There were quite a few scenes in the story where lyrics and emotions generated by particular songs provided the inspiration for my descriptions, imagery, and character dialogue/emotions. There are also some scenes where I just felt a song “fit” playing over that scene, like a soundtrack. The title of this story even came from one such song which inspired one of the more powerful scenes, and which was the initial seed of this whole idea. The list presented here is in the format of: Artist: “Song Title”- Album. Following that, there is a brief description of the scene(s) that the song is connected to. I feel it is important to make note of these songs because of the impact they had on my writing, and perhaps to inspire readers to take a listen and see if they get the same experience and impressions they gave me. I would highly recommend all of these songs, and I would be interested to read people’s reactions regarding listening to them in relation to the story. Rush: “Caravan”- Clockwork Angels. This was a new single I first heard perhaps two weeks before I started writing the story. The song title gave me the idea to use a gypsy caravan to introduce Matthias and Anna. It has no other particular significance to the story other than I was listening to it a lot while writing. I would say it does have some connection to the writing process as one of the chorus lyrics, “I can’t stop thinking big,” very accurately described my feelings as I started compiling ideas. I knew this was going to be a large endeavor. Sylvan: “The Colors Changed”- Posthumous Silence. This is the first of many Sylvan songs which seemed to fit so well into this story. This could be called River’s theme as the mood and tone perfectly described where her character was at emotionally and mentally. The lyrics inspired some of the imagery in the opening scene in the alley of Chapter 1, as well as the concept of the colors changing whenever she became the weapon (though there was also a precedent for that from the movie). It also inspired the idea for River painting her room with flowers, and her use of the imaginary garden to escape from her tormented thoughts and emotions. Eluveitie: “Samon” (acoustic version)- Slania. This song is by a very interesting Swiss band that combines metal with Celtic-style folk instruments. They also occasionally sing in an ancient dead language called Gaulish, which is related to Celtic and Gaelic, although this particular song is an instrumental. This is the first song played by Matthias and Anna’s troupe of gypsies when we meet them in Chapter 4. Victor: “Strip and Go Naked”- Victor. This is the first song Jayne plays with the band in The White Elephant bar in Chapter 4. Besides the name, the song it does have a kind of bawdy feel to it, and the style is what I imagine popular music in the ‘verse might be like. Robert Berry et. al.: “Hoedown”- Encores, Legends, and Paradox: A Tribute to ELP. This is the second song played in the bar. “Hoedown” is actually from composer Aaron Copeland’s Rodeo. Emerson, Lake, & Palmer did a rock cover version of it, and then Robert Berry, along with Simon Phillips, Jerry Goodman, Jordan Rudess, and Marc Bonilla, did this more modern cover of ELP’s cover. This is just a rockin’ version, from the driving beat to the slightly distorted fiddle solos. It gave both Jayne and River the chance to reveal their talents and bond in some way. Given the Wild West themes apparent throughout the series and the movie, I don’t think there could be a better song to fit this scene. Nightwish: “The Islander”- Dark Passion Play. Another acoustic, Celtic-influenced song by a metal band, this is the second song Anna and Matthias’ troupe plays. It has both male and female vocal parts, so it allowed me to introduce Anna as a singer. The subject of the lyrics is as I described it in the story, about an old sailor at the end of his days. Once again, I think the subject is one the characters can relate to given the importance of Serenity to their lives. Dream Theater: “Wait for Sleep”- Images and Words. Zoe did not get a lot of attention in my story, unfortunately. I wanted to explore her dealing with Wash’s death more, but there just was not enough space for it, and it would have taken away from the real story which was River’s. However, I wanted each of the characters to have a sort of spotlight on them. The last scene of Chapter 4 with Zoe in her room trying to sleep while thinking of Wash is drawn exclusively from the lyrics and the imagery generated by this song. Rush: “Where’s My Thing? (Part 4, Gangster of Boats Trilogy)”- Roll The Bones. An instrumental that obviously inspired Chrysabel’s moniker and the joke about the number of casinos she owns. It has a kind of 80’s Miami Vice feel, though much more laid back and fun. This song occurs over the scene when Mal and Jayne first meet Chrysabel on her casino boat in Chapter 5. Sylvan: “Signed Away”- Presets. This song accurately described