I’ll be going through your epic list of potential flash fiction suggestions next week, but for now, it’s time to revive one of the classics: the random song title challenge
Way this works is:
Go to your music player of choice, pull up a random song, and use that song title as the title to your story. You don’t need to make the story about the song or inspired by the song (unless you want to) — all you really need is the title to run with. On iTunes, it’s shuffle, I think, but if you google “play random song” you’ll find plenty of ways to conjure one from the chaos.
Write the story with the song title as your story title.
You’ve got 1000 words.
Write it at your online space, give us a link in the comments so we can all read it.
Due by July 3rd, noon EST.
141 responses to “Flash Fiction Challenge: The Random Song Title Jamboree”
“Dreams We Conceive” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
These challenges are always a fun way to flaunt my odd tastes in music.
Ugh, I guess I need lessons on this whole internet thing…
Mine was “Chasing Memories,” by Post Modern Disco: http://article94.wordpress.com/2015/06/26/chasing-memories/
I like how Joy was not filled with any sort of ‘joy’.
Thanks, Fatma!
“What Kind of Man” by Florence + The Machine. Hmmm…
Originally titled: “Ain’t No Sunshine” – Sold as “Black Ribbon” – http://hubcityblues.com/2013/07/07/black-ribbon/
Inspired by Bill Withers, “Ain’t No Sunshine” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIdIqbv7SPo
Oooh…great story for a great song. Hearing it in my head as I was reading and the whole thing just worked.
If you read no other story from this challenge, read this one. Very sharp stuff. Meditative and cautionary and just excellent.
Wow…I’ve read so many entries for these writing challenges–this one’s one of the most memorable. Thanks for this–beautifully crafted!
Deep. I’ve liked your other writing also. You’ve got skills (I almost said talent, but writing is more about hard work, right?).
Very well done poetic prose! I liked it.
Where the Boats Go by M83. Now where did i put that thinking cap…
Ok I know… late. And yes ok I know… too long. But here it is… Where the Boats Go
Ok I know… No link, right? http://idreamofgypsies.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/where-boats-go.html
Radioactive by Imagine Dragons. Hummmm….
CHUCK! This is a classic!! Man I gotta stop using paint thinner to disinfect my cuts because this was my suggestion for the Challenge to create a Challenge. I didn’t realize that it has been in circulation… again the paint thinner life choice not working out so well. In the immortal words of Spalding “RATFARTS!”
Oh and I am going to go with my favorite band on shuffle… RUSH and the winner is “Beneath, Between & Behind.” Now to figure out how to set up a blog on the interworld… am I gonna need toilet paper and Vaseline to make a blog account?
“Writing on the Walls,” Underoath
Supertramp’s “Goodbye Stranger.” Kickass choice but the creativity tank is low today. Must ponder.
Bluegrass song, by about a million different artists: Drivin’ Nails in my Coffin
Um, I don’t even feel comfortable sharing this one. I’m gonna do it anyway. These flash fiction challenges elicit sicker and sicker things from me.
https://criticalsexualmass.wordpress.com/
Oh, man… that’s … wow… dark… jeez. o.O
Wow. Good story but I am not sure dark is dark enough to describe what just happened here.
OMG! I hit the jackpot! I got “Somebody that I used to Know”, by WOTE (by the way, I followed Chuck’s suggestion.. I typed ‘play random song spotify’ into the search bar and the first listing was a random song generator by Thomas Kahn… which directed me to ‘click here’.)
“Gentleman Take Polaroids” by Japan from my Spotify 80’s New Wave playlist. This one’s wide open.
[…] Chuck Wendig challenge once again. This time is was to find a random song and do a flash. Last time I did a random song, but I’m not really a big music person. So, it was hard for me a write a story around one with no context. Therefore, I pulled up all my husbands, brothers, sisters, and mine seconds and hit the randomize button. This is like nine hundred songs, so it was a good variety. I got Paper Boats by Darren off of the Transistor soundtrack. […]
Alright, I used every song I have access to randomize. Mainly, because last time I got a song and it was so unfamiliar I drew a blank. I ended up with “Paper Boats” by Darren Korb and sung by Ashley Barrett from the game Transistor. Linky to song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFrjMq4aL-g
The story ended up sad, and what inspired it was the slightly hidden second vocalist in the piece. Enjoy.
Linky to story: http://www.fatmaalici.com/2015/06/26/paper-boats/
I really liked this. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, I appreciate the comment : )
I jumped onto Youtube and scored a random collection from 2014… the first song off the blocks was ‘Somebody I Used To Know’ by Pentatonix (cover).
