I need a weird song I can take literally

RangerWickett · Jun 1, 2008

I'm looking for a song to integrate into a dreamscape in my next game, but I want to drop hints that the song has power long before the PCs encounter the dreamscape. I need a song (a real world one works; rock and roll is preferable) with lyrics that have lots of images that could crop up in a game: things that are memorable, but which seem unconnected, until you hear the whole song and you realize that all those weird things had a unifying theme.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Nifft · Jun 1, 2008

Anything by Beck.

To make it sinister and surreal, remember that he's a Scientologist.

Cheers, -- N

Wulf Ratbane · Jun 1, 2008

RangerWickett said:
I'm looking for a song to integrate into a dreamscape in my next game, but I want to drop hints that the song has power long before the PCs encounter the dreamscape. I need a song (a real world one works; rock and roll is preferable) with lyrics that have lots of images that could crop up in a game: things that are memorable, but which seem unconnected, until you hear the whole song and you realize that all those weird things had a unifying theme.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Man, that's really weird. I used almost exactly the same concept in a campaign.

IIRC I had a madman chanting the song, as the key to a murder.

Didn't use all of the lyrics, obviously.

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/t/talking+heads/swamp_20135092.html

Aeolius · Jun 1, 2008

For some reason "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" came to mind... but that would be a nightmare

Mark · Jun 1, 2008

Wik · Jun 1, 2008

Pink Floyd's "Animals" springs instantly to mind. there're so many great lines from "Dogs", and "Sheep" and "three pigs" are also great sources. Some great lines, just from Dogs -

"Just another sad old man, all alone, dying of cancer..."

"And then moving in siltently/down wind and out of sight/you gotta strike when the moment is right/without thinking"

"You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to/so that when they turn their backs on you/You'll get the chance to put the knife in."

Yeah. Beautiful lyrics.

Personally, though, I'd repeat refrains of the vaguely yiddish "Nature Boy"... well known recently as the opening and ending song of moulin rouge:

There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say wandered very far... very far...
Ove land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he

And then one day
A magic day he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things
-Fools and kings-
This he said to me:

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love
and be loved in return"

I'm pretty sure you could base a whole friggin' campaign around that one.

Zimri · Jun 1, 2008

RangerWickett said:
I'm looking for a song to integrate into a dreamscape in my next game, but I want to drop hints that the song has power long before the PCs encounter the dreamscape. I need a song (a real world one works; rock and roll is preferable) with lyrics that have lots of images that could crop up in a game: things that are memorable, but which seem unconnected, until you hear the whole song and you realize that all those weird things had a unifying theme.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Hotel California by the eagles unless you think thats been done to death
Sympathy for the Devil by the rolling stones