Beaner’s playlist

We all know Beaner from Dairy Queen and The Off Season, but in Front and Center we get to know him an awful lot better, including this CD-length compilation I created for him while writing FAC. In the interests of journalistic integrity, or whatever the integrity fiction writers are supposed to have, I should report that Marty Beller, the drummer for They Might Be Giants, is married to my agent. But I was first introduced to TMBG (or “Giants,” as she slyly describes it) in 1990 by a roommate of my friend Stewart, right before I almost crushed Stew’s skull. The band embodies Beaner’s irreverent exuberance.

Most of these songs are mentioned in Front and Center. “Helpless” is not, but every time I listen to it, I think of D.J. Similarly, “Get Busy,” “Rocky Mountain Way,” “Get This Party Started” and “Hold My Hand” just remind me of Beaner. I can’t help but visualize him bopping around whenever the music starts.

   • Birdhouse in Your Soul, They Might Be Giants

   • Get the Party Started, P!nk

   • Shout, The Isley Brothers

   • Rocky Mountain Way, Joe Walsh

   • Mony Mony. Tommy James

   • Hold My Hand. Hootie & The Blowfish

   • Gimme Some Lovin', The Spencer Davis Group

   • It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), R.E.M.

   • Dead, They Might Be Giants

   • Oh! Darling, The Beatles

   • Treat Her Right, The Commitments

   • Gimme Shelter, The Rolling Stones

   • Respect, Aretha Franklin

   • Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas),

          They Might Be Giants

   • New Soul, Yael Naïm

   • Money (That's What I Want), Barrett Strong

   • Brick House, The Commodores

   • Get Busy, Sean Paul

   • A Little Less Conversation, Elvis Presley

   • And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going, Dreamgirls

   • Helpless, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

A small note on copyright

Several times in Front and Center I quoted a fragment of song lyrics, and I now know why so few YA books – which you think would be replete with music references seeing how important music is to contemporary YAs – ever quote songs. BECAUSE IT IS A COMPLETE AND RIDICULOUS PAIN IN THE BUTT. Yes, I agree that artists must be acknowledged and compensated for their work. But it should not require lawyers, fax machines, multipage signed contracts and hundreds of dollars per quoted word to accomplish this. Please, guys. It’s time to grow up.

Chapter One   •   about the book   •   will there be a 4th book? 

Hi Mrs. Murdock. My name is Megan and I’m 13 years old. I am a loyal D.J. fan! I love Dairy Queen and The Off Season SOOOOOO much! They are by far my favorite books of all time. I’m not much of a reader but I was absorbed by these books. In a way I am kind of like D.J. because I play baseball with the guys, I’m not into softball, so sometimes I can relate to what she’s going through . . . I can’t wait to read your new book! It’s so exciting!!! I’m going to get it the first day!

1. -Megan