Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer and Alan Ball added a playlist of their favorite music to Itunes and commented on every track they chose. Check out the lists by clicking here.
Anna Paquin’s Itunes Playlist
1. Such Great Height by Iron & Wine: “The words to this song, particularly the opening really capture what being in love feels like to me.”
2. Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin: “I was probably 5 or 6 when I learned how to use our record player and started listening to my parents’ Janis Joplin LP obsessively.”
3. White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes: “My boyfriend got me hooked on Fleet Foxes and through this song.”
4. Parting Gift by Fiona Apple: “Fiona writes about the female experience in such a beautiful and insightful way. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a mood that there isn’t a song of hers to match.”
5. Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple: “I saw her in concert and arrived just in time for this song. It just makes me so happy!”
6. My Iron Lung by Radiohead: “This album makes me think of my sister.”
7. Closer by Nine Inche Nails: “This one goes out to ‘sad little goth girls’ everywhere.”
8. Ur So Gay by Kate Perry:”I listened to this song every morning on repeat when I was in Latvia last year working. For some reason it helped me wake up.”
9. Here Comes You Man by Pixies: “Great band, great song.”
10. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) by Beyoncé: “How can you not love this song? It makes me wanna dance every time I hear it.”
11. Bathtime In Clerkenwell by The Real Tuesday Weld: “Music to run to.”
12. Over The Hill And Far Away by Led Zeppelin: “I’ve gotta credit Cameron Crowe with getting me heavily into Led Zeppelin.”
13. Glory Box by Portishead: “I have some crazy/cool memories associated with this whole album.”
14. I’m Shipping Up to Boston by Dropkick Murphys: “Music to box to! (Yes, Clay Burwell I’m talking to you!)”
15. Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley: “I love this song but not as much as I love my boyfriend’s cover on his ukulele. He has an extraordinary voice.”
Stephen Moyer’s Itunes Playlist
1. English Rose by The Jam: “Wellers simply lyrics and the descending chromatic kill me and transport me back to my 13 year old mod self.”
2. Stool Pidgeon Blues by Lightnin’ Hopkins: “I found this aged about 9 or 10 in my Dad’s record collection. I was blown away by it. I remember so vividly placing the arm back on the vinyl over and over again for days and months. The solo is incredible.”
3. Cucurrucucu Paloma by Caetano Veloso: “When my daughter was born this is what I was listening to. It transfers me right back to that magical time. His voice is just beautiful.”
4. Tango Till They’re Sore by Tom Waits: “Could have filled this entire playlist with Tom Waits…might have been a hundred other track. Today it’s this one…”
5. Ahoy There! by Mr. Scruff:” My son and I know this forward backwards and sideways. We sing it in the car all the time, reminds me of my gorgeous funny boy.”
6. Pencil Rot by Stephen Malkmus: “I am one of the geeks that sit twidding my thumbs waiting for new Malkmus tracks to become available. This is mad and brilliant. It’ll stay twirling in your head forever.”
7. You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go by Bob Dylan: “Makes me think of traveling on buses and trains through Thailand with my cassette walkman.. ‘when something isn’t right it’s wrong…’ … it’s full of great lines.”
8. That’s All I Wanna Do by Graham Coxon: “Just love this track.. A great unrequited yearning pavement-esque love song.”
9. Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin: “From the opening slow bass lick through to the moment that the band explodes is still is one of the great visceral rock and roll songs. (I spent more time deciding which led zep song than any other in this list.)”
10. I Cover the Waterfront by Billie Holiday: “This recording is late on and almost tragic as she searches for the opening note or even which song it is… but it makes it all the more poignant for me.”
11. Vete de Mi by Bebo & Cigala: “Rehearsing for a film in Switzerland, the director Daniel Schmid and actor Edoardo Noriega waltzed around the space singing this song in preparation for the film.”
12. Stuck In a Tight Spot by Clor: “There’s an EP and on album available from these guys. They are amazing. The middle eight from this is fantastic.”
13. White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes: “Everyone in our house knows the lyrics to this song, my girlfriend, the kids, the dog…”
14. (Nice Dream) by Christopher O’Riley: “This is where you kick back and put your feet up and smoke your pipe in wonderment… Radioheads genius coupled with O’Rileys wonderfully fluent playing.”
