Carmen Sandiego Spotify Playlist and what/who each Song reminds me of:
Warning, spoilers for every season of CS; If you haven't watched it yet, why haven't you?
Strange Sight - This song is from the Tinkerbell movies from Disney but it's so GOOD. It reminds me of the end of S1 and S2, particularly the integration of Shadow-san to Red Team. This song hits the feels EVERYTIME and I want to make a fanfiction about it. Particularly, it makes me think of the Rio caper, the Japan episode and boy's night with Zack, hahaha...
Cast the Bronze - By Raynes. Yet another Dadowsan song, this just reminds me of everything he's been through and everything he's willing to go through for Carmen after she changed his life. NO, I'M NOT OK, OK? I keep thinking of the last episode of the show ;_;
Mile Magnificent - By molly ofgeography. It is Carmen vibes all the way through. It just reminds me of Carmen and her journey in V.I.L.E. and how she became the person she is and took the path of good rather than choosing the easy way out.
I'm Okay - By Honest Men. Honestly it reminds me of the entire Red Team. It makes me think of the shenanigans they might've got themselves on while redecorating the warehouse, the impromptu movie nights, the a capela karaoke sessions between the twins, the times where each member orders different take out and they do takeout bufes. Just them having an overall good time together despite the circumstances and their individual pasts. <3
Innocently Annoying - By Elysewood. Reminds me of Graham, weirdly enough. Not just him but all of Carmen's former friends from V.I.L.E. after finding out why she left and starting to go up against her on missions. It's a little heartbreaking considering that other than Tigress they all got along very well, and we even see Le Chèvre and El Topo not wanting to fight her (and yet the one who's supposed to care for her most - the one she saw as a brother - tried to kill her on that train). Without context, I imagine the "friends" she left behind didn't understand her decisions.
All Eyes on You - By Smash Into Pieces. Carmen Song. Particularly the feeling she must've gotten from when she started to take on V.I.L.E. head on. She had Player but it's not like they had ever met. She got the twins but at that point they weren't really family. I think their relationships grew a lot and very fast, but Carmen was still the one with the target on her back (and the V.I.L.E. nightmares).
Suspicious Minds - By Elvis Presley. THIS ONE IS JUST FUNNY. Someone I talked to about the playlist called it "iconic", I think they put it best. Ofc it reminds me of S2 Ep3, but also you know Zack and Ivy would play that at the karaoke just to annoy Shadow-san, and he'd be secretly happy about it. I just know it!
More Than a Feeling - By Boston. Y'all, the official lyrics for this are "till I see Shadow-san walk awayyyy! ... I see my Shadow-san walking awayyyy..." and NO ONE can fight me about this.
Icarus - By Bastille. Reminds me of everyone in their own way. Carmen from going against V.I.L.E., it can't be an easy decision and from all the close calls she's had that we've seen... Zack with his recklessness and specially in the backstory episode - my heart was on my throat as well as Ivy's when his car capsized. Man I know Player says he has parents, but my boy acts like he lives with his grandma or something... By far the scene in the end of S4 broke my heart beyond belief. Shadow-san, I'd rant about my boy every and any day but I'll repeat myself too much. Ivy, gosh. Her insecurities are so palpable and relatable, I love her, how capable she is and yet how she puts Carmen in a pedestal she could never reach by comparison. As a bonus, Julia, from standing up to her beliefs despite having everyone go against her & Devineaux for all the danger he's been on, and I know him getting hurt is played for laughs and giggles in the show, but this man has suffered a lot and never, ever gave up. That's strength.
Wolves of the Revolution - By The Arcadian Wild. Red Team angst. Zack and Ivy's, Carmen and Shadow-san's individual upbringings, their struggles, their insecurities. The way they find solace in each other just enough to keep going. I think of the episode the twins got the offer to race for Mr. Sterling Sterling and when Carmen was recovering from Stockholm specifically.
Battle Cry - By The Family Crest. Gosh this song hits hard. I'm a Shadow-san and Carmen super fan, so ofc this reminds me of them. Specially I think how in the latter episodes Shadow-san seemed more reckless and getting hurt more? Letting Roudabout hit him (his line "I'm here for Carmen"), Lady Dokuso hit him with the ninja star, falling from the roof as well, breaking his leg; almost getting buried in ice after fighting Brunt (his line "Your constant treats to Carmen end here.") BRO. The song's lyrics? "I will fight for you, I would die for you" If that's not Shadow-san in the last episode of the show I don't know what is.
Liar - By The Arcadian Wild. Second Arcadian Wild song, it's not my fault their vibes fit Red Team. I'd argue Carmen song, but honestly it fits a bunch of people. Carmen, Shadow-san, Zack, Devineaux... This show is full of complex and interesting characters, what did you expect? But ultimately I think this song fits Devineaux particularly well- If you ship Chase x Julia is a pretty good song for that ship too!
