Yet again, the United Kingdom do appallingly at the Eurovision Song Contest. Despite knowing that we will lose, it’s still an event that millions of people in the UK tune into every year. This year, in case you’ve not seen the papers, was won by the Russians. So well done to them. The former USSR seems to be doing quite well lately, hosting the European football championships and now we’ll see them turning on the glitz, the glamour and the camp for Eurovision. Thinking about it, Eurovision and the exterior of the Kremlin do seem to go hand in hand.
One of the things I do enjoy about Eurovision is how much a particular song can tell one about the country for whom it is representing. The Russian entry (which got help from US music mogul Timbaland) shows us that they are still a country with a very real understanding of competition. The Germans decided to model their entry on Girls Aloud and the Bosnia & Herzegovina entry … well, they are evidently undergoing some kind of artistic renaissance. I’m not sure what the UK entry says about us – other than yet again, we picked a song which is fine for Radio 2, but not Eurovision. Having said that, who could forget Scooch in 2007 and look where that got us! Maybe Terry Wogan is right. Maybe it is all political – but what does it say when a country’s fortunes in Europe are guided (in part) by a song contest?!
But away from the dizzying heights of Eurovision, what do our own music collections tell us about ourselves?
Inspired by BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs I decided that I, too, would create a BRMB playlist to take away with me. I’m always creating play lists. I have what I feel is a very respectable 2,500 songs on my iPod, but I fear that soon there’ll be more playlists than songs! Music is intrinsic to my life that sometimes when I don’t have my iPod with me I get thrown off course by the white noise all around me. I have playlists for the car, for reading, for going to sleep, one for the shower, writing, travelling to work, sunbathing – even one for getting ready to go out. But as the digital age is all about customisation and ‘on demand’ then I guess I should relish the fact that the opportunity is there, but I do wonder, sometimes, at what cost – the natural symphony of wildlife, the sea, cars and everyday life, perhaps?
Anyway, so here are my songs. On the radio show, one is only allowed 8 songs. Well, frankly, that’s impossible. And anyways, there’s probably stats somewhere which show that, were you to crash whilst flying somewhere and land on a desert island, you’re more likely to have a small iPod or MP3 player with you than a CD player and CD.
1. The King of Wishful Thinking (Go West) – so that I could build in an 80s quick film sequence
2. Love’s Been Good to Me (Johnny Cash) – one of the most heartbreaking performances from one of the world’s greatest musicians.
3. I’m Gonna Make You Love Me (Diana Ross & The Supremes) – MoTown heaven!
4. Where Peaceful Waters Flow (Gladys Knight and The Pips) – see point 3.
5. If You Want Me To… (Ginny Owens) – A really simple Christian ballard about life
6. Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer (brass band and choir) – Because sometimes, a brass band and a rousing chorus is all you need to get you through the day
7. Be Thou Near To Me (Selah and Amy Perry) – if I’m on a desert island, I’m going to need some kind of spiritual backing
8. Bless the Broken Road (Rascall Flatts) – a gorgeous song sung by an excellent band
9. I’ve Got to Sing My Song (Oleta Adams of "Get Here" fame) – a brilliant song which really captivates her life and has some useful principals which we could all learn from.
10. Walking in Memphis (Marc Cohn) – perfect for sitting on the beach and singing along
11. Love At First Sight (Kylie Minogue) – No desert island existence would be complete without her!
12. How Will I Know (Whitney Houston) – see point 11.
13. Empty Chairs At Empty Tables (Michael Ball and the cast of Les Miserables) – I’m going to need a song to blow the cobwebs away and attract attention. This fits the bill nicely.
14. Old Blue Chair (Kenny Chesney) – has the brilliant line: "I’ve read a few books, wrote a few songs, looked at my life – where it’s going, where it’s gone."
15. What a Little Moonlight Can Do (Dianne Reeves) – jazzy nights in
16. He Does It Better (Marya Josie/Gilles Peterson) – jazzy remix
17. In the Waiting Line (Simple Things) – perfect lazy evenings
18. Madama Butterfly (Puccini) – such raw emotion
19. Saturday Sun (Nick Drake) – the perfect bedtime/early morning song
What’s yours?
