This week I have a special episode of the music series I participate in called the Friday 5. The topic was supposed to be song parodies but I’m not really a fan so my friend and I came up with our own topic to talk about. Instead we picked 5 songs that remind us of books. I tried to stay away from soundtracks of movies based on the books because that would be too easy.  It was songs that I feel capture the essence of the book. It was a challenge but also a lot of fun.

The songs and books I chose are:

Ashokan’s Farewell to match with Little Women- I particularly think in the Beth scene this song would be perfect. It’s a song I would like played at my funeral and even though it is just classical music it makes me cry every time. Little Women is the first substatial novel I ever remember reading so it will always have a special place in my heart.

I’ll Follow You Into the Dark to match with The Book Thief- this beautiful song by Death Cab for Cutie captures the surreal feeling of the book and weird combination of despair and hope. The Book Thief is my favorite modern novel and I love the song also.

Kiss Me to go with the Undomestic Goddess- Sophie Kinsella books started out as a guilty pleasure and then I gave up the guilt and realized I just genuinely love them. This song by Six Pence None the Richer is kind of the same way. It’s a one hit wonder of sorts but I genuinely love it. Plus, it captures the light romance of the book and Kinsella’s writing. The Undomestic Goddess has its silliness but I really like what Kinsella has to say about work and balancing the modern with homemaking.

Swing Lo Sweet Chariot to go with To Kill a Mockingbird- Sung by Suzy Bogguss there is something about this song which fits To Kill a Mockingbird. It is a folk song that feels real with a mournful quality to it. I can picture it being sung as Atticus leaves the courtroom and all in the balcony stand in his honor.

Seven Years to go with North and South- Technically this song is about a little girl so perhaps it is an odd choice but there is something about the lyrics that reminds me of Margaret and John in this novel. The way their worlds open up to each other and they go from hating each other to understanding.

So there you have it!  Those are my 5 songs that remind me of books.  What about you? What songs remind you of your favorite books? Put in the comment section below.  Thanks!