My second Desert Island Disc List

 

There is nothing profound or deep in my Desert Island Disc choices this year - they're just songs that I like (in no particular order)


September Song - Django Reinhardt



I get very emotional listening to this song.  My Dad was not a very sophisticated  man but he had very sophisticated  taste.  He enjoyed jazz and liked Django Reinhardt. He introduced me to this very of the Kurt Weill song. He passed away during the month of September. And listening to it brings back a flood of memories of him.


I'm a Fool to Want You - Billie Holiday



I'm thinking of this one as a cheat - a two-fer.  This is classic Billie Holiday; this is the very dry martini to have while you're on the island.  And I can instantly bring to mind Sinatra's version while listening to this.


Shipbuilding - Elvis Costello



It is impossible to pick one Elvis Costello song (how can you choose one sone from his over 30 studio albums?) I wanted to pick Watching the Detectives but I couldn't find the specific video I think of when I think of the song.  The emotional muscle you hear in his voice is tremendous and Chet Baker's trumple playing is heartbreaking


Nessum Dorma - Giacomo Puccini



I've decided not to apologize for my middlebrow taste in classical music;more people don't listen to classic music anymore. I'm always deeply moved when I hear it.


Pulling Mussels from a Shell - Squeeze



Difford and Tilbrook are the Cole Porters of Rock lyrics (if I didn't consider Elvis Costello.) When I hear Squeeze, I think of my 20's.  This is the perfect summer road trip song.  I've never gotten tired of hearing it


Jennifer - Annie Lennox



Annie Lennox has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard.  There are some many songs I've could have chosen but this one has a lot of meat on it.  It gets me a lot to think about.


Elderly woman behind the counter in a small town - Pearl Jam



If for some reason Mary isn't with me on the desert island, I'd take this song with me to think of her (I don't need to explain, it's my list.)


Black Cow - Steely Dan




Much like Prospero books, I wouldn't be banished without at least one Steely Dan song.  I was going to pick Gaucho (which I guess, is my favorite Steely Dan song) but I'll pick Black Cow.  I can remember singing this song in the car for long road trips. I can remember just sitting on the curb singing this song with friends (I'm so old, I can remember friends, siting on the curb, just singing songs.)


The book I'd take with me would be The Way To Cook by Julia Child (I could just think about all the meals in the book) and the luxury item would still be a Freezer full of Bombay Sapphire (I won't need the vermouth.)

That eight songs (and that's all you're allowed.) I didn't get a chance to pick any Radiohead, any Simon and Garfunkel, not a single Warron Zevon etc.


I'll have to get marooned again next year for my birthday, to have another go at it.