All the songs used as Sudden Silence tracks or otherwise referenced are real songs. To help you track them down, here's a list of everything we've used and explanations - chapter by chapter.
Before we go any further... if you aren't familiar with Duran Duran we recommend getting their greatest hits collection. Big Thing is also an amazing album. Light years ahead of its time, as is Pop Trash. Have we mentioned that the original five are back together recording a new album? Oh yeah, you know their path is gonna cross with Sudden Silence's in the future!
Also, Kay Hanely is the insanely talented singer/songwriter who is the real 'voice' of Rachel (well, part of the time!). Last year she released a great album, Cherry Marmalade. Go find it at a record shop near you!
We also tend to compile "soundtracks" for each chapter. They serve as our inspiration... seems the story starts coming together once we have the soundtrack for it. Whatever works, you know! If you are interested, those lists are here.
Enjoy the music!
"Sudden Silence" CDs and Songs
Crush (1999) - Lyrics
- Minneapolis by That Dog
- Long Island by That Dog
- Never Say Never by That Dog
- Being With You by That Dog
- Not a Pretty Girl by Ani DiFranco
- I'm Gonna See You by That Dog
- Hawthorne by That Dog
- Gagged and Tied by That Dog
- Not a Virgin by Poe
- Angry Johnny by Poe
Pretend to be Nice (2001) - Lyrics
- Pretend to be Nice by Josie and the Pussycats
- Spin Around by Josie and the Pussycats
- Come On by Josie and the Pussycats
- Shapeshifter by Josie and the Pussycats
- Did You Ever by That Dog
- Annie by That Dog
- As Is by Ani DiFranco
- Walk the Walk by Poe
page 2:
'Spin Around,' from the 'Josie and the Pussycats' soundtrack
This is the first Sudden Silence song Nick hears.
We highly recommend the 'Josie' soundtrack. We've stolen most of the songs for Sudden Silence, because they're witty and smart and damn catchy. Josie is voiced by Kay Hanley, ex-lead singer of Letters to Cleo, and now she's Rachel to us. She'd probably be terrified to know this.
Right after that, is 'Come On,' also from 'Josie'. This is the song that becomes the next Sudden Silence single. You'll see it a lot from now on in the story!
page 3:
'Pretend to be Nice,' from the 'Josie and Pussycats' soundtrack.
On the plane to Los Angeles, this is the song that AJ ends up playing for the guys.
page four:
When Nick goes to Rachel's show, he hears:
"Long Island" by that dog:
that dog was a very cool group in the mid-to-late 90s. They broke up at some point soon after we started listening to them, because we have that affect on bands. I think they fear the power of our love.
Rachel Connor exists because of that dog. In real life, that dog opened for Blur on the summer leg of their 1996 tour. (I think it was 1996. I'm getting old and senile and bad at remembering dates!) Graham Coxon, Blur's guitarist, began dating Rachel from that dog, and the Pumpkin Coach changed that to Damon Albarn and made the band three guys and one girl, instead of the other way around and Rachel Connor was born. So we sorta had to give a couple of their songs to Sudden Silence, didn't we?
'Secret Oktober' by Duran Duran:
Ahh… Duran's best b-side, and probably one of their best tracks ever. Sudden Silence gets their name (and their tattoos) from the line 'in a world full of surprising fireworks and sudden silence'.
It's the b-side to the 12-inch of 'Union of the Snake'. Do kids nowadays even know what a 12-inch is? Sigh.
The song Nick sings in the hotel hallway is 'Shapeshifter,' off the 'Josie' soundtrack.
The song at the end of the chapter is 'Get Another Boyfriend' by the Backstreet Boys. One of their most rocking tracks. I really do want the chick rock version. The Donnas should cover it!
Chapter 2: Getting to Know You
page 1:
'I Wanna Be Bad' by Willa Ford is the video that plays while Nick and Rachel are on the phone.
If anyone doesn't know, Willa Ford (aka Amanda Willaford) is real, and was in a relationship with Nick Carter for several years. After that, I admit we made it all up. But, uh, I wouldn't exactly say that we are fans of hers.
page 3:
Oh, this a good page. We sorta gave rachel our taste in music when they go record shopping.
"You're pretty groovy for a boy from Long Island" is from "Long Island," by that dog.
'Larger Than Life,' covered by Tsar.
Tsar rocks, people. They opened for Duran Duran a few years ago, and how can you not love a band that does a rock cover of 'Larger Than Life'?
Rachel talks to Nick about 'Live Through This' by Hole, and that's pretty much what I have to say about it. One of the best albums ever.
