- 'Money, Money, Money' by Abba - God, I simply loved Abba when I was a child. I had quite a crush on Agnetha (blonde one). I wanted to be just like her. Except I am tone deaf. And look nothing like her. She was a thing of great beauty - how anyone could have preferred skanky Frida, I'll never know. This track, I think, is their finest - but it was so hard to choose (bubbling under was 'Fernando', 'Tiger' and 'Slipping Through My Fingers')
- 'Wake Up Alone' by Amy Winehouse. A fine tune by a disturbed, crazy artist. Makes me sad when I hear it, but not in a depressed way - sometimes, feeling sad can feel quite nice, don't you think?
- 'Home Lovin' Man' by Andy Williams - this was one of my dad's favourites, and so it always reminds me of him. He worked away a lot when I was growing up - I can't imagine how hard it must have been for him, living away from his home and family for 5 days a week, only returning on weekends.
- '505' by Arctic Monkeys - now, this is not the sort of band that I like. Actually, find them a little annoying. But this track is wonderful - makes the hairs on the back of my neck get all erect (oo-er...).
- 'I Only Have Eyes For You' by Art Garfunkel - sadly, although I love the song, I do not have eyes for Art, as he is so plug-ugly...I could not watch him perform this. To this end, he has the perfect face for radio.
- 'The Way We Were' by Barbra Streisand - my mother's influence. As a child, she would play music in the house - artists like Babs, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, even Nana Mouskouri (my mam holidayed in Greece as she had a Greek boyfriend before she met my dad).
- 'Scarlet Beautiful' by The Beloved. I bought the album from which this track came ('Happiness') in 1989. It was a great, blissed-out album...captured the spirit of the period so well. But this was a wonderful track.
- 'Touch Me With Your Love' by Beth Orton - she has such a seductive quality about her voice. Perfect for listening to as it's getting dark outside, candles burning, red wine flowing - and good company (of the female variety...ahem!).
- 'Sexuality' by Billy Bragg - God, this reminds me of going to student nights in Sunderland. Woolly cardigans and love beads. Cheap, watered-down ale. Snogging lads on the stairwell at Ku Club. Happy days.
- 'Caramel' by Blur. I always associate this song with someone taking drugs. I have no idea why, but it sounds like the sonic equivalent of someone shooting up heroin. Listen to it and see if you get where I'm coming from. Beautifully layered track, though. Gorgeous.
- 'The Greatest' by Cat Power. I don't know much about her, only have one track on my iTunes by her. But, fuck me...what a great tune.
- 'Flower' by The Charlatans. I discovered this in early 1994. I was ceremoniously dumped by me then boyfriend. Thought I was going to die of a broken heart. So, went to visit my Aunty Margaret and Uncle Eddie in deepest, darkest Saddleworth (site of the Moors Murders...nice). I ventured into Manchester and bought this while I was there. This tune just seemed to capture something about how I was feeling at the time.
- 'Wicked Game' by Chris Isaak. Because it is just fucking gorgeous - that's all.
- 'Lovers and Friends' by The Communards. A lovely song, Jimmy Somerville's vocals are haunting. Not sure how he managed to get 'that high'. Perhaps one of the sound engineers was buggering him during the recording...
- 'Corrupt' by Depeche Mode. Quite a perverse little number, I think. But, I love it...
- 'Transatlanticism' by Death Cab For Cutie. This is a wonderful song. Was used in an episode of Six Feet Under, but I think I discovered it before this. It makes me sad and happy all at once. I recall that Debbie (ex) loved it too when she first heard it.
- 'Newborn' by Depeche Mode. OK, reader. This is going to come as a huge shock to you. This is my absolute favourite Mode track. Ever. It's immense, love love love it. It is criminal that it was only ever a B-side (of 'A Pain That I'm Used To'). Dave Gahan's vocals are superb - like he really means every word.
- 'Don't Leave Home' by Dido. Yes, a rather unfashionable choice, but I love this track. Great lyrics too.
- 'Secret Love' by Doris Day - every closeted lesbian's track of choice! And I am no exception.
- 'M62 Song' by Doves - this is a gorgeous album track. Very atmospheric. I once drove on the M62 past the moors whilst listening to this - dead spooky! The M62 approaching Saddleworth is my favourite stretch of motorway (is that weird, to have a favourite bit of motorway?)
- 'Stepping Stone' by Duffy. Christ, think I have been used as a stepping stone a few times. But, I live to tell the tale, eh? Fuckers!!
- 'The Weight Of The World' by Editors. This is another epic track from Editors. I love the line 'every little piece of your life will add up to one'. Simple, but effective - and true.
- 'Beautiful Freak' by Eels. Because everyone surely wants to be unique - therefore a beautiful freak. I've never wanted to 'follow the pack' or do anything just because it's fashionable. I like that about Eels.
- 'The One' by Elton John. 'All I ever needed was 'the one'' - isn't that what we all want? It's just that some of us can't find them - or perhaps we just don't need them, who knows.
- 'Spiralling' by Erasure. A cheery little ditty, right at the end of their 'Circus' album from 1987. Basically, it's about someone wishing themselves dead after a love affair. Grisly.
- 'Protection' by Massive Attack. This is a wonderful track, but I cannot watch Tracey Thorn singing. Her jaw doesn't fit together properly - the bottom bit juts out. Therefore, she looks like a gimp. Great voice though.
- 'YFLMD' by Giant Drag. It's a mighty strange track, but I love it. Think I mentioned it in an earlier blog entry. It stands for You Fuck Like My Dad.
- 'Eighth Day' by Hazel O'Connor. I first heard this track on a Sunday afternoon in the mid-80's listening to Jimmy Saville's golden oldies show. And I loved it instantly. Hard to choose between this track and 'Will You?', both of which came from the fantastic 'Breaking Glass' soundtrack.
- 'This Guy's In Love With You' by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass
- 'Big Fun' by Inner City - reminds me of drinking Castaway, whilst under-age in Sunderland City Centre. And wearing culottes.
- 'The Lighthouse' by Interpol. A very atmospheric track, the last one from 'Our Love To Admire'. I feel extremely privileged to have seen them play this live at Manchester Apollo. A truly wonderful song - another 'goosepimple' track.
- 'Skyscraper' by Julian Plenti - AKA Interpol singer Paul Banks' solo project - some gorgeous songs on the album, this being my favourite. He is a fucking genius.
- 'The Kick Inside' by Kate Bush. The last track from the album of the same name. I truly don't think that she got better than this album. My mam had the original vinyl. Reminds me of her.
- 'Use Somebody' by Kings of Leon. I love the song, it has personal meaning for me, which I shan't divulge here. What I will say is I believed every word of it, like a fool.
- 'Light Years' by Kylie Minogue - pure, unadulterated, gay cheese. But, hell...I love it.
- 'Tigerlily' by La Roux. Great track, just loved it from the first time I heard it.
- 'Big Gay Heart' by The Lemonheads. This is fab. Evan Dando should have been much bigger, but I guess that's drugs for you, eh? Reminds me of happy times in the early '90's with my fisrt serious boyfriend.
- 'French Kiss' by Lil' Louis - because it sounds fucking filthy.
- 'I Feel Space' by Lindstrom - instrumental track, very chilled out - quite scary in a way that I can't describe.
- 'Forbidden Love' by Madonna - best track (in my opinion) from 'Confessions On A Dancefloor'. I feel privileged to have seen her play live - chance of a lifetime.
And so, part two of this entry will be completed another time.........just to keep you in suspense.
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