Ok, I’m now slightly north of 60. Can’t pretend that I’m not. As you may remember I skipped My Desert Disc choices last year, I came back to it again this year (This is how old I’m getting, upon further review, I didn’t skip them, I just posted them a day earlier than usual.). My high priced lawyers from ACME have urged me to avoid copyright issues with the BBC, so a few years ago, I teamed up with Toho Studios and renamed my Desert Island Discs selections, Godzilla’s Atoll LPs, brought to you by ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour.
(In case you’ve never heard of the BBC show Desert Island Disc – people are asked what music they would bring with them if they were stranded on an island for an indefinite period of time.
Here are the rules:
1.) You make choose 8 pieces of music and tell me why you chose them.
2.) You then get to choose one book to take with you (you automatically get to take the Complete Works of Shakespeare and either the Bible or another appropriate religious or philosophical work.)
3.) You get to choose one luxury, which must be inanimate and of no use in escaping the island or allowing communication from outside. (You can cheat here – since you can listen to music, there is some form of electric, so you may have refrigeration for your luxury item.)
There is nothing profound or deep in my Godzilla’s Atoll LP choices – they’re just songs that I like (in no particular order)
Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd
This year, I remembered Pink Floyd and this is one of my favorite songs – but I think that choosing your favorite Pink Floyd cut is like choosing you favorite kid. As it is mentioned on many websites, the song contains the greatest guitar solo ever – I will enjoy blasting this on the beach.
Caroline, No – The Beach Boys
I don’t think I’ve ever chosen a Beach Boys song. And yet this is an easy choice – the saddest song ever recorded. Plus, I will continue to think about whether or not the tile is really Carol I Know or not.
Jersey Girl – Tom Waits
This is the best Bruce Springsteen song that Springsteen never wrote (he’s covered it live at his concert for years.) While Mrs. Dr. Caligari is definitely not a Jersey girl, I often think of her when I hear this song.
Autumn Leaves – Rickie Lee Jones
I never seem to remember to list one of her songs and yet she is one of my favorite performers. This is one of those multi-giving choices – I really like her version but I can remember so many others while I listen to her. I could occupy many an afternoon comparing this version to countless others.
Almost Blue – Chet Baker
On a desert island, you need a 5 PM songs – this is the perfect 5 PM song. And it’s a twofer because I can compare it to the original version by Elvis Costello.
Haitian Divorce – Steely Dan
My annual dilemma, choosing the Steely Dan cut. I’ve often said that I probably don’t need a Steely Dan song; I could call them up at will in my mind. I’m always amused by the movie reference in the middle of the song. And as usual, I won’t forget my Steely Dan tshirt!
Goodbye – Frank Sinatra
I’ve gone with the earlier Sinatra this year, although I still partial to the bossa nova hits; why wouldn’t you listen to a bossa nova Sinatra song while you’re on a desert island. I was going to go with If You Are But A Dream but I remembered this one and why not go with the full out heartbreak one.
Jimmy Scott – Nothing Compares 2 U
I seem to have taken a sad turn with my songs this year; I’m not really sure why. But I dare you not to tear up listening to this. I want to have them play Jimmy Scott singing Heaven at my funeral.
The book I’d take with me would be Alban Butler’s Lives of the Saints (hard cover, all four volumes)
I’d have something to do every day reading about 2,565 saints (which works out to about 7 saints a day).
As always, the luxury item would be a refrigerator full of Bombay Sapphire (and maybe, tub of kalamata olivies.)
so that’s eight songs (and that’s all you’re allowed.) This year I feel ok with my choices. I’ll try to get marooned again next year for my birthday, and see how I do.
Demand Euphoria!
The Haus of Dcaligari 