Brainstorming post: 2016

[morbane]

As nominations will begin in approximately 4 days, this post is a place to bounce ideas around, gauge interest for your preferred songs & music videos & other pieces, and decide what to nominate.

You have 8 nominations this year. This and other rule updates are on AO3.

This post is also on LiveJournal - check the comments there as well.

Comments

[merryghoul]

I'm thinking of maybe nominating "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine" by Bob Dylan. Maybe. But I really want to nominate the video for "Superhuman" by Andrew Bayer. The song's about a breakup, but the video adds sci-fi elements to visualize the disconnect in a (same-sex!) relationship.

I don't know what else to nominate, really. I just want all the fic for Taylor Swift videos from 1989, too, ha.

[morbane]

*adds things to list to listen/watch*

[coneyislandbaby]

I want fic for Wildest Dreams so much! For some reason the one I latched onto was, naturally, the one that isn't femslashable or weird (in good ways).

[alexseanchai]

Eight? Sweet!

I plan to nom:

Vixy & Tony, "No Hurry"
Seanan McGuire, "Earthquake Weather"
Dresden Dolls, "Half Jack"
Arcade Fire, "Abraham's Daughter"
Spiral Dance, "Woman of the Earth"
Dartmouth Decibelles, "House of Stone and Light"

And two more as yet unspecified songs, because this is the first I heard of eight. Probably one will be Seanan McGuire's "Time Travel Girl".

[morbane]

Some perennial favourites here!

[whuffle]

Sheesh can I have your music collection please!

[(Anonymous)]

Yay!

I have questions:

1 Do you have to create a work based on the music video if there is one, or just the lyrics?

2 Can covers/versions of a song be nominated?

3 Can the songs be in a language other than english?

4 Do instrumentals count, like soundtracks from an anime or live action TV show?

[morbane]

1. Depends if the music video or just the song is nominated. If someone requests "Title - Artist (Music Video)", you're expected to take the music video into consideration. Some requesters may say "it's okay to ignore the music video if you want" and in that case you can follow their wishes. If someone requests "Title - Artist (Song)", you do not have to incorporate any music videos into your fic/art/podfic.

2. Yes. You can specify the cover artist when you nominate.

3. Yes. I encourage people to link to English translations if they can find them, just because English is the default language of the fest and it encourages other participants to try the song, but people don't have to do this.

4. Interesting question. Yes, you can nominate them, but please think carefully about whether your interpretations, and the interpretations of someone who has never seen the anime or TV show, will match up in a way that satisfies you.

Not allowed: nominating a piece that comes from another canon and saying, "This really captures Yukiko's pain at the point where she learned her brother had betrayed her, could I have a story about that?"

Allowed: "This pieces is so dramatic and sad - please draw me something angsty."

Etc.

[seekingferret]

Desperately want fic for "Young Moses" by Josh Ritter.

Maybe this year the programmatic classical piece I'll nominate will be "On the Trail" from Grofe's "Grand Canyon Suite".

I should probably think about nominating The Argument's Inflatable Amy.

[seekingferret]

Also, I always try to nominate the Dar Williams version of David Bowie's "Starman" because it is so weird. This year especially "Starman" fic would be great.

[ardyforshort]

Always here for Josh Ritter.

[sirvalkyrie]

Sleepless Torture Tower - a song about three sisters that torture people to carry on their father's work

Dream Demon - English cover by multiple singers. Demons taunt an unknown person about being a fool.

Bad Apple - English cover that turns a solo song into a duet. No clue what it is about.

Portrait of the Pirate F - The youtube video has been pitched up due to copyright claims. The actual version is in the description. Boy goes to Wonderland and becomes Peter Pan.

Jekyll & Hyde - One girl has two personalities

[morbane]

No clue what it is about. - Usually a good start for a prompt :D And I like that it's already been remixed, in a sense.

[morbane]

I'm seeing some of these nominated without (Song) or (Music Video) - did you have a preference?

[pameluke]

I've managed to cull my long list some, but I still haven't made my final decisions.
I've also noticed I've got a bunch of songs where I'd love something with a supernatural element to it, so I hope that's okay.
I think I would like to go for one song per artist, so I shall have to make some tough decisions with some of these. Oh, and I'm into all of these for the songs, the video's are optional.
The list so far:

Rolling Stones
You've Got The Silver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FchROOM25ao
Possibly a dwarven love-story?