Alan Ball’s Itunes Playlist
1. Bad Things (Theme from “True Blood) by Jace Everett: ” We used this song as a temporary main title on the True Blood pilot, a placeholder while we looked for something else, but nothing worked as well, because this song and Jace’s performance of it are, well, perfect.”
2. Round the Bend by Beck: ” Once after a knee surgery, i took a vicodin the doctor had prescribed and chased it with a glass of red wine, and about half an hour later I felt all sensation draining out of my body. This song, aside from being gorgeous, reminds me of that feeling.”
3. Mezzanine by Massive Attack: “Hypnotic, dark, and unsettling. Who doesn’t love that?”
4. Love Shack by The B-52′s: “I’m from Georgia like the B-52′s, and this song never fails to make me happy.”
5. O Magnum Mysterium by Robert Shaw & Robert Shaw Chamber Singers: “I play this when I’m really stressed, and it always helps me to calm down and put whatever is stressing me out into perspective. Plus it makes me feel all, like, tragic and redeemed, and heroic.”
6. I Will Follow (2005 Live from Milan) by U2: “I used to play this on my Walkman when I ran, and now I have knee issues. Thanks a lot, U2!”
7. New Coat of Paint by Tom Waits: “How great is Tom Waits? A genius songwriter, with one of the most expressive voices ever.”
8. Over the Rainbow by Keith Jarrett: “This song is a melodic masterpiece – yes, I am gay – and this is a profoundly emotional interpretation that never ceases to move me.”
9. Back to Life (However Do You Want Me) [One World Remix] by Soul II Soul: “This song reminds me of summer night parties in back yards in Brooklyn, back before I moved to Hollywood and sold my soul.”
10. The Very Thought of You by Nat “King” Cole: “Everything about this recording is lush – the melody, his voice, the arrangement. It’s like taking a hot bath in a fur bathtub. With vicodin and red wine.”
11. Save It For Later by The English Beat: “This song still makes me want to dance, even with my bad knees. Thanks, English Beat.”
12. Parrel Life by The Starseeds: “You know that music they play in upscale boutiques, hotels, restaurants, etc., to make you feel really hip and good about yourself so you’ll spend money? This is one of my favorite examples of that kind of music.”
13. Don’t Dream It’s Over by Crowded House: “When I moved from Florida to New York in 1986, I drove for two days in someone else’s car. This song was a big hit at the time, and every radio station played it around the clock, so it always reminds me of that trip, which included a stop at the world famous Natural Bridge in Virginia.”
14 Conservative, Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males by Todd Snider: “I discovered Todd Snider while trolling ITunes for songs to put in a True Blood script, and now he is my personal hero.”
It has become my mission in life to hear Stephen’s cover of “Hallelujah.” If there’s a bootleg floating around, please send it my way!
Thanks, Shad. Always cool to read these kind of things and get to know our fave stars a bit better.
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Shadaliza Reply:
May 19th, 2009 at 23:42
That is the second time that the ukulele is mentioned…. I am curious now and the man can sing as well. So maybe the rumors that he will sing and play the piano in season 2 are true.
I am a sucker for a good singing voice. My BF couldn’t carry a tune if his life depended on it.
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Sanna Reply:
May 19th, 2009 at 23:48
LOL LOL
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Kellmeister Reply:
May 20th, 2009 at 16:09
Lou, you noticed her mention of Glory Box, right? Maybe she’s seen your vid!!
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Lou Reply:
May 21st, 2009 at 3:49
I choose to believe Anna’s choice of “Glory Box” is a shout out to me and my Bill/Sookie vid. Thanks, Anna! If you have any requests, gimme a buzz. :))
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I love that Stephen and Anna mention each other and I always love when Stephen mentions his kids. So cute
Anna loves Beyoncé’s Single Ladies! Whohoo!
Alan has an interesting play list too. I have never realised that Over The Rainbow was abouyt being gay. Have to listen to it now, hehe
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OK, I agree with Stephen and Anna, White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes is a great song! :-)
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Great to see that Stephen has a musician’s soul and that adds so much to his already over-the-top appeal–musicians are all sexy boys at heart — grooving to the music running in their heads. He just keeps getting better and better – if that’s even possible! Can’t wait to hear him sing in the 2nd season (fingers crossed) Thanks for posting, Shad — wasn’t able to find it (per usual) on iTunes!
