Ten Songs That I Wish Were Books

Top Ten Tuesdays are hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. Today's topic is Ten Songs That I Wish Were Books, and it may be my favorite topic so far. Now these aren't necessarily my favorite songs (some of those should not be messed with) and there's one song on this list I don't even like (see if you can guess which one!) They're just songs that I think have a good story behind them that could be developed even more. Read on and see if you agree! The links go to videos, some official, some not, some live - I just wanted you to be able to hear the songs since some are a little obscure. I hadn't seen most of these until after writing this, so my imaginary books are based entirely on my own interpretations.

1. Alfie by Lily Allen (lower quality, but uncut, version here)
Snarky young British woman who is exasperated with her unambitious pot-smoking brother. She is light-hearted and somewhat flip and only in his business because she cares so much about him, but man is he sick of her getting on his case. This book should be written by Kerry Hudson, the author of Tony Hogan Bought Me and Ice Cream Float Before He Stole My Ma

2. This is What Makes Us Girls by Lana Del Rey
A young woman thinks back to her high school years, where she had some seriously wild and crazy times until one of her friends betrayed her and she got shipped off to juvie. Written by Sarah Dessen

3. Hurricane by MS MR
I don't know what this would be about, but there would be a lot of driving fast with the top down on warm summer nights. There should probably be something a bit paranormal. Maybe they're not driving, they're flying? I keep thinking vampires, probably because for some reason this song reminds me of the movie The Lost Boys. I don't even know if she's still writing, but this would be great if written by Francesca Lia Block

4. All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor
In which a teenage girl, in an attempt to feel better about herself, believes that being fat is better than being skinny and that's what all the boys want anyhow, according to her mom. Where the book departs from the song: girl realizes that any kind of body-shaming is wrong, boys like all sorts of different body types, and why the hell should she care so much about why boys want anyhow? By Sara Zarr.

5. Something For the Weekend by Divine Comedy
You probably don't know the Divine Comedy, but they are a very classy British band that I love. Pertinent repeated lyric from this song: "There's something in the woodshed." She thinks there's something there; he tells her not to be stupid, there's clearly nothing there. She wants him to go look. Then, spoilers that I won't tell you. Novel by Gillian Flynn

6. The Waitress by Tori Amos
In which a waitress wants to kill another waitress who has worked there longer, but is unhappy about her own violent impulses. By Ottessa Moshfegh, author of Eileen.

7. Budapest by George Ezra
A young wealthy man with a classy place in Budapest tries to convince his working-class lady friend to run away with him. I'd like this to take place around the 20s-40s and be written by Amor Towles, author of Rules of Civility.

8. In a Week by Hozier
Hozier explained, when I saw him perform, that there's a field in Ireland where bodies tend to be disposed of. In this novel about two corpses in a field and how they got there, there is a connection between events of the past and a current couple. This sort of timeslip/genetic memory story can only be written by Susanne Kearsley, author of The Winter Sea and Mariana.

9. Dosvedanya Mio Bombino by Pink Martini
A story of unrequited love between a man who is caught between two beloved cities, Moscow and Rome, and the woman who follows him around the world but is always a little too late. The strong sense of place that this book needs could be perfectly captured by Jess Walter, author of Beautiful Ruins.

10. Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War by Paul Simon
This would be a novel about the the artist Rene Magritte and his wife and dog. After the war. As the title suggests. It would be languid and atmospheric and written by W. Somerset Maugham.

Would you read any of these books? What songs do you wish were books?