A Musical Interlude

I am still working on a piece about the Harz mountains, or more specifically, Wernigerode and Brocken. I don’t know why sometimes these things strike me as so much more difficult, especially as I have a nasty suspicion that it isn’t at all noticeable in the finished piece. I know, I know, part of my job is to make it look easy. But does it have to be this haaard?

As a delaying tactic, I’m sharing a playlist that I made during my stay at Wernigerode. They say that the Brothers Grimm took local jobs so that they could continue their studies wanting to hear the dialects and stories from the people who lived in the secluded villages of Harz. Now, this wasn’t the only place that the Brothers Grimm visited but, ever quick to spot an opportunity, the local tourism board refers to the region is known as the land of German fairy tales.

I’ve been intrigued recently by the recent trend towards fractured fairy tales, in which we experience our childhood stories from another point of view, causing us to rethink the entire story. While exploring the cobblestone streets and gothic buildings, I couldn’t but think of these stories reshaping the moral message so clear in many of the fairy tales. As a result, I ended up putting together a playlist of a dozen songs that play with this trope.

The songs I chose are based on the music that I am listening to lately: modern pop by mostly female artists who mostly go by only one name. The songs are angry (reflections of my misspent youth listening to Pat Benatar, I suppose). The language is strong and unapologetic. Swear words abound. This is part of the appeal, I think, the explicit language in stark contrast with the happily-ever-afters that filled the landscape of my childhood.

I’ve shared the playlist on Spotify, so if you have a login there, you can listen just by searching on “Subverted Fairy Tales”. To my surprise, I’m the only one who has done this. I’m sure you can find the individual songs on any other music service or on YouTube. I’m not sure what’s up with the capitalization but I’ve respected the artist choice in this matter. I just didn’t want you to think my shift key was broken.

Subverted Fairy Tales

• cinderella’s dead by EMELINE

• Giants by Neoni

• rapunzel by emlyn

• Castle by Halsey

• W.I.T.C.H. by Devon Cole

• Cinderella Snapped by Jax

• HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Neoni

• Wolves by Sam Tinnesz, Silverberg

• I Shot Cupid by Stela Cole

• Big Bad Wolf by Roses & Revolutions

• Villains Aren’t Born (They’re Made) by PEGGY

• Wonderland by Natalia Kills

There’s a completely different list I could make full of songs from a previous generation. starting with Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs Lil’ Red Riding Hood, and I still might.

The tourist information offices in Harz might not approve of this playlist so, just in case I need to contact them with questions, let’s keep this between us.