House a Habit - By We Are the Guests. Red Team, post 2 year skip at the end? They all go back to San Diego (including Carmen's mom or not) and live together because GIVE ME BACK MY FOUND FAMILY DAMNIT!
Abandon Ship - By finn. AU where Shadow-san makes it to the boat and slowly adopts the rest of Red Team. Dadowsan vibes through the roof, he adopts Graham, he adopts Le Chèvre and El Topo, one big anti-V.I.L.E. happy family.
Ship In a Bottle - By finn. I needed to add this song too. This is Carmen song, lyrics, music, it's just her. The way she packs lightly because she has nothing to her name and doesn't know anything about her family for the longest time. S1 Carmen allegory.
Will I Find My Home - By Juniper Vale & Van Izak. Found Family Allegory.
Rule #9 - Child of the Stars - By Fish in a Birdcage. Shadow-san about Carmen. Her bright eyes, her soft hands, ready to take on the world, it just fits.
Rule #23 - Birds of a Feather - By Fish in a Birdcage. Another Carmen song. Specially the first part.
Never Love an Anchor - By The Crane Wives. Lot's of Dadowsan songs in this but hey, I got a type ig... This one really hits on the feels of Shadow-san always being cold towards young Carmen,
Northen Star - By Dom Fera. Finally a Player song. Just Player thoughts when he is helping Carmen.
Carnivore - By Bear Attack! Ok, hear me out... Just Carmen dealing with the feelings of aftermath when Graham keeps flirting with her despite her not being interest in him or Carmen upset at Graham for his betrayal in the first episode, specially because she saw him as a big brother, and he blames her for interfering in their mission when she's the one doing the right thing. Could be platonic or ship.
The Graduate - By Arcadian Wild. The guitar in their songs really do fit Carmen's vibes. This just reminds me of young Carmen growing up in V.I.L.E. island and stepping out from that life after finding out the truth. The name of the song also has a cool ring to it "graduate" as if her failing the graduation from thief school, made her graduate in something else...
Tightrope - This is a song from The Greatest Showman musical (a movie). I think this could easily be a ship song for any ship in this show, honestly, specially because it's supposed to be a romantic song in the movie, but it's not just that, you know? It's a family song as well, so I see it as a good song for Red Team and their found family!
Providence - By Poor Man's Poison. This song is just a vibe. Honestly feels like a V.I.L.E. song, lowkey? Just the vibes of joining the school and abandoning your morals to get rich and "official" join the league of villains after graduation, must be a weird feeling right?
Wish you the Worse - By Ryan Mack. Same vibes as Carnivore by Bear Attack! (earlier on the playlist), but more chill I'd say. Reminds me of Carmen antagonizing Shadow-san in S1, talking smack about him and feeling proud of showing him how good of a thief she really is, but still having nightmares about him; proving she does care about his opinion. The line "Fuck you and all your friends" I just imagine Carmen saying that to Shadow-san "all your friends" being the rest of the faculty, who, aside from Brunt, Carmen doesn't give enough of a shit about to mention.
Lost - By finn. Spotify tends to recommend songs from the same artists to your playlists, it's not my fault they fi, so yeah multiple songs from the same people. The Chorus motif with the guitar is SO GOOD, it fits Carmen's evasive personality amazingly. This song just reminds me of her reluctance to have a base building, and traveling the worlds with no clue where to end up next. "If I'm found I'll end up lost." If I settle in a place, it'll remind me too much of V.I.L.E., aside from that last year, she grew up in the place, no wonder she's conflicted about it, despite going against their ideals.
Noseblead Seats - By Vansire. Travelling around the world, by plane or car, I assume Team Red got at least ONE road trip on their pasts and this is the song I imagine playing thorough it.
Inkpot Gods - By The Amazing Devil. Shadow-san/Carmen song each respectively to their "dad". Take that as you will.
Mostly - By Vian Izak & Juniper Vale. A moment of vulnerability between the team. Here's what I'm picturing. One night, Carmen Zack Ivy and Shdoaw-san are on call with Player and they start talking about one of V.I.L.E.'s current plans and somehow, the twins clumsiness comes up. Ivy and Zack then confess they don't feel ready, they never have, they're just wigging it and it's showing; all the comments they've been hearings, all the failures they've been through are starting to get to them and they feel... worthless. So, Carmen confesses she doesn't always know what to do either, that she too feels unprepared, like she's not enough, and that the reason she powers through and that she can keep going is because of the amazing people that she's met along the way and that have supported her. Player also let's them know, he's always scared, scared he'll fail, or won't be on time, or that there's nothing he can do as he hears his friends struggle through the speakers. Finally, Shadow-san let's them know they're doing great and that, through his life, he's made so many mistakes, he's failed time and time over and his decisions disappoint him beyond measuring, but for everything he's been through, for all the moments he felt desperate because he didn't know what to do... he's glad he lived the life the way he did, because it led him there, to that moment with those people, and he couldn't be more grateful for it.
I'm going to end it there for now, I hope you guys can enjoy at least some of the songs with me! :)
