Happy New Year, everybody! I've been tagged by the chaplain of the Apostate's Chapel to reveal my twenty favourite albums. Oh deary me. Here are some things you should know:
1. I don't rip music off the internet.
2. I'm too much of a skinflint to buy music all the time.
3. I spent most of my childhood listening to classical music, and didn't start paying attention to more modern stuff until I was well into my teens. And yes, I can include classical music in this list, but the stuff I actually listen to these days with any regularity is still a short list.
4. Any attention given by me to (recorded) music -- or movies, for that matter -- has to fit in between the great chunks of time I spend reading fiction.
So, can I come up with as many as twenty albums that I'd like to call favourites? I'm not sure. Let's see . . .
1. Joni Mitchell - Blue
2. & 3. Queen - Greatest Hits I & II
4. k. d. lang - All You Can Eat
5. Crowded House - Recurring Dream (best of)
6. Bic Runga - Drive
7. Madeleine Peyroux - Careless Love
8. Tchaikovsky - Romeo and Juliet Overture (followed by his 5th Symphony, which I usually listen to as well)
9. Dvorak - The New World Symphony
10. Carole King - Tapestry
11. Beatles - Greatest Hits 1967-1970 (and I'd listen to their earlier hits if I had them, of course; see note above about being a skinflint)
12. Alison Moyet - Singles
13. Sting - Fields of Gold (best of)
14. Santana - Supernatural
15. Aretha Franklin - The Very Best Of
No, these aren't in any deliberate order, but I see I've put the four that are closest to my heart first. There are, of course, all manner of albums I'd listen to if I had them. Some of them would even be my favourites. The thing is, though, going out and buying them would entail deliberately setting out to spend money. And I have this rule which states that you mustn't buy anything you don't need unless you really feel like it. It works very well for me. Currently it doesn't allow buying music much. Sure, I'd like to have more stuff, but would I really be that much happier than I already am?
Given that Christmas has been and gone, there's really only one thing for it. I shall have to compile a list of music I'd like to have in time for my birthday. How's that for a flimsy New Year's resolution?
I tag nobody, because this meme has already been all over the place, since I'm late doing it myself. But if you haven't done it, and you want to, feel free.
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5 comments:
I like your list. The two spending vices that I allow myself are books and CDs, although I buy many more of the former than the latter. Since my sons buy more of the latter, and we like the same music, I get to listen to their stuff too. Now, if only I could get them to read some more of my books!
Why does everyone go with "Blue" instead of "Court and Spark"?
I have "Half the Perfect World" by Madeleine Peyroux, which I like some songs off it very much and others I'm not so keen on. What's your opinion of "Carless Love" in comparison or (I realize you may not have heard "Perfect World") why would you recommend "Careless Love?"
Sorry, bad OG! Bad grammar there! I was typing faster than I was thinking.
Alas! I haven't heard 'Perfect World'. I haven't heard 'Court and Spark' either, but I'd say people go with 'Blue' because it's awesome :P It's strong and vulnerable and it tells such complicated stories.
Of course, the same may be true of 'Court and Spark', being as how I've never listened to it.
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