Natalie Merchant
Ophelia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GryxQEhYRr4
There's so much in this song, either fleshing out one of the characters, or going for some kind of reincarnation, phoenix type of story where all Ophelias are the same Ophelia. The video interpretation where Ophelia is mad could also be interesting.

Motherland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIJ1ZPW5_L4
So many immigration stories that can be told to this song, either focusing on the former homeland or the new homeland.

My Skin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADgYKvTWssM
This is such a complicated relationship, I always want to know what went wrong, or maybe it never was good.

Bob Dylan
Sweetheart Like You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpRKstHl7Y0
Favorite Dylan song, and I've always wanted to know what happened to the woman, and if she got herself out of that dump.

Shelter From the Storm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uJJSuWt_M8
This is just a hopeful warm song that always fills me with hope, and there's so much story in it.

Bruce Springsteen
State Trooper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU5MyNuBdhg
or the version by Deana Carter because female narrator
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR5JiAqCHjE
Who did she murder and why?

Human Touch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85cNRQo1m3A
Just played straight, or with a non-human narrator and a doomed inter-species romance.

Soulsavers
You Will Miss Me When I Burn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DZHyNpQCLI
This is devastatingly lonely, and I always thought it was sung by someone accused of witchcraft sentenced to be burned alive. Cue post-mortem revenge spree.

Leonard Cohen
First We Take Manhattan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTTC_fD598A
I know it's all supposed to be metaphors, but honestly, I've always seen it as a sci-fi possibly post-apocalyptic dystopian revolution story.

[morbane]

Shelter from the Storm is an old favourite of mine too.

You certainly won't be alone in asking for supernatural takes on songs.

[tristesses]

8? Nice! Hopefully I will think of a couple more, but here are my initial thoughts.

Bottom of the River (Delta Rae): a song about the Salem witch trials, but I think it could be expanded to be about any supernatural creature vs humans. Not sure if I'd nominate the music video or the song itself. Sort of Southern Gothic.

Desire (Meg Myers): Dark indie rock/pop song about desire. It doesn't really have a plot to it, but I love how gritty and aggressive the lyrics are (especially since you don't see that a ton from female singers). Not sure if I'd nominate the music video or the song.

Hit and Run (LOLO): pop song and music video about a woman taking bloody revenge on the men who killed her sister/friend/girlfriend (it's left open to interpretation). The linked music video has PG-13 levels of violence and sexual violence, if anyone would like to know.


Glory and Gore (Lorde): pop song that's probably about teenage cliques, but uses gladiator imagery and generally makes me think of a roving post-apocalyptic (or historical!) girl gang.

Rumbrave (Murder By Death): Alt rock/Southern goth song about the Devil. Or at least that's how I interpret it, but there are all kinds of directions you could take it.

...my noms are all kind of dark this year. Oops?

[morbane]

Oops?

It's nice to have a theme? :D

[deep_dark_waters]

Mostly gonna be recycling requests from previous rounds, I think:

Book Smart, Street Stupid - Sarah Slean: Lyrics | Youtube

This always made me think of a university student finding her way at a time when not many women were able to attend. Not sure about prompts yet (other than historical) but I love the feel of it.

Cassandra - ABBA: Lyrics | YouTube

It's about Cassandra of Troy, but I've always wanted a modern day/future apocalyptic sort of take on her - trying to warn people about some impending doom and not being believed.

Circus - Tom Waits: Lyrics | YouTube

Vivid ensemble cast with a ton of tiny backstory snippets to expand. "There was Yodelling Elaine, the queen of the air, who wore a dollar sign medallion, and she had a tiny bubble of spittle around her nostril, and a little rusty tear for she had lassoed and lost another tipsy sailor" <3

Small Town Dracula - Hawksley Workman (video): Lyrics | YouTube

I already loved the song but was so ridiculously charmed by the video. Weary vampire dad or grandad and overexcitable tiny vampire child.

The Traitor - Martha Wainwright: Lyrics | YouTube

Favourite Cohen cover. With a woman singing, it makes me want some kind of historical/fantasy wartime melancholy f/f love epic...

