Jamieson Ridenhour is the author of the dashingly witty werewolf murder-mystery Barking Mad, the editor of the Valancourt edition of the 1872 lesbian vampire novella Carmilla, and the creator of the short fairy tale horror films Cornerboys and The House of the Yaga. His fiction and poetry has appeared in Weird Tales, Strange Horizons, The Lumberyard, Dissections, Underneath the Juniper Tree, and others. He lives in North Dakota where he lectures on vampires and Charles Dickens, plays guitar with the occasional rock and roll outfit Blind Mice, and drinks coffee. Coffee.
Hello everyone! Andra has asked me to provide a playlist for Barking Mad. I love this request—I am a total music head, and I have music playing constantly while I write. I think everything should have a soundtrack, and even now I am listening to the big golden tone of Dexter Gordon’s saxophone while I write this. So I’m not really going to have to think hard to come with a Barking Mad playlist; I’m just going to pull up the Barking Mad playlist I’ve already got on my iPod. I’m that big a geek, y’all.
Barking Mad is a comedy, a 1930s murder-mystery, and a werewolf novel. So there are several ways you can go if you want a rich musical accompaniment to your reading experience. For instance, you can go for songs that were actually hits during the time period. Reginald Spiffington, our suave and clueless protagonist, would likely have known these tunes, likely have danced to them or hummed along with the wireless. A quick search of Wikipedia will give you a list of hit songs from 1931, and you can pick and choose from there. “Mood Indigo,” by Duke Ellington is a good way to start, as is Cab Calloway’s “Minne the Moocher.” iTunes has great stuff by the Temperance Seven (get “Ain’t She Sweet” and “Button Up Your Overcoat”). Swing revival bands like the Squirrel Nut Zippers or Big Bad VooDoo Daddy are great for evoking this era. In fact, go grab BBVD doing “Minnie the Moocher.” I’ll wait.
Back? Cool. You could also go for songs about moonlight, or wolves. There are a surprising number in both categories, so you can decide whether you want Ozzy Osbourne’s “Bark at the Moon,” Sting’s “Sister Moon,” or Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like the Wolf.” Van Morrison’s “Moondance” is a strong standby. There are some straight-up werewolf songs out there too—a great list of those is in the back of Toby Barlow’s excellent werewolf novel-in-verse Sharp Teeth. Go find that. You should read it. Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London,” is only the tip of the iceberg.
I suppose you could also do a list of songs about murder as well, since we are dealing with a murder-mystery. Again, quite a few to choose from, particularly if you like Appalachian ballads. My playlist has The Police doing “Murder By Numbers” and Elvis Costello’s “Watching the Detectives.” I don’t want to go too grim because the book is so light. These things matter.
But I’m really talking around the question. Andra wants a list. If you forced me, I’d give you this
LIST OF FIVE ESSENTIAL BARKING MAD SONGS:
1) “What a Little Moonlight Can Do.” A hit in 1931, upbeat and fun. Get the Billie Holliday version.
2) “Isn’t It Romantic?” From the Marx Brothers’ 1930 film Animal Crackers. iTunes has the version from the soundtrack, with Lillian Roth and Hal Thompson, and a bonus harp solo from Harpo Marx at the end.
3) “La Grippe,” by the Squirrel Nut Zippers. “There’s a full moon howling at the night.” Get it. It wants you.
4) “I’m Gonna Bring a Watermelon to My Girl Tonight,” by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. It’s not actually from the era, but it’s a nearly perfect Reggie-style song, and it’s funny to boot. If I do nothing but introduce you to the Bonzo boys, my work will be complete.
5) “Mad Dogs and Englishmen.” Available by about a dozen different artists, this Noel Coward song perfectly captures the manic mood and British humor of Barking Mad, plus has a title that is easily werewolfed. AND it was a hit in 1931. Like fate, huh? I dig this so much that it might be the title of the next Reginald Spiffington book.
6) “Cup of Brown Joy,” by Professor Elemental. If you haven’t heard the mad steampunk rapper Professor Elemental, go do it. Buy his album The Indifference Engine and let the Victorian hip-hop wash over you. The strongest proponent of “chap-hop” (along with the equally lovely Mr. B the Gentleman Rhymer), the Professor’s ode to the perfect cup of tea is a lovely complement to Reggie and his companions.
I’d love to add to my list. Do you have suggestions for songs that would make the perfect Barking Mad playlist?
Hmm...I'd definitely say more of Professor Elemental...he has just the quirky weirdness that fits right in with Barking Mad.The tour is quite extensive, so you should all try to check out as many stops as possible so that you might win some fabulous prizes from the man of the hour himself!Monday, February 6th - Reels Well Blog
Tuesday, February 7th - A Casual's Reader Blog
Wednesday, February 8th - Evie Bookish
Thursday, February 9th - My Bookish Way's
Friday, February 10th - Bewitched Bookworms
Monday, February 13th - I Just wanna Sit Here and Read!
Tuesday, February 14th - Books and Things
Wednesday, February 15th - Books and Other Creative Adventures
Thursday, February 16th - Sweeping Me
Friday, February 17th - Reviews by Molly
Monday, February 20th - Unabridged Andra
Tuesday, February 21st - Buried in Books
Wednesday, February 22nd - Hooked on Books
Thursday, February 23rd -Glorious Books
Friday, February 24th - A Cupcake and A Latte
Yes my dears, now for the good stuff! Jamie will be giving away a bunch of cool swag, book, etc. to those who comment and enter along the tour. A signed copy of Barking Mad, 4 unique signed character cards and a DVD! All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter below and you will be entered to win some absolutely wonderful prizes!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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