Music To Write By Index

Writers are magpies, always snatching glittering bits of inspiration from the dullness of everyday life. Sometimes we find them in conversations or a sunrise or a particularly striking passage in a book. Sometimes it only takes three chords, a snippet of melody and a well-put verse to spark the imagination. Here you'll find an index of songs to write by, a listing of tunes from all sorts of genres that fired my creativity. I hope they do the same for you.

Mat Kearney, "Ships In the Night"
16 Horsepower, "The Partisan"
Darrell Scott, "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive"
Sarah McLachlan, "Wintersong"
Tom Waits, "Black Wings"
Killswitch Engage, "Rose of Sharyn"
Switchfoot, "The War Inside"
U2, "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"
Jars of Clay, "Scenic Route"
Elvis Costello, "Psycho"
Nickel Creek, "House Carpenter"
Fol Chen, "In Ruins"
U2, "The Wanderer" (featuring Johnny Cash)
The Band Perry, "If I Die Young"
Lindsey Stirling and Pentatonix, "Radioactive"
Clutch, "Escape from the Prison Planet"
Tom Lehrer, "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park"
Model Engine, "Scarred But Smarter"
Michael McCann, Deus Ex: Human Revolution Soundtrack
Mat Kearney, "Just Kids"
Blindside, "Sleepwalking"
Andrew Peterson, "You Came So Close"
U2, "The Unforgettable Fire"
Mastodon, "Blood and Thunder"

(Picture: CC 2005 by angelocesare)