Music
8 Songs- My Desert Island Disc Picks
No Margaritaville, no Islands In the Stream
In All Things Must Pass, that wonderfully bittersweet post-mortem of Tower Records, they eventually come to the part of the story when the wheels really started to fall off.
The part where the banks come in and decide they know what’s best — that they know more than those who spent their lives building the chain.
Like every other takeover of a sinking ship, a few of the wrong things got tossed overboard. Things that are deemed superfluous, but mean a lot to a lot of people.
In aviation that usually means outsourcing the ground handling or ticket counters. In the case of Tower Records, it was the scrapping of their in-house Pulse magazine. A magazine I and my music nerd friends used to ride our bikes across town to get copies of. A magazine whose every word we’d pore over.
Why am I writing an elegy for a long-gone magazine in an article about records I’d want with me on a desert isle?
Because one of the best parts of Pulse was its Desert Island Discs feature. In each issue, they’d ask people to imagine being marooned, and what they’d want the soundtrack to be. We’d read every word in the magazine, but only after first skipping to this. Every list either confirmed someone had the best taste ever or was a heretic. In those days, there was no middle ground.
And maybe that’s the allure of these sorts of exercises. The rush of confirmation or incredulity is tough to resist. To paraphrase Rick James; judgment is a helluva drug.
But so too is making these lists. The decision…The indecision… Did I make the right picks? Is this really what I’d want? What would the people back home think? Did I bring something that’ll make me sing loud enough to get the attention of a passing trawler? How does a record player work in a place with no power?
At any rate, after seeing this challenge coursing through Medium I felt like I had to jump in. If only to honor Pulse magazine, right? I don’t make the rules.
So here’s what made it to shore with me:
1: New Order- The Perfect Kiss. As if there was ever any question. That’s like asking Paul Combs if he’s bringing “Born to Run” along. Automatic selection.
2. John Hiatt- Slow Turning. A perfect song for the messiness of life and road trips-neither of which will exist on my little islet. I want to remember. On the plus side, no one will be around to hear my interminable impression of Hiatt’s voice.
3. Throwing Muses- Fall Down. There’s a point in this track where Kristin Hersh resignedly sighs “Nothing ever happens here; I just wait.” Seems on brand for being stuck on an island. Into the crate it goes.
4. Talking Heads- This Must Be the Place. One of my faves by one of my favorite bands. At some point, I’ll probably realize that I’m never getting off the rock, and the line “home is where I want to be, but I guess I’m already there” will be of comfort.
5. Take That- It Only Takes a Minute. Of course, there’ll be some Stock Aitken Waterman. Dance like nobody’s watching, right? Is anybody else on the island with me? #TeamRobbie
6. Naughty by Nature- Hip Hop Hooray. There will be hip hop. This will be the song. Ever want to know how old someone is? Play this song. If they reflexively wave their arms back in forth above their head, it’s a tell.
7. Wire- In Vivo. It’s always a great time for Wire; even when you’ve been abandoned on a desert island.
8. The Replacements- Hold My Life. Hopefully, someone’ll hold my life until I’m ready to use it (again).
9. Kool & The Gang- Celebration. The soundtrack to my rescue. I know we’re only supposed to bring 8, but ya gotta have hope.
What do you think? Did I get these right, or did I miss the mark? What would you bring?
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