Yes, you can download it from the Singstore. I love Father Ted. The first episode was aired after my first trip to Ireland to meet my husband's family. It felt like a documentary.
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Her house was very small with woodchip on the wall
Fuck no! Can't remember how I got that username. Although me and a guy at school were going to take over the world with a sketch show called Fred... which doesn't really answer any questions you might have.
Explanations? ok but I will do it a little later. I am in a bar in New York City right now, which is strange. This place is another planet to Manchester and generally the whole of north west england. I think it's too big but I'm sure it will be better soon.
OK, I've thought about this for a few days, there is zero possibility of me being able to pick my favourite 8 songs of all time, so going with the life story approach at least makes it slightly feasible, so here goes:
1. Little Boxes - Pete Seeger
This is one of the first songs I can remember hearing, from when I was 4 or 5. I had always assumed it was a hit of that time (around 1970ish), but looking it up, it's older, so I can't explain why I have a memory of hearing it a lot at that time. I was fascinated even then by the idea of all these people growing up and having their own kids and living in their little boxes. I think the only other song I remember from this time is Puff the Magic Dragon, apparently I knew all the words to Lily the Pink when I was 3, but I don't remember that.
2. Fernando - Abba
I can't deny it, I had a massive Abba phase when I was about 10. By the time I was a cool, indie 14 year old, I would probably have died rather than admit it, but having grown up, Abba are OK and Fernando was always a very haunting story. More stories, is a pattern emerging already?
3. Fade Away and Radiate - Blondie
Blondie was my next big phase, about 12 or 13 by now. Played Parallel Lines to death.
4. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
I remember buying this in my local record shop in 1980, deep into indie by this time. I used to religiously buy the NME and Melody Maker and read all sorts of articles that in all honesty at that age I barely understood, but I suppose what did stay with me was the idea that there was more to culture than the little world of this week's pop music, that these bands were drawing on musical and literary influences from all over the place that I hadn't a clue about, I remember reading about things like Bauhaus, J.G. Ballard, Nazi brothels and so on, never pursued it then, these days I would just look it all up on wikipedia, but then, these things remained a tantalising mystery. My husband raided my old singles for an 80s night he was DJing at lately, don't know what the clientele were hoping for, but it was more Psychedelic Furs than Banarama.
5. Geisha Boys and Temple Girls - Heaven 17
Penthouse and Pavement was another album that got played to death, so it was with great excitement that we went to see them last year touring the whole thing. This album captures the whole world of the early 80s, the yuppies, the belief that a nuclear war was going to start at any moment. And they were from Sheffield, made me deeply homesick.
6. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
Big gap here, but this was one of those occasional CDs my husband gave me for my car. The noise and energy really lifted my spirits, a bit worrying given how depressed Kurt was.
7. Mis-Shapes - Pulp
There's no way I could begin to choose a favourite Pulp song, so sticking with the meaningful, this song is the beginning of my long journey of becoming comfortable with who I am, that's it's OK not to be like everyone else.
8. Try This At Home - Frank Turner
This is the most unstable selection, good for today. This is a part of the coming to terms with myself in a way. I have always had these mental blocks that there places I don't belong, worlds I can't be part of. A good example is going to gigs. I was always a bedroom music nerd, as a kid it never occurred to me that you could go to gigs and even after I left home, my friends weren't into that. Oh, and I hate crowds and I'm not very tall, so it all sounds a bit scary. Going to see Heaven 17 last year was a toe in the water and it was great, gave me confidence to dare go to Wireless in July. So back to the song, I have adopted a new can-do attitude to these things and am trying them at home". And Frank Turner generally is another great story teller and image creator.
Book. Dune - Frank Herbert
I love all sci-fi for the way you can create whole new worlds and worldviews, but for me, the depth of this in Dune sucks me in completely. The interplay of factions with very different motivations, ideologies and spiritualities is enough to keep you interested for ever. And if this could stretch to a collection of the whole series, so much the better.
Luxury. Not sure about this, it would probably have to involve food or alcohol, maybe a cocoa bush (are they bushes?), but how hard is it to make anything approaching chocolate? I'm guessing hard. Maybe just actual chocolate then, lots of it.
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We'll use the one thing we've got more of, that's our minds.
1. Round And Round - Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti I only got this record the other day and it says this song was mixed at Abbey Road - it sounds expensive and massive. Not sure what its about...
2. Get Behind Me - Scott Walker So many Scott Walker songs, you kind of get 2 songs in one - the acoustic bit, the choir bit and then a melody that is absolutely flawless.
3. The Music of the Night - Anthony Warlow OK, this is the odd one out - he played the Phantom in the Australian shows about 20 years ago - technically perfect and beautiful - I like having a cigarette and wine whilst having this cranked up to about 11.
