120310 – 31. The music that rocks the me
To you who is right there,
I hope you, specifically you, are mighty fine, comfortable and ready to read with vigour and diligence. You are after all, nothing if not vigorous and diligent. I have always said this about you.
And so, why the hell am I here? Well I decided last week after writing about the good books of my life, which you have surely perused, that I should really follow up with a little piece about music and more specifically, the music that I love.
Music is my chief aid during a good writing session. Take tonight for example, I am currently writing these very words, at 8:30 on a Friday evening at my desk, whilst singing along to Rocky Racoon. It’s a pretty poor example as I’ll not be able to concentrate in around 5 seconds. And there it is guys, a jaunty little bar room piano piece. Hang on a minute. Right, that’s much better, a little pleasant background noise provided by The Mamas and Papas, wonderful. Now where was I?
There are times when I can’t bear to listen to music as I actually write/type the words, those infrequent moments do exist. I’ll always have music on standby though because once I totally lose my trail of thought, become extremely frustrated and need to smoke, I’ll usually take 5 to relax with a little happy song by, well Mamas and Papas or similar, then I’m right back at it and the endless bullshit just flows and flows.
I’ll stop now before I describe every song that I’ve ever listened to and you leave me here talking to myself and instead write you a little list of my go to music, a selection of albums that I love above all others and the music that when all else fails, no other music excites me and I am ready for the proverbial crack pipe of life, I can reach out to safe in the knowledge that it will either a) sooth my weary soul and mind or b) pick me up and shake me back into some form of life. Ready? Onwards then to the list:
1. James Taylor Greatest Hits Volume 1 – James Taylor
It’s not difficult for me to see how my Dad could have fallen in Love whilst listening to the songs on this album. The soft guitar picking, James Taylor’s gentle and subtle tones, some quite astonishing lyrics and effortless delivery in the likes of ‘Something in the Way She Moves’ and ‘Fire and Rain’ are quite simply unbelievable. There are words to describe how I feel about this album, I just can’t think of any good enough. Love will have to suffice.
2. All Things Must Pass – George Harrison
As far as I’m concerned All Things Must Pass is one of the greatest albums ever written. There I’ve said it. I’ll also say, just because I’m here and you’re listening, that I firmly believe George Harrison to be the best melody writer of all time and I await your comments on that one with interest. There isn’t a song that I don’t like on this double album but ‘All Things Must Pass’, ‘What is Life’ and ‘Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp’ stand out as my favourites. I’ll listen to this in the morning with a cup of tea and a cigarette in the Garden whilst I contemplate life. Let it roll.
3. Djangology – Django Reinhardt
My go to album when I need inspiration and nothing else. I have been but a husk before listening to this double album of genius at times only to be transported into the corner booth at a smoky Parisian nightclub on a balmy summer night in the early 1930’s, in my mind of course, by the incredible dancing Guitar of Reinhardt and irresistible Violin of Stéphane Grappelli and I always come out the other side with my mind refreshed and with a head dancing with ideas and thoughts – Wonderful music, wonderful artists, wonderful album.
4. Dylan – Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan: Wilbury, Poet, Wordsmith and Genius. Anyone who doesn’t like or rate Bob Dylan, in my opinion, is a fool. I’ll not go into detail as to why this 3-CD, self named, collection of his greatest works is, well a collection of Great Works as I’d not do it justice. Instead I’ll listen to ‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’ and then possibly ‘Hurricane’, smug in the knowledge that I am right whilst I wonder again if it’s actually possible for one man to write lyrics like this – Bob Dylan: Force of Nature.
5. Rumours – Fleetwood Mac
A faultless album from start to finish and the album I’ll generally listen to in bed as I arise on Sunday morning with a cup of tea, watching the light creep into my room gradually through the blinds, wishing that every morning could be like this. I actually think this way as I listen to this album, Fleetwood Mac will do that to a man, and I’m glad of it. Don’t stop.
6. Aerial Pandemonium Ballet – Harry Nilsson
I’m a big fan of Harry Nilsson’s work and there is very little that he ever recorded that I don’t like. I think it’s the fact that the songs of this album swing so drastically from the random crazy lyrics and upbeat big-top circus type music of ‘Daddy’s Song’ into the classic ‘Everybody’s Talkin’’ with twists and turns around every corner that makes this one stand out for me. None of the songs match but the albums seen to flow perfectly, and all of them are like this – its crazy happy brilliantness and one is the loneliest number.
Those that never made it but came damn close: Abbey Road – The Beatles, Buena Vista Social Club – Buena Vista Social Club, Travelling Wilburys – The Travelling Wilburys, The Jim Croce Collection – Jim Croce, Forrest Gump Soundtrack – Various, Déjà Vu – Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
It’s a very difficult task to pick just albums and one of my key selection criteria and yes, I did have selection criteria, was that I had to be able to listen to the albums from start to finish on a regular basis, which is tough on some of the other nearly men and women that will no doubt be horrified to have missed out on the list. There are literally hundreds of songs that I love from albums that never made the list and hundreds of artists that I listen to regularly who are also absent from the big-bad 6. Paul Simon for example is absolutely nowhere to be fucking seen despite me now listening to, and enjoying immeasurably, ‘Me and Julio down by the school yard’ from the impressive Negotiations and Love Songs. The problem is that I’ll almost certainly turn over before the next song and am just as likely to put on some tracks from the Reservoir Dogs soundtrack as I am to listen to Louis Armstrong or De La Soul next time round. At some point this weekend though, I will listen to one of my top 6 picks from beginning to end and that Ladies and Gentlemen stands them head and shoulders above the rest.
I’m eternally grateful every day that I have music. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t kneel by my bed at night in my Green Day Pyjamas throwing up a small prayer to the Gods of Rock and Goddesses of Roll, for my ears. On that Leona Lewis-esque high note I’m off to listen to the albums and songs from artists that never made it so that I can torture my sleep with ‘I can’t believe that never made it’ dreams in which I am beaten to death by Ray Charles, Ravi Shankar, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly and The Beach Boys. Until next time,
Remember ‘Dream’ for me, I’ll mention why when I return.
Stay lucky,
Andrew Beattie