Continuity and clarification of "shock value" songs. · 1:19pm Dec 3rd, 2013
Two things I want to talk about today.
First off, I just want to let everyone know right now, I have almost no plans for an overarching plot for The Mane Six Discover Human Music. The only thing I have planned ahead is who is going to get what song. I know I've been adding some continuity between chapters, but that has all been done largely on the fly as I write.
I'm putting this out there now so that everyone know that there's a very good chance that this fic is going to become somewhat formulaic. Have a few of the six discuss something, have them meet up with Twilight and listen to a song, then more discussion. If everyone is okay with that, then great! If not, then I'm sorry to disappoint. This was originally only supposed to be a one shot, after all, and when everyone cried out for more, I just kind of jumped in without really planning ahead.
Second order of business.
In my first blog post for The Mane Six Discover Human Music, I mentioned that I would be avoiding songs that would be just for shock value. There's been some consternation from some commenters about that, and I feel I have to clarify what exactly I meant. When I say shock value, I don't mean heavy themes. I'm actually going to give you one of the songs on my "might use" list just to illustrate my point here.
when I think "shock value", I'm thinking stuff like Closer by Nine Inch Nails. I don't have a problem with doing a song about sex, but if I do end up doing one about that, I'm going to pick a song that's a bit more... eloquent than "I want to **** you like an animal".
on the other hand, and here's that potential spoiler, I might end up using What It's Like by Everlast, which covers some very heavy themes, but presents them in a much more acceptable manner.
I hope this clears things up!
Well it should be noted that Closer isn't just about sex, but rather part of the story of a man trapped in a downward spiral of inadequacy and depression who uses sex as a way to escape from his soul-crushingly monotonous upper middle class life.
Maybe "Everything You Know is Wrong" by Weird Al Yankovic?
Cool. Have you thought about accepting guest chapters?
Oh my god I actually hope you use that Everlast Song.
I really appreciate you writing this story, and I must say, you've made some good choices. Hope you keep it up.
How about Baby Got Back? Its crude but also shows the ponies how our societies beauty standards favor slim/skinny women and the singers desire to change that to accept more voluptuous body types. A lot of metaphor and implications but no swears or out right "F***k you like an animal" lines.
I could just imagine Rarity getting that song on her turn
I take it you're looking for songs that have pretty clear meanings theme-wise, but still have enough colloquialisms and human specific terms to make the ponies scratch their heads and speculate?
Either way, yeah, Closer and other songs of that sort wouldn't be good for anyone. Any potential comedic shock value from songs of that manner would wear off pretty quickly. Better to have the ponies think and absorb rather than just get offended/nauseous from what they are hearing.
By the by, I don't mind if a story is formulaic if it's well told, Blissey. No worries there.
You should do a Christmas song for the season.
Hi!
I see you got a lot of suggestion. But I can't help myself. As metalhead (and you mentioned that probably metal will not make it) here is a song about friendship Manowar - Blood brothers.
Now the title don't scare you away. Actually there is no blood, gore, war or cursing in the lyrics.
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So I've read, but most people (and the girls too, I think) are just going to hear that one line and that's going to define the song for them
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Maybe if Discord ever gets a chance...
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The thought has not crossed my mind
1568774 "You should date me because, um, I'm not boring, I'm wild and crazy, AND, there's a possibility that we could have sex if you play the song 'Closer' by Nine Inch Nails.
Nothing says subtle like
I guess you need some kind of "shock value" for this fic to work, but it's certainly best not to be lazy and just pick songs with shocking or crude lyrics.
You can always freak the ponies out with some experimental/avant-garde stuff. Since the ponies are listening to music from the stars, how about some Sun Ra?
Here's a related and semi-serious question: how would Twilight's space radio handle songs sung in an untranslatable made-up language?
Honestly, I am not really sure about What It's Like. I feel like it is a bit too similar to Their Ain't No Rest For The Wicked which you already did in terms of its focus on poverty so I would be inclined to go for a different song that leans more towards loss, futility, war, or something else to that effect.
The War Was in Color by Carbon Leaf might be a good way to approach war and loss, although it does not really deal with futility.
There are a few Sabaton songs about World War 1 which are big on futility due to the nature of that war (Price of a Mile, Cliffs of Galipoli, and Angels Calling), although I feel like they might leave the ponies wondering about the cause of war which was why I suggested Light in the Black earlier because that is about peacekeeping forces so it will also force the ponies to consider when war really is the best option.
1568774 I would like to see Discord and the princesses get turns here, although you might want to have Celestia and/or Luna around before you deal with war because I am sure they have had to deal with it in the past so their perspective might be useful. You may also want to consider something on the emo side of things for Luna to have the song really hit home for her.
I think "I Want Your Sex" by George Michael would be PERFECT.
I still want to see Spooky Scary Skeletons
Hey, I forgot about this!
I remember thinking a while back about where this fic might be going--do you want the ponies to feel like they finally understand humans, or like they may never understand humans?
If you want them to feel a connection, the perfect song would be Being Boring by the Pet Shop Boys. It feels like a very Rarity song, and perhaps a really Rainbow song as well--it fits surprisingly well with how they act and how they live. It might actually make them think humans are more like ponies than we really are.
If you want them to feel like they'll never understand humans, the perfect song would be Saturday Night Special by Conway Twitty (NOT the Lynyrd Skynyrd song of the same name.) They wouldn't understand a lot of the details, but they'd definitely get the gist of it. I can easily see this one provoking an argument among the ponies--did the man in the song do the right thing? Can they even determine what the right thing is, when they know so little about this society?
There are a couple other songs I considered recommending, like Jewels and Gems (quite possibly the only rap song that would fit perfectly with the atmosphere you've established), or Who's That Man (if you really want to make some ponies cry), but those two are the two that I think would define this fic in a certain direction and give you something to work off of in terms of a narrative arc.
What about something covering drug use and abuse like Metallica's "Master of Puppets?"
Those all seem like good reasons. Even I would prefer avoiding directly shocking songs. I'd prefer putting songs where the lyrics are either really deep or maybe something that can be interpreted a number of ways, since the Mane6 don't know a thing about humans.
Maybe these two songs would be good. A little on the heavy side of rock, but nothing too extreme.
Indestructible by Disturbed
or
Through The Fire And Flames by Dragon Force
I suggest these two because:
One, Indestructible is a bit of shock value, but it would be interesting to see how our near Utopian peace loving ponies would react to a song that describes how fierce and ready for war mankind can be.
Two, Through the Fire and Flames is more for interesting interpretation, as it's akin to an Epic. How they'd interpret the lyrics as to whether or not it's a true story or something of fiction would be definitely be interesting, and with what you've done so far I'm sure that you'll make it very fascinating if you end up using the song.
Dunno if you're still taking notes or not, but I think that at some stage you should write in The Islander by Nightwish - Heck, they could use the metaphors they pick up to state that he's passing away happily (Like "dropping the anchor" could be used as a way of saying he's ready to stop life's voyage or something).
I dunno, I'm whimsical at this point.