This Christmas I spent more hours than I care to think about sitting in the car – it’s a nice car (in British racing green as well, could you get any snobbier?) but still, there are only so many long car journeys a girl can take in one festive season before she starts to dream of walking places.
One of the reasons I enjoy long journeys is that they give me time to work through story lines, think about the blog, and generally ponder life. It also gives me time to listen to the radio and catch up on music I don’t normally get a chance to listen to (for some reason I rarely/never play the radio when I’m at home). Long tradition means that when the Crazy Canalman and myself are in the car the radio is either tuned to Radio 4 or Radio 2 as attempts to inflict our own tastes in music on each other are just doomed to failure. Or constant replayings of the one Queen album that can be found lurking in the back of the glove box which is just as bad.
This week it was Radio 2 that was playing for the majority – there’s something quite soothing about sitting in a traffic jam, listening to the traffic report and have the lovely Becky tell you that you’re stuck in a traffic jam because some fool’s run out of petrol and is parked across both lanes of the A34. Or that half the country has also decided today would be a good day to pop out shopping to Cribbs Causeway.
But I digress.
One recurring feature that was running throughout the week was peoples CD CV’s. The life of a chosen listener as illustrated by the music that meant the most to them at given milestones. It got me to thinking of all the music in my life and what it means to me so I bring you my CD CV:
The first song you ever bought?
Lemon Tree by Fools Garden.
This was in the German charts when I was over in Hamburg as part of an exchange. I never bought music up till that point (in fact even now I rarely by CD’s though I love listening to music) but this song captured so perfectly the trip that I just had to own it. Crazy Euro-rock-pop. Nothing like it 😀
The song that led to your first popstar crush?
Ten Good Reasons by Jason Donovan.
It might not even have been this particular song, but it was definitely something equally hideous by JD (perhaps my fatal fascination with all men who’s names begin with J comes from this time?) When he smiled it was like he was smiling just for me… The worst part of it is that when I found the tape lurking in a drawer a few months back and played it – I could still remember all the words!
The song that reminds you of your first true love?
London Calling by The Clash.
What more can I say? He was a bit of a traditionalist at heart.
A song that’s guaranteed to make you dance?
Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations.
It just gets me going every time and brings a smile to my face when I think of the first time I danced to the track. It was the first week of the first year at Liverpool and Smith, Mike, Bimbostar and myself were out on our first night… The rest, as they say, was history 😉
Your favourite holiday track?
Wig Wam Bam by The Sweet.
I just have so many happy memories of road-trips with my Dad; the Sweet blaring out of the car stereo, the windows down, sea air whipping our hair, singing at the top of our lungs to the complete nonsense lyrics.
The song you’d most like to sing on stage?
Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World.
I can think of other songs that might be more fun to sing on stage, but this one brings a lump to my throat whenever I hear it. I’d love the chance to get up and sing it for my Granddad who died before I got a chance to make him proud of me.
The most embarrassing record you ever bought?
This wasn’t already covered by Jason Donovan or Fools Garden?
Oops… by Britney Spears.
You’re probably not going to believe me when I say it was for my Mum, but it was!
The one song you wish you’d written?
Unwell by Matchbox Twenty.
Writing is my thing. It is how I make sense of my world and try to explain what is going on in my head to other people, yet nothing I could ever write would come close to doing justice to how I felt for many years as this one song does. Not only are the lyrics astounding, pertinent and insightful, but the melody is beautiful and the entire song a work of genius that sends tingles up my spine whenever I listen to it.
The best guitar riff ever?
Driven By You by Brian May.
So it was a song written for a Ford advert, but that man can do something with a guitar and my heart still soars every time I hear that middle bridge.
Your favourite love song?
Love Song For No One by John Mayer.
Good music is when the artist sings of emotions you are aware of. GREAT music is when the artist makes you realise something you hadn’t know before. It was listening to this song that made me realise I was in love after all, despite pretending the contrary to everyone around me. Plus, it’s just a beautiful song.
The track that reminds you of your best mates?
Eternal Flame by the Bangles.
There’s something to be said for walking through a moonlit Borneo jungle singing this song at the top of your lungs knowing the only living creatures for miles around are a few flying foxes and some Orang Utan’s. And twenty other students from your college bio class out there on holiday with you. Romantic, nah. Happy memories? Hell yeah!
So what’s your CD CV?
~ 