4. La Ritournelle - Sebastien Tellier That drumming.....its perfect
5. Love On A Real Train - Tangerine Dream I like 'travel' songs - theres many tunnels in Paris that I would put this on to see if I could put myself into a trance....
6. The King And All Of His Men - Wolf Gang This guy has put out an album which has sort of disappointed me because he has re-recorded this track and it doesn't have anything on the original - the new version is all compressed now. The original version is all big drums and dancing. I guess you could say I am obsessed with sound.
7. Veridis Quo - Daft Punk Another 'travel' song - someone on here said it could possibly be a funeral song. I agree. It does remind me of certain tunnels here at home and the perfect positioning of the steering wheel on the road where you don't actually have to steer....
8. Guitar Interludes - Joe Pass Brilliant guitars and my only political song on here. I often put it on mix tapes for people.
Book: Complete works of Tintin. Luxury Item: Beetroot chips. Love them.
This thread was the perfect solution to my self-induced early Sunday morning insomnia! The process of choosing was a bit of a revelation, as I thought it would be near impossible to pick from so many songs that are dear to me. But once I'd decided on my criteria for narrowing it down to eight, it was actually quite easy - the winners just jumped out. I had to reject the format of choosing songs that are significant to memories and events throughout my life as it wouldn't have produced the songs I REALLY wanted to be stranded alone with. Aside from that, it would have produced a pile of shite I'd rather drop in the sea (no, I really do NOT want to take Billy Don't be a Hero by Paper Lace).
Quite simply, I did what it says on the tin and imagined myself all alone, with my chosen songs being the only ones I would ever hear again in my entire life. So basically if I don't pick it, we have to depart our ways forever. The old faithful friends pretty much chose themselves, but it caught me by surprise how many of these discs that made my cut were the biggest hits from my favourite artists, as opposed to their rarer gems I assumed I'd favour. Maybe there IS a good reason after all why these songs were the most successful commercially? Perhaps they connect with us a bit deeper inside than others? So yes, I have actually chosen Common People! Sorry, it may be unimaginitive and overly popular, but when push comes to shove it IS a fucking amazing song, and if anyone ever tries to take it away from me, I will fight them to the death for it.
Anyway, enough with the waffle and threats of violence, here is the list (in no particular order):
Common People -PULP
Do you Remember the Fist Time - PULP
There is a Light that Never Goes Out - THE SMITHS
How Soon is Now? - THE SMITHS
Sit Down - JAMES (but it has to be the original 1989 Rough Trade version, as opposed to the reworked one that got to number 2 in 1991)
Tomorrow - JAMES
New Dawn Fades - JOY DIVISION
Where is My Mind - THE PIXIES (but I would probably prefer the PLACEBO cover of it)
The book, CATCHER IN THE RYE by J D Salinger
Video game - none, I don't play them, so can I have an extra disc instead please?
The luxury item, my LAPTOP - yeah you could argue there would be no internet or power source on a desert island, but it is also highly improbable that I'd get advance notification of my impending marooning, in order for me to pack up my discs and book, my bible and my complete works of shakespeare (the last two of which I would 'accidently' forget). AND...... how are you all going to play your video games? Eh?!
-- Edited by anet on Sunday 9th of October 2011 09:53:10 AM
I'll let you play them on my laptop if we all end up on the same island. This could end up like Lost, another desert island scenario that doesn't make any sense.
Hmm - the same way we will play our 'discs'? Unless the rules state we are only given a wind up gramophone player, in which case I will have to use my vast technical knowledge and abundant practical skills to construct a small generator.
-- Edited by anet on Sunday 9th of October 2011 01:51:33 PM
Maybe they're the only songs that you're allowed to hum on the Desert Island? If the Island gods hear any other songs being hummed then it angers them and they will wreak terrible havoc using the destrucitve volcano spirit as punishment. Or something.
That doesn't sound good for my homemade generator. Actually, the sound of me humming would probably be enough to anger the gods in itself. Anet does Morrissey is not a beautiful sound to anyone other than myself.
Well, there'll only be you there. If simply humming Morrissey to yourself is the worst thing that you do after years of isolation and lack of human contact I think you can probably count yourself lucky!
Why do you have to go and spoil it? I almost had it all set up there, with my laptop and my solar panel. But as there is no way around it, I've decided to trade in my luxury item for another disc. I'm chosing OK BY MYSELF by Morrissey, to keep me sane through the bleaker moments of isolation.