Enjoy!
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/somebody-that-i-used-to-know.html
I tried to comment on your blog but I don’t think it went through. Anyway, great job! I love the twist!
Thanks… I’ll look into what’s going on with my blog… it does that sometimes :/
I just checked the settings, and there’s nothing wrong there. Maybe, it didn’t let you comment if you’re not a follower of my blog – some blogs are like that.
I really enjoyed your story. All I could think of was “Well that sure escalated quickly” from Anchorman. Well done!
Hahahaa… I’ve been watching a lot of ‘Angel’… you know how he turns into ‘Angelus’ when he gets only a moment of happiness? Well… yeah, I thought to turn my story on its head like this too; but in a different way. 🙂
Oh man. I got “Better Not Wake The Baby” by the Decemberists. This should be fun.
“Brazil is Here!” by Foals, very awesome song. Here we go:
https://stephanihren.wordpress.com/2015/06/27/story-time-brazil-is-here/
I got given Bombs over Baghdad by Outkast, you can find my story below. I’m off to read you guys now, hoping for something dark!
http://wp.me/p48Jn4-aSL
That was an outstanding idea! The entire concept was great! The possibility of the end being a real future was scary. I also loved the President, funny, no-nonsense but semi-aloof in his outlook.
Thanks, it’s really nice to get some positive feedback, you’ve honestly made my day!
Ambitious and just a bit terrifying. Forget Star Wars, enter Drone Wars…
[…] *This piece is inspired by the song “Best of You” by Foo Fighters. It is also in part of the Flash Fiction Challenge at Terrible Minds from Chuck Wendig. […]
“Best of You” by Foo Fighters.
http://ashley-kagaoan.com/2015/06/27/the-best-of-you/
I never actually delete anything off of my iPod, so this had the opportunity to be… interesting. But I ended up with “Follow Me Down” by 3OH!3
http://auroradimitre.tumblr.com/post/122609243266/follow-me-down-flash-fiction-challenge-1000
VERY nice, Aurora!!!
Thank you!
“In a Red Dress and Alone” by Evans Blue. This will probably be sad and depressing.
http://mireles-musings.blogspot.com/2015/06/in-red-dress-and-alone.html
Good story. Simple but very descriptive. I enjoyed it.
Thanks!
I was partially inspired by a short story written by Tennessee Williams that beautifully captured loneliness and social awkwardness.
I really enjoyed your story. Good stuff!
Thanks!
I like this. I think many people have felt this way. Much easier to sit at home and read than go out and have an experience yourself.
“Six Bells Chime” by Crime and the City Solution — images are emerging…will be interesting to see how this turns out!
Alright, I used every song I have access to randomize. Mainly, because last time I got a song and it was so unfamiliar I drew a blank. I ended up with “Paper Boats” by Darren Korb and sung by Ashley Barrett from the game Transistor.
The story ended up sad, and what inspired it was the slightly hidden second vocalist in the piece. Enjoy.
Linky to story: http://www.fatmaalici.com/2015/06/26/paper-boats/
[…] Since I found value in that post, I went to look at his more recent blog entries and saw this flash fiction challenge. The prompt was to go and get a random song title and let that be the title of your story: 1,000 […]
[…] of Maladaptation, when I saw this week’s prompt from Wendig over at Terribleminds, I couldn’t help but pull from some old scenes I read through while I was making my editing […]
My random shuffle gave me a Joan Jett classic and an opportunity to bring up the book I’ll (hopefully) release later this year: https://adanramieblog.wordpress.com/2015/06/27/bad-reputation-terribleminds-prompted-flash-fiction/
Nice! Love the mind-play in it. 😀
Thanks, Mozette!
Excellent, Adan. This shows us how maladapted Lee really is!
Song for Someone (U2) — Story coming soon.
Panda Eyes & Teminite – High Score
A group of classically-trained musician high school girls must transform themselves into a pop band in order to save their after-school program.
Inspired by this:
[…] So here I go again. I am attempting my second Flash Fiction Challenge by Chuck Wendig. […]
Crash My Party by Luke Bryan……….. the result is nothing like the song but I enjoyed writing it. This is my second stab at letting the world see my stories so I hope someone enjoys.
https://moralitypuzzle.wordpress.com/2015/06/28/flash-fiction-challenge-crash-my-party/#more-60
Loved the twists. Your story had plenty of surprises for being so short. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much! It makes my day when others enjoy the products of my imagination.
