Less Than Zero Music list compiled by Tom Murphy

Music From Less Than Zero

page updated last on 11/14/06

Music From Less Than Zero

Novel Title
Epigraphs
Text Music List

Novel Title
Less Than Zero

Elvis Costello "Less Than Zero"

Calling Mister Oswald with the swastika tattoo,
there is a vacancy waiting in the English voodoo,
carving "v" for vandal on the guilty boy's head.
When he's had enough of that maybe you'll take him to bed
to teach him he's alive before he wishes he was dead.
Turn up the TV. No one listening will suspect,
even your mother won't detect it,
no your father won't know.
they think that I've got no respect
but everything means less than zero.
Hey, ooh hey, hey, ooh hey.

Oswald and his sister are doing it again.
They've got the finest home movies that you have ever seen.
They've got a thousand variations: every service with a smile.
They're gonna take a little break, and they'll be back after a while.
well I hear that South America is coming into style.

Turn up the TV. No one listening will suspect,
even your mother won't detect it,
no your father won't know.
they think that I've got no respect
but everything means less than zero.
Hey, ooh hey, hey, ooh hey.

A pistol was still smoking, a man lay on the floor.
Mister Oswald said he had an understanding with the law.
He said he heard about a couple living in the USA.
He said they traded in their baby for a Chevrolet.
Let's talk about the future now we've put the past away.

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Epigraphs
X "This is the game that moves as you play" "The Have Nots"
Led Zeppelin "There's a feeling I get when I look to the West" from "Stairway to Heaven"

Text
"magnetic waves" unknown song. p. 9

The Eagles "New Kid in Town" p. 12, 75, 192
MTV p. 12, 52, 54, 58, 64, 71, 74-74 etc.
David Bowie "Let's Dance" p. 16-17, 34, 121
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts "Crimson and Clover" p. 20
Killer Pussy "Teenage Enema Nurses in Bondage" p. 25
Culture Club "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" p. 30
Prince p. 35, 96
English Beat p. 36
"Artificial Insemination" p. 40
"Bob Seger tape" p. 42 "Against the Wind"?
Little Girls "The Earthquake Song" P. 45-6
Tom Petty "Straight Into Darkness" p. 48
Devo p. 49, 102
FEAR p. 50, 79, 136
The Beach Boys p. 50, 167
The Specials p. 54
Billy Idol p. 61-2, 194
The Spider's Web p. 63
"September Song" p. 67
INXS p. 74
Psychedelic Furs p. 74, 95
Blondie "In the Sun" p. 74

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Duran Duran p. 75, 119
Fleetwood Mac p. 75, 192
"KROQ is playing old Doors songs" p. 78 "L.A. Woman"
OINGO BOINGO p. 80
X p . 82, 151
Led Zeppelin p. 87
Missing Persons p. 90
Stray Cats p. 95
Human League p. 95, 116
Bandarast p. 102
Youth Gone Mad "Okie Dog" stated as a hotdog stand that really exists p. 103
(Buried Alive: Smoke 7 Records 81-83)
Go-Go's p. 106, 139, 151
B-52s p. 106
Spandau Ballet p. 107
The Eagles Hotel California album p. 111
"I don't know where to go/I don't know what to do/ I don't know where to go/I don't know what to do/ Tell me. Tell me..." Chris' music (written by Ellis) p. 112 thanks Jeremy Smith!

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Bananarama p. 118

Beach-Mix tape (scroll down to "Media references to mix tapes") p. 118
Elvis Costello p. 122-3, 207
The Grimsoles p. 126
Duran Duran "Hungry Like the Wolf" p. 127
Adam Ant p. 133
Sting (String) p. 133
Vice Squad p. 136
Western Survival p. 136
Icicle Works ["Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)"] p. 139
The Blasters p. 139
John Doe & Exene (members of X) p. 139
XTC p. 143
Frank Sinatra "Summer Wind" p. 145
The Doors "L.A. Woman" p. 147
Peter Gabriel p. 148
The Fleshtones p. 150
U2 "War" p. 151
"Aerosmith Live" album p. 157
"On the Sunny Side of the Street" p. 163
"Itsy Bitsy Spider" p. 164
"Little White Duck" p. 164
"listening to the new Squeeze album" p. 177
Soft Cell "Tainted Love" p. 178
The Clash "Somebody Got Murdered" p. 181
X "Sex and Dying in High Society" p. 184

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The Blockheads p. 184
X's 1983 Under The Big Black Sun album p. 185
X "Adult Books" p. 186
Billy Zoom (member of X) p. 186
Randy Newman "I Love L.A." "I wanted to know why the bum in the song was on his knees." p. 193
Derf (Derf Scratch former bass player of FEAR, 1978-82) p. 35, 196
Go-Go's "Worlds Away" off the "Vacation" album p. 198
Joan Jett p. 200
The Clash p.181 p. 200
Squeeze p. 200
X "Los Angeles" p. 207-8