What Anna, Stephen & Alan Are Listening To: iTunes Playlists

Ever wondered what True Blood’s Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer and Alan Ball have on their iTunes playlists? We asked Alan that very question in our interview a few months ago, and the answer was: EVERYTHING! Well, he’s narrowed that down a bit and posted his playlist along with Anna and Stephen, including a bit of commentary with each song choice. We’ve included links to iTunes for easy downloading.

Anna Paquin’s iTunes Playlist

1. “Such Great Heights” 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 Inch 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 Your 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 of this song on his ukulele. He has an extraordinary voice.”

Stephen Moyer’s iTunes Playlist

1. “English Rose“ by The Jam: “Wellers’ simple 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 tracks. 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 twiddling 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 it 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 Edouardo 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 an 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… Radiohead’s 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 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.”