[…] Chuck’s challenge this week: Random Song Title. […]
“Dead Inside”, by Muse.
Pandemics and paranoia. Whee. http://accidentallyinspired.com/2015/06/28/dead-inside/
Gross, beautiful, and everything in between. Keep writing, you have the knack for the good stuff of a story.
I loved this story! I love variant takes on standard genres. Your writing style is outstanding, it flowed so elegantly. Keep up the good work.
Much appreciated!
Currach by Elephant Revival
My first short story, first challenge and first share.
https://blueferns.wordpress.com/2015/06/28/random-song-title-challenge-currach/
Currach by Elephant Revival
My first short story, first challenge and first share.
https://blueferns.wordpress.com/2015/06/28/random-song-title-challenge-currach/
Nicely done!
Great story, keep sharing more stories
[…] FLASH FICTION CHALLENGE: THE RANDOM SONG TITLE JAMBOREE from Chuck Wendig. […]
I couldn’t use spotify from Japan (tweeted them, no response). I ended up with Sillyworld by StoneSour. Thanks for the motivation. This is my very first posted fiction, and outside of my typical genre. I hope you like it or kick me with some good criticism.
http://jessachandler.com/2015/06/sillyworld/
Ooh, definitely interesting! I liked it. 🙂
Thanks, AurorA Dimitre. Now, I need to get in there and edit ruthlessly. 🙂
My story, Just a little lovin’ (Dusty Springfield). https://evathereseebert.wordpress.com/2015/06/29/flash-fiction-challenge-the-random-song-title-jamboree/
Nicely done. I really liked this.
I got Helena, which is originally by My Chemical Romance but I drew the Chasing Safety version. A.k.a. the screamo version. I’m thinking I’ll take inspiration from the lyrics, but maybe give it an angry flavor for the screamo.
‘Somebody that I used to Know’, by Walk Off the Earth
http://teapotmusings.blogspot.com/2015/06/a-second-flash-fiction-challenge.html
Nicely done!
Bad Blood by Taylor Swift with Kendrick Lamar
http://herostarentertainment.blogspot.com/2015/06/chuck-wendig-flash-fiction-challenge.html
“Thin Line,” by Jurassic 5 (feat. Nelly Furtado) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrnkrQlgXIk)
I think I actually was more inspired by the song’s contents than by the title. My piece is all about the fear and tension that wrap themselves around teenagers’ romances and friendships, justified or not. Enjoy!
http://fistfulofwits.com/2015/06/29/flash-fiction-thin-line/
I really like this.
Thanks Sam! I’m glad you do 🙂
I think that fear is just a universal truth of humanity. Excellent job capturing it.
I got “Hooked on a Feeling” by Blue Swede, and this is what I came up with. (Yeah, I need to stop listening to that Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack :))
http://strangeandcuriousthings.blogspot.fi/2015/06/terribleminds-challenge-random-song.html
Lovely. Reminds me a little of Mike Carey-era Hellblazer, which is a good thing in my book, with a very different point of view.
“Fucking in the Bushes” from Oasis. Christ. I was tempted to roll again, but let’s see where we end up. It got me listening to the Snatch soundtrack and I ended up having to watch the movie again as a result, So I kind of owe it to it.
So… I may have gotten caught up in reading other stories here. Everyone has done some great work, and it was tempting to keep reading! I have, however, finished the challenge. (Yay!)
(:
My random song choice, (which conveniently enough, I’d never heard before today), is:
“I’m Ready” by Geographer
http://wp.me/p66Sbs-1f
Enjoy! (;
“Goodbye Stranger” by Supertramp. Blogger isn’t letting me view my blog for a better link but it’s the most recent post here: http://samkdsonlinepace.blogspot.com/
Been trying to do some non-terribleminds writing too. Y’all are free to read and comment on any/all of it.
Good stuff! Fun read!
Glad you liked it!
Nice! Well, not nice, per say, but you know what I mean. You do a good job of reusing a character and balancing enough info for a new reader to not be lost and not restating things to the point of redundancy.
Wow, thanks!
[…] quite like a Wendig flash fiction challenge suppository to get the blog words […]
“Gold Lion” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs… felt reminiscent and irreverent. Went with some nearly micro-sized fiction: http://wp.me/p5c84O-23
Oh, I really enjoyed this one. It’s got that quality about it that just… makes you feel awesome reading it. Awesome job.
[…] flash fiction challenge from over yonder on Chuck Wendig’s blog, the Random Song Title Challenge, in which we get a random song from some kind of playlist somewhere, and run with that song title […]