There Goes the Galaxy Official, Unofficial Soundtrack and YouTubely Goodies

You ever listen to music and think, "Wow, this song sounds like a soundtrack for this very moment of my day"? Well,  'd had some songs that either inspired actual bits of the There Goes the Galaxy books, or seem to me like they work in my Greater Communicating Universe. I've been pulling them together when I can, for the eventual launch party of the third book (y'know, down the road). I will also be including some of the fun, spacey dubstep/trip-hop songs in the mix, that one of my Facebook followers was kind enough to connect me to (I love driving around to it!).

Anyway, this week has already been madness for me, work-wise, but I didn't want to leave you folks all empty-handed. So I thought those who have read the tales might enjoy seeing some of the songs I had in mind. This is what I would include:

• My, My, Time Flies- Enya
• Is That You Mo-Dean?- B-52s
• End of the World as we Know It- R.E.M.
• Walking on the Sun- Smash Mouth
• Blinded Me with Science- Thomas Dolby
• Angel is the Centerfold- J. Geils Band
• Rapture- Blondie
• Rocket- Def Leppard
• Crime of the Century- Supertramp
• There Goes a Tenner- Kate Bush
• Planet Claire- B-52s
• Space Age Whiz Kids- Joe Walsh
• Satellite- Smash Mouth
• Major Tom- David Bowie
• Space Oddity- Peter Schilling
• Ashes to Ashes- David Bowie
• Songs for a Dying Planet- Joe Walsh
• Watching the Planets- Flaming Lips
• You Will Go to the Moon- Moxy Fruvous

I am, of course, open to additional suggestions for a good, spacely soundtrack! Because, as you know, new inspiration is never far away! 

Also, I'd posted another audio reading of There Goes the Galaxy on my YouTube channel. If you enjoy these, you can subscribe to them here: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBeC9G_DzC4UAG2f9HVxtgA

Otherwise, I hope you all have a good week. I aim to come back to you all with an actual humor post when I'm feeling less day-job stressed and more, um, humorous.

If Daily Life Had a Soundtrack

"Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do when they come for you..."

I found myself chanting this absently in the grocery store canned soup aisle-- like some prayer to the patron saint of shaky handheld cameras and overworked beat cops-- before I realized I was even singing....

Then I found myself looking around, expecting to see some dude in a stained wife-beater shirt and boxers sprint by, flinging displays of Campbell's Chicken 'n Stars to the heavens, and pursued by a determined team of Pittsburgh's Finest.

But, alas. It was just the tunes being pumped in through the supermarket PA system. Reality set in when the reggae tribute to law enforcement moved on to Stanza Two, a whole startling other set of lyrics I'd never actually heard before, jarring me from my reverie. It forced me into an uncomfortable, awkward silence until the familiar chorus came around once more.

"Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna wear, whatcha gonna wear when they raid your lair..."

Or whatever.

I'd had a similar experience not long ago at the pharmacy in the very same store, when Travis Tritt's "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" wafted through the sound system.

Here, my movie-soaked mind had visions of a giant Graboid worm breaking through the tile flooring and scarfing up the old lady holding up the line with 30 prescriptions and 150 cases of impulse-buy catfood.

I mean-- seriously, "Tremors 2" is the first thing that comes to my mind? Not that I'm too high-and-mighty to appreciate a fine pre-Cambrian worm-based epic. But I like to keep my groceries and Graboids in separate mental buckets.

Which got me thinking, how cool would it be if we actually had rotating soundtracks for daily life?

Like the commute to work--

Sure, we could go with obvious choices, like "Manic Monday," "Rainy Days and Mondays" or "Take This Job and Shove It," but how about a crowded train or bus commute with "Stuck in the Middle with You"? Or maybe Cake's "Long Line of Cars"?

A pause at the erratic office complex vending machine might bring on a chorus of the Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want."

Your stubborn computer problem which monopolizes too much valuble time for your morning might trigger The Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots."

Until, of course, it gets solved. And "Mr. Roboto" sings out in all its dramatic prog-rock triumph.

Lunchtime might be accompanied by Duran, Duran's "Hungry Like a Wolf," while your afternoon meeting with the boss could go from Deniece Williams' "Let's Hear It for the Boy" to Don McLean's "The Day the Music Died" in no time.

And then, as five o'clock rolls around, you might hear a bright chorus of "We've Gotta Get Out of This Place." So you get in your car to Dave Matthews' "Ants Go Marching."

Back at the grocery store, though, I have to wonder what exactly made them think the theme from "Cops" would be appropriate shopping accompaniment. Maybe it's considered a subtle crime deterrent after some adverse Muzak reactions to, say, The Smiths' "Shoplifters of the World Unite" on the in-store radio.

"Bad boys, bad boys, are ya gonna buzz, are ya gonna buzz and get chased by fuzz..."


So tell me folks: What would be included in your personal soundtrack?