This blog entry doesn’t have a point—at least as far as useful insights or advice might go. This time I think I’ll just share my musings about two of my favorite songs (I have a lot of favorites, actually, but I’ll talk about just two here). I blogged a few weeks ago about music, how I use it in conjunction with my writing and so on—you can read it here, and I’ll try not to repeat myself for this post.

I titled this post “Darkness and Light” because of two songs that I’ve been listening to a lot lately, and that I find very inspirational for the novel that I’m working on. It also could serve as an analogy for the worlds in my fantasy novel. One country, called Pohjola, is a land of light—peace, happiness, and abundant light in the sky. The other land is called Ice-Dark, and it is appropriately dark—that’s where the bad guy lives, and there’s no sun or moon.

The “dark” song that I’m putting in this blog isn’t actually dark as in evil. It’s really about the positive side of darkness, both physical and poetic or philosophical darkness. One of my favorite lines, that I find especially inspiring for myself as a writer, is: “Imagining places that I’ve never seen, the morning of life and the end of all dreams…”

The song “Mercy of Darkness” is by Eivør Pálsdóttir, a brilliant singer and songwriter from the Faroe Islands. She has a version of this song in her native language as well, but I’ve put the English version here, gambling that more of my blog readers speak English than Faroese.

The “light” song is about actual light, as well it being a love song of sorts (at least that’s my interpretation). The title “Iđitguovssu” translates as “Dawn Light.” The singer, Máddji, is a Sami from Norway. As I mentioned in my previous post about music, part of my book takes place in Lapland or Samiland, and some of my characters are Sami.

I also happen to just really like Sami music, whether it be the traditional yoiks or the more modern music infused with flavors from other cultures.  This particular song just relaxes me, and if I’ve had a hectic day it helps to put me into a frame of mind for writing.

Does anybody else have a favorite “writing” song that provides you with comfort, inspiration, or just plain joy? Please share!