Justice’s Setlist Explained Part One (SPOILER ALERT)
SPOILER ALERT
WARNING: Before you go any further, this post explains why I chose the songs I did for the novel, Justice: A love story, part one. If you haven’t read the book, but want to, then DO NOT READ this. It contains tons of spoilers.
For those of you who have read Justice and are curious as to why I chose the songs I did for the novel, then read on...
When I sat down to write Justice, I knew that it had to be set in the ‘90s. To get in the mood, I started listening to my favorite songs from that era of my life. This story opens on Halloween 1992 and ends in early February 1996. So I researched what songs were most popular from 1992-1996. As I was doing this, I got an idea—why not make each chapter title a song from that era? I picked songs that set the mood of the scene, or mentioned in the scene, or playing in the scene, essentially bringing the story to life via song. As I wrote, the songs began to weave a story themselves, some even worked as foreshadowing future scenes, especially when I linked them together. Some were chosen because they captured the inner life of the character whose POV you’re in, others because they moved me while I was writing, and some because I wanted to honor a friend of mine from that time. I created a list called Justice and started throwing songs in there all willynilly. With time, I’d choose one and write the scene. This became the novel setlist. In the end, I love this setlist and listened to it over and over as I edited the manuscript and the story formed into the final version you now have in your hands.
Since so many of you have asked me why I picked the songs I did, it only makes sense to give you a little guide to the soundtrack of Grace, Justice, and Erik’s story. Here it is, a song guide to Justice: A love story, part one. I’d love to hear what you think.
Given there are 49 chapters in the book, which means 49 songs, I’m splitting this up into four posts. No one can read something that’s too long anymore, right?
You can listen to the setlist on Spotify here.
Preface: Losing My Religion, REM, first released in February 1991
This scene takes place in 2002, when after six years of radio silence, Justice Sloan takes a trip to see Grace at the home she shares with Erik in the suburbs of Chicago. He’s there to say he’s sorry for leaving her back in 1996, as well as to confess the reason why he abandoned her. In many ways, he’s also there because he’s still angry she married Erik and needs closure. Why this song? First, because I think Justice is a REM fan. He’s loved the band since he was young. Second, because this is a song about a man who has lost something dear, has failed miserably, and sees no redemption in sight. Each word is as if Justice himself is living it, I could share the entire song, but here’s the verse that captures the scene the most: “Consider this, the slip, that brought me to my knees, failed. What if all these fantasies come flailing around? Now, I've said too much.”
Chapter One: Enter Sandman, Metallica, First released in 1991
The story flashes back to when Justice and Grace first met at Purdue University on Halloween 1992. Grace is getting ready for the party with her best friends, Erik (yes, she already has a crush on him, but he’s dating someone else) and Kat. Why this song? Because Metallica blasted at every frat party I ever went to back then. And Justy is a bit of a nightmare. Enter Sandman is about nightmares and being scared. Grace’s life is about to change dramatically, because Justy is a new kind of drama she’s never experienced before, even with a best friend like Kat. Kat has kept many aspects of her life from Grace. Always has and always will. Besides, it’s Halloween, so the song had to be scary.
Chapter Two: Two Princes, Spin Doctors, First released January 1993
Alas, this song hadn’t yet been released in America until early 1993, but it was playing in Britan in 1991, so I used it in this scene where Erik and Justy both arrive at Grace’s sorority at the same time. Oh, one, two princes kneel before you. That’s what I said now, princes, princes who adore you...and the rest is history. There really is no better song for this scene.
Chapter Three: Friday I’m in Love, The Cure, First released 1992
This song was a favorite of a friend of mine in college, so I wanted to include it. This is when Erik challenges Grace about Justy and Grace challenges him to see if he’s jealous. Erik holds back telling her the truth that he broke up with his girlfriend to ask Grace out, essentially sending her into Justy’s arms for the first time. I think this song captures the frivolity of young, casual love. Hookups, random dates, parties, dances...do I like you today? Maybe. Tomorrow? Probably not. Friday? Definitely I like you on Friday.
