As we are reminded in the introduction, music and literature are both art, and this book aims to showcase those ‘exhilarating’ moments when the two ‘swirl together and impact on each other.’ We’ve all sat and mused on what the story behind
the song may be, and this collection of eighteen short stories puts those musings to paper. Some are preludes to the song, some feature the song, and others are inspired by a lyric. Nine authors, collaborating through YouWriteOn, have each written a story inspired by a song of their choice, from Soft Cell’s ‘Tainted Love’ to The Beatles’ ‘A Day In The Life’, and each crafted a story taking ‘Heroes’ by David Bowie as their inspiration. It is these nine that reveal the most about the craft of music. The differences in interpretation, the myriad of styles, the varying characters the track has inspired – a lack of cohesion and coherence proves that with music, and art, there is no right and wrong – it can be one chord, one note, but when the head races, the heart beats and the song swells, the emotional and primal response is very much an individual one. A book well worth investigating by music lovers, story readers, and indeed anyone who has ever believed that a song could form part of the soundtrack of their lives.
Francesca
