So is anyone going to Electric Picnic? I am. I can’t wait.It’s not for everyone I know. Three days living in a tent, sleeping on the ground. Exposed to the elements. Wind and rain a constant threat.
Mud so thick that you can’t even lift your funky wellies with the pictures of dolly mixtures out of it
Then there is the issue hygiene. You are basically living in a field with thousands of strange people. The queues for the showers are least an hour wait, so most people don’t bother. And I won’t even start on the dubious bathrooms.
So I can appreciate the reluctance of some people to give up their luxuries for a weekend and slum it in the middle of the Irish countryside but have you considered all the things you’re missing out. The camaraderie with 33,500 people who are all there for a good time. The experience of sitting in the middle of a forest at 4a.m chatting to some guy you’ve never met before about how his hand is made of chocolate cake.
There is comedy, movies, spoken word. You can see some stuff ‘ as gailge’ and I think this year there is a cookery stage. What more could you ask for. Oh I almost forgot. The Music.
Really that’s why everyone is there. The Music. And who can blame them. Music is a great unifier. People from all walks of life sharing a musical moment are truly a beautiful thing. Music has the power to inspire. It is emotive and provocative. All the best music should make you feel….something.
There is a scene in Father Ted where Ted manages to turn the life of young Father Kevin (played by Tommy Tiernan) with the power of music. Kevin goes from experiencing ’ the dark night of the soul’ to a new found happiness with the help of one of the all time Funk classics.
That is the thing that makes me most appreciative of music. The ability to change ones demeanour and outlook on life with the power of a simple three minute pop song. The way you can go from fed up, stressed and hung-over, to dancing around the room with just the first couple of bars of a tune. It doesn’t matter what type of song it is really.
I was going through my computer to see what music I have that is guaranteed to make me feel good. I wanted to come up with a play list I could share with you. Initially I had a collection of one hundred, put a smile on my face songs. Far too many for the purposes of this blog.
So I set about reducing that number to something more manageable. I tried to come up with more specific criteria for my mix.
The first thing I did was get rid of songs that made me smile just because of the name. I’m a grown up, I should have good reasons for liking a song. Out went Sexy Coffee Pot by Tony Alvoin and the Belairs. That was shortly followed by Chef’s Chocolate Salty Balls. What can I say…I’m a grown up but I never said I was mature.
Next went the songs that I might be embarrassed for my friends and readers to know about. Songs I know I shouldn’t like but I’ll be darned if I can’t help bobbing my head and singing along when they are played. Goodbye Take That- Shine, Gwen Stefani- Hollaback Girl and Avril Lavigne- Complicated (I just really like singing along to that song for some reason.)
Then it was a case of wading through, arguing, and counter arguing. Justifying why each song was there and why each one deserved to be in the top 20. In the end I came up with a list some thing like this.
Ob La Di Ob La Da- The Beatles I know what your thinking. Of all the great songs The Fab Four produced why go with the Sesame Street one? Firstly you have to remember its songs that make me happy not songs that I necessarily think are the best. I could write a whole other piece on The Saddest or Angriest Songs, but I’m doing joy this week.
Secondly, when I was in primary school, one of the songs we learned was ‘When I’m 64’ by The Beatles. After that I was really taken with their songs that told a little story. Lennon and McCartney have always been able to capture little slices of life usually with great humour. This one is one of my favourites.
One Day Like This- Elbow. This is a fantastic anthem. Something to get you out of your seat, throwing your arms in air, embracing the day and shouting ‘Come on world.’ It’s inspiring and stirring. Just a really good song.
I also like the fact that Elbow have finally started to get the recognition they deserve after years of plugging away as a some what of a cult band. In a time when manufactured pop tripe is more rampant and overgrown than ever, it’s good to see real musicians getting their due.
Ooh La La- Goldfrapp. Silly words with a catchy tune. Sometimes that’s all you need. Impossible not to sing along with or dance to.
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick- Ian Dury and the Blockheads. This reminds me of my dad. I remember him singing this when I was younger and thinking it was fantastic. I don’t give my Dad a lot of props on this blog. So this is a dedication to Brendan.
