"Sue," said my (still un-named) iPod. "How about putting me on Songs/Shuffle and then blogging about the first five tracks that come up? And here's the thing: you have to be honest about the tracks I randomly select. No skipping over rubbish songs to hide your shame, either. What do you think?"
I thought this might be a fun idea (for me at least.)
So here they are.
#1 Orange Juice/Rip It Up.
As soon as this track started I was transported back to the Lyceum in London in the early 80s. I was under the impression that it had been demolished but a quick Google proves it is very much still standing and the current venue for The Lion King.
I was at the Lyceum with my mates for the Capital Radio Junior Best Disco In Town in aid of Help A London Child weekend. It was 29th May 1983, I know this because the words 'Lyceum Disco' are in my Letts Pocket Diary for that year. I had even used fountain pen. I also noted that the number 1 record that week was Candy Girl by New Edition.
Introduced by Gary Crowley we saw a few 'live' acts (in so far as they actually turned up), none of whom I recall except Wham! who mimed, but we didn't care. They were selling cheap calendars to raise money for the charity so we bought some and during Rip It Up we did exactly that with them. Rock 'n Roll eh ?
We did a lot of running round the West End in those days, hunting autographs and semi-stalking Gary Kemp. My parents thought it was a waste of study time and it probably was, but the confidence it gave me on the Tube system was priceless.
Lead singer of Orange Juice Edwyn Collins had a brain hemorrhage (from which he is now recovered) in 2005. He could apparently say only four things at first: Yes, No, his wife's name, and "The possibilities are endless."
Good choices for few words I think.
#2 Ultravox/Vienna
Funny this should be two in the list because that was its highest chart position in 1981. Fabulous track. Sweeping almost orchestral synthesisers on a grand scale and epic moody monochrome video to match it. Video as an art form was still in relative infancy then, so to see such a lavish piece of mini-film was quite the treat. To this day I have no idea why pencil moustachioed mini Midge Ure was in a trench coat in the Austrian capital, walking in the cold air, but it looked and sounded great.
It was famously, kept from the number one slot (which really meant something in those days) by novelty record Shaddap Your Face by cod-Italian Joe Dolce.
All together now: Wassa matter you ? ...
#3 Joss Stone/Fell in Love with a Boy
I'll be honest, I didn't even know this track was on my songs list. I tried to listen to Joss thanging and twanging for the whole 5 minutes 43 seconds but I failed. I'm not sorry.
#4 Andrew Gold/Never Let Her Slip Away
I have mixed feelings about this one. It reminds me of a sad time for our family when this track was poignant but that's too private and painful for a whimsical piece like this.
A neat little pop song this, puts me in mind of hearing it on the radio on a Sunday morning, probably on Noel Edmonds' stint in that slot in the late Seventies. Dad would sit smoking his pipe listening to the stereo and reading the Sunday paper while Mum prepared a roasted Sunday lunch. I love the way he sings of school-day afternoons and Romeo and Juliet. Sweet, and yes, poignant.
#5 Patsy Gallant/From New York to LA
Yes,this track aside, I have never heard of her either. A lyrical, fast paced disco track again from the late Seventies, I'm surprised Rachel Berry hasn't sung this on Glee. I used to sit alone in our front room on Sunday evenings listening to the Top 40 hosted by Simon Bates, with my fingers on play/record on the in-built cassette at the ready. I taped this one more than once I think, I often did that. If the track you liked had gone up the chart that week it was worth taping it again because they'd probably play more of it, or talk less over it. 'Home Taping Is Killing Music ' they used to say. Hardly.
I have included From New York to LA on my iPod's 'NYC' Playlist; one day I'll make it there...<sighs>
<presses pause>
Susie 'acquired musical taste' Sue
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What a brilliant idea Sue, loved this post so much. xxxx
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