Now that all of Act One of PbN is up, I can do my little explanation post as to why I chose the songs that I did for the chapter titles. As before, these may reveal spoilers for chapters you've not read.
Closing Time by Semisonic
"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." The tagline of this late-90s one-hit wonder is a perfect description of where unlife is going to take Michael over this new story.
Sick of Myself by Matthew Sweet
Michael is "sick of himself" as he realizes how far he's fallen from his lofty heights of power in the vampire world.
Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls
"I don't want the world to see me, because I don't think they'd understand." Something of a cheesy choice, but it fits Michael's encounter with his old family and old city.
Torn by Natalie Imbruglia
This song is chosen as a good description of Deborah's feelings, still heartbroken as she is over the loss of Rebecca and her quarrel with Michael.
Temptation ('98 remix) by New Order
Not only is this dance remix the song Michael uses to signal the arrival of his nemesis to Nightstyles, but its lyrics also describe what he's doing. "I'll find my soul as I go home."
Like a Prayer by Madonna
Madonna might seem a little too "pop" for a Gothic story, but the video to Like a Prayer definitely has a Goth vibe. "Your voice is like a prayer..." is also a good description of our the debilitated Sarah reacts to Michael's return.
Dragula by Rob Zombie
No way I could avoid Rob Zombie's horror novelty metal music forever. Dragula's aggressive lyrics are a good descriptor of Max's secret weapons, the infamous Brute and Spy who begin their torment of Michael in this chapter.
Barrel of a Gun by Depeche Mode
Virginia by Night's chapters were named frequently for tracks off of DM's "Songs of Faith and Devotion" album, which I consider their most "vampiric" release. Ultra, which came out in 1997, is probably their #2 most vampire album and the songs off of it are going to show up a lot in PbN. With Maximilian in ascendance in their power struggle, Michael is definitely feeling that he's under "the barrel of a gun" in this chapter.
The End is the Beginning is the End by Smashing Pumpkins
This song didn't get its due until well into this century as one of the soundtrack songs for the movie "Watchmen." But it was originally released back in the late 90s as a B-side. The title is, of course, prophetic as Michael discovers his "return" to Tidewater was really just prelude to his real destination: Philadelphia.
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