In the early months of quarantine, I went scavenging through my room looking for relics of my pre-Covid life. I knew rummaging in old photo albums and digging in boxes of souvenirs would help put things in perspective and transport me back to happier days. This experiment proved to be a success; the nostalgia helped appease my pandemic-induced anxiety and allowed me to stumble on that top I thought I had lost forever ago. The findings reminded me of all the fun I had experienced prior to the world shutting down, but it also reminded me of all the fun I had to look forward to when things would start up again.
As I was going through the cluttered shelves at the back of my closet, I uncovered my copy of Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Its pages were still heavily annotated by my past self, a reminder of the strong affection I had once felt for the book. I reread it in the days that followed and was surprised at how strongly I still connected with the fourteen-year-old protagonist, Charlie.
Charlie’s story is told through a series of letters he composes as a way of coping with the start of high school. He addresses the letters to an unknown “friend” and uses generic names for the people he mentions in order to maintain anonymity. The book appealed to young readers for multiple reasons; it evoked the general pains of growing up, but also explored serious themes such as trauma, abuse, and mental health. Charlie makes many references to popular culture throughout his writing. The introverted teen dissects the multiple coming-of-age books he reads and repeatedly mentions classic songs. At one point, he even makes a mixtape (the narrative takes place between 1991 and 1992) for his friend Patrick. It is called “One Winter” and includes the following songs.
Asleep by The Smiths
Vapor Trail by Ride
Scarborough Fair by Simon & Garfunkel
A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum
Time of No Reply by Nick Drake
Dear Prudence by the Beatles
Gypsy by Suzanne Vega
Nights in White Satin by the Moody Blues
Daydream by Smashing Pumpkins
Dusk by Genesis
MLK by U2
Blackbird by the Beatles
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Asleep by The Smiths (again!)
Given that Charlie created this mixtape at a time where he felt lonely and disconnected from reality, I thought it would be interesting to listen to these songs in the similarly alienating context of the pandemic. Here are my personal top five favorites from “One Winter.”
Without a doubt one of the novel’s most memorable tracks, Asleep is referenced over and over by the protagonist. It was also used as a leitmotif in the 2012 movie adaptation. I have to admit it is probably the most depressing song I have ever heard, but it is the type of material you want to listen to when you are having a bad day. It also has a very melancholic melody, which makes it the perfect home confinement song.
Scarborough Fair is a traditional English ballad that was famously covered by Simon & Garfunkel in the 1960s. The American duo’s acoustic version is very dreamy and sounds like it could be a lullaby. It is best enjoyed with your eyes closed as you picture yourself running through a field.
Written by John Lennon, this song is about the simplistic beauty of nature. It was inspired by Mia Farrow’s sister, Prudence Farrow, who fell into an intense meditation phase after meeting an Indian guru. It has a cool electric guitar riff yet gives off a very calm and peaceful vibe. A great pick for a sunny afternoon car ride.
Written by the Moody Blues member Justin Hayward at the age of 19 after his girlfriend gifted him satin sheets, this song has a powerful orchestral accompaniment. It also includes a spoken-word poem around the six-minute mark. Truth be told, it contains every element needed for you to “feel infinite” like Charlie and his friends do in the novel.
My personal favorite from this mixtape, Landslide is my ideal winter song. I am not really sure why, but it just feels like the right piece to play when it is snowing outside. Stevie Nicks wrote the song while on a trip to Aspen, Colorado, which could explain why it seems to invoke the cold, lulling season so strongly.
Now, please do yourself a favor and go reread your favorite coming-of-age novel. We all have an insecure fourteen-year-old living inside of us, so why not embrace her!