The Emerald Ring Playlist

As we struggle out of our turkey comas, here’s the Emerald Ring playlist to get you up and dancing– or running off to Ireland with a group of spies in knee breeches. Take your pick.

Follow You Down, Gin Blossoms

If following Geoff to Ireland doesn’t count, I don’t know what does.

As you may have noticed, I have a thing for soundtracks. It’s like a mix tape you didn’t have to mix yourself. I listened to the How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days soundtrack a lot while writing Emerald Ring. Like, really, a lot. So if you notice a whole bunch of songs from that soundtrack on this list… there’s a reason for that.

Weight of the World, Chantal Kreviazuk

Given Letty’s propensity for carrying the weight of the world—or, at least, the Alsworthy household—this song struck me as very appropriate.

And, yes, it was on the How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days soundtrack.

We Could Still Belong Together, Lisa Loeb

Something about the optimism of this just says “Letty” for me—even though it’s not on the How to Lose a Guy soundtrack.

Candide, Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim

When I wasn’t listening to How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, my most played CD while working on Emerald Ring was the musical version of Candide. There’s nothing like a little Voltaire and a little Bernstein, all rolled up with trills. Of all my characters, Geoff has always struck me as the most in tune with the Enlightenment (despite his propensity for writing bad poetry). If he’s a Quod Erat Demonstrandum kind of guy, then Letty is definitely a Best of All Possible Worlds sort of girl.

I’m No Angel, Dido.

It was a toss-up between this and White Flag. I listened to both Dido CDs a fair amount while writing Emerald Ring (they make good, mellow evening writing music, as opposed to peppy daytime writing music), but something about the tone of No Angel is more Letty and Geoff to me, as both of them come to grips with the fact that they’re not actually perfect.

Do you have any good Letty and Geoff songs to add to the list? When I post the lists to the Diversions page in January, I’ll be adding a “Readers Recommend” section to each list. So please recommend away!

7 Comments

  1. Brittany Keys on November 30, 2009 at 4:04 pm

    You Better Be Good To Me, Tina Turner
    I think this song goes with Letty’s straightforward, no-nonsense personality.

  2. Rebecca on November 30, 2009 at 6:01 pm

    “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and “The More I See You,” Michael Buble (they’re not originally his songs, though). Geoff was forced to be with her, and thinks Letty isn’t right for him…but he can’t help it, he’s drawn to her anyway.

  3. Lauren on November 30, 2009 at 6:33 pm

    Oooh, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” is perfect!

  4. Lora on November 30, 2009 at 6:43 pm

    Show Me How to Catch a Fish by Aimee Mann

    (c’mon, Letty was sooo “patient as a clock”)

    I’m Beginning to See the Light by Sinatra!

  5. kim on November 30, 2009 at 7:12 pm

    That’s not the shape of my heart – Sting

  6. Jessica S. on December 1, 2009 at 7:41 pm

    “Save the Best for Last,” Vanessa Williams…

  7. Meg on December 2, 2009 at 12:47 am

    Hah! I’ve been waiting for this.

    1) “Untouched” The Veronicas (Geoff wants Mary, Letty wants Geoff…Miles wants Hen–everyone just wants to get laid!)

    2) “It Won’t Be Long” The Beatles
    3)”One Week” Barenaked Ladies (Okay, not so much the verses, but the “you just did just what I thought you were gonna do!” bits are very great-Geoff-vs.-Letty)

    4) “You Don’t Know Me” Ben Folds & Regina Spektor
    5) “As You Cry” The Hush Sound
    6) “How I Could Just Kill A Man” Charlotte Sometimes
    7) “We Looked Like Giants” Death Cab for Cutie (You know they’re total Death Cab junkies, G&L. Starting to move into a delicate truce now…)

    8 ) “Trouble” Bitter:Sweet (And then Geoff makes snarky, inappropriate comments. ISN’T HE CUTE? I love him so much, seriously. He’s hilarious.)

    9) “Homewrecker” Hellogoodbye (“I thought I loved Mary but maybe she’s not so much a hottie and more like a vindictive, snobby ho, and her sister’s totally adorable.” I was very disappointed Geoff never said this, verbatim.)

    10) “Just What I Needed” The Cars
    11) “Mercy” Duffy (Geoff…did some nice things. For…his wife. In…the bed department. …hehehe)

    12) “She Is Beautiful) Andrew W.K. (Miles might steal this song sometimes.)

    13) “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” She & Him
    14) “My Hands are Shaking” Sondre Lerche
    15) “Umbrella” Rihanna
    16) “Paris in the Morning” Joe Purdy (Joe somehow knew that Geoff would have an opportunity to lay Jasper out!)

    17) “The Best Is Yet To Come” Michael Buble
    18) “Gives You Hell” The All-American Rejects (This…alright. This is my anti-Mary song. I kind of hate her. The world doesn’t revolve around you, sweetie!)

    19) “The Way I Am” Ingrid Michaelson (Final moments of their last chapter! Spot on.)

    20) “Gold” Interference (from the soundtrack to the movie “Once.” It’s Irish [sort of sacrilegious in many ways in this context, but go with it] and chill and lovely. And Geoff’s love is so pure!! I love you, Geoff. Call me.)

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