Choosing a song for Bill was a tough one.
He’s Sookie’s first love. Like it or not, we find out that Bill had to deceive her not once, but twice. The first deception (which we discover later in the books) was coming to Bon Temps to seduce and enlist her in the Queen’s service. The second deception was when he leaves her abruptly to answer his Maker’s call. In my opinion, Bill didn’t have a choice in either matter. For him to defy either his Maker or his Queen could have easily led to his final death. My opinion aside, you have to defer to the Maker of all Makers — Charlaine Harris closes the door on the whole question of whether or not Bill could have said something in Dead and Gone when Eric gives his account of his turning.
But I’m not here to talk about the shoulda, coulda, wouldas of Bill Compton.
When I think of Bill, I think of Stars “Your Ex-Lover is Dead.”
God, that was strange to see you again
Introduced by a friend of a friend
Smiled and said, “Yes, I think we’ve met before”
In that instant it started to pour
Captured a taxi despite all the rain
We drove in silence across Pont Champlain
And all of that time you thought I was sad
I was trying to remember your name
This scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin
You tried to reach deep but you never got in
And now you’re outside me, you see all the beauty
Repent all your sin
Nothing but time and a face that you’ll lose
I chose to feel it and you couldn’t choose
I’ll write you a postcard, I’ll send you the news
From the house down the road from real love
Live through this and you won’t look back
Live through this and you won’t look back
Live through this and you won’t look back
There’s one thing I have to say so I’ll be brave
You were what I wanted
I gave what I gave
I’m not sorry I met you
I’m not sorry it’s over
I’m not sorry there’s nothing to save
I’m not sorry there’s nothing to save
We experience Bill and Sookie’s relationship over the course of three books and bear witness to its heartbreaking end in Jackson. This is a song about remembering a love that was shared with someone, with someone who you continue to see and continues to be a part of one’s being.
This is a song that’s about not having regrets, even though the end of the love might have been bitter. And it’s a song that rings true if you’ve made it through Book 9 and are wondering just who “that vampire” might be.
Read about my song choices for Tara Mae Thornton and Eric Northman here and here.