Anthem of the Seaward Suffragettes- Dirt Poor Robins “For all the world’s a girl’s to take/ We’ll leave the boys in our wake…”
This song felt like Daisy’s childhood to me, all upbeat and cheerfully defiant, passionate and bright.
Sweet Little Girls- The Proclaimers “Sweet little girls/ Cut a swathe through this world/ Using skills that they get/ From their mothers…”
The lyrics sort of explain why I chose this one. A song for Daisy’s mother, not a mourning song but instead a song remembering the effect of her life on Daisy’s.
Wake Up- Arcade Fire “Children, wake up./ Hold your mistake up/ before they turn the summer into dust…”
Things get a little darker after Daisy’s mother’s death, with the war making itself intimately known in her life. I picked this song because it feels bitter, echoing that loss of innocence that would’ve come with the loss of her mother.
Giant- Django Django “Skies hang heavy and they gather in the field of view/ Lift them higher so they’re never hanging over you/ Carry the load, with all your might/ It’s sinking though you’ll be alright…”
This song is still slower and less cheerful than those of Daisy’s early childhood, but after the dark bitterness of Wake Up, Giant feels hopeful. I imagine this song as Daisy’s growing determination to avenge her mother’s death and protect those who need protecting in the world.
Such Great Heights- The Postal Service “I am thinking it’s a sign/ That the freckles in our eyes/ Are mirror images and when/ We kiss they’re perfectly aligned…”
A shamelessly happy Regulus song, for the moments when they can overlook the complications and difficulties of their love and be as happy as they should.
Whistle For The Choir- The Fratellis “Well it’s a big big city and the lights are all out/ But it’s as much as I can do you know to figure you out/ And I must confess, my heart’s in broken pieces/ And my head’s a mess…”
A slightly more melancholy Regulus song, to represent all the difficulties they’ve faced, and the fact that their love is a mostly secret thing.
Sunshine On My Shoulders- John Denver “If I had a day that I could give you
I’d give to you the day just like today…”
John Denver is the sort of feel-good, flower child artist who I think dovetails with Daisy’s compassionate and gentle side wonderfully. This is a song for the good days, a song that acknowledges the power of moments when things are good.
I’m Still Alive- Abba “How everything in life comes down to this, at last/ Surviving, and living,/ Determined not to give in…”
And, of course, a song for the bad days. Though I love how defiant this song is, echoing the defiance of the first one from a distorted, more jaded perspective. Daisy has changed, of course, but she is still brave, and compassionate, and kind.