[FST] The Greatest Thing There Is

[metatronis.livejournal.com]

Hey there. I love America/England and I love music, so I thought it was high time I put this together. I started it a while ago for giggles, but I hope someone else might enjoy it maybe?

Title: The Greatest Thing There Is
Genre: Fluffy sappy gooey romance
Pairing: America/England
Summary: Intended to be semi-chronological. An interpretation of their lives together.

Get ready for some poorly articulated, overwrought explanations. Awwwww yeah.



I've uploaded each song individually (and in a zip at the end), in case there's only a few that catch your fancy.

Little Eyes - Yo La Tengo

I wanted something to represent that warm unconditional love that a guardian feels for a child. Daaw, starting off on a saccharine note.

Little eyes are open but they don't see very far
You can only hurt the ones you love
Not the ones you're thinking of
Little eyes are open but they're sinking back again
Don't you know you're sleeping much too long
Wake up little eyes


You And Whose Army? - Radiohead

England underestimates America and his militia. He's upset, taunts the young colony, sarcastically calls him Holy Roman Empire (omg shoutout), challenges him.
HHMMMMM I WONDER HOW THIS WILL TURN OUT

Come on, come on
You think you drive me crazy, well
Come on, come on
You and whose army?


The Soldiering Life - The Decemberists

This song is actually about soldiers in WWI, complete with intentional homoeroticism. How fucking great is that?
In my mind, WWI is the turning of a page. It set the stage for America's place in the modern world and helped break the ice a tiny bit in terms of his relationship with England, replacing some of that unspoken hostility with newfound respect, or at least a little "brotherly" love. Fighting side-by-side in the trenches will do that.

But I
I never felt so much life
Than tonight
Huddled in the trenches
Gazing on the battlefield
Our rifles blaze away
We blaze away


Say Goodnight - Jump, Little Children

This is a sexy, sexy song.
America ends up staying in close proximity to England's hotel room when they're at conferences, and even stays at his house sometimes (For convenience. Of course.), and he's not particularly happy about it. England drinks too much and talks to himself and he seems sad and America doesn't care. He doesn't care in the slightest.
But god, does he want to fuck England. That's normal, right? R-right? Doesn't mean he cares. Nope, not one bit.

I heard you late last night
You know you talk too much
Not everything comes through these walls
But just enough
To hear the things that I don't want to hear

I heard you late last night
I wish I had my distance
I hear you crash around and say
That no one listens
I wish that I would hear you say goodnight


Sewn - The Feeling

England wishes that someone could guide him and tell him what to do so he can have the courage to make the first move. Sorry buddy, but you'll have to figure it out on your own.
(Um um um, is it shamefully fangirly to say that I also like this song because it makes me think of the amazing "Ten Thousand Stitches Crossed" by kay_cricketed? Yeah, I thought so. I'm a sap. ;_;)

I can't do the walk
I can't do the talk
I can't be your friend
Unless I pretend


You Don't Know Me - Ben Folds/Regina Spektor

Even with the "special relationship", which isn't quite "special" enough yet, there's still an ocean between them.
You know what'll strengthen that relationship, boys? I'll give you a hint: it involves being hot, sweaty and sticky.

Do you ever sit and wonder
It's so strange
That we could be together for so long
And never know, never care
What goes on in the other one's head


When You Smile - The Flaming Lips

Sometimes words aren't necessary. A genuine smile can say so much more.

It's like I never had to
See it in your eyes or feel it
I could tell
When you smile

The Bones Of You - Elbow

Oh. My. God. If you've never been exposed to Elbow, stop what you're doing right now and expose yourself.
Uh. I mean-
Elbow is amazing and Guy Garvey writes the most heart-meltingly romantic lyrics in the universe. Seriously, if you could transform mad lyrical skillz into political influence, he would rule the world a thousand times over.
Anyways, England is shifty about his feelings and he wants to suppress so badly, but every little thing seems to remind him of America.

And I dealt with this years ago
I took a hammer to every memento
But image on image like beads on a rosary
Pulled through my head as the music takes hold
And the sickener hits; I can work till I break
But I love the bones of you
That, I will never escape

Go Places - The New Pornographers

An invitation/confession of sorts.
I'm taking the meaning pretty literally here, but as nations, travel is automatically going to be a vital part of their relationship. I mean, they did it all the time before. Now they just get to do it together. :)

Yes, a heart will always go one step too far
Come the morning and the four corners I see
What the moral of the back story could be
Come with me, go places

Kiss With A Fist - Florence And The Machine

I think this song is supposed to be about psychological violence more than physical, but...come on, you know with America and England it would probably be a bit of both. Not that I'm advocating domestic violence, but there's nothing wrong with a good mutual punch up every now and then, eh? Also, "break the lock if it don't fit" is pretty much the perfect description of America's solution to most problems.

Love sticks
Sweat drips
Break the lock if it don't fit
A kick to the teeth is good for some
A kiss with a fist is better than none


The Greatest Thing There Is - Gavin Osborn

This song is pretty much the reason that I started to compile this fst. I was in love with it before, and then I realized what a perfect match it was for my idea of Arthur.
In my mind, England decides that he wants to write a song for/about America, cause he wants to cheer America up or he's feeling sentimental or whatever. So he sits down and tries to write a song that's really lovely and articulate and romantic, but his emotions are such a jumbled mess that when he finally manages to create something, it comes out simple, vulnerable, honest and raw. And then he never, ever works up the nerve to play it for America.

I hear you in the other room
Brushing your teeth like it is the last time that you'll ever get to do it
Standing in your pants
What I would give to be that mirror in the bathroom right now

And I like myself when I'm with you
And I imagine what you do
When you are doing all the things you do to get ready for bed
Talking books filling your head
As you close your eyes


It's Only Time - Magnetic Fields

They've never stopped loving each other. That love has shifted and taken many different forms over the years, but it has always been there.

What could stop this beating heart once it made a vow?
It's only time
It's only time
If rain won't change your mind, let it fall
The rain won't change my heart at all

After the Bombs - The Decemberists

I don't know if this is sweet or just really, really cheesy, but I wanted to have a sort of flashback here to close it out. World War II, for all the bickering and posturing and distrust that still went on after the alliance was forged, is the reason that the special relationship exists as it is today. If it weren't for America, England could have crumbled to the ground - if it weren't for those dark times, America may never have gained one of his closest companions in the world. Instead, something beautiful was born out of that fear and uncertainty. Aww.

Then we'll go dancing
Yes, we'll go dancing
Won't we go dancing
Until it all starts over again

Download all
Mediafire

Please tell me if there are any broken links/flubs/unforgivable abominations.
By the by, if anyone has need for random pictures of USUK flags, I have a handful that turned out decent and I'd be happy to let people use them for projects. Some of them would make a good wallpaper on their own.

Comments

[buddha-loves-me.livejournal.com]

eee the covers are just too adorable. And I very much approve of these song choices omg. Definitely downloading this - thanks so much for putting this together and writing it up and sharing it. ♥

[metatronis.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked the covers and were willing to read my crazy explanations, haha.

[buddha-loves-me.livejournal.com]

Reading the explanations are my favorite part of FSTs, when they're included. I love reading what other people interpret for the relationship and how the song fits for them. It's totally awesome.

Also this is a late comment but I came back to say that I absolutely adore the Ben Folds and Regina Spektor song. It's been stuck in my head for days now, haha.

[metatronis.livejournal.com]

That's true, and there are so many ways to interpret their relationship and how it unfolds. I love that about Hetalia.

Ah yes, it's damn catchy for a song that's fairly depressing. I seem to have a thing for songs like that.