MG Research: Erik's Top Ten Playlist

I am so excited to share today's post!   Erik Weibel at This Kid Reviews Books is an expert at reviewing books.  But This Kid also happens to be an expert at being an 11 year old boy, just like my MC in my MG project.  So, I asked Erik if he might help me with research: 

Erik, I'm still getting to know my character in my current manuscript.  He's not the coolest kid at school, but he's in the highest grade at the school, so at least he's cooler than the little booger-nosed kids.  He's not nerdy, but he really likes books.   I was wondering if you might develop a playlist for this kid which might help me to get to know him better?   

And here's Erik:

Mrs. Meyers asked me a question no one ever asked me before. She wanted to know what my top ten playlist was because she is researching a character for a book she is writing. After telling her I’d be happy to help, but my playlist probably isn’t a typical one for a kid (I really hate modern music), she asked me to do it anyway.  (Lauri note: in fact this made me even more excited!)

I have an “Erik’s Favs” playlist on my iPod and there are more than 10 songs on it, but here are the ones that I listen to the most  –

#10 “Why Don’t We just Dance” by Josh Turner. This is the ONLY country song out of the 165 I have on my iPod . It’s a fun song and I like Mr. Turner’s voice.  

Erik's iPod (when I was
eleven I had a Walkman...
this is cool, too)

#9 “Another One Rides the Bus” by Weird Al Yankovic. To me, any and all Weird Al songs should be on my iPod.  (Lauri: I've spent $2.28 on iTunes and we're only on song 2!)

#8 “Burning Down the House” by The Talking Heads. I love The Talking Heads. I have a video of a concert of theirs. My parents tell me that Blue’s Clues and the concert video are the only TV I ever wanted to watch when I was really young.  (Lauri: LOL!)

#7 “American Pie” by Don McLean. I like the original song but not the remakes (except for the Weird Al one called “The Saga Begins”).  (Lauri: Classic.)

#6 “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor. My mom and I sing this in the car a lot. My Dad hates this song (and I pretty much hate the songs he listens to, so we’re even).  (Lauri: Nice!)

#5 “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers. The lyrics of the song are awesome. I like the original of this song too, not the remakes.

#4 “Stayin’ Alive” by The Bee Gees. The Bee Gees have been a favorite of mine for a long time. My mom told me that she would play the Bee Gees to get me to take a nap when I was a baby. (Lauri: Being a Mom, I'm betting there's more to this story...)

#3 “Godzilla” by Blue Öyster Cult. With lyrics like –

“With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound
He pulls the spitting high-tension wires down.”

“Oh, no, there goes Tokyo - Go go Godzilla”

 What kid wouldn’t like this song?  

(Lauri: Yes! This is one of my favorite songs too! It was awesome live at a BOC concert.)

#2 “Piano Sonata #11 (Turkish March)” by Mozart. 60% of the music I have on my iPod is classical. I especially like Beethoven, but this sonata by Mozart is my favorite.  

AND THE #1 song on my playlist is – “Cupid” by Sam Cooke. This is my favorite song of all. I really like Mr. Cooke’s voice. I have a bunch of his songs, but this is my favorite.

(Lauri: This is what you call an eclectic playlist - I love your taste in music!  And I realized my library didn't have any Weird Al or Bee Gees in it! What?!  The situation has been corrected.)

Since I told Mrs. Meyers that I really didn’t like a lot of music that other kids may like, she asked me what song I have to kind of fake that I like because the other kids like it.  

I know who Lady Gaga is, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you any of her songs. I can’t stand Katy Perry, but I usually don’t admit that. I really don’t get “Gangnam Style” and can’t dance it at all. I guess I know enough so that I don’t seem like a total geek, but I just can’t get into most modern music.  

Lauri: Erik, thank you so much for bravely sharing your "fake it" songs.  I will say Gangnam Style is a reasonably good workout, if you don't mind shin splints.

So there you have it folks, 41 minutes of awesome inspiration for a writer to get to know her character!   Thank you Erik for the research!  You can really get to know someone through the music they pick.