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My first choice is In My Life by The Beatles. I have raised my children to understand that we are all born with the music of The Beatles in our souls; whether we like it or not. When you hear a great Beatles’ song for the first time it is as if you have heard it before. I could have filled the whole desert island with their music, and this song might not even be my favourite. However, I love that in a few minutes we hear all about life, love and death. Lyrics that superficially appear to be about a love affair are in fact about much more than that (the song was written when Lennon was confronted with the tragic early death of a childhood friend and once member of the band). Lennon beautifully captures the way our memories are what keep us alive even if the things we remember aren’t what they seem. I love the delicate guitar riff and the unusual drum rhythm which only Ringo could have come up with. The twist of the baroque piano solo (played by George Martin and then sped up on the record) in the middle of a pop song perfectly captures how unique The Beatles’ approach to their music was. It is also a favourite song of my wife Karina which we have listened to together over many happy and sad moments over the years. CLICK HERE
My next choice is Five Years by David Bowie. I am fascinated by Bowie and all his many facets. For me, this song captures everything I love about him and his music. Only Bowie would write a song about the end of the world, but with the conceit that the world is told that it will happen in five years. The eye for the theatrical and absurd is all there in the characters he draws. It’s one of the rare band of songs that starts with a famous drum beat (which is meant to sound like the ticking clock) and then it builds to the climax. I remember sitting down to play it at the piano in our old flat on the night that Bowie died (inspired by the wonderful footage on the evening news of the Kelvingrove organist playing Life on Mars in tribute earlier that day: well worth looking up on You Tube). CLICK HERE I have to include a hymn or carol. There are so many from which to choose and which have meaning and significance for me. But I have decided on Silent Night. Christmas is a special time for my family because I was married a week before Christmas and our first daughter Georgia was born the following year on Christmas day. I think I would miss the cosy winter nights and the peaceful side of Christmas on the island. This carol would take me there and mark the memories. Apart from anything else, it is a simply beautiful piece of music. I am not fussed as to which version, provided it is at the correct tempo and sung by a choir. CLICK HERE I must now shatter the peaceful tranquillity with Led Zeppelin. This is another of my great loves. There has never been a sound like it and never will be again. I will take anyone on who suggests that there is any other band where every player in the group is arguably one of the greatest of all time. There is no weak link in Led Zeppelin. I could have chosen so many of their songs for so many reasons, but it just has to be Stairway to Heaven. This is perhaps an unusual choice for the superfan. Why not an obscure album track? The reason is that everything that is great about Led Zep is on display in this song. Folk, lore, grandeur, rock and the most famous guitar solo of all time. I think of listening to it with my friends as a teenager (when it was very uncool to like music like this); and still listening to it with them now. CLICK HERE Les Miserables is a firm favourite of all generations in our house. I am very fussy about musicals. I like only a select group but those that I like, I like very much. I never failed to be moved by the music, characters and story of Les Miserables and think it is the finest example of musical theatre there is (albeit we have become Hamilton obsessives over lockdown). The themes are incredibly complicated (redemption, faith, morality, mortality, revolution, justice and so on) but the story told so well with very simple and beautiful music and lyrics. I performed in a production many years ago and have many happy memories of that time (do not tell anyone, but I managed to secrete a copy of the full score safe for use at sing-songs for the lucky few). My son Andrew was at one point probably the only three year old in Scotland who could sing whole passages from the show (playing multiple characters at once). So, music from Les Mis would make me think of all of these things. The song here has to be One Day More. Frankly, you can’t beat an emotive descending chord sequence multi-song multi-character mash-up in a musical or indeed anywhere else. It’s moving and rousing and full of pathos. The version has to be the one from the 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. CLICK HERE My last choice is Nina Simone’s version of Here Comes the Sun. She was one of the great artists of the 20th century and her interpretations of the blues and great American songbook are all masterful. Trained as a classical pianist, she infused a grounding in Bach with jazz and blues. I have been a huge fan of her work since I was a teenager. I love the warm production of the song and the piano solo in the middle is a superb example of her blend of classical and jazz. I think it would provide a perfect companion for watching the sun rise or set over the beach on the island. CLICK HERE My luxury item was a tussle between an espresso machine and a piano. It must I think be the latter so that I can access all the songs and artists that I had to leave behind. Honourable mentions here to: The Rolling Stones, Patti Smith, Doves, Radiohead, Ryan Adams, Bob Dylan, The Stone Roses and others. I have found it almost impossible to choose the single book. I am an avid reader of history but have found it difficult to select one book or period. I think I shall have to take my beloved first edition set of Churchill’s History of the English Speaking Peoples. It is true that it is something of a gloss on history, but I would like to be told a comforting story of the land I left behind. Best wishes Scott
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