Character Karaoke: Song Choice

[buffy1990]

So I was thinking about the songs that the characters themselves chose to sing in different episodes of Buffy/Angel, and how it reflects their personalities/experiences.

• We have Angel with "Mandy": Well you came and you gave without taking/But I sent you away, oh Mandy/And you kissed me and stopped me from shaking/And I need you today, oh Mandy

• Cordy with "The Greatest Love of All" (which she chose twice!): If I fail, if I succeed/At least I'll live as I believe/No matter what they take from me/They can't take away my dignity/Because the greatest love of all/Is happening to me

• Darla with "Ill Wind": Go, ill wind go away/Skies are, oh, so gray/Around my neighborhood/And that's no good/You're only misleadin'/The sunshine I'm needin'/Ain't that a shame

In a sense I think the songs represent parts of the characters. "Mandy" is about a man reflecting on how happy he was with a woman, who he had sent away. It's not perfect, but it could be applied to Angels past with Buffy who made him immeasurably happy but who he couldn't be with. "The Greatest Love of All" suits Cordy as the singer stands behind their principles, and Darla's song choice reflects the sad state she was in during The Trial when she was dying. Now, no song choice is perfect, but I think they match up well enough.

So, if you were a writer on Buffy/Angel and a character was going to sing for whatever reason, what song would you match up with them? What song could a character sing that you think would suit their personality and experiences perfectly?

 

[RachM]

BtVS characters:

Buffy - Wind Beneath My Wings 😛 Hehehe. But if we're going for a song which reflects her/her journey I'd go with Roar by Katy Perry (I got the eye of the tiger, the fighter, dancing through the fire, 'cause I am a champion and you're gonna hear me roar)

Xander - something self-deprecating, like Teenage Dirtbag ('Cause I'm just a teenage dirtbag baby, yeah I'm just a teenage dirtbag baby)

Willow - I really want to go with something witch-y, so my nomination is Season Of The Witch (You've got to pick up every stitch, you've got to pick up every stitch, mmm, must be the season of the witch)

Giles - I can see Giles singing something like Behind Blue Eyes, I think that song suits him very well (No one knows what it's like, to be the bad man, to be the sad man, behind blue eyes)

Dawn - something teeny-bopper-y and angsty, maybe something like I'm With You by Avril Lavigne (Isn't anyone tryin' to find me? Won't somebody come take me home? It's a damn cold night, trying to figure out this life)

Anya - Money, Money, Money by Abba (All the things I could do if I had a little money, it's a rich man's world) or Rich Girl by Gwen Stefani (No man could test me, impress me, my cash flow would never ever end 'cause I'd have all the money in the world, if I was a wealthy girl)

Tara - something sweet but still powerful, about making her own way, so maybe Brave by Sara Bareilles (But I wonder what would happen if you say what you wanna say and let the words fall out, honestly I wanna see you be brave)

Spike - Bad Reputation by Joan Jett and I reckon he'd probably sing it with the female pronouns (I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation, you're living in the past it's a new generation)

Drusilla - something off-beat, maybe a Lana Del Ray song like Born To Die (Come take a walk on the wild side, let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain, you like your girls insane, so choose your last words, this is the last time, 'cause you and I, we were born to die)

Faith- Crimson And Clover by Joan Jett, all about her hidden feelings for Buffy (My, my such a sweet thing, I wanna do everything, what a beautiful feeling, crimson and clover over and over)

Heading over to AtS and not including the three characters you've already listed

Gunn - I reckon Gunn has a real soft-spot for country music or something equally uncool that he'd never admit to, so his song would reflect this, maybe something like Who'll Stop The Rain by CCR (As long as I remember the rain's been comin' down, clouds of mystery pourin' confusion on the ground, good men through the ages, tryin' to find the sun, and I wonder, still I wonder who'll stop the rain)

Wes - he does mention Cat Stevens, so I'd nominate Father & Son (How can I try to explain? Cause when I do he turns away again, it's always been the same, same old story, from the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen, now there's a way and I know that I have to go away)

Fred - I know we do see Fred sing (Crazy) but if we're looking for alternates it's gotta be something country, actually I'd nominate the song from the end of Shells, A Place Called Home (I started out a crazy kid, miracle I made it through the things I did, someday I'll go where there ain't no rain or snow, 'till then I travel alone, and I make my bed with the stars above my head and dream of a place called home)

Connor - have to go with something grungy and angsty and "why me?"-ish, so maybe something like Boulevard of Broken Dreams (I walk a lonely road the only one that I have ever know, don't know where it goes but it's only me and I walk alone)

Lindsey - we see Lindsey singing L.A. song, which is very pretty but if we want an alternate, I'd offer up Hurt by Johnny Cash which could reflect Lindsey's conflict, his feelings for Darla and his isolated existence (What have I become my sweetest friend, everyone I know goes away in the end, and you could have it all my empire of dirt, I will let you down, I will make you hurt)

Lilah - something strong and forthright, like possibly Work Bitch by Britney (Bring it on, ring the alarm, don't stop now, just be the champion, work it hard like it's your profession, watch out now cause here it comes, here comes the smasher, here comes the master, here comes the big beat, big beat disaster)

I feel like I've forgotten characters, but anyway, there's my two cents on the subject 🙂

 

[Mrs Gordo]

In a sense I think the songs represent parts of the characters. "Mandy" is about a man reflecting on how happy he was with a woman, who he had sent away. It's not perfect, but it could be applied to Angels past with Buffy who made him immeasurably happy but who he couldn't be with.

