The Things We Carry With Us Fanmix Master Post and Liner Notes
1 - Glitter in the Air - Pink
I love this song to pieces. Most of Pink’s music is a bit raucous for me, it’s good, it’s fine, but it’s jangly and brash, and I prefer songs I can sing to, in the car. Like this one on account of how Pink’s voice is soft and so loving. Plus, the idea of having coffee with someone in a garden and being called sugar always reminds me of that one ep where Dean calls Sam Francis, on account of Sam’s trying to use a girl’s ID card over the phone.
Have you ever fed a lover with just your hand?
Closed your eyes and trusted
Just trusted…
2 - Your Arms Feel Like Home - 3 Doors Down
This song seems to be about Sam falling in love with Dean, in finding everything he wants in Dean’s arms, even if the pity hand-job was only a one off. (Takes place after the hj in Mammoth Spring.)
There's a life inside of me
That I can feel again
It's the only thing that takes me
Where I've never been
I don't care if I lost everything that I have known
It don't matter where I lay my head tonight
Your arms feel like home
Feel like home
3 - Winter Winds - Mumford & Sons
This song has references to winter and cold and ice and such, but it seemed more hopeful in its lyrics. The high brass notes that emphasize the tune aren’t what I usually hear these days, and are an unexpected pleasure, plus I like the way this guy sings. I discovered Mumford & Sons after watching Killa’s “Little Lion Man” songvid; which is often how it happens, because one good song in a songvid will often lead me to explore other things that artist has done.
The song seems to be from Sam’s pov, in the early parts of the story, where his brain, which is saying no, is struggling with his body, which wants more.
Oh, the warmth in your eyes
Swept me into your arms
Was it love or fear of the cold that led us through the night?
For every kiss, your beauty trumped my doubts
4 - The Fear You Won’t Fall - Joshua Radin
I love Joshua Radin’s songs more than life. For some reason, I’ll always associate his music with the Sam and Dean that I slash in my head. Especially this song, which is about how Sam wants what happened between him and Dean in Mammoth Spring not to be a one off.
Part of the beauty of falling in love with you is the fear you won't fall
It hasn't felt like this before
It hasn't felt like home before you
And I know it's easy to say but it's harder to feel
This way
5 - Any Day Now - Missy Higgins
Missy Higgins has got the most plantative voice I’ve heard in a long time. I discovered her when watching the many, many songvids done to “The Special Two,” which of course is perfect for Sam and Dean, as well as any other slashy pairing you’d care to name. This song has some good stuff in it like Missy’s voice, and the lyrics about wondering when everything will come apart, and wanting a fast car to drive off in. I think of this song as being from Dean’s pov, because even though the story doesn’t show his pov, I always imagine that he’s got reservations about what is happening between him and Sam and is just waiting for everything to come undone.
How come, how come, how come I'm now on a road holding out my thumb?
If you know my destination please buy me the fastest car and throw me the keys.
'Cos what if what we see is all, is all we've got?
6 - Flowers on the Wall - The Statler Brothers
This is one of my favorite c/w songs from way back, even when I was a kid. I think it was the Cap’t Kangaroo reference that pulled me in the first time. Plus it’s such a classic, I don’t know any c/w band who doesn’t know how to play it. And it’s obnoxious to listen to, a bit, so it would set Sam off at the bar where he already doesn’t want to be.
Countin’ flowers on the wall
That don’t bother me at all
Playing solitaire till dawn
With a deck of 51
Smoking cigarettes and watching Cap’t Kangaroo
Now don’t tell me, I’ve nothing to do
7 - El Paso - Marty Robbins
This is another classic, and everyone knows the opening lines, even if no one I know (including myself) can sing the whole thing. Naturally, a band just starting out with a gig in a small town like Mammoth Spring would try their hand at this one.
Out in the West Texas town of El Paso
I fell in love with a Mexican girl.
Night-time would find me in Rosa's cantina;
Music would play and Felina would whirl.
8 - Forever and Ever, Amen - Randy Travis
I wanted another song for the scene at the bar, and so googled “great c/w song” and wouldn’t you know it, this one was at the top of the list. It was also listed as a song that you could two-step to, even if Dean really can’t. (Though who would mind having their feet stomped on if they could dance with a guy like that?)
Oh baby I’m gonna love you forever
Forever and ever amen
As long as old men sit & talk about the weather
As long as old women sit & talk about old men
If you wonder how long I’ll be faithful
I'll be happy to tell you again
I'm gonna love you forever and ever
Forever and ever amen
9 - Save the Last Dance For Me - Michael Buble
I don’t like everything Buble has done, but I love this one. I first heard his version of it done to a songvid for Charlie/Don in Numb3rs fandom. So every time I hear it, I see everyone flirting with Charlie, and Don waiting for Charlie to realize who’s waiting for him at home. It also could be about Sam at the bar, thinking jealously about how Dean’s probably going to go home with Snap Button Shirt Girl or No Name Girl, and all the time Sam wants Dean for himself.
You can dance, go and carry on
Till the night is gone
And it's time to go
If he asks if you're all alone
Can he walk you home, you must tell him no
'Cause don't forget who's taking you home
And in whose arms you're gonna be
Save the last dance for me
10 - After the Storm - Mumford & Sons
This song has such a mix of emotions running through it. Sometimes I think it’s about Dean encouraging Sam to go with Alice at the bar, other times, it’s about how Dean wants to hold on to Sam with everything he’s got.
