Calaidescope World

More Songs When You're Lost

So Roman (over at http://daddychoy.blogspot.com) blogged that he tried to stay awake while driving from California to Arizona at 11PM. He got to thinking of that infamous "Five CDs I would take if I were marooned on an island" game, and drew up his list.

But he set rules! -
(1) No "Greatest Hits" albums. This is a real bummer for me because that rules out "The Best of the Beatles", Depeche Mode's "The Singles 86>98", "Now that's what I call quite good" by The Housemartins, "The Best of Sting", and "Best of U2 1980-1990" - any of which could easily have landed on my list.
(2) Only one album per artist. What?!

Only 5 CD's? Wait...I really need to think about this one. I can't live without music, period. Back when I was assigned in Bangkok for 9 months (this was in 2001), I survived with these 12 CDs:
(1) "Best of U2 1980-1990" - of course! But this is technically a double CD album. Hehehe.
(2) "Sting: Complete Chicago Sessions" - something I found in the old CD Warehouse shop in Greenhills . I love it!
(3) "Love Deluxe" by Sade (surprise, surprise)
(4) "Let's Get Killed" by David Holmes (the guy who did the music on "Ocean's Eleven". Some of tracks on that film came from this album)
(5) "The Freedom Sessions" by Sarah McLachlan
(6) "Dummy" by Portishead
(7) "Portishead" by Portishead
(8) some trance mix CD that Gars put together for me that had this super extended version of "Silence" by Delirium (featuring Sarah McLachlan)
(9) "The Radio Active Sago Project" by The Radio Active Sago Project - Lord knows how I explained "Baboy" to my Thai officemates.
(10) "Memories Are Cheap: The Best of True Faith 1993-2000" by True Faith
(11) "Songs From the Thievery Hi-Fi" by The Thievery Corporation
(12) "The Chill Out Project" by Anton Ramos

Of course, while I was there, I ended up buying the original sountrack of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Cachaito" by Orlando Cachaito Lopez of the Buena Vista Social Club (fantastic album! Beautiful recording!). Then Jeric and Jerome came over to visit and brought my copy of "Rent", and Jeric gave me the original soundtrack of "Woman on Top" (wonderful album, horrible film).

So, there. My list of essentials while sent to another country on assignment. I can't remember what I brough to Ho Chi Minh City when I was there for a week. I'm sure that Love Spirals Downward, Sting and U2 were there somewhere. Anyway....

Now to cut my list down to 5 that are suitable enough for a deserted island, and following Roman's rules, (in no particular order):
(1) "Rattle and Hum" by U2 - it's not counted as a greatest hits album. Ha!
(2) "Mirrorball" by Sarah McLachlan - also not counted as a greatest hits album, although it has some of the goodies from her earlier releases live.
(3) "Essence and Rare" by Everything But The Girl - an official hard-to-find released-in-Japan only compilation not labelled as "the best of". Roman, I'm getting away with a lot here, hahaha!
(4) This compilation CD I found long ago called "And the winner is..." which has all the original songs from Walt Disney animated films that won "Best Song" at the Oscars up until "Aladdin".
(5) The soundtrack of one of my favorite films, "The Commitments". Everyone needs some soul every once in a while.

Wow, that was hard to do! Can't I bring 20?

(Hahaha! I just remembered that scene from "Lost" when Hurley was listening to a CD on his portable player, then the batteries died. Torture!)

I shouldn't allow myself to get thoroughly depressed on that island, right, so these albums, although among my favorites, are out:
(1) "The Hurting" by Tears for Fears
(2) "Dulcinea" by Toad the Wet Sprocket
(3) Any album by or including PJ Harvey, Lamb, Love Spirals Downward, Mazzy Star, Morcheeba, Portishead, The Slave Drum, Emiliana Torrini.

Other CDs that almost made it on the list:
(1) "Zipless" by Vanessa Daou
(2) "No Need to Argue" by The Cranberries
(3) "Spirit Chaser" by Dead Can Dance - simply because I can't sing along to any of the songs! So that had to go!
(4) "Ah Via Musicom" by Eric Johnson - no lyrics! Except for one or two songs. He should just stick to playing the guitar.
(5) "K" by Kula Shaker
(6) "Protection" by Massive Attack
(7) Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I" with Ben Kingsley, Julie Andrews, Lea Salonga, Peabo Bryson and Martin Sheen
(8) The soundtrack of "The Matrix"
(9) "Bring on the Night" by Sting
(10) "Five Man Acoustical Jam" by Tesla

Ok. I'm lost at work. Got to get back to where my attention belongs....

posted by Calai @ 10:06 AM