Dark Tower music and such ::SPOILERS::

[Cook]

I agree with "hey jude" & "velcro fly" woven into the story, and they should be in the movie, but.. ..not as a theme song.
I still think "Hurt" would have the most impact.
Roland's quest at all cost. Think of his long long painful journey, just imagine sound bits inserted here and there, but the final realization at the end. Can't say anymore.

[Sefear]

Yea I was thinking "Hurt" fit perfectly in the last book after

Spoil

Sussanah leaves Roland, and the last person from his ka-tet is finally gone

[pixiedark76]

I was listening to Kenny Rodger's song "The Gambler" (you know the one that goes "gotta know when to hold em' and when to fold them," " know when to walk away and when to run") All of a sudden I thought Hey instead of "Gambler" insert "Gunslinger" into the title.

Instead of the "know when to hold them" somehow incorporate the Gunslinger litany("I do not shoot with my eye" and so on.)
I could actually hear Kenny Rodgers himself singing these lyrics inside my head! I think this would make a cool theme song, what do you guys think?

[Bango_Skank85]

Personally i would have Metallica - The day that never comes for my dark tower theme song, i cant listen to it without picturing roland, eddie, jake, susannah and oy on their travels

[pathoftheturtle]

Has anyone put Behind Blue Eyes by The Who

Good call!

"Behind Blue Eyes"

No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes

No one knows what it's like
To be hated
To be fated
To telling only lies

But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you

No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through

But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool

If I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
If I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat

No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
~ Pete Townshend

[Yaksha]

I thought of Roland when I first heard these lyrics

Step by step, heart to heart, left right left
We all fall down like toy soldiers
Bit by bit, torn apart, we never win
But the battle wages on for toy soldiers

[rf08d]

ecstasy of gold and l' arena by ennio morricone....
hey jude by the beatles
someone save my life tonight by elton john
something dark is coming by bear mccreary

[pathoftheturtle]

"Highwayman"

I was a highwayman. Along the coach roads I did ride
With sword and pistol by my side.
Many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade
Many a soldier shed his lifeblood on my blade
The bastards hung me in the spring of twenty-five
But I am still alive.

I was a sailor. I was born upon the tide
And with the sea I did abide.
I sailed a schooner round the Horn to Mexico
I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow
And when the yards broke off they said that I got killed
But I am living still.

I was a dam builder across the river deep and wide
Where steel and water did collide
A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado
I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below.
They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound
But I am still around
...I'll always be around...and around and around and
around and around

I'll fly a starship across the Universe divide
And when I reach the other side
I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can.
Perhaps I may become a highwayman again
Or I may simply be a single drop of rain
But I will remain
And I'll be back again, and again and again and again and again...
~ Jimmy Webb

[Joe315]

Great song.

"Highwayman"

I was a highwayman. Along the coach roads I did ride
With sword and pistol by my side.
Many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade
Many a soldier shed his lifeblood on my blade
The bastards hung me in the spring of twenty-five
But I am still alive.

I was a sailor. I was born upon the tide
And with the sea I did abide.
I sailed a schooner round the Horn to Mexico
I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow
And when the yards broke off they said that I got killed
But I am living still.

I was a dam builder across the river deep and wide
Where steel and water did collide
A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado
I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below.
They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound
But I am still around
...I'll always be around...and around and around and
around and around

I'll fly a starship across the Universe divide
And when I reach the other side
I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can.
Perhaps I may become a highwayman again
Or I may simply be a single drop of rain
But I will remain
And I'll be back again, and again and again and again and again...
~ Jimmy Webb

[pathoftheturtle]

You know this one?

"...maybe it's only yesterday..."

[pathoftheturtle]

"Galileo"

Galileo's head was on the block: The crime was looking up for truth,
And as the bombshells of my daily fears explode I try to trace them to my youth.
And then you had to bring up reincarnation
Over a couple of beers the other night,
And now I'm serving time for mistakes
Made by another in another lifetime.

How long till my soul gets it right?
Can any human being ever reach that kind of light?
I call on the resting soul of Galileo;
King of night vision, King of insight.

And then I think about my fear of motion
Which I never could explain:
Some other fool across the ocean years ago
Must have crashed his little airplane!

