Today’s thoughts are a bit left of center, but hopefully in a good way.  Music and literature have always gone hand in hand to me.  So, when authors started publishing their writing playlists, I knew it wasn’t just me feeling this way.  And as proof, I have a selection of artists who have been inspired by literature in their own music.

But first, let’s start with what inspired today’s post.

Have you ever heard of Eurovision?  It’s a songwriting competition organized by the European Broadcasting Union that includes songs from all over Europe and other countries.  It’s a huge deal and while I’m not an avid watcher of the competition, I do seek out the playlist that Spotify creates every year featuring that season’s entries.  I’ve found some really fantastic songs through this, many in languages I don’t speak or even come close to understanding.

In 2023, one of the most amusing songs (and videos) was written and performed by Teya & Salena from Austria.  It’s called “Who the Hell is Edgar?”  And while the song itself is satire of the music industry, its repeated mention of Edgar Allan Poe instantly won me over.

Thinking about this song made me wonder if there were other songs inspired by Poe.  And, if so, what genres would they be in?  I have to admit, I was rather surprised by the mix of genres and the span of years the songs I found fell into.

Marianne, a big part of the LASR team, introduced me to an album by The Alan Parsons Project called “Tales of Mystery and Imagination – Edgar Allan Poe”.  Which is a fabulous album.  I must have listened to it for three hours that day.  Doesn’t hurt that the first track is “A Dream Within a Dream”, my favorite of Poe’s poems.

So, what else did I discover?  Some true gems, to be honest.  Many of these I had no idea even existed, despite groups like Queen being a big part of my musical foundation.   Their inspiration for “Nevermore”, of course, was “The Raven” and it is simply amazing.  Freddy Mercury’s haunting vocals are perfect for something representing Poe in general and this poem in particular.

“When I Go Out, I Want to Go Out on a Chariot of Fire” by Escape the Fate is a nod to “The Tell-Tale Heart”.   While I’ve heard of this group before, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything by them until now.  It’s a bit more hardcore than I tend to take my music these days, but it immediately got added to Spotify.  “The Tell-Tale Heart” is the first Poe story I was introduced to in school and is still by far my favorite.  I think this song reps the story well.

Also, this title reminds me of Panic! At the Disco and Fall Out Boy and their long song titles.   But that’s another post for a later date.

Lastly, a take on Poe’s poem “Annabel Lee” by the great Stevie Nicks.  I found many songs inspired by this poem while searching YouTube and Google, but this is definitely my favorite.  Stevie Nicks is a legend for many reasons, and this is just one of them.

These are just a small handful of what I found.  How about you?  Are you a Poe fan?  Know of any songs that were inspired by or remind you of his work?  I’m going to leave you with this Spotify playlist I stumbled onto while looking for songs.  Maybe I need to pick up that copy of Poe stories and have a read again soon.

‘Til next time, enjoy your Poe filled week.