The Lost in the Ivy "Soundtrack"

What does Lost in the Ivy sound like?

Now that might sound like an odd question. Lost in the Ivy is a book, or at least it soon will be. Books don't make sounds, except for the sound that comes from flipping pages in them -- a sound, by the way, that I love.

Imagine, though, if a lucky star should someday shine on my little book. Hollywood takes notice and turns it into a major motion picture.

Okay, I'm awake now. The dream is over.

But it's fun to think about what your book would look -- and sound -- like on the big screen.

I can't recreate what it might look like, though I've often thought about who might play various characters from the book. I envision John Cusack as the protagonist Charley Hubbs, not only because he's a terrific actor but also because he's a die-hard Cubs fan and would thus know Charley's heart.

I can, however, give you an idea of what the book might sound like -- through music.

There's always been a little bit of Rob Gordon in me. For those who don't know, Rob Gordon is the character Cusack played in the wonderful movie adaptation to Nick Hornby's jewel of a novel High Fidelity. Rob, a record store owner, has a single-minded passion for music and that passion pours out into the mix tapes he compiles.

Mix tapes are, in some respects, a lost art form. The music industry's shift away from vinyl records and cassette tapes to compact discs spelled the end of the mix tape era.

But in its wake a new version of the mix tape has arisen. The ability to instantly download songs from digital music services such as iTunes or Rhapsody and to copy them on to CDs has brought new life to the mix tape. You can mix and match songs in any way you like, although now they call them playlists rather than mix tapes.

And that's what I've done for you. I've put my book to music. The songs I've selected are a mix of old and new and follow the storyline in some fashion. You should be able to download them through any of the major digital music services, so that you can have your own "soundtrack" to Lost in the Ivy. I've even included some songs that the artists have made available for free and legal download either through their label's Web site or through the South by Southwest Music Festival Web site.

This then, without further introduction, is my "soundtrack" to Lost in the Ivy. I hope you like it.

1. Lost in the Plot by The Dears
2. The Trial of the Century by The French Kicks
3. Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy
4. In a Daydream by The Freddy Jones Band
5. Lost in Space by Aimee Mann
6. Universal Blues by The Redwalls
7. Have a Little Faith in Me by John Hiatt
8. I Believe in You by Amp Fiddler
9. You Can't Hide by Maktub
10. True Faith by New Order
11. Keep Hope Alive by Crystal Method
12. How's It Gonna End by Tom Waits
13. Another Chance [Afterlife Mix] by Roger Sanchez

Update on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 at 12:15PM by Randy Richardson

A couple of footnotes to my soundtrack:

1. Lost in the Plot -- what a find that was. I couldn't imagine a better way to lead off a soundtrack for a book titled Lost in the Ivy.
2. The inclusion of Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak has dual significance. Not only does the song have meaning with regards to the storyline, but the band itself is mentioned in the first chapter of the book. The main female character in the book is named Lizzy and her nickname is "T.L.", which is short for Thin Lizzy. 
3. Two of the bands whose songs appear on the playlist are from the Chicago area, where the book is primarily set: The Freddy Jones Band and The Redwalls.
4. Here's a bonus song courtesy of a Chicago area band called The Cleaning Ladys. It deals with the pain and frustration that comes with being a die-hard Cubs fan, like Lost in the Ivy's protagonist Charley Hubbs.