How long till my soul gets it right?
Can any human being ever reach that kind of light?
I call on the resting soul of Galileo;
King of night vision, King of insight.

I'm not making a joke; you know me, I take everything so seriously.
If we wait for the time till all souls get it right
Then at least, I know there'll be no nuclear annihilation
In my lifetime, I'm still not right!

I offer thanks to those before me. That's all I've got to say.
'Cause maybe you squandered big bucks in your lifetime,
Now I have to pay.
But then again it feels like some sort of inspiration
To let the next life off the hook.
But she'll say, "Look what I had to overcome from my last life!
I think, I'll write a book."

How long till my soul gets it right?
Can any human being ever reach the highest light?
Except for Galileo, God rest his soul!
King of night vision, King of insight.
~ Emily Ann Saliers

[jertoncvv]

Hi everybody. I'm a novice in the forum (it's my first post) and in the quest of Roland (I've just finished The gunslinger). I discovered the book after listening to "Touched by the Crimson King", by Demons and Wizards, a kind of conceptual album with some tracks inspired by The Dark Tower.

[Jean]

interesting! I have googled the album, and there are tracks like "The Gunslinger", "Terror Train", "Wicked Witch"... very interesting...

[Jud Crandall]

For some reason, for me, this song brings brings to mind the epic yet personal themes/visions of the Dark Tower (especially the bit at ~2:30 and ~4:30 through to the end):



(It works well with Metropolis, too. I hadn't seen this video before, was just looking for the song to post.)

P.S. - This track is from Trent Reznor, AKA Nine Inch Nails, the guy who wrote 'Hurt' (and many other amazing songs).

[GranChi]

I listened to the Neil Young album "On The Beach" a little after reading The Drawing of the Three, and call me crazy, but I actually noticed a lot of connections. I'm not saying I think Stephen King was inspired by Neil, but it is interesting for anyone who's heard the album. Right off the bat, the book takes place half on a beach. Here's what else I noticed:

"Walk On" - The second verse seems to describe Eddie's old life as a heroin addict with Henry: "I remember the good old days, stayed up all night gettin' crazed, then the money was not so good, but we still did the best we could".

"See The Sky About To Rain" - One line goes "I was down in Dixie Land" (the south), where Odetta was before she was drawn. The chorus references a train, and Odetta took a train to New York as a young girl (and, of course, the next book gives us Charlie the Choo-Choo and Blaine).

"For The Turnstiles" - Two important events in Drawing happen in the subway station, and I think the turnstiles are mentioned. Both of those events involve Jack Mort, who was a businessman at an accounting firm, and the lyrics reference businessmen ("pimps with tailors who charge ten dollars at the door).

"On The Beach" - Besides the beach connection I already mentioned, the song begins with "The world is turning, I hope it don't turn away", which I think reflects the "stop the world from moving on" theme of the whole series.

"Motion Pictures" - Many references are made to movies in Drawing, especially by Eddie, who I think explains them to Roland as "moving pictures" or something like that. The view through the doors reminds Eddie of movies.

"Ambulance Blues" - An ambulance takes Odetta to the hospital after she loses her legs on the subway tracks (although despite what Neil Young says in the song, this ambulance did go fast enough). The song's melancholy mood and the line "it's easier to get buried in the past when you try to make a good thing last" reflects Roland's nostalgic view of the old time and his long-gone friends.

Who else here has listened to "On The Beach"? I'd love to hear any other thoughts on this!

[twice]

I was listening to Rammstein. Ein Lied, Engel, Feuer Frei, and Ich Will specifically. listening to the whistling in Engel I couldn't help thinking of david Hawk. Ein Lied has a sci fi-western to vibe IMO

[mystima]

If anyone was interested in a list of all the songs in the series here is an article

[Girlystevedave]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing that.
And reading this list can't help but make me think that, if done right, DT movies could be so amazing with the referenced songs included. Hell, I still can't hear Paint it Black without thinking of Eddie Dean.

[Tik]

interesting! I have googled the album, and there are tracks like "The Gunslinger", "Terror Train", "Wicked Witch"... very interesting...

