What Are Your Desert Island Discs?

 

Recently, a friend had asked if I had ever listened to Desert Island Discs? I hadn't. But then they told me what it was. I was immediately struck by the fact that I had never heard of it.

The BBC4 radio programme, hosted currently by Lauren Laverne, has been on the air since 1942. That's ~3,000 episodes! Each guest, or castaway, is asked what eight recordings (doesn't have to be music), a book, and a luxury item that they would take with them if they were cast off to a deserted island. For each selection, the guest discusses a bit of their life as part of this choice and the reason for the selections. At the conclusion of the episode, they pick their all-time favorite recording. 

Also, guests are given the Complete Works of Shakespeare and the appropriate religious/philosophical work for them. They are allowed to select one more book to take with them.

And one luxury itemis also allowed with specific instructions that it cannot be used to escape the island and cannot be living. John Cleese got around this by asking for Michael Palin ... dead and stuffed. 

Coincidentally, the first episode I listened to was Robert Plant. While closely matching his most recent answer to what his favorite ten songs of all time. I am so excited now to be obsessed with the show and cannot wait for the newest episode of the lovely Scottish actor, Alan Cumming.  

So, I figured I would answer these questions myself and take a deep dive into music that has been a part of my life. 

This was very difficult, I have to say. I looked at it through the lens of remembering music early on and its deep impact, through major music "ah ha" moments, as well as music that defines parts of my life. While noticeably missing bands and musicians like Led Zeppelin, The Clash, U2, Tina Turner, Crowded House INXS, Culture Club, David Bowie, Queen, The Doors, Neil Diamon, The Band, Edith Piaf, Victor Jara, The Police, Madonna, The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, Bill Withers, and Metallica ... you get the idea. 

So here we go. 

Disc One: American Trilogy – Elvis

Elvis was very present in my early life. My grandmother loved Elvis gospel. My mother loved Aloha from Hawaii. This one really always stuck with me for some reason. There is a passion, his iconic voice, and that note shift at the end. It's all magic and a reminder to me that music has always been present in my life. 

Disc Two: Do They Know It’s Christmas – Band Aid

You may say it's cheating, it kind of is, but so many of my 80's artists are in this song. These are the ones who I listened to on my cassette player obsessively. This also reminds me of Christmas and I would want that feeling if I were a castaway.

This also takes me back to the feeling that Live Aid gave me and to understand that music can do good for others. 

Disc Three: Don't Let Me Down - Beatles

This one was so very difficult to chose one - but The Beatles definitely had a dramatic impact on my life. I was obsessed with them after I graduated from high school and it really pushed me to want to move to NYC more than Tina Turner or Cyndi Lauper had. There are so many different feelings to The Beatles, from young and innocent, to angry, to love. 

Don't Let Me Down is the one I would take with me because it has all of The Beatles (including Billy Preston), is a very powerful song that also was written at a pivotal time in The Beatles career, and you can really get a sense of each Beatle's influence in the song. 

Disc Four: Life Without You – Stevie Ray Vaughan

The blues were introduced to me at an early age by my neighbors. There was something about Stevie Ray. Stevie died a week after my dad and there was something so raw in my reaction. I realized his music was what I had been turning to for therapy when my dad was sick. Stevie was his music and his guitar was a part of him. He was 100% in his music. Stevie was also love and light to me. He came so close to losing it all and poured his heart and soul into his guitar and music. This song, it captures my soul every time to hear the passion, his plea for love, and that talent that he had and that we lost. 

Disc Five: Just for Today – George Harrison

Another difficult one. George is my spiritual guru. He's who I look to if I need peace and if I need to not take myself so seriously. This one reminds me of when I first was introduced to George. Could Nine's big hit at the time was Got My Mind Set on You. I would play it every time I went to Pizza Hut for my Book It personal pan pizza. While there are so many wonderful and moving George songs, this is the one for its purity and reminder to be in the present. 

Disc Six: Grace – Jeff Buckley

What can I say about Jeff? I was thousands of miles away from home in Sydney when I first heard his voice. Grace to me is a reminder of our fragile state and being ready for the inevitable fate that we all have. Jeff completely changed me. 

Disc Seven: Sinnerman – Nina Simone

It was through Jeff Buckley that I was introduced to Nina's powerful music. While a powerful and wonderful talent, it's her activism, and her drive that is a standard that I want to always have with me. 

Disc Eight: Crush – Dave Matthews Band

You may be thinking ... what? Dave Matthews Band has been a soundtrack in my life since the band formed. Introducing my then boyfriend (no my mister) to Dave in 2002 was special. This song, when he finally "heard" it and understood what it was about when we were at The Gorge in 2018 has to be on my list. It was the first time I ever saw someone "get" a song. When we got back to Seattle, he told me that if he could write ever write a song, that was the song he'd write for me. 

 

BOOK CHOICE: The Master and Margarita – Mikhail Bulgakov

Easy peasy choice. This is my all-time favorite book and I can't imagine not having this with me at any given time. I learn more about it each time I read it, which is every October. 

Luxury item: Moisturizer

Castaway's favorite: Crush - Dave Matthews Band

So, did you think you were going to guess all my choice? As I wrote this, I made a point to listen to each song and it was an amazing experience of reflection. Even if you don't blog it out, try it. Listen to those songs and why you might choose them.