Inspirational Music

I firmly believe that being exposed to art inspires one to create art of their own. When I listen to music, the recording artist's creation inspires me to write, and thus creating my own art. I use music to help me feel emotions that I'm trying to set in words. Music is like a story being told directly to the soul. My writing wouldn't be nearly what it is without having another artist's works to spring from. So, here are some of the songs I use to inspire me while writing Sowing the SeeDs.

Greenbeans - 07.31.03

Anggun Dream of Me
This would make a good game opening song in my opinion. It lifts your spirit up while still setting the mood for something deeper. It also alludes to some of the themes that will be covered later in the story.
Enigma Modern Crusaders
I can't think of a more appropriate song to sum up the themes that an organization like SeeD represents. "They have no mission, they have no passion. But they dare to tell us what's bad and what's good!" I can very easily see characters like Seifer and Squall expressing this frustration. The future was placed in their hands. They are the ones who must carry it forward.
Alanis Morissette Head Over Feet
I used this when writing Xu and Sean's relationship. Xu couldn't help but fall for the guy who wasn't what she was expecting. Especially the chorus, "You've already won me over in spite of me. Don't be alarmed if I fell head over feet. Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are. I couldn't help it, it's all your fault."
Megumi Ogata Can't Go Back My Mission
I prefer the version of this song from the MO Live 98 album (it has more spunk in my opinion). The song is in Japanese, a translation of it can be found here. I like it because it talks about not giving up. I used this as a motivating song when writing for Quistis post-Sean, especially when she was standing there with the knife in her hand building up her resolve.
Green Day Good Riddance
This is a transitional song for me. Life keeps going, despite what may happen along the way. You can take your memories with you, but you have to keep going.
Ace of Base Every Time It Rains
This is a Xu image song to me. There's so much sadness in this song. "Cause every time it rains, I fall to pieces. So many memories the rain releases. I feel you, I taste you, I cannot forget. Every time it rains, I get wet." The line about getting wet my more perverted friends take the wrong way. I prefer to think that it means she's getting wet because of her tears, not stimulation. But even with all the sadness, there is perhaps a ray of hope. "On sunny days I'm all right. I walk in the light. And I try not to think about the love I live without."
No Doubt Different People
There are a lot of different types of people out there, a fact Xu is acutely aware of. (Now if Martine could just catch a clue ;) I listened to this a lot while writing Xu in Galbadia.
Collective Soul The World I Know
Another sad song that's been beaten to death by the angst writers out there, I'm certain. This song more sets a mellow mood for me to be in.
Michael W. Smith Place In This World
And moving over to a more hopeful note, though no less thoughtful is this song. Searching for a place to call your own. Growing up and defining yourself as you want to be, not as others make you to be. This is a Quistis growing up with her 'brothers' song in my mind.
Shawn Colvin Sunny Came Home
I'm not quite sure why I keep this one in my Sowing playlist. It just feels very appropriate for some reason. It sets the mood for me.
Des'ree You Gotta Be
Another inspirational / pick me up song (but with the subtlety of a baseball bat upside the head). If I made a Sowing production for tv or movies, I would use this song as a bridge while showing the students studying, practicing, and more or less skipping time until the next plot event ;)
John Skyes Cautionary Warning
This is Kei's image song in my mind. It's also the opening theme to Black Heaven. A very angry song which tells it like it is. "You are my instigator. You are aggravator. You are my complicator. You are my space invader." Trust me, it's a very fitting song.
Newsboys Shine
People often have qualities that don't make it to the surface often enough. They may seem to be gruff, but with a bit of polish, they really do shine... Plus I like the "make a vegetarian barbecue hamster" line.
Final Fantasy Prologue
This song has had so many different arrangements done. My personal favorites are the ones from Final Fantasy 8 and Symphonic Suite. If they did a version that combined the brass of the 8 version and the percussion of the Suite, I'd be a happy bean (though that might make the song too 'powerful' overall... just a thought).
Lara Fabian The Dream Within
It made me very happy when I saw Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and heard a song the fit in well with what I was writing. The dream within I'm thinking of is quite a bit different than what Hironobu Sakaguchi envisioned, but it's like an extra jump on the inspirational springboard for me before diving in.
Bush The Chemicals Between Us
When I think through the lyrics, they don't tie in very well with what I picture for the story. But the song itself sounds right. I guess I just like it and it keeps me writing :)
Edwin Alive
This is another song that, lyrically, isn't a strong tie in, but still sounds good. The refrain especially, "Ain't it good to be alive?" It's a counter-point to the foreboding that hangs over much of the story. The song has the sense of sadness to it, but also a glimmer of hope.
Richard Marx & Donna Lewis At The Beginning
I saw an excellent fan video to this song that featured the couples Laguna and Raine, and Rinoa and Squall. Ever since then this song’s been tied into Final Fantasy in my mind. I’ve started so far before the actual story that sometimes I lose sight of where it’s eventually going. This song draws me back to that overall theme.
Boa Fool
This song is for Sierra. Corvus and I had already formed the basis for the character, but after hearing "Fool" it solidified. There are several lines in the song that are meaningful. "I can choose to be what I want to be if I choose to be," and "Speaking impartially, there doesn't seem to be a place for me. But when I look inside I find a place to run to hide." There's a lot of conflict in the song, conflict like Sierra will face.
BT Never Gonna Come Back Down
I listen to this song when I'm writing Zell. There's just so much 'bouncy' energy to it! I can easily imagine Zell doing kata to it. It doesn't exactly fit lyrically, but oh well. "We are here to save the erf! E R F!"
Vanessa Carlton A Thousand Miles
I use this song for Tsuyo. He's a man on a journey and he'll literally go a thousand miles before he reaches his destination. He's also a hopeless romantic at heart. I think he'd really like this song.