One of the unique and fun aspects of The Ballad of Stevie Pearl is that each chapter is named after a song. In fact, I don’t even call them “chapters” – I call them tracks, i.e. Chapter 1 = Track 1. These songs set the tone, feel, and subject matter of each chapter – the lyrics or melody paralleling the words on the page. It’s a neat little addition, giving the story a real-world connection and creating a richer experience for the reader who wants to connect with the characters on a deeper level.
Taken as entire playlist, all of the songs played back-to-back – kind of like reading the book from cover to cover – the soundtrack tells the story of Alex and Stevie in a new way. Having already read and connected with the book, you can relive each “chapter” just by listening to the song – even welling with joy or tears when a particular crescendo peaks.
SoundCloud — The Ballad of Stevie Pearl SOUNDTRACK
Apple Music — The Ballad of Stevie Pearl SOUNDTRACK (Coming Soon)
Track Listing:
Prologue: Taylor Swift — Wildest Dreams
Track 1: Van Halen — Runnin’ With The Devil
Track 2: Bikini Kill — Rebel Girl
Track 3: Cypress Hill — Rock Superstar
Track 4: Nicole Atkins — Maybe Tonight
Track 5: Taylor Swift — New Romantics
Track 7: The White Stripes — Effect & Cause
Track 8: Ennio Morricone — The Ecstasy of Gold
Track 9: Bob Seger — Hollywood Nights
Track 10: Scissor Sisters — I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’
Track 11: Drive-By Trucks — Shut Up And Get On The Plane
Track 12: The Ramones — She’s A Sensation
Track 13: Beck — Blue Moon
Track 14: Mum — Frozen Lake
Track 15: No Doubt — Simple Kind Of Life
Track 16: These United States — First Sight
Track 17: Tsunami Bomb — The Simple Truth
Track 18: Lil Jon — Taco Tuesday
Track 19: Agasint Me! — Stop!
Track 20: Johnny Cash — I Never Picked Cotton
Track 21: Finley Quaye & Beth Orton — Dice
Track 22: Eminem — Business
Track 23: Ennio Morricone — The Desert
Track 24: The Lovemakers — Save Me
Track 25: Zoli Band — Hold Me (Alt Version)
Epilogue: Taylor Swift — Wildest Dreams (Reprise)
I’m not gonna lie, I like this playlist quite a bit. Some of the songs happen to be my all time favorites, but all of the songs help tell the story. It’s also been known to give me the sniffles on a road trip. I hope you enjoy listening!
