So, Russell Aston, you asked for it so here it is.
(Sittin’ on) The dock of the bay Otis Redding
The world is divided into two types of people, those who know this is the greatest song of all time and those that are wrong!
When we were kids, my sister and I would go in to Maidstone on a Saturday for swimming or to go to the pictures. Trips to the pictures were always followed by a visit to Stevens and Sturts for a pie (which were fabulous) and a visit to the market. On one occasion we pooled our money and bought an album called Hit’s 67 which featured Dock of the bay and I was hooked.
Sadly Otis died in a plane crash two days after the track was recorded and there are several stories which explain the whistling at the end of the track, my favourite is that he hadn’t decided on how the song should end so whistled an outro with the intention of finishing it properly. I still think it is the perfect end to the perfect song about doing nothing.
The next record I bought was all with my own money (and I still have it) – Albatross by Fleetwood Mac in 1968. Sadly, it didn’t quite make the cut this time.
Three wheels on my wagon
New Christy Minstrels
This song was a feature on Junior Choice on a Saturday morning along with Sparky the magic piano, Right said Fred, My bruvver and Puff the magic dragon. It saddens me to think that there was music specifically for children as if we couldn’t be trusted with the real stuff! There didn’t seem to a problem with white people pretending to be black and wiping out an entire indigenous people (all included in the song) and using it to entertain the future generations but hindsight is a wonderful thing and, at the time, we loved it.
Anarchy in the UK
Sex Pistols
A piece of music that changed a generation! Although a lot of punk turned out to be a scam and a lot of people got rich on the back of it, it was thrilling and probably had the same impact on parents as Elvis, the Beatles and the Stones had on their parents although this time “the revolution was televised” (Gill Scott-Heron reference!) and a whole new generation of kids discovered that they could make music of their own probably missing the parallels with skiffle groups of the 50’s.
Despite what we were told at the time, the world did not come to an end, the music has lasted and many of the upstart musicians have gone on to become legends and pillars of the music world. Even if you have a truly dreadful voice like mine you can still sing along to this and it will make you happy.
Love Song
Elton John and Lesley Duncan
Taken from, arguably, the best album Elton ever made, Tumbleweed connection. Love song was written by Elton with Lesley Duncan and not Bernie Taupin. It shows an amazing level of control not always apparent in a lot of Elton’s other material and makes me wonder why Lesley Duncan never had the acclaim she deserves.
Having bought the album I took it home and played it and was horrified at the scratch which could clearly be heard on Love song so I put the record back in its sleeve caught the bus back to the record shop and changed it despite the protestations of shop staff that there was nothing wrong with it. Annoyingly, the scratch was also on the new copy too. It was some time later that I discovered that the clicking noise I could hear was meant to be there and can even be heard on digital versions as well as physical!!
Thunder Road
Bruce Springsteen
No list would be complete without the Boss. We had the joy of seeing him for the first time at Wembley stadium on 14th July 1985 and he opened, totally unaccompanied, with Independence day which takes a lot of balls!
Thunder Road is probably the man at his best of course it’s about cars and girls but it’s also about the lives of those not living the American dream with no health care, jobs and hope of escape.
Prefab Sprout took a friendly swipe at Springsteen in the song “Cars and Girls” a song that the Boss apparently loves and there has been some criticism of lines like “you aint a beauty but hey you’re alright!” but in the real world not everyone is a beauty and that’s alright with me.
Killer
Adamski / Seal https://youtu.be/LtYujyhvIyQ
Definitely in the top ten songs of all time and so reflective of the times. My buddy Eustace and I used to dance to this when we were cooking, – everyone knows I can’t dance but Eustace must be the only black man ever asked to leave an aerobics class because his lack of rhythm was putting everyone else off – so you can imagine what it was like and mercifully there are no recordings!!
I’ve been loving you too long
Seal
This is a cover of another Otis Redding song and in my opinion better that the original but only by the tiniest margin. The heartbreak and pain in both versions is testament to some remarkable song writing and if you can listen to this without a tear in your eye you have no soul and may have to be unfriended!!
Zadok the Priest
Handel / Choir of Westminster Abbey
If you are ever feeling flat and in need of something to make you feel good, have a listen to this! It builds so magnificently and then bang! Imagine sitting in a throne in Westminster Abbey after having the ceremonial trappings of the British Monarch bestowed upon you and this belting out! Every day should probably start with this by law.
Killing in the name of…
Rage against the machine
This is breaking the rules as I have this as a 9th track and you should only have eight but:
1) I don’t have any other metal in my list
2) As the lyrics suggest, I’m not good at being told what to do
3) In 2009 it was the Christmas number one after a campaign to keep that year’s X factor winner of the top spot
4) It’s bloody good!
What book would I take? First thought was A Christmas Carol but it would make me too homesick so instead I’m taking all of the Nigel Slater Kitchen diaries. There’s something for every day and will help to keep in touch with the seasons which probably don’t exist on the island. The TV show always has me screaming “Get on with it” or “Slater, for God’s sake hurry up!” but the pace of the books would be perfect for sitting under a palm tree.
Luxury item? My first choice would be to take Ampthill Park but if that wasn’t possible it would need to be a full set of Japanese kitchen knives of course!
Thoughts'n'randomness 