isra ost n1; here by my side (the devil)
I have been talking about an Isra mix *forever*, especially since I have the longest iTunes playlist ever dedicated to her character and Isra/Gaffil, not to mention all those stubborn pb's. This isn't the story/playlist I've mentioned; I'm still hammering what songs work best for which part of her life, all in my characteristically lazy way. Still: mix! Progress. Besides, I needed to be doing *something* because my muses have all turned into little, insane coquettes.
I should also note that--as you might have guessed from my comment about my playlist of Isra!music--this isn't even *close* to a full look at Isra, or even her music, and Isra/Gaffil is quite deliberately subdued, because they are a mix all of their own. Instead, this is Isra--but more specifically, Isra's journey, through MR, and the war, and some of Gaffil, and touches on her discovery about the Kavishka. Some of the song cuts involved a great deal of sulking, and I stopped myself from listening to the actual playlist lest I find ten new perfect songs; it is all part of the Plan to make me want to do more of these. Possibly.
1|
so she lifts her chin and
squints at me
to assess what I think I know
she says my heart has some dangerous neighbourhoods
so beware where you try to go
and they say that the truth will set you free
but then again, so will a lie
it depends if you're trying to get to the promised land
or if you're just trying to get by
[promised land; ani difranco]
2|
But never take advice from someone
Who just admitted to being devious
Who just confessed to treason
And I would also
never ask a question
That I cannot ask myself
For it might
Dirty up your conscience
[flawed design; stabilo]
3|
and generally my generation
wouldn't be caught dead working for the man
and generally I agree with them
trouble is you gotta have yourself an alternate plan
and I have earned my disillusionment
I have been working all of my life
and I am a patriot
I have been fighting the good fight
[not a pretty girl; ani difranco]
4|
Ophelia was the mistress to
A Vegas gambling man
Signora Ophelia Maraschina
Mafia courtesan
+
Ophelia was a tempest cyclone
A goddamn hurricane
Your common sense, your best defence
They wasted, and in vain
[ophelia; natalie merchant]
5|
Here by my side, an angel
Here by my side, the devil
Never turn your back on me
Never turn your back on me, again
+
You breathe in and you breathe out
For it ain't so weird
How it makes you a weapon
And you give in
And you give out
For it ain't so weird
How it makes you a weapon
Never turn your back on it
Never turn your back on it again
[weapon; dave matthews band]
6|
they say if you want to play
you should learn how to play dumb
I guess I can't bring myself to waste your time
'cause we both know what I’ve been doing
I’ve been intentionally bad at lying
you're the only boy I ever let see through me
[a light of some kind; ani difranco]
> It's only canon if I actually write it down somewhere, but I have this idea in my head that Isra--for all her easy manipulations, and picking up on people's weaknesses--never much cared for games as a child. Instead, although demonically sneaky and twisty even as a kid, her very intelligence led her to be over-blunt, and to quickly tire of playing dumb, especially when she couldn't find a challenge. She isn't that good of an actress, as she mentions in ItM; she knows how to play people, but she still goads Pirese priests and dances this side of 'too brazen' for any woman in Quatroc, let alone the Holy City. Part of Gaffil's appeal was probably that he played the game even better, and forced her to refine her own.
7|
My dying prayer, sealed in a scream
Unwelcome, and a conscious dream
I am your whore, without a name
I climb to fall, to begin again, to begin again
I climb to fall, suffer, hatred, deceit and pain
Anger, regret, loving in vain
[useless; imogen heap]
8|
Hell I’ve been divided
Out of my mind and reinvented again
I’ve been ignited and then uninvited
So honey
You break it up
I’m gonna put it back together again
[not a virgin; poe]
9|
I got to divide my emotions
between wrong and right
then I get to see how close I can get to it
without giving in
then I get to rub up against it
till I break the skin
rub up against it
till I break the skin
[shameless; ani difranco]
> This song. Is Isra/Gaffil. It just *is*. And I couldn't help but add it.
10|
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky
+
Did I say that I loathe you?
Did I say that I want to
Leave it all behind?
I can't take my mind off of you
[the blower’s daughter; damien rice]
11|
And you won't see me surrender
You won't hear me confess
'Cuz you've left me with nothing
But I’ve worked with less
And I learn every room long enough
To make it to the door
And then I hear it click shut behind me
And every key works differently
[dilate; ani difranco]
12|
[evey reborn; instrumental; dario marianelli, ‘v for vendetta’ ost]
13|
the bathroom mirror has not budged
and the woman who lives there can tell
the truth from the stuff that they say
and she looks me in the eye
and says would you prefer the easy way?
no, well o.k. then
don't cry
[joyful girl; ani difranco]
> I'm not entirely sure what happens to Isra after 777--her epilogue was quite deliberately left confused. I want her to have found a happy ending; but I don't know (or really think) that she would appreciate it--and what is a happy ending for a woman like Isra, anyway? But I believe that even if she doesn't pick what is best for her, Isra is never the victim: she makes her own choices, and genuinely couldn't stand an easier life.
Songs I couldn't part from completely:
Let It Rain; Amanda Marshall
Control; Poe
Belief; John Mayer
Swandive; Ani DiFranco
My Skin; Natalie Merchant
Love it? Hate it? Want the songs in a .zip file? Any other mixes you want to see? --eg. Lera/Nichyn, Kyp/Sanar? Should I just let this Always stuff go, already?
