As 2015 comes to an end, it’s time to get personal again.
Let’s talk about… music.
My 2014 blog, “Festive 50: From “Every Little Bit Hurts” to “Stay with Me” told how a friend said “you like music – why don’t you tweet about that?”
So I did* (*a quote from one of my favourite Rolling Stones numbers – who can tell me how the lyrics continue without googling?). In December 2013, I began to tweet out “my 100 favourite songs”, often late at night, with the hashtag #LTfaves.
By the Christmas 2014 I’d reached No. 51, “Stay with me” by Lorraine Ellison. You can see the list from 100 to 51 at the link above.
During 2015 I’ve continued to tweet favourite songs. It’s been an enjoyable and evocative trip. I continue to feel sheepish that most are infinitely more predictable than the magnificent John Peel Festive 50s of my youth.
But I hope the list, and the tweets, will help perform a function of blogging by showing that a British diplomat is not necessarily, whatever conspiracy theorists might think, a shape-shifting reptile but can appear a comparatively normal human being.
Although a conspiracy theorist would say: “That’s what the shape-shifting reptiles want you to think”.
A fine way to enjoy the list is to go to Twitter, search #LTfaves, and browse. But for some reason it’s a bit patchy. So here’s a list of my 2015 “Festive 50”:
50 Suzanne – Leonard Cohen
49 The Lemon Song – Led Zeppelin
48 Loving and Free – Kiki Dee
47 Woodstock – Joni Mitchell
46 Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles
45 You Learn – Alanis Morissette
44 Radio Head – Talking Heads
43 I’m a Believer – The Monkees
42 Nine Million Bicycles – Katie Melua
41 Shrimp Boats – Dollar Brand/Abdullah Ibrahim
40 Highway Patrolman – Bruce Springsteen
39 Wish You were Here – Pink Floyd
38 I Will – The Beatles
37 God is a DJ – Pink
36 Hot Hot Hot – Arrow (from one of my favourite British Overseas Territories, Montserrat)
35 I’m in Love with a German Film Star – The Passions
34 Down to Zero – Joan Armatrading
33 African Sun – Dollar Brand/Abdullah Ibrahim
32 Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan
31 Way Back ‘50s – African Jazz Pioneers
30 Everyday is a Winding Road – Sheryl Crow
29 Good Day Sunshine – The Beatles
28 Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
27 Help Yourself – Tom Jones
26 One Vision – Queen
25 Walk on the Wild Side – Lou Reed
24 Smells like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
23 Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Nina Simone
22 Perfect Day – Lou Reed
21 Just a Song – Dollar Brand/Abdullah Ibrahim
20 Hand in my Pocket – Alanis Morissette
19 Pata Pata – Miriam Makeba
18 Peaceful Easy Feeling – The Eagles
17 Mean Old World – Chuck Berry (The 1972 London Sessions version)
16 Moondance – Van Morrison
15 How do you Feel – Jefferson Airplane
14 Amoreuse – Kiki Dee
13 I’ll Follow the Sun – The Beatles
12 Leaving on a Jet Plane – Peter, Paul and Mary
11 Walla Mokoko – Mpharanyana (can anyone find this on-line?)
10 Into the Mystic – Van Morrison
9 Thank You – Led Zeppelin
8 Solid Air – John Martyn
7 South City Midnight Lady – The Doobie Brothers
6 And I Love Her – The Beatles
5 It’s a Long Way to the Top – AC/DC
4 Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye – Leonard Cohen
3 Still Crazy After All These Years – Paul Simon
2 Love and Affection – Joan Armatrading
1 Bra Timing from Phomolong – Dollar Brand
Special mentions go to:
– Abdullah Ibrahim, formerly Dollar Brand, who occupies the No.1 with the wonderful “Bra timing from Phomolong”. Picture a train rumbling through the townships;
– Sentez College in Sakarya, #Mastersofsocialmedia, for playing “Get it On” by T Rex when I arrived there earlier this month. Excellent song;
– LM Radio, broadcasting from what is today Maputo, for providing the sound-track to the key 1964-70 period. For current music and lots of other good stuff, check out BBC iPlayer.
Thanks for listening.
Follow Leigh Turner on Twitter @LeighTurnerFCO