Rules and Sign-ups!
Presenting the Ray Kowalski Old 97's Challenge.
Why?
Because minervacat and pearl_o love Ray Kowalski. And because we love the Old 97's. And because we think they are an utterly fabulous combination.
Here's how it works:
Behind the cut tag are 25 lyric snippets from Old 97's songs. Comment to sign up and claim one, and that snippet is yours and yours alone to do with what you wish. You can use them structurally -- title, chapter headings, summary, whatever -- or use us creatively for themes or just general inspiration, or you can do something entirely different. But you'll take your lyrics and go off and write a story; gen, het or slash are all awesome, as long as it's Ray Kowalski-centric. Then on March 20, you'll post your story, and we'll make a big post in this community with links to everyone's new exciting stories. Edited to add: We're hoping for a minimum length of at least 500 words, too, up to as long as you like.
If you have any questions, you can ask in the comments here, or you can go ahead and email either pearl_o or minervacat.
ALL CLAIMED:
1. So I sidled up beside her, settled down and shouted, "Hi there."
"My name's Stewart Ransom Miller, I'm a serial lady-killer."
She said, "I'm already dead," that's exactly what she said.
(Barrier Reef) -- pinn2480
2. I'm just picking up beer cans on the highway
I gotta save my dough so I can marry you
(Beer Cans) -- nifra_idril
3. And I'm calling time and temperature just for some company.
I wish you were here. I wish I was too.
(Big Brown Eyes) -- estrella30
4. Maybe maybe I've got a problem
Maybe my heart's a liar
A bird in the hand is worth a bird in a cage
Is worth a bird on a telephone wire
(Bird in a Cage) -- bohemian__storm
5. Do you wanna mess around?
Do you wanna spend the night?
I've known both kinds of love
But I want to get it right this time
(Buick City Complex) -- mrsronweasley
6. I don’t do love, I don’t women named Hannah
And I don’t do red haired girls from Louisiana
(Coahuila) -- buzzylittleb
7. The only difference is you've got integrity, I don't
Only difference is I'll do a lot of things you won't
(Cryin’ Drunk) -- visionshadows
8. I don't want to get you all worked up
Except secretly I do
(Designs on You) -- hyperfocused
9. But I heard that there ain't no gold there
There's just line upon line of cocaine
(Dressing Room Walls) -- lalejandra
10. And it's all your fault, you spiked my malt
You slipped a mickey in my heart.
(Drowning in the Days) -- j_s_cavalcante
11. Trying to find justice
‘Cause I couldn't find love
(Firefly) -- shayheyred
12. I got a real live horseshoe,
And I hung it upside-down above my door
But it don't do nothing to impress you
So I don't know what the hell it's for
(Four Leaf Clover) -- brooklinegirl
13. And the second hand's the first thing that you see when you wake up
It rolls by in slow motion and you rub it for good luck
(Indefinitely) -- marginalia
14. I couldn't drink enough to make this make sense
But I think I'm gonna give it a try
There's no settling down there's only driving downstate
So I drive
(Jagged) -- mtlwritermom
15. Telephones make strangers out of lovers,
Whiskey makes the strangers all look good.
(Niteclub) -- aukestrel
16. Please don't call me cool just call me "asshole"
'Cause I will be a beggar not a king
(Over the Cliff) -- violetsmiles
17. Some day somebody's gonna ask you
A question that you should say yes to
(Question) -- tx_tart
18. I believe in love
But it don't believe in me
(Rollerskate Skinny) -- laughingacademy
19. And I'm tired of making friends, and I'm tired of making time,
And I'm sick to death of love, and I'm sick to death of trying.
(Salome) -- katallison
20. I’ll find another lady and you’ll wreck another man
(Salome) -- minervacat
21. Well, you can blame it on the moonlight, blame it on plate tectonics
Thought I wasn't listening but I was
Talk about attraction, talk about electronics
You are the reason, you are because
(Singular Girl) -- lilac_one
22. I've been down, I've been down too far to care -
I keep getting in my car but I'm not going anywhere.
(Streets of Where I’m From) -- stormymouse
23. I got a landmine in my bloodline
I'm not immune to getting blown apart
(Timebomb) -- sageness
24. You might think it's stupid
But I still think it's art
(Victoria) -- missapocalyptic
25. I hope you crash your mama’s car,
I hope you pass out in some bar,
I hope you catch some sort of flu,
Let’s say I wish the worst for you
(Wish The Worst) -- moosesal
Why?