Chapter Four: Enjoy the Silence, Depeche Mode, First released 1990
This is Justy and Grace’s first date. He takes her out to dinner and she’s not sure what to say, especially because she knows she needs to address the elephant in the room—his past with Kat. Grace’s finds herself tongue tied, in part because she doesn’t want to appear needy, awkward, or jealous, but also in part because she isn’t sure where she stands. This is how she’ll feel for most of this phase with Justy. For his part, Justy is the master at avoiding tough conversations. Deflection, filling in silence, and flattery are his methods, and they’ve worked on women, until now. As one reader put it, Justice always gets what he wants, until he meets Grace.
Chapter Five: The Sidewinder Sleeps at Night, REM, First released 1992
Like I said, Justy’s a REM fan, and this is the first chapter in his POV. He lets us know what he thinks of Grace—he’s as blown away as she is. Only, he’s graduating soon and not sure why he’s getting involved with her. He simply can’t help himself. His friend, Carlton, tries to talk him out of it. This is also where he reveals his past with Kat, and that he was the frat boy she was after on Halloween. Why this song? Because it sets up the concept that Justice isn’t a good guy, even if he wants to be. He’s the serpent, the sidewinder, and this will come up in future chapters. Moreover, there’s this verse that is basically a foreshadowing of the rest of the story: The Cat in the Hat came back. Wreaked a lot of havoc on the way.
Chapter Six: Baby Got Back, Sir Mix-A-Lot, First released 1992
Honestly, I chose this song for my girl, MBK. Some of my best memories are dancing with her to this song. This is the first time we get Erik’s POV and Kat confesses her past with Justy. But really, I needed a song that might be playing at the loud party downstairs, and this was it. Besides, Erk thinks Grace has a nice backside 😉
Chapter Seven: Nothing Compares 2U, Sinead O’Connor, First released 1990
Justy takes Grace to his fraternity dance, and I needed a love song they could dance to. Alas, this was VERY popular still, even in 1992, and I recall hearing it at many fraternity dances. Moreover, Grace is falling for Justy, and nothing can compare. The song also foreshadows Grace’s future, when Justy breaks her heart, and she has to try and get over him by putting her arms around every boy she sees.
Chapter Eight: About A Girl, Nirvana, First released 1989
The more popular version of this song was recorded during an MTV Unplugged performance by Kurt Cobain and released in 1994, but I prefer this rougher, original version. I wrote this phone call scene because one of my test readers wanted more time with Grace and Justy getting to know one another, and I wanted to write a scene where people talked on the phone. It seems so retro now that we sat in phone rooms that we shared with dozens of others. I chose this song because life is now all about a girl for Justy, and that girl’s name is Grace.
Chapter Nine: In Your Eyes, Peter Gabriel, First release 1986
This is one of the few songs from the eighties that I included, mostly because we were still playing this song on repeat even in the ‘90s. Moreover, this is the serenade scene, and I realized that most people probably didn’t experience the unique experience of the frat boy serenade. It’s a lot like the scene in Say Anything, where John Cusak holds the boom box over his head. In his case, he doesn’t sing. The frat boys most definitely sang. Either way, I wanted to give a visual for the non-Greek readers. This scene is in Erik’s POV and we learn how much he loves Grace, but also how he let his chance pass him by because another girl asked him out and he remained with her for too long. Kat tells him Justy’s adoration for Grace is fake, so Erik watches, and when he sees the way Justy looks at Grace, he knows there’s no lie—Justy is in love, and unfortunately for Erik, so is Grace.
Chapter Ten: Please Don’t Go, Double You, First release 1992
For the Winter Ball scene, I needed a song that would most likely be played at a dance. This was a DJ favorite all of 1992 and 1993, and it captures Grace’s heart. She’s trying so hard to remain in the moment, to enjoy whatever time she has with Justy, yet she wants so much more. Grace is right, she deserves so much more. Good thing she figures that out in the end.
Chapter Eleven: Wicked Games, Chris Issac, First released 1989
Honestly, I love this song and wanted to use it somehow. I think it works here—Justy is horny, he hasn’t had sex in two months which is a stretch for this guy, and it’s strange what desire will make foolish people do. Worse, Kat starts homing in on him, trying to lure him into bed so that she can destroy whatever he has with Grace. This night, he resists her, and instead runs into Grace’s arms, giving her an intimate encounter that will only make it harder when he ruins it all the next day. Truly a wicked game.