wayward saints by suzzy roche - reading group guide & song lyrics
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/3/2019 Wayward Saints by Suzzy Roche - Reading group guide & song lyrics
1/4
Wayward Saints
By Suzzy Roche
Whats the matter babyYou look sad and lonely
Like youre about to fall apart
Why not look me in the eye
Tell me the reason why
You dont trust anyone
Your crooked path and fall from grace
A shadow cast all over the place
Youre cracked up but youre holy too
Hurt because youre black and blue
Dont worry child, ever wild
Youre stars are chipped in silver paint
And youre a wayward saint
A wayward saint, thats all
Hello perfect stranger
Broken heart and halo
Where do the fallen angels go
Lost in the milky way
Hell bent on yesterday
Hiding out and laying low
Between the cracks on broken stairs
Wild owers grow up everywhere
Youre psychedelic, crazy too
Just remember I love you
Dont worry child, ever wild
Its what you are not what you aint
And youre a wayward saint
A wayward saint, thats all
Listen to the song inspiredby the novel now.Song written by Suzzy Roche/Untodust Ditties ASCAP
www.suzzyroche.com@suzzyroche
January 2012
-
8/3/2019 Wayward Saints by Suzzy Roche - Reading group guide & song lyrics
2/4
Reading Group Guide
I n t r o d u c t i o n
Wayward Saints explores the life of Mary Saint, the rule-
breaking former lead singer of the almost-famous band Sliced
Ham, after her fall from grace (and the public eye) seven years
earlier. She has found a modest home in San Francisco, and,
with the help of her best friend, Thaddeus, is trying to center her
life and nd the peace she couldnt grasp as an out-of-control,
rebellious rock star, or as a scared, abused young girl. Back
in Marys hometown of Swallow, New York, her mother, Jean
Saint, is also trying to get past Marys hurtful pastas well as
her long, abusive, lonely marriage. When Mary is invited to give
a concert at her old high school, Jean is thrilled, but shes also
worried about what her town will think of her daughters music.
Though the concert brings Mary physically back to Swallow,its the bonds of family, and the self-condence that she nds
while home, that nally bring Mary peace.
D i s c u s s i o n Q u e s t i o n s1. Were you familiar with Suzzy Roche and the Roches before
you read this book? If so, what did you learn about Suzzy
Roche that you wouldnt have known from her music? If
not, did the book inspire you to listen to her music?
2. Suzzy is a singer and musician in real life. What parts
of the book do you think beneted most from Suzzys
personal experience in the music industry? What do you
feel you learned about Suzzy by reading this book?
3. Wayward Saints is in many ways about the dreams of
fame clashing with the reality. What things in your own
life seemed more glamorous from afar? Have you ever
worked hard to achieve something, only to nd that the
reality wasnt at all what you expected?
4. How do you think Marys childhood inuenced who she
grew up to be?
5. How did religion both strengthen and unsettle Mary and
Jean at various times in their lives?
6. In what ways are Mary and Jean different? In what ways
are they similar?
7. How, if at all, did Bubs letter to Jean
and Mary change your opinion of him?
Do you think Jean should have kept it
to herself, or did she make the right
decision in hiding it in Marys luggage?
8. Consider the idea of leading a good
lifeproper, diligent, politeversus
a bad oneloud, antagonistic,
impulsive. What did Jean sacrice in
order to lead a good life? What did
Mary sacrice in order to lead a bad
one? Is one way any better than the
other?
9. How did Marys playing with the church band change her?
How did it affect her relationship with music, with herself
and with her past?
10. On the plane ying to East Swallow, Roche writes tha
Mary was calm but excited, thinking this must be wha
it feels like to be alive (p. 218 ). Why do you think Mary
hadnt felt alive until that moment? What does that say
about her earlier life choices and experiences?
11. Suzzy writes of Mary, up onstage at the concert in Swallow
Each song was a reminder of everywhere shed eve
been, of all that had gone wrong, of the choices shed
made, the public exposure of her glorious mistakes; andwhat she had going for her now was the audacity to carry
on (p. 236). In what ways was the concert a triumph for
Mary? In what ways, if at all, was it a letdown? What do
you think Mary got out of the concert personally?
12. How did Marys concert and visit home change her
relationship with Jean? How did the visit also change
other peoples relationships: Jean and Vincent? Mary and
Thaddeus? Mary and her hometown as a whole?
13. Who is the authentic Mary Saint: the San Francisco, dogloving, coffee-shop-owning Mary, or the hard-rocking
harder-partying, screw-it-all Mary? Do you think people
can truly follow such diverse paths at different times
in their lives, or do we all eventually gravitate toward a
singular authentic persona?
14. Consider the title of the book. In what ways are Jean and
Mary both wayward?
-
8/3/2019 Wayward Saints by Suzzy Roche - Reading group guide & song lyrics
3/4
A Conversation with Suzzy Roche
Q: When you began writing, did you consider writing
a memoir, or did you intentionally lean toward
ction?
