Whenever politicians go on Desert Island Discs you can be sure they will face accusations that their spin doctors have chosen the songs, rather than them. Having heard that David Cameron has chosen Ernie - the Fastest Milkman in the West as one of his songs I think you can safely say he will be safe from such accusations. I remember the ridicule Margaret Thatcher suffered when she chose Two Little Boys Had Two Little Toys. Listening to her justify the selection by entering into a lengthy discourse on the benefits of sharing was painful indeed. Now as I'm never likely to appear on Desert Island Discs (unless there's a new B List version being planned (!)) I thought I'd appall you with what my choices would be...
1. Forever Young by Alphaville
One of my favourite songs of all time
2. Paradise by the Dashboard Light by MeatloafA mini rock opera whose words I know off by heart
3. Pachelbel's Canon
The most relaxing piece of music I know
4. Search for the Hero Inside Yourself by M People
A song with a message to those of us who may appear super-confident, but often aren't
5. One Blood by Terence Jay
From the movie Green Street - an ode to loyalty and fraternity
6. Jersusalem
A reminder of my green and pleasant land
7. Margaret Thatcher Speeches CD
To inspire and remember
8. Miss You Nights by Cliff Richard
To remind me of the people I love
Luxury item - My own pillow
Book - Animal Farm by George Orwell - to remind me of what my one man dictatorship desert island could become if I'm not careful!
I'm bracing myself for the onslaught of abuse...
Thatcher is bad enough but Cliff Richard - really?
ReplyDeleteWell all hope is not lost... I feared there would be some Manilow in there!!
ReplyDeleteI'm stabbing my eardrums with a freshly sharpened pencil, on the off chance I ever find myself stuck on a dersert island with you and your ipod... ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised by the rubbish you like Iain. I had to switch off last week's programme with Digby Jones, the CBI chief, after hearing three dopey pop tunes in a row. It seems that most people under the age of fifty are oblivious to classical and jazz music and missed out on the joys of the American Song Book (Gershwin,Rogers and Hart etc.)
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, I was amused to hear Michael Portillo on DID shortly after being selected for Kensington and Chelsea. After a couple of opera choices, he chose a record by Madonna. I was puzzled at first until I learnt that the pop singer's mother in law was the Chair of Kensington and Chelsea Tories.
Don't worry Iain; your lousy musical taste doesn't make you a bad person.
Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meatloaf
ReplyDeleteA mini rock opera whose words I know off by heart.
Come on then - lets have a podcast of that ;-)
agggggghhhhhh
ReplyDeletecensorship!censorship!censorship! free the p3eps
ReplyDeleteGood grief Iain, this list is utterly awful! The only piece I could agree on is Pacabel's Canon, which if you're interested was nicely 'treated' by Brian Eno on the album - 'Discreet Music'But now I'm revealing my own dodgy taste aren't I?
ReplyDeleteDon't worry Bebopper - he's loud and proud!
ReplyDeleteI can't really comment, mine would be a mix of KISS, Slade and Stiff Little Fingers with a with a bit of Motorhead for Good Measure. Radio 4 wouldn't know what had hit it.
ReplyDeleteSelections 3-8 tell us something about your character and values. More please on why you chose Forever Young and Paradise. Applaud your choice of pillow. Less enthusiatic with book choice.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you've thought this through. Your website states that the Sound of Music is your all time favourite musical and yet your list makes no mention of the memorable Supercalifragilsticexpialidocious. Are we being given all the facts?
ReplyDeleteIt would be wrong to criticise your ‘taste’ in music, but I do hope the island is far from these blessed shores and the volume turned down low.
ReplyDeleteMike, Cliff is an icon of our age. I won't hear a word against him! Jonathan, not very keen on Manilow. Bebopper, on your recommendation I listened to DID with Digby Jones this morning. I happily admit I don't like Jazz or much classical music. Oop North, I've heard worse ideas! Amateur shrink, They are just two of my favourite songs - nothing deep and meaningful to read into them I don't think! Larry - DID is not meant to be a definitive list of your favourites - it's 8 songs that mean something to you, which can include a couple of favourites. I am a huge Sound of Music fan, but wouldn't say any of the songs in it would make my top 100!
ReplyDeleteif i hear that M People song ever again, i swear i'll kill somebody.
ReplyDeletei have never known a song to make me violent - but that one has to be the most grating, awful song ever made in the history of mankind.
lesson : if you want to create a crack SAS team with superhuman levels of violence and adrenalin, play that M People track to them.
Surely "Power to All Our Friends" would be more appropriate?
ReplyDeleteAnd no ABBA or Sparks? Shame on you!
This is all deeply disturbing.
ReplyDeleteAs for DC, I actually think the Benny Hill 'revelation' is a piece of double-spin. Everything he's been doing over the last few months has screamed spin and PR, this stands out as "un-spun" and faintly un-PC. It stands to reason, therefore, that it's entirely deliberate.
You're nowhere near B-list
ReplyDeleteMine would be similar in style to Martin Curtis, though the actual bands would differ.
ReplyDeleteMr Eugenides, I agree.
Well, all I can say Iain is that I admire your sheer courage for going public with such a truly dreadful collection of songs....Jerusalem and Pachelbel apart of course.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of bloggers' DIDs could catch on though....;-)
"I don't think you've thought this through. Your website states that the Sound of Music is your all time favourite musical and yet your list makes no mention of the memorable Supercalifragilsticexpialidocious. Are we being given all the facts?"
ReplyDeleteOhhh, larry, Supercali is NOT in the Sound of Music! It is in Mary Poppins. As any fule kno.
Tut, Iain, for not picking up on that!
Rolf Harris was on DID, and told the (true) story which inspired 'Two Little Boys'. Sue Lawley was crying when he'd finished ...
ReplyDeleteYes, much as it goes against the grain, I'm inclined to defend Lady Thatcher on that one. It's a beautiful song.
ReplyDelete