Your Official Music-to-Read-By Playlist for A Good Kind of Knowing
I’ve always loved to listen to good music while reading a good novel. And since the love of music, and its universal calling, is a central theme in my latest novel, A Good Kind of Knowing, I wanted to develop a playlist for readers to have on hand while reading the story.
In the book, the artists and songs mentioned range from outlaw country to early jazz, from Ella Fitzgerald to George Strait, from music made in the 1920s to lyrics penned in the 1980s. In the following playlist, I’ve taken liberties to include some current-day music, as well. But mostly, I’ve carefully chosen music for each chapter based on the mood of the characters and the pacing of the plot. In many cases, the songs listed here are ones the characters themselves are listening to in the storyline; others are ones I remember listening to when I wrote these very chapters and scenes.
I sincerely hope you enjoy this playlist as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
PS: If you don’t want to pay for all these tunes by downloading them into a “real” playlist, most can be found on youtube for free.
A Good Kind of Knowing — A Novel by Kathy Lynn Harris
The Official Music-to-Read-By Playlist
Chapter 1
Pretty Paper – Willie Nelson
Chain of Fools – Aretha Franklin
Amarillo by Morning – George Strait
Wasted Days and Wasted Nights – Texas Tornadoes
Everyone Will Crawl – Charlie Sexton
Speed of the Sound of Loneliness – Nanci Griffith
I Gotta Find Peace of Mind – Lauryn Hill
Sugar Plum Fairy – Duke Ellington
Walkin’ After Midnight – Patsy Cline
Silver Wings – Merle Haggard
A Good-Hearted Woman – Waylon Jennings
Chapter 2
Working Man – Merle Haggard
Faded Love – Bob Wills
Should I Come Home or Should I Go Crazy – Gene Watson
Old Time Rock and Roll – Bob Seger
Resistance is Futile – Steve Coleman
I Won’t Dance – Frank Sinatra
Regalame un Besito – Laura Canales
How Blue Can You Get – B.B. King
Chapter 3
Angel from Montgomery – John Prine and Bonnie Raitt
Lover Man – Charlie Parker
Summer Skin – Amy Cook
Can`t Let Go – Lucinda Williams
Chapter 4
Rainy Days And Mondays – The Carpenters
Someday – Steve Earle
Bruises – Train featuring Ashley Monroe
Chapter 5
(Sittin’ on the) Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
Black Coffee – Ella Fitzgerald
Blue Moon – Billie Holiday
Chapter 6
Brown Sugar – Rolling Stones
Who’ll Stop The Rain – Credence Clearwater Revival
Kentucky Waltz – Bill Monroe
Chapter 7
Rainy Day Woman – Waylon Jennings
Blueberry Hill – Fats Domino
Fishin’ in the Dark – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
California – Joni Mitchell
Lost Highway – Hank Williams
Understand You – Lyle Lovett
Chapter 8
Lullaby – Johannes Brahms
Sharp-Dressed Man – ZZ Top
Ain’t No Way – Aretha Franklin
She Thinks I Still Care – George Jones
New Life In Old Mexico – Robert Earl Keen
Chapter 9
Sunday Kind of Love – Etta James
A Love that Will Never Grow Old – Emmylou Harris
Chapter 10
If I Had You – Benny Goodman
That’ll be the Day – Buddy Holly
Runaway Train – Roseanne Cash
Chapter 11
Sunday Morning Coming Down – Johnny Cash
Desde Que Conosco – Freddie Fender
Down to My Last Cigarette – k.d. lang
A Soft Place to Fall – Allison Moorer
Chapter 12
I Don’t Wanna Fight – Tina Turner
Members Only – Bobby “Blue” Bland
Blues for Dixie – Asleep at the Wheel featuring Lyle Lovett
Yesterday – Gladys Knight & The Pips
Days Like This – Van Morrison
Wings Upon Your Horns – Loretta Lynn
Chapter 13
Sleepy Cowboy – Yonder Mountain String Band
Whoever’s in New England – Reba McEntire
Linda on My Mind – Conway Twitty
Chapter 14
What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Take Me Down – Kelly Willis
Don’t Be Cruel – Elvis Presley
Heaven – Los Lonely Boys
Original Sin – Elton John
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues – Rodney Crowell
Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music) – Vern Gosdin
Mr. Record Man – Willie Nelson
Chapter 15
I Am A Town – Mary Chapin Carpenter
Rose of My Heart – Johnny Cash
Sittin’ Here Drinkin’ (Whiskey Blues) – Muddy Waters
Chapter 16
The Weight (Take a Load off Annie) – The Band
Windows Are Rolled Down – Amos Lee
Chapter 17
Simple Gifts – Jim Brickman
In The Mirror – Yanni
Before the Next Teardrop Falls – Freddy Fender
Down on the Rio Grande – Johnny Rodriguez
Chapter 18
Bad Moon Rising – Credence Clearwater Revival
Forever Mine – Hank Crawford
You Are the Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne
Ball and Chain – Big Mama Thornton
Chapter 19
A Woman Left Lonely – Janis Joplin
Mary Jane’s Last Dance – Tom Petty
Chapter 20
Meet Me in Montana – Dan Seals & Marie Osmond
Hound Dog – Elvis Presley
Help Me Make it Through the Night – Sammi Smith
Chapter 21
If Wishes Were Horses – Lucinda Williams
Peaceful Easy Feeling – The Eagles
Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man – Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty
Texas River Song – Lyle Lovett
Chapter 22
Christmas for Cowboys – John Denver
I’m Coming Home – Zydeco Hurricanes
To Make You Feel My Love – Garth Brooks
When I Call Your Name – Vince Gill
November Rain – Guns N Roses
Chapter 23
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain – Willie Nelson
A Picture of Me Without You – George Jones
Chapter 24
Losing You – John Butler Trio
Lovin’ Her Was Easier – Kris Kristofferson
Someone I Used To Know – Patty Loveless & Jon Randall
Lucky Now – Ryan Adams
Chapter 25
Sweet Dreams – Patsy Cline
Chapter 26
Silver Wings – Merle Haggard
Chapter 27
Blue Guitar – Earl Hooker
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Ella Fitzgerald
These Arms of Mine – Otis Redding
Sitting In Limbo – Jimmy Cliff
Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground – Willie Nelson
Into the Mystic – Van Morrison
THE END
Thanks for reading, and listening. Email me if you’d like a Word doc or PDF of this list – kathy [at] kathylynnharris dot com.