Tis very good. Here are the DT related tracks:

Crimson King - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDC0rH6MX0s

The Gunslinger - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wssAxRd0BA0

Terror Train - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpJoV75u1y8

Demons and Wizards is actually the joint effort of two bands. One of them, Blind Guardian, has also created DT songs:

Somewhere Far Beyond - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqis14Y0tUc

Carry the Blessed Home - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub1cBcHQpzA

You may also like Nightwish, who have one DT song to contribute:

7 Days to the Wolves - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro0R_MxwwRs

There are quite a few others with at least one song to contribute. This will focus more on the metal side of things, other genres can be found in the second part of my post below.

A band called Nostradameus and their Randall Flagg song:

Randall Flagg - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc6gSqVR20Y

A band called Anthrax and their Flagg song:

Among the Living - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ0-Yj52ErQ

Here's a band called Voice:

The Gunslinger - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv4Msuknzcw

A band called Electric Wizard and their Man in Black themed song:

Wizard in Black - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVlcmvNsgt4

If anyone was interested in a list of all the songs in the series here is an article

Thanks for the link! Interestingly, this article has led me to discover specifically made DT music (thanks to one of the comments/replys to said article). And also led me to discover this playlist - http://indigoxix.wordpress.com/2014/...ower-playlist/

Previously DT inspired music seemed mostly limited to the genre of metal (see above). However, this list has expanded the music styles very nicely.

Some of my favorites include:

Heinrich XIII and the Devilgrass Pickers – In a World That Has Moved On


Bright Giant – Jake & the Gunslinger


Daisy Blue Gröff (Daisy Blue) – Gunslinger


Barnheart - Come Come Commala


Aiming for Aurora - The Way Station - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEOM_aAbJuA

The Thick – Big Coffin Hunters - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T56FGc5VwYQ

Gang of Thieves – Gunslinger - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PdrgYZNsXk

The Dropa Stone – Other Worlds Than These – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJd87e_kFKA

The Dukes – Low Men – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17X5yN6fASw

Bright Giant - Kings & Queens of Air - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGAB2G5vjqs

I'm a sucka for any DT related music! There are a few more songs/albulms mentioned in the comments section of the original article and in the link I've provided if anyone wants a look.


Edit: Not sure if this counts, it's more of a Stand song, but you could lump it in thanks to Wizard and Glass:

The Alarm - The Stand - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPnc_RKjd-U

[Thing Fish]

Bob Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door. This came up on my iPod shortly after I finished the series and I almost fell off my bike! The lyrics seem to evoke the end of the series; of course they could fit pretty much any Western story in which the hero dies in the end, except for that last line, which seems so clearly about Roland that I can hardly believe it was written in 1973.

Come put these guns on the ground
I can't shoot them any more
The sun is going down
And I believe I'm knocking on heaven's door

Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door

Come wipe these tears from my eyes
I can't shed them any more
The sun is setting in the western sky
People, I believe I must be knocking on heaven's door

Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Just like so many times before!

[Roskellw]

Hello everyone, I don't want to go too off topic here but I noticed that this was a music thread for The Dark Tower.

I've recently finished a diploma course on Audio Engineering and Post Production in Manchester. For my final piece I was asked to record, mix and master an album of my choice, be it myself or other musicians.
I decided to write the entire thing myself due to being in bands for many years and knowing the nature of herding musicians to important recording sessions. I think this worked in my favour.

It was mid course that I had decided that it was soundtracks and composing that I wanted to get into, so I decided why not kill two birds with one stone and get working on my first soundtrack piece so I can use it after I graduate. At the time I had just been introduced to The Dark Tower series by Stephen King and was pretty hooked straight away. It felt pretty natural to want to try and compose music to something which was so fresh in my mind.

I've uploaded the album to soundcloud and would love to hear feedback from anyone who has read the books or anyone who just loves soundtrack work in general.

Apologies to not being able to upload the tracks so they're playable here, soundcloud has disabled that feature.

Cheers!

The soundcloud page is: https://soundcloud.com/wesley_roskell

https://soundcloud.c...-the-gunslinger
https://soundcloud.c...2-lobstrosities
https://soundcloud.c...arries-a-temper
https://soundcloud.c...s-gigantic-womb
https://soundcloud.c...ther-cassiopeia
https://soundcloud.c...l/6-jake-and-oy