Because minervacat and pearl_o love Ray Kowalski. And because we love the Old 97's. And because we think they are an utterly fabulous combination.
Here's how it works:
Behind the cut tag are 25 lyric snippets from Old 97's songs. Comment to sign up and claim one, and that snippet is yours and yours alone to do with what you wish. You can use them structurally -- title, chapter headings, summary, whatever -- or use us creatively for themes or just general inspiration, or you can do something entirely different. But you'll take your lyrics and go off and write a story; gen, het or slash are all awesome, as long as it's Ray Kowalski-centric. Then on March 20, you'll post your story, and we'll make a big post in this community with links to everyone's new exciting stories. Edited to add: We're hoping for a minimum length of at least 500 words, too, up to as long as you like.
If you have any questions, you can ask in the comments here, or you can go ahead and email either pearl_o or minervacat.
ALL CLAIMED:
1. So I sidled up beside her, settled down and shouted, "Hi there."
"My name's Stewart Ransom Miller, I'm a serial lady-killer."
She said, "I'm already dead," that's exactly what she said.
(Barrier Reef) -- pinn2480
2. I'm just picking up beer cans on the highway
I gotta save my dough so I can marry you
(Beer Cans) -- nifra_idril
3. And I'm calling time and temperature just for some company.
I wish you were here. I wish I was too.
(Big Brown Eyes) -- estrella30
4. Maybe maybe I've got a problem
Maybe my heart's a liar
A bird in the hand is worth a bird in a cage
Is worth a bird on a telephone wire
(Bird in a Cage) -- bohemian__storm
5. Do you wanna mess around?
Do you wanna spend the night?
I've known both kinds of love
But I want to get it right this time
(Buick City Complex) -- mrsronweasley
6. I don’t do love, I don’t women named Hannah
And I don’t do red haired girls from Louisiana
(Coahuila) -- buzzylittleb
7. The only difference is you've got integrity, I don't
Only difference is I'll do a lot of things you won't
(Cryin’ Drunk) -- visionshadows
8. I don't want to get you all worked up
Except secretly I do
(Designs on You) -- hyperfocused
9. But I heard that there ain't no gold there
There's just line upon line of cocaine
(Dressing Room Walls) -- lalejandra
10. And it's all your fault, you spiked my malt
You slipped a mickey in my heart.
(Drowning in the Days) -- j_s_cavalcante
11. Trying to find justice
‘Cause I couldn't find love
(Firefly) -- shayheyred
12. I got a real live horseshoe,
And I hung it upside-down above my door
But it don't do nothing to impress you
So I don't know what the hell it's for
(Four Leaf Clover) -- brooklinegirl
13. And the second hand's the first thing that you see when you wake up
It rolls by in slow motion and you rub it for good luck
(Indefinitely) -- marginalia
14. I couldn't drink enough to make this make sense
But I think I'm gonna give it a try
There's no settling down there's only driving downstate
So I drive
(Jagged) -- mtlwritermom
15. Telephones make strangers out of lovers,
Whiskey makes the strangers all look good.
(Niteclub) -- aukestrel
16. Please don't call me cool just call me "asshole"
'Cause I will be a beggar not a king
(Over the Cliff) -- violetsmiles
17. Some day somebody's gonna ask you
A question that you should say yes to
(Question) -- tx_tart
18. I believe in love
But it don't believe in me
(Rollerskate Skinny) -- laughingacademy
19. And I'm tired of making friends, and I'm tired of making time,
And I'm sick to death of love, and I'm sick to death of trying.
(Salome) -- katallison
20. I’ll find another lady and you’ll wreck another man
(Salome) -- minervacat
21. Well, you can blame it on the moonlight, blame it on plate tectonics
Thought I wasn't listening but I was
Talk about attraction, talk about electronics
You are the reason, you are because
(Singular Girl) -- lilac_one
22. I've been down, I've been down too far to care -
I keep getting in my car but I'm not going anywhere.
(Streets of Where I’m From) -- stormymouse
23. I got a landmine in my bloodline
I'm not immune to getting blown apart
(Timebomb) -- sageness
24. You might think it's stupid
But I still think it's art
(Victoria) -- missapocalyptic
25. I hope you crash your mama’s car,
I hope you pass out in some bar,
I hope you catch some sort of flu,
Let’s say I wish the worst for you
(Wish The Worst) -- moosesal