When the End of the World Came - The Jane Austen Argument: Lyrics | Youtube

"When the end of the world came it passed like an awkward remark" is just about my favourite opening lyric to a song ever <3

Still dithering on the others. Definitely some Bowie but I have to choose one from a ridiculously long list (probably Cygnet Committee or Memory of a Free Festival or something from Outside). Also maybe one of Rufus Wainwright's fairytale type songs, either Evil Angel or The Consort.

[morbane]

Yessss, I'm glad to see The Traitor again.

[hagar_972]

I haven't decided what to request/offer this year yet, so this is totes me gauging interest :) There's way more than eight songs here!

English
Here Comes the Rain Again - Dikla Cover (Music Video). Admittedly I'd also take song-only on this cover, but I find the video to be full of things I like, such as women, longing, and mythical elements.

Urge to be Violent - Balkan Beat Box (Song). If you like M.I.A., you'll like BBB. If going for this song, I suggest trawling youtube for live versions, as well as exploring the album this song is from (2012's Give) more fully, as they were trying for an album-scale statement with that one (it came up in interviews).

Who By Fire - Maureen Nehedar & Rona Keinan Cover (Song). Because it takes a paytanit to honest-to-goodness approach this song (and put together the band that can take on it) and Rona Keinan is a vocal virtuoso. (That Hebrew at the end is the Avinu, Malkeinu prayer, best identified with Atonement Day. Where's the line "Who by fire, who by water" from? Right.)

Wildest Moments - Jessie Ware (Song). AKA this year's safety option. (Because let's face it, I'm an outlier around here.)


Instrumental
A composition in Dastgah-e Mahur - Maureen Nehedar (Instrumental). Yes, this also has a version with words, but my interest in this one here is for the gorgeous, gorgeous musicality rather than Yehuda Halevi's piyut.

Coming Back and/or Journey, both of them Mark Eliyahu's (Wikipedia). That how-did-I-not-know-it-was-missing-in-my-life instrument is Kamancha, and when Mark Eliyahu serendipitiously heard it the first time and fell absolutely in love with it, he didn't know it's a heritage instrument in his family. Either of those pieces makes a gorgeous mental canvas from which to draw a story.

Hebrew
מקהלה עליזה | Makhela Aliza | The Merry Choir - Chava Alberstein (Song): Link 1, Link 2. (It's the same singer in both vids, just several decades apart.) I'll be supplying a proper translation if nom'ing, but the tl;dr is that all the birds in town gather at the top of one cypress tree and start a choir. Then a fight breaks out because one bird refuses to sing without words, and a bunch of others refuse to have lyrics because they're confused enough already (this is a pun in Hebrew). Eventually, the cypress tells them to stop for the day because he has a headache already. The birds agree to continue the next day on top of the poplar (another pun). Cute, fun, catchy story-song that's more... accessible than my usual sort of a thing.

תרקדי | Tirkedi | Dance - Maya Avraham (Song) + translation. Pop. If you want the f/f, this is your song - look at this vid! (The song alone can be cool too, but.)

חלומות של אחרים | Chalomot Shel Acherim | Other People's Dreams - Idan Raichel Project (Song): studio (video), live at Yarqon Park 2014. I'll do a full translation if I end up nom'ing it, but this should give you a solid idea. The speaker in the song is sympathetic to the inner world of a woman who seems to have at least one of depression, burnout or PTSD; her character begs to be explored.

עד שתחזור | Ad she'Tachazor | Until Your Return - Yuval Dayan & Idan Rafael Haviv (Song). Translation & links to multiple versions here. (Though possibly the most arresting is Idan's solo live version, and I'd rec this Yuval solo over the older one.) Idan wrote and composed this song for himself, then Yuval somehow got him to gift it to her. On the surface it seems like yet another "woman waits for her male beloved to return" song (Hebrew is fully gendered that way), but the interaction between the two (and the specific verses Idan takes in the concert version, let alone the wider pattern of when he chooses to sing in the female person) make it into a song that's between peers, which - in my opinion - makes it all the more haunting. The multiple "canon" versions - the duet and both solos - further open it for interpretations.

Other
Habib Galbi - A-WA Cover (Music Video). Yemenite Arabic; you can find an English translation at the Haim Sisters' bandcamp page, here. You want women-centric folk tale/fairytale, this is the one for you. This is a traditional women's song; the Haim Sisters and their producer, Yomer Yosef, are of Yemenite Jewish decent (as in, within living memory). The dance form of the male dancers in the vid is called "Yemenite Step", and it's a traditional form of Yemenite Jewish men.

