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. - Vargr Moon (The Lord Weird Slough Feg)
I had to include one of their tracks from their Traveller album. - 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. - In the year 2525 (Zager And Evans)
In the year 4545, Cleon I rules the Imperium. - 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. - Les chants magnétiques, Pt. II (Jean Michel Jarre)
I have studied astrophysics, and know about the magnetic fields in Space. - Loving The Alien (David Bowie)
Something for the Scouts, or when visiting Zeta 2. - Back In Standard Gravity (Liberator)
To play when you have landed. - Dancing With Tears In My Eyes (Ultravox)
Play when having problems with the ship’s Powerplant. - Foundation (Spandau Ballet)
This song must have been inspired by Asimov. In the Foundation series, Cleon I was the last emperor. In Traveller Cleon I he was the first one (in the Third Imperium). - Tout Petit La Planète (Plastic Bertrand)
Could be played when visiting a small (size < 4) planet. (Or use my house rules for too small planets.) - The Robots (Kraftwerk)
Play when meeting robots. - Intergalactic (Beastie Boys)
Intergalactic, planetary, planetary Intergalactic. - Astronaut (Gordon)
Swedish Ska. From their album “Oh my God, it’s full of Stars”. - Spaceship (Miss Li)
We can build a spaceship and fly away. - Planet Claire (The B-52’s)
Faster than the speed of light. - Surfing With The Alien (Joe Satriani)
Suggested by Jim Kundert. - Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pink Floyd)
Jim Kunderts suggested another Pink Floyd song, but I like this one better. - Spaceman (Babylon Zoo)
Or should it be Babylon Zho? Suggested by Jim Kundert. - Sailing (Christopher Cross)
Suggested by Don McKinney, for Classic Traveller - Supernova (Mike Oldfield)
Suggested by Jim Kundert. - The Traveller (Joe Satriani)
Suggested by Andy Slack. - For A Million (Alphaville)
Suggested by Jim Kundert. - Navigator (Lesiëm)
Do you think of the navigators from Dune? - Battle Without Honor Or Humanity (Tomoyasu Hotei)
Suggested by Jim Kundert. Not the Kill Bill version. - The Honeythief (Hipsway)
Suggested by Don McKinney, for MegaTraveller - Also sprach Zarathustra (Deodato)
From Todd Bradley’s playlist. But I preferred this version since it didn’t sound so 2001. - I Am A Dalek (The Art Attacks)
Sorry! I just had to add this. - Gamma Ray (Beck)
From a Super Nova or from a really powerful laser? - Stellar (Incubus)
Meet me in outer space. - Hangar 18 (Megadeth)
Is there a crashed Vegan Scout-ship hidden in Hangar 18? - Knights Of Cydonia (Muse)
If the Face of Mars in Cydonia isn’t just a strangely shaped mountain, then what it is? Adventure! - Escape From the Atmosphere (Mannheim Steamroller)
Suggested by Don McKinney, for dealing with the Zhodani in Mongoose Traveller. - Space Truckin’ (Deep Purple)
Suggested by Bill Clark. - I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper (Sarah Brightman)
Flashing lights in hyper space. - Short Change Hero (The Heavy)
Suggested by Nils. - Worst Day Since Yesterday (Flogging Molly)
Suggested by Nils. - 2000 Light Years from Home (The Rolling Stones)
That will place you somewhere in the Chtierabl Sector.