-- Edited by anet on Monday 10th of October 2011 11:49:24 PM
Harry Nilsson - Everybody's Talkin' This has always been a favourite of mine. Midnight Cowboy is also my favourite film, so it works well and I guess ti reminds me of that. Most of all I just think it's a beautiful track and the line 'i wont let you leave my love behind' has always got me.
The Shirelles - Will You Love Me Tomorrow? This songs reminds me of my love, and it's hard to be apart from her. She lives in New York (I'm in the UK) so it's very difficult but I have every faith that it is meant to happen etc... I guess this song sends out some kind of insecurity vibe, which is maybe always the case for such a long distance thing. However, it also reminds me that we will always wake up thinking of each other, and yes, we will love each other tomorrow.
Leonard Cohen - Famous Blue Raincoat This song got me through some very dark times with anti-depressants and the like, I guess Leonard Cohen just cheers me up and gives me some kind of retreat from the pressures I feel getting to me sometimes. I once met him and it was one of the best days of my life.
Blur - This Is A Low Blur were my favourite band from a young age, I got parklife the day it came out and was only 6. This is probably my favourite song of theirs, but it's hard to choose. I sometimes come to the conclusion this is my favourite song of all time.
Neil Young - On The Beach It would work with being on a beach, also it's my favourite track from one of my favourite artists of all time. I just think it glides along perfectly and it's impossible to be distracted from how well it works.
Low - Tomorrow One Low are definitely my favourite band since exiting my teens into real life. I am lucky enough to have become good friends with them and gone around spain and other places with the band. Al, mim and steve are 3 of the most accommodating people I have ever met and I am eternally grateful for the positive vibe they have had for my life. It's not often you can say your favourite band have been there for you personally during a tough time, but they were and are, and I am blessed with that. I guess I am especially grateful they saw more to me than an enthusiastic fan, we often trade music etc... and I find it one of the most rewarding friendships I have ever made. I was a huge fan for about 3 years before interviewing them once, and ever since it has been fantastic. I even went to mtv in new york with them this year.
Pink Floyd - Echoes I needed some floyd and this was the longest one. It takes me to another place where work and distance doesn't matter.
Slowdive - When The Sun Hits This song just makes me feel ultimate joy and sadness at the same time. It is just ecstasy.
Oasis - Dont Look Back In Anger The song from my teenage years, really. that's why i got into british music, that's why i love Pulp, met my wife... etc The song of me life.
Oasis - The Masterplan Just a classic track
Pulp - Disco 2000 Probably the song that made me fall in love with Pulp, back then. And that video is just, just, so cool. So id have that in my head
The Beatles - When i'm 64 unpopular song but it makes me happy
Noel Gallagher - The Death Of You & Me Same, makes me dance, especially the horns & stuff
The Velvet Underground - Sunday Morning My wife and I's song
Blur - Tender Amazing piece of music, what else.
The Divine Comedy - Tonight We Fly Ditto
(fuck that's already it)
Book : I'd take the paper i wrote for my Master, so i could forever get mad at what i wrote and i would rewrite it again. So id keep me busy
Video Game : the last Fifa i could (that's probably the only game ive played since i'm a "grown up")
Luxury item: my acoustic guitar, well the one i ordered that will come in god knows how many month. a beautiful Martin. That's probably all you need on a desert island, right. With a tuner and additionnal strings
-- Edited by andy on Wednesday 30th of November 2011 06:27:41 AM
I love this version. The guitar on the coda makes me want to cry.
Felt: Penelope Tree
Never heard any Felt, until I saw "Lawrence of Belgravia" (which I highly recommend BTW) then went on Youtube and looked up some stuff. Picked this up and loved it. Fantastic chorus and a reallay great guitar break. Really like Felt now. Don't know why they weren't as big as they should have been.
The Cure:
Breathe Robert Smith capturing a starry night in Mirabeu (the studio they were recording in at the time) and putting into a song. Simply gorgeous.
Arvo Part: Fur Aline
Absolute Minimal beauty
Aphex Twin: Avril 14th
If you heard this and didn't know, you would not know it was AFX.
This Mortal Coil: Song to the Siren
Liz Frazer has the most beautiful voice. This is the best version of this song I've ever heard
Radiohead: Fake Plastic Trees
Quite literally saved my life one day.
Kate Bush: Wuthering Heights
Grew up listening to this. Love Ms. Bush. Really like her new album, but this song is a classic.
Book: War and Peace. Read it twice. Love it. Taught me more about the Napoleanic war than school did. Plus I love sinking my teeth into great big behemoth of books. I spent last Christmas reading "Ulyssess"
Video Game: Not really a VG, more an online RPG but Runescape. Been playing for more over 10 years now and I love it.
Luxury item:My bed. Just the most comfortable place on earth.