Music on Sunday; songs inspired by books

It's not that easy finding different themes about Music to blog about every Sunday. I might have blogged about it before. But Songfacts is as ever very helpful. Songs that were inspired by books this time;


In Douglas Adams' comic sci-fi book and TV series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the number 42 is revealed as "the answer to life the universe and everything." Q magazine July 2008 asked Chris Martin if this song is Hitch Hiker's Guide related. The Coldplay frontman replied "It is and it isn't. 42 is my favorite number. 42 is just perfect. We've got two John Lennon songs, this and Violet Hill."


Jon Anderson got the idea for this song after reading the book The Singer: A Classic Retelling of Cosmic Conflict by Calvin Miller. The book tells the story of God through the eyes of a troubadour.


Sting produced the Brand New Day album with Kipper, a film composer he met while working on the title song for the 1998 film The Mighty, starring Sharon Stone. Based on Rodman Philbrick's young adult novel Freak the Mighty, it's about two kids with physical and mental challenges who come together as the title hero. Sting and Kipper worked so well together that Sting invited him to his house in Italy to work for what was supposed to be a few days.



This song is based on one of Robert Smith's favorite books: a 1969 novel called Charlotte Sometimes by the British author Penelope Farmer. In the book, the title character finds herself transported 40 years back in time. Smith wrote this song using the same themes of time shifting and displacement.


The song's lyrics were inspired by the writings of Charles Bukowski. The reclusive writer was known to stay in a room for days at a time without coming out.


This song is named after a chapter in the book The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles. In the chapter, the main character engages in a bit of late-night prostitution in a tent in the desert with three sisters who are part of a caravan. This provided lyrical content for the song: "My sisters and I... have one wish before we die." 


Everyone who reads my blog longer will know I'm a huge Police and Sting fan so no wonder there are two of those in today's blog. 

© KH