One Girl, One Island, Eight Songs
Kinda My Idea Of Perfection
I’m jumping on yet another bandwagon. Why? Well, because this writing thing is a tough business and coming up with ideas all the time is hard. If someone else wants to give me an idea and I can come up with something halfway cogent to say, I am on it!
This topic has been circulating for a while. It seems everyone has followed Pierce McIntyre’s lead and written about the 8 songs they’d take to a deserted island with them.
To be honest, the thought of being stranded on a deserted island is my idea of absolute heaven! Well, as long as I can have my husband and my dog with me. Oh, and a shit ton of books.
I’m not really a people person. I like my solitude. I like quiet. But I also love music. So, here are the 8 songs I would take to my secluded island paradise, in no particular order:
- Against All Odds — Phil Collins:
This is my very favourite song in life! Period. Full stop. Just is. Judge me if you want, I don’t care.
This 1984 release by Phil Collins was part of the soundtrack for the movie of the same name starring Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward. Fun fact, I’ve never seen the movie. Don’t need to. I’m not one for sitting still for 90 minutes, thanks.
But this song was the literal soundtrack to my life as a teen in the 80s. I cried to it. I held my friends as they cried to it. After well over 30 years, it still gets me in the feels.
2. Brickhouse — The Commodores:
Okay, I love the song but hear me out. I’m Canadian. And in Canada, we loves us some figure skating. And back in the 90s Kurt Browning (the best all-round figure skater to ever grace the ice, fight me on this, try) was a literal god.
I’d never heard Brickhouse. But Lord Jesus, I saw it! Kurt’s exhibition piece made me fall in love with the song. And, well, honestly, I am kinda a Brickhouse, so there’s that.
3. Didn’t Know It Was Love — Survivor:
We can have videos on this island, right? I came late to the Survivor party, but damn, Jimi could have sung the phone book and made it sound good! I just like the song. It wasn’t all that popular, but I like it.
Oh, and video, yeah. Holy cute! A lady’s gonna need some eye candy and well, nummy, nummy. Jimi was cute as hell!
4. Just A Smile — Beri Weber:
Okay, this one’s a bit odd. However, if you know me, it makes sense. I’ve been drawn to Judaism for a long time and in the past 2 years discovered my Jewish ancestry.
I’ll never be Orthodox. I’ll never actually complete the conversion process because I don’t believe in any god. And I won’t pretend.
That said, I do listen to some Jewish music and this cat’s good. And it makes me feel connected to those roots of my little tree.
5. I Want Your Sex — George Michael:
Oh, come on! You didn’t think you were getting out of this without at least some George. He’s pretty much the soundtrack to my pathetic teenage life.
6.My Soul — J. Rent & Wilz:
This is my son. The bald science guy. He started rapping when he was 12 or 13. He’s damn good. He went on to be a successful Pharmaceutical Chemist then gave it up to produce music. Now he’s a pretty big deal on YouTube and produces younger artists.
I kinda wish he’d do more original material because this little ditty based loosely off the TV show Breaking Bad was, in my opinion pretty damn great for little college kids.
I like it, what can I say. It makes me smile. I’m going to need to smile on my island. And he’s my kid.
7. Closing Time — Leonard Cohen:
The man. The poet. The legend. No matter where I go, I’ll need a taste of Canada with me and who better than the master himself?
Forever and Ever Amen — Randy Travis:
That voice melts my heart to this day. And so does the song. It reminds me of my dad, the only man, aside from my husband, who loved me unconditionally and celebrated me for me.
When I was in high school, I hated mornings. But Daddy made them bearable. I was in high school, and the top 7 at 7 from the night before would be broadcast on ABC. We’d watch it and when this song came on, he’d stomp around, dance and sing at the top of his lungs. It became a morning ritual.
It was his way of connecting with a daughter he often could no longer understand and I’d give anything to dance around that awful living room to this song just one more time.
So there they are, my 8 songs I want with me on my island. I could have picked more, but rules are rules. I’ll write some of my own songs, and hubby can sing, so there is that.
But, I’m going to challenge a few of my pals. Courtney Capone, you know I’m looking at you, Lisa Gerard Braun, Jimmy Misner Jr., come on. And anyone else that might want to play along.