...and apparently that's the only one of my neither-English-nor-Hebrew songs that made it this year. Huh.

[zdenka]

Oh wow. I haven't had time to listen to all these songs yet, but you definitely have my attention with the "Who By Fire" cover. I was thinking about nominating the original Cohen song (as you can see if you look on the LJ side), and the thing that first got me interested in it was the connection to the High Holy Days prayer. If you're sure you'll nominate this one, I'll leave off mine and request this version instead. (Or I could nominate it if you like, if you're short on slots.)

Open to partnering with a podficcer

[hagar_972]

...this post seemed like a good place to declare that.

I'm primarily good with/interested in stories that are about women, soldiers, mythical elements (myth proper, urban fantasy, magical realism, etc.) or any combination thereof (non-White settings preferable but not necessary, quite happy to take on disabled chars); I also love doing experimental things, and I'm not useless with Gimp.

PM/email me if interested. (My email should be viewable on my profile, plus it's all over PT Lightning and original flavor PT; else morbane should have it laying around from last year.)

Re: Open to partnering with a podficcer

[morbane]

Let me know if you'd like me to make a post, at some point before sign-ups, to gather together other people who might want to team up? Or feel free to post one yourself when convenient - members of the comms should be able to post to them.

[bring_me_sugar]

Sally Ann - Originally by The Horseflies, perhaps most famously covered by 10,000 Maniacs and Natalie Merchant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPE3t_iDWsc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZb4lJR6FJA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEN8Z_vrSeQ

Who is this mysterious shape-shifting woman? Is she a time traveler?

Werewolves of London - by Warren Zevon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDpYBT0XyvA

Skulking werewolves wearing suits and seeking beef chow mein! You can have a hell of a lot of fun here.

Past the Mission - by Tori Amos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdIgXD1-93U

There's something eerie about the song and the video, and something deep and lovely could easily be panned out from it.

[hagar_972]

Oooh, Past the Mission. Definitely agreed.

[kaesa]

Okay, after some screwing around in iTunes, here are songs I am playing around with:

Give the Devil Back His Heart by the Barr Brothers - Music | Lyrics: I don't know exactly what kind of roadtrip folktale is happening but it sounds very intense!

Tardigrade Song by Cosmo Sheldrake - Music | Lyrics: It's a song about being depressed and miserable. Or being a tardigrade. Both, really.

Pillars & Pyre by Christopher Smith - Music | Lyrics: The song is about... a disgruntled trained falcon? An enslaved shapeshifter? A cult devotee? Whatever is going on it doesn't appear to end well.

Tell Me a Story by Krista Detor - Music: Man, no lyrics online? Well, okay. Anyway, Santa, the tooth fairy, vampires, etc. are all real but total disappointments... and the singer's relationship is failing rapidly.

Sun Song by the Mountain Goats - Music | Lyrics: No particularly weird/SFnal elements, actually, just a gardener being angry at someone who keeps giving them unsolicited advice. But I want to know about the defensive gardener!

Damn Good Times by TMBG - Video | Lyrics: In the video, a vampire barista hypnotizes a vintage-clad hipster girl. For some reason there are evil valkyries? According to the lyrics she's a natural dancer.

I'm Impressed by TMBG - Video | Lyrics: A charming (but slightly gory) papercraft stop-motion video about a robot dictator.

The World's Address by TMBG - Music | Lyrics: Unconventional physics, bad puns, and the narrator apparently having a nervous breakdown, what's not to love? BUT SERIOUSLY WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE.

Ice Queen by Within Temptation - Music | Lyrics: Just your standard song about a terrifying anthropomorphic personification of winter!

Memories by Within Temptation - Music | Lyrics: Somehow the singer got separated from someone she loves, and... she is trying to find her way back and is doubtful if that will ever happen? She wants them to somehow send her a sign? I feel like there is some weird parallel universes shit going on here, or time travel, or something. I like the video too, it's got that nice haunted house feel to it.

