My thoughts about the Traveller RPG playlist for Spotify was to include good (and some bad, but still fun to listen to) music that could be an inspiration for Traveller.
A really good Referee could arrange the list, so that it matches the current game. (E.g. play Vargr Moon when meeting the Vargr, play 1-0-0-1-0 when working with computers and play The Joker when meeting a Space Cowboy. etc…)
I didn’t want to include any theme song from science fiction movies or TV in the list since these shows are not Traveller. The only exception (since I think it is very close to Traveller) is the theme from Firefly by Sonny Rhodes (who look a bit like a Zhodani). But his original version isn’t on Spotify so it is not in the list.
Why are those tracks on the playlist?
Oxygène – Part IV (Jean Michel Jarre)
A nice futuristic track. Oxygen is needed by most sophonts in Traveller. Why not play this when there is a hull breach.
Love Missile F1-11 (Sigue Sigue Sputnik)
It’s one of the bad (or annoying) tracks, but it’s about missiles by a band named Sputnik. We played this a lot in the 80s. At one time we filled a jukebox in a Bayswater pub with coins and only selected this song and “Touch Me” (since you could not select the same song twice in a row).
Blinkar Blå (Adolphson & Falk)
A good futuristic track. I haven’t figured out if this is about a Nuclear Power Plant or about SETI yet.
Life on Mars? (David Bowie)
One of Bowie’s classic space themed songs. Play it when visiting an ice-capped world.
Lunar Bay (FGTH)
A nice one (but not that well known) by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Play it when landing on a moon.
Spaceface (Simple Minds)
I have played lots of music by Simple Minds when playing Traveller. This one can be played when doing a space walk.
Satellite Of Love (Eurythmics)
This version of Lou Reed’s song is the one I think work best as an Inspiration for Traveller.
Seconds (Human League)
A song about an assassination, a not too uncommon theme in Traveller.
Planet Earth (Duran Duran)
A song about a well-known planet… May work better in the Solomani Rim.
Space Oddity (David Bowie)
Another one of his classic space themed songs. Another one to play when doing an EVA.
The Only Star in Heaven (FGTH)
A cool song about a Star by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Space is a place called love.
Blue Skinned Beast (Madness)
Something to play in the StarPort bar. Three cheers to the blue skinned beast hip hip!
Declare Guerre Nucleair (The Hives)
A band that tries to manipulate you must be on the list. Play when using Striker rules.
Jet Boy Jet Girl (Chron Gen)
Space punk to play when in orbit. I’m gonna take you ’round the world. (Ça plane pour moi)
Sweat In Bullet (Simple Minds)
Another one to play when using Striker rules. Airmobility, dressability, tranquil.
Rocket Man (Elton John)
When Travelling. Oh no, no, no, I’m a rocket man.
1-0-0-1-0 (Adolphson & Falk)
About computers. 1-0-0-1-0, vi måste tala samma språk. Adolphson & Falk made an album in English, but the translations of the songs were really bad. 1-0-0-1-0, we have to talk the same language.
Out Of Space (The Prodigy)
This one is for the Scouts. I’m gonna send him to outer space, find another race.
The Joker (Steve Miller Band)
This just had to into this list. Some people call me the space cowboy.
Starman (David Bowie)
Another one of Bowie’s songs. There’s a Starman waiting in the sky.
Venus (Bananarama)
A song about a planet? Anyway, I think that this version is the best one. We played this a lot on the jukebox in the cantina at Lv7 in Luleå.