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This is great. Stephen’s choices reflect a truly eclectic range of genres (I expected no less). And he’s a two (or three) instrument musician. Stephen, let’s jam!! (…and then I woke up)
Love Alan and Anna’s choices too. Anyone notice that many of Anna’s choices are also Bill/Sookie videos?
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i love info like this. it’s very intimate. stephen is the man. i’ve listened to his playlist, but more interesting than that to me are his song descriptions. i keep reading them over and over, it’s very revealing. he just seems so cool and you can tell from his choices he’s a romantic, just like bill. maybe he was the inspiration for the bill’s eclectic palette because his favorites are very diverse. anna and alan seem really cool too. i relate to all of her choices and alan is like my cool gay godfather. and alan use to live in brooklyn. i live in brooklyn. we should be friends.
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MyBabyBill Reply:
May 20th, 2009 at 3:57
You know, people get on him for not revealing his birthday or his age, but in other ways he tells you everything you wanna know, huh? clever guy!
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“Anyone notice that many of Anna’s choices are also Bill/Sookie videos?”
LOL, yes
I have made a video to Closer(kinda surprised she listened to that, actually, haha) but it got removed from youtube and I have made a video to Hallelujah
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cocoablossoms Reply:
May 20th, 2009 at 0:53
i’m not surprised by her closer choice. she has a goth side. you can tell from earlier pictures of her. it’s not just the brunette hair, she dressed kind of edgy and dark. i like that.
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That’s true :-)
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haha, yes, anna has indeed opened up about her “edgy” past LOL! I forget what interview it was, but she said she had an infatuation with fiona apple and went through a very angsty adolescent period lol.
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Haha, I didn’t know that. How cute, lol
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sidenote: very happy to see stephen in that golden globes tux again. i felt like i was in nevernever land when i saw him like that. i was thinking “oh prince charming finally arrived”. goofy i know. and he plays the ukelele ahaha.
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LOL, he probably listened to Caetano Veloso singing Cucurrucucu Paloma in Almodovar’s “Hable con Ella” (“Fale com Ela” here in Brazil and “Talk To Her”, I think, in the USA). But Caetano is not Spanish, he is a famous Brazilian composer (better composer than singer, in my opinion)
Steve, I love Tom Waits, Billie Holliday and The Jam too!! And I love (Nice Dream) too.
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I agree, I like the intimacy of their lists. It was nice of them to share … thanks, Shad, too. Now, all we need is Alexander’s list.
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Shadaliza Reply:
May 20th, 2009 at 7:48
Alexander’s and Sam’s. I would like to see everybody’s list.
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Kellmeister Reply:
May 20th, 2009 at 16:08
Sweetwater- I know at one point I saw mention of some songs AS likes to listen to, but sorry I can’t remember what they were…will see if I can find what I was reading.
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I first heard “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” by the Dropkick Murphy’s on The Departed, one of the best movies ever, and I absolutely loved it! It is so cool that Anna likes that song, too.
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That’s so cute about the boyfriend/girlfriend mentions. I really like all the song choices. I seem to share the same taste in music with Anna.
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Billie Holiday. Sweet. And Oh “Single Ladies” is that a clue for SM?
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Sanna Reply:
May 20th, 2009 at 13:02
“If you like it then you shoulda putta ring on it”
:-) :-)
“Stephen you just HAVE to hear this song!”
LOL
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Me & AB as to his choice #14 – right on!
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Peoples taste in music says a lot about them, I love the fact that they all obviously put a lot of thought into these playlists/comments and gave us a little more intimate look into themselves.
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There is some real interesting music on all of these lists that I am going to check out.
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…”descending chromatic kills me”. He even makes scales sexy.
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cocoablossoms Reply:
May 21st, 2009 at 4:28
seriously. it’s like nerdy and sexy at the same time. i love him so much. i don’t even want children, but i would so let him be my baby daddy.
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I was going to say to Anna that the Joseph Arthur version of “Hallelujah” is way better until I saw that she said Stephen sings it the best……there is no comparison now. How frikin cute is that??? Seriously!! God Bless you both.
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