down”
Chapter 30—Venice, Italy with Marcus
I Will Follow You into the Dark– Death Cab for Cutie
“You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
The soles of your shoes are all worn down
The time for sleep is now
It’s nothing to cry about
Cause we’ll hold each other soon
The blackest of rooms
If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no’s on their vacancy signs
If there’s no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark”
Chapter 33—Venice, Italy preparations
Hero–Family Of the Year
“So let me go
I don’t wanna be your hero
I don’t wanna be a big man
I Just wanna fight with everyone else
Your masquerade
I don’t wanna be a part of your parade
Everyone deserves a chance to
Walk with everyone else”
Chapter 34—Venice, Italy Piazza
Helena—My Chemical Romance
“Burning on just like a match you strike to incinerate
The lives of everyone you know
And what’s the worst you take (worst you take)
From every heart you break (heart you break)
And like the blade you stain (blade you stain)
Well, I’ve been holding on tonight
What’s the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight”
Chapter 35—Venice, Italy
Fix You—Coldplay
“When the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you”