See this used to be my head canon and then they went and showed Angel super into the song in the 70's so it kinda wrecked it. lol.

I just wrote a fic with Buffy and Angel drunk singing "Almost Paradise" the song from Footloose. It's fitting in a cheesy power ballad kinda way. (Thought that dreams belonged to other men,´Cuz each time I got close They´d fall apart again)

 

[DeadlyDuo]

Drusilla- My Angel put the devil in me (So now my dear, I ain't the girl you knew, cause the angel's gone to heaven but I get you. When the tree of life grows tall you'll see, my bad, bad angel, you put the devil in me!")
Darla- The World is not enough (We know when to kiss and we know when to kill, if we can't have it all then nobody will.)
Spike- Time in a bottle (If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I'd like to do, is to save every day 'til eternity passes away, just to spend them with you.)
Angel- The Impossible Dream (To fight for the right, without question or pause, to be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause.)

 

[Alittlegrim]

BtVS:
Buffy-"Hallelujah": Baby, I've been here before/I know this room, I've walked this floor/I used to live alone before I knew you/I've seen your flag on that marble arch but love is not a victory march/It is a cold and it's a broken hallelujah.

Xander-"The Impression That I Get": I'm not a coward, I've just never been tested/I like to think if I was I would pass/Forget the tested and just look at all the grace I got/I'm not a coward, I'm a freak one might find out.

Spike-"Sympathy For the Devil": Pleased to meet you/I hope you guess my name/And what's confusing you is the nature of my game.

Faith-"Don't Drag Me Down": Children are taught to hate/Parents just couldn't wait/Some are rich and some are poor/Others will just suffer more/Have you ever been afraid/Felt society try to keep you down/I begin to watch things change and see and turn around/Turn around, they'll try to keep, you down/Turn around/Don't drag me down!


AtS:
Doyle-"Lady of New Tomorrow": So, won't you come, dance with me/Child inside, believes in fairies/With that dress/Like a queen/With those lips/ Stolen cherries/With your face, sleeping grace, I don't need drink to drown the sorrow/Won't you come dance with me, take me home, to new tomorrow.

Gunn-"Jump Around": Pack it up, pack it in/Let me begin/I came to win, battle me that's a sin/I won't ever slack up, punk you better back up/Try and play the role and yo the whole crew'll act up.

Dru & Darla - "Cemetery Girls": Cemetery girls!/ We will rise tonight, while they are dying slowly! Cemetery girls, lovely widows of a broken world, cemetery girls.

Lilah- "Hey, Tomorrow!": Hey, tomorrow!/ F**k you and your friend Yesterday!

 

[fauxindigo]

Buffy- All I Wanna Do by Sheryl Crow All I wanna do is have a little fun before I die

Dawn- Seether by Veruca Salt Keep her down, Boiling Water, keep her down what a lovely daughter, oh she is not born like other girls...

Anya- Bitch Better Have My Money by Rihanna Better have my money! Y'all should know me well enough Better have my money!
Please don't call me on my bluff Pay me what you owe me

Harmony- Barbie Girl by Aqua I'm a blond bimbo girl, in a fantasy world Dress me up, make it tight, I'm your dolly You're my doll, rock'n'roll, feel the glamor in pink Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky panky

Spike- Wicked Garden by Stone Temple Pilots Can you see like a child? Can you see what I want? I wanna run through your wicked garden That's the place to find ya 'Cause I'm alive So alive now I know the darkness blinds you Can you see without eyes? Can you speak without lies? I wanna drink from your naked fountain I can drown your sorrows I'm gonna burn, burn you to life now Out of the chains that bind you Can you see just like a child? Can you see just what I want? Can I bring you back to life? Are you still alive? Burn, burn, burn
Burn your wicked garden down Burn your wicked garden to the ground Can you feel pain inside? Can you love? Can you cry? --I picture him singing this to Buffy

Willow- Rihannon by Fleetwood Mac She is like a cat in the dark And then she is the darkness She rules her life like a fine skylark
And when the sky is starless All your life you've never seen a woman taken by the wind Would you stay if she promised to you heaven?
Will you ever win? She rings like a bell through the night And wouldn't you love to love her? She rules her life like a bird in flight And who will be her lover?