P.S. Happy Birthday, Mel :D
Edited for the rar file of the songs; each song is also individually linked below the lyrics of their respective songs.
I should also note that--as you might have guessed from my comment about my playlist of Isra!music--this isn't even *close* to a full look at Isra, or even her music, and Isra/Gaffil is quite deliberately subdued, because they are a mix all of their own. Instead, this is Isra--but more specifically, Isra's journey, through MR, and the war, and some of Gaffil, and touches on her discovery about the Kavishka. Some of the song cuts involved a great deal of sulking, and I stopped myself from listening to the actual playlist lest I find ten new perfect songs; it is all part of the Plan to make me want to do more of these. Possibly.
1|
so she lifts her chin and
squints at me
to assess what I think I know
she says my heart has some dangerous neighbourhoods
so beware where you try to go
and they say that the truth will set you free
but then again, so will a lie
it depends if you're trying to get to the promised land
or if you're just trying to get by
[promised land; ani difranco]
2|
But never take advice from someone
Who just admitted to being devious
Who just confessed to treason
And I would also
never ask a question
That I cannot ask myself
For it might
Dirty up your conscience
[flawed design; stabilo]
3|
and generally my generation
wouldn't be caught dead working for the man
and generally I agree with them
trouble is you gotta have yourself an alternate plan
and I have earned my disillusionment
I have been working all of my life
and I am a patriot
I have been fighting the good fight
[not a pretty girl; ani difranco]
4|
Ophelia was the mistress to
A Vegas gambling man
Signora Ophelia Maraschina
Mafia courtesan
+
Ophelia was a tempest cyclone
A goddamn hurricane
Your common sense, your best defence
They wasted, and in vain
[ophelia; natalie merchant]
5|
Here by my side, an angel
Here by my side, the devil
Never turn your back on me
Never turn your back on me, again
+
You breathe in and you breathe out
For it ain't so weird
How it makes you a weapon
And you give in
And you give out
For it ain't so weird
How it makes you a weapon
Never turn your back on it
Never turn your back on it again
[weapon; dave matthews band]
6|
they say if you want to play
you should learn how to play dumb
I guess I can't bring myself to waste your time
'cause we both know what I’ve been doing
I’ve been intentionally bad at lying
you're the only boy I ever let see through me
[a light of some kind; ani difranco]
> It's only canon if I actually write it down somewhere, but I have this idea in my head that Isra--for all her easy manipulations, and picking up on people's weaknesses--never much cared for games as a child. Instead, although demonically sneaky and twisty even as a kid, her very intelligence led her to be over-blunt, and to quickly tire of playing dumb, especially when she couldn't find a challenge. She isn't that good of an actress, as she mentions in ItM; she knows how to play people, but she still goads Pirese priests and dances this side of 'too brazen' for any woman in Quatroc, let alone the Holy City. Part of Gaffil's appeal was probably that he played the game even better, and forced her to refine her own.
7|
My dying prayer, sealed in a scream
Unwelcome, and a conscious dream
I am your whore, without a name
I climb to fall, to begin again, to begin again
I climb to fall, suffer, hatred, deceit and pain
Anger, regret, loving in vain
[useless; imogen heap]
8|
Hell I’ve been divided
Out of my mind and reinvented again
I’ve been ignited and then uninvited
So honey
You break it up
I’m gonna put it back together again
[not a virgin; poe]
9|
I got to divide my emotions
between wrong and right
then I get to see how close I can get to it
without giving in
then I get to rub up against it
till I break the skin
rub up against it
till I break the skin
[shameless; ani difranco]
> This song. Is Isra/Gaffil. It just *is*. And I couldn't help but add it.
10|
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky
+
Did I say that I loathe you?
Did I say that I want to
Leave it all behind?
I can't take my mind off of you
[the blower’s daughter; damien rice]
11|
And you won't see me surrender
You won't hear me confess
'Cuz you've left me with nothing
But I’ve worked with less
And I learn every room long enough
To make it to the door
And then I hear it click shut behind me
And every key works differently
[dilate; ani difranco]
12|
[evey reborn; instrumental; dario marianelli, ‘v for vendetta’ ost]
13|
the bathroom mirror has not budged
and the woman who lives there can tell
the truth from the stuff that they say
and she looks me in the eye
and says would you prefer the easy way?
no, well o.k. then
don't cry
[joyful girl; ani difranco]
> I'm not entirely sure what happens to Isra after 777--her epilogue was quite deliberately left confused. I want her to have found a happy ending; but I don't know (or really think) that she would appreciate it--and what is a happy ending for a woman like Isra, anyway? But I believe that even if she doesn't pick what is best for her, Isra is never the victim: she makes her own choices, and genuinely couldn't stand an easier life.
Songs I couldn't part from completely:
Let It Rain; Amanda Marshall
Control; Poe
Belief; John Mayer
Swandive; Ani DiFranco
My Skin; Natalie Merchant
Love it? Hate it? Want the songs in a .zip file? Any other mixes you want to see? --eg. Lera/Nichyn, Kyp/Sanar? Should I just let this Always stuff go, already?
P.S. Happy Birthday, Mel :D
Edited for the rar file of the songs; each song is also individually linked below the lyrics of their respective songs.