Creative Blog - Bringing Lullabies for Little Criminals to Life

Six Songs for consideration:

1 - “Soviet Connection” by Micheal Hunter 

p. 1-3 - Opening scene before any real dialogue start, this song sets the scene for the type of shady part of town Baby has arrived at. The song is a little dark and foreign just like the name sake of the apartment Jules and Baby are moving into, the “l’Hotel Austriche” which fits nicely with the eastern European instrumentation of the song.

2 - "Evidently Chickentown" a poem by John Cooper Clark

p. 118 - Baby is on a long walk home along the expressway, carrying bags of a particular orange juice that Jules wanted. The journey is unfair, tough and depressing, with Baby eventually running into a gang of kids who make fun of her for pushing her groceries up the sidewalk in a stolen cart. This song invokes the feelings of anger that Baby deals with often as she struggles on the tough streets ruled by the “bloody kids”, and everything else difficult that this song expresses well. 

3 - "Born to Die" by Lana Del Rey 

p. 128 - Jules has just forbid Baby from joining her friends in the parade. Baby had been practicing for so long, and the effort she had put in makes it all the more tragic when Jules takes it away from her. The effort to better herself was born to die when Baby lives in Jules’ world. Leaving Baby feeling “glad she was making the world a shitty place to live” as she stumbled onto the streets crying for all passersby to see.

4 - “Emmene-Moi” by Marie-Mai

p.150 - When Baby gets high for the first time with her friend Zoe. This scene is about escapism, and Baby is finding ways to escape her misery. The song is also French-Canadian which fits well the Montreal setting of the story. 

5 -“Ooh La La” by Goldfrapp

p. 208 - The scene where Baby loses her virginity to Alphonse, is already described with music playing in the background.  Described by Baby as putting her “under a spell”, the music should be arousing and exciting, which this song is by it thumping beat and lustful lyrics . The music should not condone the act, but should also reflect Baby’s decision to play grown-up as the name of the chapter suggests. 

6 - “Teardrop” by Massive Attack

p. 322 - Baby goes through withdrawal symptoms as she leaves Montreal for the last time. A sort of rebirth occurs in this scene, and this song fits the mood Baby is in because it very intense and intimate as are her thoughts are as well while going through withdrawal. The song is also about overcoming fear, which is a major component of the withdrawal. 

Four Images for consideration:

1 - "Walking My Crocodile" by John Drysdale

1960s: Walking my crocodile  photo by John Drydale

p. 27 – Isabelle is dumbfounded by Baby’s bad luck and tells her to remember that she will always be unlucky. Baby doesn't know exactly how to feel but she notices that many of the adults around the foster home see her as broken in some way. Baby is a sweet little girl that most good people would want to help, but she also comes with a lot of baggage. 

2 - “Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me, and Forbid them Not” by Rev. James Wills

Rev.James Wills circa. 1746

p. 59 – “If you want to get children to love you, then you should just go and hide in a closet for three or four hours. They will get down on their knees and pray for your return. That child will turn you into God. Lonely children probably wrote the Bible.” 

3 - “Truth Rising from Her Well” by Jean-Léon Gérôme

Jean-LéonGérôme - 1896

p. 197 - While at the juvenile detention center, Baby is made to play a game that all the children force each other into on at one point during their stay. Baby is forced to stripe herself naked while all the other children watch her. The act makes Baby feel extremely vulnerable and brings about a certain realization that nothing will be the same for her from now on. The truth is cold and scary for Baby when she is trapped with all those child delinquents. 

4 - “Incubus _ Incubo” by Giacobino

Giacobino - 2012

p. 182 – Alphonse’s character fits well with the mythology of the Incubus, a demon that preys on young and beautiful women. Towards the end of the chapter “the devil in a track suit”, Alphonse has his sights squarely on Baby and gives her one long kiss. Baby knows that the kiss will have consequence.