In the dawn we perceive the dusk

As you may know, my high priced lawyers from ACME have urged me to avoid copyright issues with the BBC, so a few years ago, I teamed up with Toho Studios and renamed my Desert Island Discs selections, Godzilla's Atoll LPs, brought to you by ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour.

(In case you've never heard of the BBC show Desert Island Disc - people are asked what music they would bring with them if they were stranded on an island for an indefinite period of time.

Here are the rules:

1.) You make choose 8 pieces of music and tell me why you chose them.
2.) You then get to choose one book to take with you (you automatically get to take the Complete Works of Shakespeare and either the Bible or another appropriate religious or philosophical work.) 3.) You get to choose one luxury, which must be inanimate and of no use in escaping the island or allowing communication from outside. (You can cheat here - since you can listen to music, there is some form of electric, so you may have refrigeration for your luxury item.)


There is nothing profound or deep in my Godzilla's Atoll LP choices - they're just songs that I like (in no particular order)


Wild Is The Wind - David Bowie



As has recently been my want, I'm going to start with the toughest. Choosing your favorite Bowie cut is like choosing you favorite kid. After I boiled it down for the purposes of Godzilla's Atoll LP by looking at some past choices. Listening to this would remind me of Nina Simone's brilliant version of the song (so it's a twofer.) Hearing this song on any morning would wipe away any drab thought I might have while on the island; the music will carry you away.<.


Shangri-La - Electric Light Orchestra



I loved ELO as a kid. I saw them play twice at Madison Square Garden. It was as close as I was ever going to get to seeing the Beatles. I could only imagine blasting this on a beach at sunset.


Life During Wartime - Talking Heads



Again, I love the Talking Heads. The film, Stop Making Sense, is one of the greatest concert films ever made. I energy coming off the screen is palpable. If ever I had a low energy day on the island, this would have to be my go-to song.


Autumn Leaves - Rickie Lee Jones



This is a damn good dry martini of a song. (It's another twofer, leading into Tom Waits, but that's another story.)


Jersey Girl - Tom Waits



Why wouldn't you want to listen to Tom Waits? I don't think I trust anyone who doesn't like Tom Waits. (Psst - this is the best Bruce Springsteen song that Springsteen never wrote, so it's another twofer.)


Show Biz Kids - Steely Dan



Ah, the ever present Steely Dan cut. I probably wouldn't need a Steely Dan song; I could call them up at will in my mind. But this is a fun one (and I'm going to stop trying to choose; I've changed my mind four times already.) This seems to be continuing a theme. And I won't forget my Steely Dan t-shirt!


Quiet Nights and Quiet Stars - Frank Sinatra



I can't have every Sinatra song, so once again, I picked one of the bossa nova hits (Also thinking about the recent passing of Antonio Carlos Jobim); why wouldn't you listen to a bossa nova Sinatra song while you're on a desert island.


Desperados Under The Eaves - Warren Zevon



I had to have a Warren Zevon and I figured I go with one of the 'less-cheerful' ones. I'm mentioned before, that this song will always remind me of floating in a pool at the Ritz Carlton in Hong Kong, awaiting my second martini of the day. Also California seems to be ready to 'tumble into the ocean.'


Watching the Detectives - Elvis Costello



Even on a desert island, you need to keep watching the detectives! I can't believe that this song is over 40 years old (and I've been listening to it since it came out.)


The book I'd take with me would be The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night (and the Supplemental Nights) translated by the original international man of mystery sir Richard Burton (I'll take a paperback edition.)

There's enough going on in this book to keep me busy for awhile (and that's before even reading the various annotated notes and indexes.) As always, the luxury item would be a refrigerator full of Bombay Sapphire (and maybe, tub or two of kalamata olivies.)

So that's eight songs (and that's all you're allowed.) This year I feel somewhat restless with my choices (I've changed a few of them several times.) I have an entire year to distract myself from thinking about turning 60 next year, so I can get ready to get marooned again next year for my birthday, and see how I do.



Demand Euphoria!