"The Pretenders. Man, which one…" she mused, dropping my hand to flip through the CDs. She picked one, handing it to me with a little dissertation on why it was good, then picked up another CD. "Liz Phair. Another album that changed my life."
Twenty minutes later, I had 10 CDs and my head was spinning about which ones were which. Was it Elastica or Sleater-Kinney that was British? I couldn't remember why that mattered, even.
All real bands. All worth seeking out.
page 5:
In the car after cheesesteaks, they listen to 'Thank You,' by Dido. Remember that name. This album makes appearances later. Probably because both of us tend to listen to it whilst writing.
In the bar:
'Palomino,' by Duran Duran, off the album 'Big Thing' Duran's best album, in my opinion. And this song is a great example of what a poetic demi-god Simon leBon is.
'I Don't Want Your Love' is the song Rachel refers to as 'the single' off that album.
In the park, Nick sings 'Your Song' by Elton John. But the version we're referring to is the one by Ewan MacGregor in 'Moulin Rouge'. Damn. In the movie, there are fireworks and glitter when he sings it, and I so imagine Nick singing it in darkened park would be much the same… sigh.
page three:
"Stutter' by Elastica is the song that Kate Sutton tells Nick is about Damon. Is it really about Damon Albarn, who really dated the lead singer of Elastica for a very long time? We don't know. But we have some theories.
page four:
"Met him at the Jabberjaw, cutest boy I ever saw" is from "Minneapolis" by that dog. We made Jeremy be from Minneapolis just so this song would fit.
page five:
When they're dancing at the club, they hear "One Minute Man" by Missy Elliot. Damon Albarn really did name his daughter after Missy Elliot. I don't know if Missy Elliot knows this, but it is true.
There was no music in Chapter 4. They were too busy being depressed about AJ.
page two:
When they're in the car driving to the train station, Rachel sings "Space Cowboy" by N*Sync. JC Chasez's finest songwriting moment.
page five:
When Nick is in the music room, thinking of Rachel's songs, first he reflects on "Minneapolis" by that dog, then "Pretend to be Nice," from Josie and the Pussycats.
The song he writes is "You Don't See Me," again from the Josie and the Pussycats soundtrack.
page one:
When Rachel is talking about being in 'Annie' when she was a kid, Nick teases her about 'Annie' by that dog. There's a line in there that's a direct lift of a line from some song in 'Annie' the musical. So maybe I listened to the soundtrack a tiny bit when I was younger…
page two:
Nick teaches the nieces the dance from 'Shining Star'. Okay, the real dance involves a lot of pelvic thrusts and flirting with dancers, but let's assume he edits those bits out.
page two:
Rachel and Jeremy's song is "These Foolish Things", as sung by Bryan Ferry. Or is it Roxy Music? One or the other! Either way, here are the lyrics because it's such a pretty song. Really worth seeking out...
These Foolish Things
(Writers: Marvell, Strachey, Link)Oh will you never let me be?
Oh will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or painA cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things
Remind me of youA tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fairground's painted swings
These foolish things
Remind me of youYou came, you saw, you conquered me
When you did that to me, I somehow knew that this had to beThe winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings - but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings
These foolish things
Remind me of youGardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things
Remind me of youThe park at evening when the bell has sounded
The Isle de France with all the girls around it
The beauty that is Spring
These foolish things
Remind me of youI know that this was bound to be
These things have haunted me
For you've entirely enchanted meThe sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside, dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings
These foolish things
Remind me of youFirst daffodils and long excited cables
And candlelight on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things
Remind me of youThe smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things
Remind me of youHow strange, how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
That seem to bring you so near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings
These foolish things
Remind me of you, just youpage 6:
The song that Rachel and Jeremy write in the bar, and that Rachel sings for Nick later is "Three Small Words," off the Josie and the Pussycats soundtrack. Buy this. Really. I think we've used all the songs off of it by now.
Strangely, there is no music in chapter nine!
page four:
In the guitar store, Rachel plays "Both Hands" by Ani DiFranco. The best sad breakup song ever. It's the first song off of Ani's first album, in retrospect, quite a precusor of things to come. Ani's the coolest girl in rock.
page five:
The angry song that wakes Nick up is "Gravel," again by Ani DiFranco.
