The next installment in our Mighty Nein playlist series is inspired by our beetle loving and tea sipping firbolg grave cleric, Caduceus Clay.

Our playlists are curated carefully by each Critical Role cast member and our previous character playlists can be found on Spotify via the official Critical Role account or you can listen to the playlist embedded below.

And now, a few words from the our timeless executive goth, Taliesin Jaffe.

Happy Jack by The Who

I should begin by saying that Clay’s creation was for some reason less influenced by individual songs and more informed by the musicians themselves. He was created in a fever weekend during which I listened to an awful lot of Alan Watts, Harry Nilsson, Katie Gray, and Laura Peters. So without further ado, let’s kick this off with the story of an odd man who lived on the shore and was never bothered.



Think About Your Troubles by Harry Nilsson

This is technically one of two Harry Nilsson songs on this list. I love this song, and would recommend watching the fabulous animated movie The Point! from which it comes. As for the song, it’s meditative, it’s about tea, it’s about death, it’s about life. It’s perfect. There’s also a lovely cover of it by The Asylum Street Spankers who are represented further into this playlist.



Can You Picture That? by Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem

Henson was the first name that came to mind when I started building Clay. I think to the outside world Clay gives off a sort of giant Muppet vibe.



Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple

Fiona Apple was one of the first musicians I reevaluated when I began to abandon some of my youthful pretentions. What a songwriter, what a voice. This song really paints for me the difference between being smart versus being wise, in a very Clay fashion.



Blade Of Grass by Asylum Street Spankers

Pay attention to the important shit, you’re inevitably gonna miss so much.



Everything is Food by Harry Nilsson, Allan F. Nicholls, Barbershop, Paul Dooley, The Steinettes, and The Toughs

Another Harry Nilsson song. We’re all edible to someone, and may it keep us humble.



Pink Parlour by Psychic Love

Laura Peters was one of the great eccentrics, an otherworldly presence beloved by children and animals alike. I listened to a lot of her music during the creation of Clay (some of which is not available on Spotify yet, sadly). Regardless, enjoy a journey into a meditative psychedelic trance.



It’s A Fine Day by Jane

If you don’t know the big electronic thumpa thumpa version of this, I highly recommend looking it up. In the meantime here are the isolated vocals. Go outside and eat a salad.



Java Jive by The Ink Spots

The perfect love letter to hot caffeine. Also, if you don’t know The Ink Spots, welcome to the chill.



Bolero by Pink Martini

I love this piece and I love the band performing it. Repetitive, deeply meditative, and complex. If you don’t know the story behind this song, I recommend doing a little digging. It’s the sound of the inside of Clay’s head.



Love & Lite by Marce, Katie Gray

I listened to A LOT of Katie Gray while making Clay. I would have used one of her original songs, but she spend far too much of her time deeply in love. Regardless, she is one of the most disarmingly kind humans I’ve ever met, and it seeps into every note.



At The Bottom Of Everything by Bright Eyes

This song is a lot to take, and I do apologize. It’s one of those pieces of art that if you’re in the right headspace, can inspire an ecstatic connection to the human condition, along with all the joy and despair that feeling stimulates. Fancy way of saying this song makes me smile and cry. A perfect explanation of the adventurous nature of his piety.



Accentuate the Positive by The Puppini Sisters

Would I end on such a down note? Of course not! Really, there’s no better way to finish this list up. Double plus bonus for the Puppini Sisters because they’re brilliant and you should check out the song they recorded with The Real Tuesday Welds immediately after this playlist ends.





Playlist art by Anna Zee (@AnnaZee_S).