And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.
11 - Gone, Gone, Gone - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
This is a fun duet done by the above mentioned artists, who I wouldn’t normally pair together. But man, is this a catchy tune! It also seems to be what Sam might be thinking as he marches home from the bar in Mammoth Spring.
Some sunny day-hay baby
When everything seems okay, baby
You’ll wake up and find out you’re alone
Cause I’ll be gone
Gone, gone, gone really gone
Gone, ga-gone, cause you done me wrong
12 - The Secret’s in the Telling - Dashboard Confessions
This song’s from Sam’s pov, and is about how he feels about Dean flirting with him. I think it’s especially apt for the part where Dean comes back from the bar in Canadian that first night they are in town, and Sam’s expectations about what Dean might be up to are quite high. Except Dean just goes to bed, and Sam is not sure whether he’s disappointed or not.
There is a secret that we keep
I won't sleep if you won't sleep
Because tonight may be the last chance we'll be given
We are compelled to do what we must do
We are compelled to do what we have been forbidden
13 - No Air - Glee
Oddly enough, a lot of the songs in this fanmix have to do with breathing or having a hard time breathing, but it wasn’t intentional. Except for this song, when I realized that a 3,000 feet increase in altitude (which happens when you go up from Boulder to Nederland) results in a difficulty breathing that is actual rather than metaphorical. So this song seemed perfect. Plus it seems to be about Sam’s need for Dean.
I walked, I ran, I jumped, I flew
Right off the ground to float to you
There's no gravity to hold me down for real
But somehow I'm still alive inside
You took my breath, but I survived
I don't know how, but I don't even care
So how do you expect me (me)
To live alone with just me (ohh)
'Cause my world revolves around you
It's so hard for me to breathe
14 - Winter Song - Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson
Temperatures and weather seemed to make themselves prominent themes in the story, so when I came across this song, with its references to winter chill and icy breath, I naturally thought of the Yukki Onna in the cave and wanted to include it. Plus, Sara and Ingrid’s voices are so haunting together, it seemed to fit the mood between the boys while in Nederland.
The storm is coming soon
It rolls in front from the sea
My voice a beacon in the light
My words to carry you to…
Is love alive?
This is my winter song
December never felt so long
Because you’re not where you belong
Inside my arms
15 - Breaking Inside - Shinedown
This song is not one I would normally like (because I can’t really sing to it) but the lyrics kept pulling me in with references to chilly, frozen skin, and references to mistakes that were made in the past. All of which seems to be about Sam and his regrets in the cave on the mountainside.
I won't be the last one in line
I finally figured out what's mine
I don't want to live
To waste another day
Underneath the shadow of mistakes I made
'Cause I feel like I'm breaking inside
I don't want to fall and say I lost it all
'Cause baby there's a part of me to hit the wall
Leaving pieces of me behind
Leaving pieces of me behind
And I feel like I'm breaking inside
16 - Halo - Beyonce
I don’t write songfic (fanfiction based on a specific song), but I do know that this song, with all those halo references, always reminded me of how Sam must feel about Dean. So I’ll admit I worked the image of someone with a halo into the story, just because it seemed so fitting.
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
17 - Would You Go With Me - Josh Turner
When Josh Turner sings this song and hitches his voice into that low, low baritone, I want to marry him and have his babies. I love the idea of someone asking if the person they love would be willing to experience life with them, even if they make mistakes. I imagine, that somewhere in his heart, Dean is asking this of Sam, especially towards the end of the story. Luckily, Sam is an expert at translating what Dean can’t quite bring himself to say.
Would you go with me if we rolled down streets of fire
Would you hold on to me tighter as the summer sun got higher
If we roll from town to town and never shut it down
18 - Destination Anywhere - Jon Bon Jovi (Who Rocks, Sometimes)
What’s a fanmix for a slashy Supernatural story without a good Bon Jovi song? This one seems to fit, especially for the part at the end, when Dean and Sam drive off into the sunrise together. Of course, they’re headed towards a specific location (Jack’s Grill) rather than just anywhere, but the idea is the same. Besides, as long as Sam and Dean are together, it doesn’t matter where they go.
Baby, we both been running uphill for too long
We both settled for something, got nothing
And we both know that it's wrong
Go on admit it if we lived it
I'm leaving, get your boots and come on
I've got my coat and my keys
I need you next to me then I'm gone, come on
19 - Forever - Chris Brown
The story behind this song is that I discovered it when the wedding dance showed up on youtube. I fell in love with it, and with the wedding party who danced and laughed all the way to the altar. The song was perfect and fun and yeah, I could sing to it. It’s all about the love, baby. And the sex, of course.
Tonight is the night
You’ll join me in the middle of ecstasy…
Imma take you there
Imma take you there
So don’t be scared
I’m right here, baby
We can go anywhere
Anywhere
But first, here’s your chance
Take my hand
Come with me
I include the link here for your viewing pleasure:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0
~
Lyrics courtesy of: http://www.azlyrics.com/
Master Fic Post