A: Although Ive enjoyed reading memoirs, Ive neverconsidered writing a memoir. For me, the problem with a
memoir is that memory is slippery. As soon as something
happens, it changes as a result of whatever happens next.
Also, the way I see it, people I know and love have a right
to their own privacy, and Id be too worried about hurting
peoples feelings or saying something inaccurate.
I prefer the world of ction, where my characters
can surprise me by revealing certain ideas and feelings
that may be roaming around in my subconscious mind.
My imagination has always been my particular pathway
to writing, performing, and singing. The characters
in Wayward Saints are completely ctional, almost
whimsical. Hopefully, they ring true. Ive discovered that
writing ction is like dreaming all day long, and thats not
to imply that Im an airhead!
Q: Your daughter Lucy is also a musician. Did you
support her going into the industry?
A: This is a difcult question. Its not an easy life, even withsuccess. But then again, what life is?
Lucy has always had an uncommonly pure and
beautiful voice. I remember once, when she was a tiny
girl, maybe three years old, she looked up at me and said,
Music is my life. Frankly, it startled me. Lucy grew up
on the road with the Roches, and almost everyone on
both sides of her family is a musician/songwriter, but she
showed a great interest in working with children (to this
day, she is a baby magnet).
She achieved her masters in education and the verynext day went on the road with her brother Rufus, and
shes been on the road ever since. In four years she has
made three recordings, written great songs, and built an
impressive following. She knows the harsh realities of
the business. In fact, she runs her own
business.
I told her right off the bat that if she
wasnt willing to go to the wall, she
might want to reconsider. The worst
part is that she travels alone, and I
spend many anxious nights waiting for
a text from her telling me that shes
okay. But I am a rm believer that Lucy
should make her own choices. Im
there to support those choices. She is
a true original, and whatever she does
will most likely be amazing to me.
Q: Who is your favorite character in Wayward
Saints? If you could spend a day with that person
what would you want to do?
A: Ha! Fun question. I admit that I have a soft spot for a
my characters, but I wouldnt mind hanging out with
Thaddeus at Gods Kindness Church. Id love to learn how
to be able to be truly kind.
Q: Which do you think is a more revealing experience
writing a book or performing a song?A: To me they are two sides of a coin. I confess I often have
a hard time in social situations. I love to listen to other
people talk, but I can be terribly shy. There is nothing like
standing on a stage because you cannot hide. Especially
for a private person, like myself, its like being on a
tightwireexcruciating, Id say. But its a place of truth
For a shy person, performing is a way to communicate.
Likewise, writing a book is a way to communicate
Maybe Im writing to an imaginary best friend. I have to
assume that someonesomewherewill understand
what I mean. But its a risk to sit alone and write a book
Its a lonely process, which requires an enormous amoun
of faith. For me, faith is a big part of both experiences.
-
8/3/2019 Wayward Saints by Suzzy Roche - Reading group guide & song lyrics
4/4
Q: Wayward Saints explores the power of music,
family, faith, and second chances. Which of these
themes is personally most important to you?
A: All of the themes are compelling to me (and dont forget
violence), and in particular how they bump up against
each other; but especially as I get older, the exploration
of faith and how it intersects with art is of particular
interest to me. And then theres always the power of love
andforgiveness.
Q: From teaching to composing to writing to acting
to directing, your work has spanned quite the
creative range. Is there anything else youd like
to try your hand at?
A: Its funny, I guess I have done all these things you mention,
but sometimes I feel like Ive never done a thing! I consider
myself a scrappy, hungry scavenger, in search of the nextidea. I have always lived on the edge, never really knowing
where my next project will be lurking, and Ive often lived
in fear of not being able to pay my rent. Whats amazing to
me is that Ive been blessed to work creatively throughout
my life.
But I also learned something very early on, which is
that every single thing I do is just as important as every
other thing I do. I admit that I feel best when I have a
project to work on, but those weeks and months of lost
wanderingand even despairusually lead me to my
next idea. I guess its like shing: you have to be willing
to sit and wait with your shing pole in
the water.
As for what Id like to do next? I
love to collaborate, and so Im always
looking for soul mates to work with; I
learn so much from collaborating, even
if its painting a room with someone. But
hopefully, I will continue to practice theart of singing and playing a songa
lifelong pursuit. And Id like to be able
to write another novel, because I think
Im already a better writer than I was.
Q: What kind of reader did you have
in mind when you wrote this
bookyounger, older, urban, rural? Did you write
with your music fans in mind?
A: The corny truth is, I wrote from the bottom of my heart
and had to turn my back, even on my own snarky self, to
allow myself an imaginary, genuine reader.
Having been involved with countless projects that
demanded forays into uncharted territory, Ive realized
that no matter what I do, there will be some people
who will like what Ive created and some people who
will not. The world is a gigantic theater, so the trick is
how to find the right audience. Again, its a mystery
But, dear reader, I know youre out there somewhereand thank you.