When they're watching MTV, they see "Clint Eastwood," by Gorillaz. Everything that Rachel says there is true. Well, except for the bit about the 'Z' being there because Rachel told them the reference. ;->
The 'woo hoo' song that Nick mentions is "Song Two," off of Blur's self-titled album. The video they see is "Beetlebum." If you've read Pretty Flowers, this is the video Em is working on in Chapter 11.
page four and five:
Rachel gets a little obsessed with 'Bad Boy' by Backstreet. (Or 'If You Want It Good, Better Get Yourself a Bad Boy' or whatever the ridiculously long title is). Yeah. It's off Backstreet's first CD, and Nick does pretty much the whole song. Our theory is he's the only one who could get through it without cracking up, since he was only about 16 at a time. It's a classic of bad boy band-ness.
page two:
Nick and Rachel sing '(Build Me Up) Buttercup' in the car. Originally done by The Foundations, but I must admit to gooning the hell out when Clay Aiken did it on 'American Idol'. (Go, Clay!)
page five:
Rachel and Nick are listening to Journey's Greatest Hits. Steve Perry really is Nick's idol, we're not making that up. First Nick sings to her from "Separate Ways," then they listen to the classic rock star on the road ballad, "Faithfully".
Chapter Thirteen: On The Road... Again
page five:
"What Makes You Different," Backstreet Boys. Okay, we don't really think that Howie hates Nick, but Nick doesn't sing much on this song, or any other song Howie's ever written for the Boys…
page one:
"Did Ya Understand That?" by Willa Ford. Never really a single. I don't think. Certainly never premiered on TRL that we noticed. But really does seem to be about a cheating boyfriend.
Nick later remembers lyrics from "Come On," off Josie and the Pussycats. We use that song a lot, don't we?
page two:
When Nick is singing to himself from one of Rachel's songs, its "Shapeshifter" from Josie again.
The first song on the cd that Rachel makes for Nick is 'Something Changed' by Pulp.
page three:
The sexy song Nick sings along with is "I Do What I Do" by John Taylor of Duran Duran. This was John's first solo effort, done for the film '9 1/2 Weeks,' which did a lot to fuck up my psyche as a 15-year-old.
"he's got his hands in my hair and his lips everywhere, it feels good, it's all right, even if it's just the night in my veins." is from "Night in My Veins" by the Prentenders, one of the best songs about sex ever written.
page five:
Nick sings from "Spin Around", again, from Josie and the Pussycats
Rachel's CD for Nick (Chapter 14):
- Something Changed - Pulp
- Worthy - Ani DiFranco
- I Do What I Do (To Have You) - John Taylor
- Here With Me - Dido
- Both Hands - Ani DiFranco
- Drove All Night - Cyndi Lauper
- Night in My Veins - The Pretenders
- Cowboy Take Me Away - Dixie Chicks
- Open Arms - Journey
- Get There - Oleda Addams
- Stolen Car - Beth Orton
- 32 Flavors - Ani DiFranco
- For You - Tracy Chapman
- Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk - Rufus Wainwright
I have no idea how we had no new music in Chapter 15, which was the VMAs, but somehow, we did.
Chapter 16: Manager of Your Dreams
page one:
Nick is working on the charity single "What's Goin' On". We don't really think that Howie screwed up, but we do bet that Nick would blame it on him.
page two:
"The new one" that Nick refers to is "Drowning".
No new music. They were a little preoccupied with the world blowing up.
page three:
The song Nick is writing is "Who Needs the World," soon to appear on a solo album near you.
page six:
BSB did 'America the Beautiful' after 9/11
Chapter 19: Happily Ever After
page two:
Sudden Silence decides to cover "(What's So Funny About) Peace Love and Understanding," arguably made famous by Elvis Costello, but written by Nick Lowe. Which we did not know until we went to look up the lyrics.
Chapter 20: Nothing Gold Can Stay
Their world ended. They didn't feel like singing.
page eight:
The country ballad that Rachel does is 'You'll Think of Me,' by Keith Urban.
Nick sings to Rachel from "Don't Walk Away," one of his solo tracks that did not make it on "Now or Never". To the best of our knowledge, it has only appeared on a give-away CD on Cheerios boxes. Which is a shame, because it's a good song.
The rock break-up song that Rachel does is "Mean Streak," by Kay Hanley, off her CD "Cherry Marmalade".
page ten:
The song Rachel writes for her dad is actually Dido's "My Lover's Gone," off of "No Angel," which is most excellent music to write to.
page one:
Nick and Rachel write Keith Urban's "Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me?" We'll attempt to stay away from the country, but we've given Rachel the obsession with VH-1 Country because we're pretty addicted. Simple songs of love and heartbreak! And Keith's a hottie, his CD is worth picking up, trust us!
Updated 4.8.04
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