Mood

Music is, besides writing, my kids, reading, knitting, gardening, philosophy, prayer, social activism, physics, math theory, and film . . . one of my passions. But it probably gets bumped way up to the front of the line. I live for music. I consider the iPod a greater contribution to society than traveling to the moon. Much as I also am passionate about astronomy, too. (I can't help being interested in a lot of things.)

And when I write, I sometimes make up playlists, but more often than not, I am aiming for mood. I am aiming, for--and pardon my analogy--those sex songs. You know, the songs that get you THERE. Like in your gut, drop you to your knees songs.

I don't want a soundtrack so much as I want you to FEEL what I feel when I hear:

Velvet Revolver's Fall to Pieces . . . (If a man could sing like that over ME, man . . . life would perhaps be complete)
Howard Shore's entire Eastern Promises soundtrack (melancholy)
Echo and the Bunnyman's Lips Like Sugar (his voice . . . what can I say?)
The Clash (enough said)
Elvis Costello (enough said again . . . the man's a genius)

It isn't words and lyrics. It's what I want you to feel. The shared experience. For whatever reason, that's what I equate to writing. I want to take you there with me.

Anyone else? What sets mood for you? And how does music fit into that? And what are you listening to on the ol' iPod lately?