to me the plight of Matthias and helped me to create his back story as relayed to Simon in Chapter 7. The lyrics deal with betrayal by deceiving yourself into believing that everything is fine. Ultimately, you get trapped and give yourself over to something you did not want to become. This is exactly where Matthias ended up after he founded the Academy and started losing control of it to the Alliance. Sylvan: “For One Day”- Presets. This is a beautifully bittersweet song about watching someone suffering and wanting desperately to help them, but not being able to, or not being able to help as much as you want. It gives voice to Simon’s feelings towards River so eloquently, and it inspired the scene in Chapter 8 where he is wishing he could do more for her while Matthias scans her memories. Sirenia: “The Path to Decay”- 13th Floor. A gothic metal rocker with female vocals, as the title suggests, it is about feeling like you are losing yourself and decaying. The lyrics and the dark, powerful mood suggested to me the scene early in Chapter 9 where River realizes her conditioning is no longer isolated but is coming through more and more in her daily life, making her dangerous to the others. She feels like she is losing herself to it, and that is what leads to her increase in drinking, which could be construed as another sort of path to decay. Rush: “Hope”- Snakes & Arrows. An instrumental made up of only layered acoustic guitars, the title says it all. This is the song Matthias and Anna play for River as a way to break her out of her isolation in Chapter 9. Interestingly enough, the beginning few notes sound an awful lot like the theme song for the series, just in a different key. Rush: “Ghost of a Chance”- Roll The Bones. This song brought out the scene with Anna and Inara on the shuttle in Chapter 10, when Anna explains why she could not be a Companion. Anna’s words are close paraphrases of the chorus of the song and I think accurately reflect her beliefs both here and as relayed to Kaylee earlier in Chapter 8. Rush: “The Speed of Love”- Counterparts. I always wanted to write a love scene based on this song. I drew some of the imagery and the mood for the scene when Inara and Mal finally give in to each other from this song. Sylvan: “Fearless”- X-Rayed. This song describes the scenes at the beginning of Chapter 11 where River decides to use Ariel to help her get home, but must learn to control her first. The theme of the song is about being afraid but not giving in to that fear. That is exactly what River is facing at this point. She is courting danger by using Ariel, but she knows if she gives in to the fear of Ariel, she will lose herself. Yoko Kanno & The Seatbelts: “Rain”- Cowboy Bebop. I originally had this song reserved for a scene where River arrived back at the Academy. Then I wrote the scene at the end of Chapter 11 with River wandering through the streets of Capital City and finding the same location from her dream at the very beginning of Chapter 1. I decided to make it rain in order to solidify the parallels between the two scenes. That is when I realized the song and the scene were made for each other. An aside, I don’t own the anime Cowboy Bebop, and I have never seen it. I simply own a few of the songs from the soundtrack. Other than that connection, it has no impact whatsoever on the story. Sylvan: “Pane of Truth”- Posthumous Silence. This song inspired two different scenes. The first is in Chapter 12 with River in her room at home, remembering the “breakfast scene” in her mind. The second is at the start of Chapter 15 when River first awakes back at the Academy and has visions of both collecting the hodgeberries with Simon (a scene I made up from references in the episode “Safe”) and her session with the doctor where she requests to see her brother after she has been at the Academy for a while (which is taken directly from the R. Tam Sessions). Both scenes involve her looking at two seemingly different realities from different times in her life and trying to decide which is more real, which is the main theme of the song. The concept of her watching those memories through a window was directly inspired by the lyrics as well. Coheed & Cambria: “The Running Free”- Good Apollo I’m Burning Star IV, Vol. 2: No World For Tomorrow. Yes, that is the actual title of the album. This song did not actually inspire the scene, but I always imagined it playing over River’s attempt to escape the Academy with the files. All of the running she does, the fact that she is trying to get home, and the idea of the Academy as a kind of personal hell for her are all ideas explored in the lyrics. Dream Theater: “Another Day”- Images and Words. Although this song did not inspire the scene, it plays well over River’s wave to Serenity and her suicide attempt. I interpret the song as dealing with the realization that life is finite and does not always turn out the way you want it to. I think this is what