I think I've forgotten some

[morbane]

Yellow Flicker Beat - Lorde (Song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PdILZ_1P74
http://lordemusic.tumblr.com/post/98729015821/yellow-flicker-beat-lyrics
they used to shout my name, now they whisper it

Driving anger; strange imagery to play with or concretize; maybe cyborgs?


Genghis Khan - Miike Snow (Music Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_SlAzsXa7E
http://genius.com/Miike-snow-genghis-khan-lyrics
Cause I don’t really want you, girl / but you can’t be free / cause I’m selfish, I’m obscene

Yeah, so if you haven’t heard this one, prepare to be earwormed. The video features tropey spy/supervillain m/m, dance-offs, and a woman of mystery.


Beautiful Stranger - Madonna (Song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlMMeVw0W5Y
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/madonna/beautifulstranger.html
But to love you is to be part of you

Along with the potential for stories about spies or cults, there’s an ecstatic tone to this that I’d love to see explored.


White Room - Cream (Song)
http://www.reasontorock.com/tracks/white_room.html
(I can’t decide on a favourite version…)
Black roof country, no gold pavements, tired starlings

It’s just a beautiful piece of music and a beautiful poem.


Running Through the Garden - Fleetwood Mac (Song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdjbU1vWdJg
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/fleetwoodmac/runningthroughthegarden.html
Until she herself became the toxic garden / Always frightened, no future at all

A repeat request - the imagery in this song fascinates me, and there’s so much at stake here.


All Moments Leading to This - Lucid 3 (Song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufeikkpn6WI
http://artists.letssingit.com/lucid-3-lyrics-all-moments-leading-to-this-htqwkb6#axzz43FVHn5Jg
’Cause I’m going home to take my oath on things I know

A quiet but lovely song that builds up its sense of purpose in amongst longing, nostalgia, hope, fragility.


Whipping Boy - Shearwater (Song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc4zNyMwWj0
http://lyrics.wikia.com/wiki/Shearwater:Whipping_Boy
I would have washed in the blood of an innocent man

Someone else’s nomination previously - it might be mine this year. It’s haunting and there’s a lot to work with.


Outlook for Thursday - DD Smash (Song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TIj-l3nykw
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/d/dave_dobbyn/outlook_for_thursday.html
Wednesday, don’t mention Wednesday / Not a good one at all

I don’t know if I want to nominate this, but I do want to share it with you all because it is a Very Formative piece of Kiwi music and also weird. Is it the song of a TV weather announcer to his beloved, something more sinister, or something with a stranger relationship with destiny? Who knows. Also, it’s catchy.


Viva Forever - Spice Girls (Music Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wkuqRFXNvI
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/spicegirls/vivaforever.html
Back where I belong now / Was it just a dream?

Like the best stories of children and fairies, this fantasy doesn’t feel particularly safe… There is a lot to explain.

Re: I think I've forgotten some

[ardyforshort]

Ahhhh the Genghis Khan video is amazing! Yes please!

[extrapenguin]

I've already nommed, but here's my cull list for people wanting some inspiration for their own noms:
Invincible - Pat Benatar (Song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdjMk8MY2oo
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/patbenatar/invincible.html
We can't afford to be innocent

A power anthem that calls for what may be an uprising. Very uplifting to listen to, and raises lots of questions on what's happening.


Last Ride of the Day - Nightwish (Song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukDEYRXoH2g
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/nightwish/lastrideoftheday.html
It's hard to light a candle, easy to curse the dark instead

Very abstract metaphors that would be interesting to concretize! An overall reassuring tune that raises more questions than it answers.


Razorblade - Amaranthe (Song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy4s0l5j8j0
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/amaranthe/razorblade.html
Never gonna fail if you fall you get up

My prototypical aspirational song! Very happy and upbeat and above all, determined. Who's going to the top? What are they going to the top of? What are the chains they're breaking free from?

[coneyislandbaby]

Would it be okay to nominate James Bond title sequences along with the accompanying song? I'm thinking Writing On The Wall (which I thought I was the only person who liked until it actually got the Academy Award) and the tentacle-riffic sequence would be amazing for fic (I don't know if the official music video has tentacles or not) and I wouldn't want actual James Bond fic, only fic based on the sequence which is not actually part of the film as in no characters from the film appear. Or would this be too weird/obscure to figure out?

[morbane]

That seems okay! We can give it a shot (I may add more rules next year if it confuses people this year.)