Angel- Say Goodbye by Green Day Say goodbye to the ones that we love Violence on the rise Like a bullet in the sky Oh Lord have mercy on my soul Kindred Spirits sing For the sick and suffering The city of damage control This is how we (roll, roll)

Xander- At Least We're Dreaming by Eve 6 Live in an apartment that bums me out it don't get better when the lights go out waitin for someone to come along and find me, swimmin through the aisles at the grocery store I don't even know what I'm lookin for waitin for someone to come along and find me, at least I'm breathin, at least I'm alive, as long as I'm dreamin, everythings gonna be alright

 

[Alittlegrim]

I relized I left a lot of characters put which didn't seem fair so I have though it through a bit more:

Buffy – “Hallelujah”: Baby, I’ve been here before/I know this room, I’ve walked this floor/I used to live alone before I knew you/I saw your flag on that marble arch/But love is not a victory march/It’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah.

Giles – “A Very Bad Man”: When I came and shook your had/Did you get the feeling that you’d been introduced to a nice man?/Did my eye contact and winning smile leave you disarmed?/Were you taken by my charm?/Well, it was all bulls**t/Oooh snap!/My nice guy act is just that, an act.

Xander – “The Impression That I Get”: I’m not a coward, I’ve just never been tested/I like to think that if I was I would pass/Forget the tested and just look at all the grace I got/I’m not a coward, I’m a freak one might find out.

Willow – “Nerd Life”: Fat bandwidth, T1 Subscriber/Fat pipe to the central office/Confident, but some call me pompous/Got every right to act like a asshole/Call me alfalfa, the Little Rascal/Call me a Nerd and you called me a shrimp/Now I eat shrimp cocktail/What’s up bitch?

Spike – “Public Image”: You never listened to a word that I said/You only see me for the clothes that I wear/Or did the interest go much deeper?/It must have been the color of my hair!

Dawn – “Titanium”: You shout it out/But I can’t hear a word you say/I’m talking loud, not saying much/I’m criticized but all your bullets ricochet/You shoot me down, but I get up.

Tara – “Hide In Your Shell”: Don’t let the tears linger on inside now/’Cause it’s sure time you gained control/If I can help you/If I can help you/If I can help you, just let me know.

Angelus – “Sympathy For the Devil”: Pleased to meet you/I hope you guess my name/And what’s confusing you is the nature of my game.

Faith – “Don’t Drag Me Down”: Children are taught to hate/Parents just couldn’t wait/Some are rich and some are poor/Others will just suffer more/Have you ever been ashamed/Felt society try to keep you down?/I begin to watch things change and see, then turn around.

The Trio – “Revenge of the Nerds”: We’ve been pushed down in the dirt/We’ve been the source of your burns/Physically and emotionally hurt/We’ve heard all sorts of harsh words/Teased ‘cause we’re fat or we’re squirts/Gotten blood on our Yoda shirts/We think it’s time that you learn/We think it’s time that you heard/I think it’s time we stood up/I think it’s time we return/This is the revenge of the nerds!

Angel – “Stand Up and Fight”: Stand up and fight and look into the light/Stand up and fight/Pushing the clouds away/Stand up and fight and see the sky turn bright/Fight for a better day.

Cordelia – “Not the Girl I Used to Be”: Wondering, have I given up dreaming?/Come down from the ceiling, I won’t do that again/Remembering, my misspent history/Mistakes to teach me/I won’t do that again.

Doyle – “The Devil’s Dance Floor”: Her breath began to speak as she stood right in front of me/The color of her eyes was the color of insanity/Crushed beneath her wave, like a ship I could not reach her shore/We’re all just dancers on the Devil’s dance floor.

Wesley – “Cats in the Cradle”: Cats in the cradle and the silver spoon/Little Boy Blue and The Man In the Moon/When you’re comin’ home dad I don’t know when/We’ll get together then.

Gunn – “Jump Around”: Pack it up, pack it in/Let me being/I came to win/Battle me, that’s a sin/I won’t ever slack up/Punk you better back up/Try and play the role and yo the whole crew’ll act up.

Fred – “The Sun”: The sun is a mass of incandescent gas, a gigantic nuclear furnace/Where hydrogen is built into helium at a temperature of millions of degrees!

Lilah – “Hey, Tomorrow”: Hey tomorrow/F**k you! And your friend Yesterday.

Lindsay-“Walking Contradiction”: Do as I say, not as I do/’Cause the s**t’s so deep you can’t run away/I beg to differ but on the contrary agree with every word that you say/Talk is cheap and lies are expensive/My wallet is fat and so is my head/Hit and run and then I’ll hit you again/I’m a smart-ass but I’m playing dumb.

 

[AnthonyCordova]

It's late tonight to think it over adequately. These two leaped to mind.

Xander: Loser by Beck. Or maybe Creep by Radiohead. Sorry, I'm lolling at how cruel it seems to pick these songs, but I can't help how I see the guy. Maybe Loser is too harsh, so maybe I take that one back.

Spike: Rebel Yell by Billy Idol. To me, I think this song is (ideally) what he's all about.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

Willow: Heart of a Dog or I'm Not Your Hero

Wesley: Sad Eyes

Faith: Wall of Glass

Lilah: Curse Me Good

Darla, Angel, Spike and Drusilla: I Put a Spell on You

Spike: Don't Worry About Me

Angel: Gravity