River is feeling at this point. She has come to the conclusion that she cannot escape, but she cannot go on anymore either. It is not what she wants, but what she feels she has to do. Pink Floyd: “Comfortably Numb”- The Wall. The physical descriptions of River as the tranquilizer starts to take effect are drawn from this song’s lyrics. I think the idea that she is trying to become comfortably numb is in part what her suicide attempt is all about. The final guitar solo plays well over her rescue and escape by Matthias, Anna, and the Operative. Sylvan: “Presets”- Presets. This is the heart of the story. This song inspired the entire section in the final chapter where Matthias tries to convince River to come back. It was one of the first scenes that I had in mind when I began writing. The lyrics were the inspiration for the dialog between her and Matthias. The point where River violently shows Matthias her painful memories also mirrors a dramatic shift in the song’s structure and tone. Initially I thought Matthias would bring her back. However, the way song begins and ends on the same haunting notes on the piano did not signify a resolution, but more of a resignation. Hence, Matthias finally realizing he cannot save her. If anything, this song convinced me that River had to die in the end. It was the only way she would find peace. At the end, the plaintive vocals of the lead singer crying out (which I imagine as River’s voice) and the chorus of female voices behind it trying to counter his suffering (Matthias’ voice) gives me goosebumps every time I listen. If there is one song that captures the essence of the entire story, this is it. Yoko Kanno & The Seatbelts: “Blue”- Cowboy Bebop. As mentioned before, I have never seen the anime this song goes with, but I imagine the scene it describes is very similar to the scene where I described River’s meet with Shepherd Book, and ultimately her passing. The lyrics gave me inspiration for how the scene would proceed, and the music is just so powerful, with the raw vocals crying out “Free…” and the choir in the background, that it really drove the emotions behind what I wrote. Without this song, I don’t think I would have been able to write this scene. Sylvan: “A Kind of Eden”- Posthumous Silence. This entire album lent itself well to this story because it is a concept piece about a father reading the diary of his daughter who committed suicide. In this song, the daughter has written to her father in her diary, telling him not to blame himself for her death, and that she will be happy and at peace once she’s gone. This led to me writing the scene with River’s farewell message to Gabriel, basically telling him the same things. Sylvan: “Posthumous Silence”- Posthumous Silence. This song is the last song on the album and it is an interesting coincidence that it comes right after “A Kind of Eden” in both my story and on the album itself. This is an extremely sad song, where the father finishes reading his daughter’s diary and wonders what he could have done to save her. It drove me to write the scene where Simon tells his father River is dead. I tried to translate the father’s devastation in the song onto Gabriel. Rush: “Everyday Glory”- Counterparts. Another powerful, driving song, some of the lyrics inspired Simon’s speech about River that he gave in front of the new treatment facility. Part of the song’s concept is that normal people can make a difference if they only have the courage to try. Simon’s speech is meant to show that River may have been extraordinary, but society cannot just rely on a few extraordinary people for guidance. Everyone must stand up for what they believe in, hence the idea of everyday glory. Blackmore’s Night: “Again Someday”- Fires at Midnight. A simple song of just guitar and female voice, I knew I had to have Matthias and Anna perform some sort of tribute for River in the end. This is the only song that I directly quoted the lyrics, because it is so short, and because it is much more effective in bringing closure for the characters by reading the actual words as opposed to paraphrasing or describing them. IQ: “Closer”- Frequency. This song inspired some of the imagery at the end of the memorial service, where Simon sees the sunlight breaking through the clouds and thinks of River smiling, and where he thinks about how her memory kept him going when he wanted to give up. The idea is that River is still close to her family, perhaps even watching over them in a way. The chorus is powerful and dramatic, and I imagine if River were saying anything to them, she would be saying those lyrics. David Newman: “Love”- Serenity Soundtrack. So many times this song got stuck in my head over the course of writing. It was the perfect piece to bring an end to the movie, and since my ending paralleled that of the movie, it only made sense to use it to end my story as well. And when all is said and done, love is exactly what the story is about.