I Likes What I Likes

Before you read on, I must let you know that I’m in a lot of pain and drugged up to the eyeballs so you have been warned.

I read in the Guardian online today that Ed Miliband aparently has no music taste because of the tunes he chose for Desert Island Discs. On the plus side, Kitty Empire, the paper’s resident pop critic, did damn him with faint praise saying that his choices had a “warped sincerity” to them.

While I am fine with critics giving their opinion of music – that is their job after all – I am most definitely NOT OK when they start to criticise one’s personal musical choices. I have never had a cool or trendy taste in music. My first loves were The Osmonds and Tchaikovsky. Even in the 1970s, these were deemed ‘cheesy’. Punk passed me by at the time although now I can look back at the movement and enjoy quite a lot of it. But I like what I like and take issue with anyone who dares to criticise me for it.

My favourite songs tend to come and go anyway. I am always discovering new artists to add to my list of favourites and it is inevitable that time dulls what used to sound fresh and exciting to my ears. But my likes and my likes and it is not the job or Ms. Empire or any other critic to tell me Im wrong.

With that in mind, what follows is my DOSBBIS* Island Favourites for November 2013. If you’d like the opportunity to have your own say and share your favourites, please contact me and I will happily offer up my blog for you to be loud and proud, regardless of what I or anyone else thinks.

First is a recent find, Bad Things by Jace Everett. Ive never watched it but apparently it’s the theme music to True Blood. I just love his sexy voice and lyrics and it makes me smile.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDY42pFwq7c]

Next up is Pause by Emily Barker. This is another TV show theme tune – The Shadow Line. I loved the TV show but not as much as I love the haunting melody and voice of Ms Barker.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4i6zWcK6mA]

I played euphonium in the Glasgow Concert Band in my teens. They introduced me to Vaughan Williams and his English Folk Song Suite makes me very happy. The second movement, Seventeen Come Sunday is what I want played at my funeral. I also want a clown giving out balloon animals. And I am absolutely serious about this so if it doesn’t happen, I’m coming back to haunt you.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-i44zPrV2E]

My penultimate choice today is Wild is The Wind by David Bowie. This is one of the few occasions when I think a cover has surpassed the original artist (Nina Simone) I long to have someone sing to me, “Don’t you know you’re life itself?” I’d be jelly. Total utter. wibbly-wobbly jelly.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbpMpRq6DV4]

And finally, here in all it’s camp, wonderful glory is Tim Curry as Frank N Furter singing I Can Make You A Man. Take it away Frank!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P27au5OicbI]

So it’s over to you. If you’d like to share your taste, use the Let’s Keep In Touch page or PM me on Facebook or Twitter. I look forward to sharing your choices.

*DOSBBIS means Deserted Off Season But Busy In Summer. Naturally.