Valerie- Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse. I really like Amy Winehouse. She is a disaster obviously but she has a fantastic voice and her songs have real soul to them. This is not one of her songs. It is a great sing along tune though and it reminds me of a really fun Mark Ronson gig I went to with one of my favourite people in the world.
Let’s Get it On- Marvin Gaye. I would never intentionally put this song on in an effort to woo or seduce a woman. I do however have a tendency to play all my music on random. Which has once or twice in the past led to this Motown classic coming on at an inappropriate moment?
It’s hard to take anything seriously with this playing in the background. Its either so cheesy its sexy or so sexy its cheesy And while I should be mortified by the idea of my lady friend laughing out loud just as I’m to ‘make my move,’ so to speak, it is a memory I hold dear. She knows who she is.
July- Mundy. This song also has leads to strong memories of a lady from my past. No story, I just though it had to go in here.
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover- Paul Simon. This song about a man who just can’t stump up the courage to leave a flailing relationship always makes me smile. Despite his millions and millions of albums sold, sell out concerts worldwide and longevity of career which has to be at least 50 years now, I just don’t think Paul Simon gets all the credit he deserves.
Hey yea! - Outkast. I love Outkast. If I was so inclined I would suggest they mix Dope Rhymes with Phat Beats. Thankfully I’m that way inclined. I will however say there infectious rap-RnB-pop sensibilities do make me want to ‘shake it like a Polaroid picture’ as they suggested in this, their Magnus Opus.
Peaches- The Presidents of the United States of America. The year is 1997. In a damp, dark house on Yellow Road, Co Waterford, three students survive on what can only be described as a ‘pot luck’ diet and a love of IndiePop and Rock music. Peaches represents a time when I was really getting into music. It’s fast, loud, hectic and funny. It sparks fond memories of good times spent with great friends. For the same reasons I’m also selecting- Hobo Humping Slobo Babe- Whale. I loved that video, girl with braces…weirdly sexy.
Ebeneezer Goode- The Shamen. This song with the subliminal message was released when I was secondary school. Everyone in my class thought it was clever and funny because essentially it was promoting ecstasy and it got to Number one in the charts. I’ve never taken ecstasy but I can appreciate a subversive little ditty.
I also remember singing it in the van driven by one of the Christian Brothers on the way back from a football match. And finally the clincher, the video starred Jerry Sadowitz who was the most controversial comedian of the time and someone who I thought was pretty cool.
Darling Nikki- Prince. I had to have a Prince song obviously. It was hard to settle on just one. I think I went for Darling Nikki because I can remember tittering the first time I heard it. Prince at his overtly sexual best.
Common People- Pulp. I think Jarvis Cocker is brilliant. He’s cool, funny, and urbane. If I ever have a dog I’m going to call him Jarvis. I probably wouldn’t call him Damon because Damon Albarn is a bit of a tosser. That doesn’t stop me including Parklife- Blur in the list though.
Back when it was important I was more Oasis than Blur. As time has shown, I got that one wrong. Parklife and Common People are two of the biggest songs from the ‘Britpop’ era. They both, for me anyway, have stood the test time as witty little pop songs, with funny imaginative videos and a certain feelgood 'Je ne sais quoi'.
The Rest of the list I have decided to hand over to Stevie Wonder. Believe me when I tell you, nothing is ever bad when your listening to Stevie.
I could have tried to choose one song of his. I could have picked ‘As’ ahead of ‘Living for the City’ or ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ before Master Blaster(Jammin.) I could have even picked ‘Sir Duke’ before ‘Superstition’ but then what about ‘I Believe When I Fall in Love’ or ‘I wish’ or….you get the idea.
I have endured the most horrendous days in work, hung-over to hell, tired, smelly and cranky. I was able to get through it all with the help of Mr Wonder. Plug in your earphones, close your eyes and shut out the world.
Don’t you worry about a thing because with Stevie to look after you, everything is going to be alright. Uptight. Out of sight even. So there you go. A list of songs that make me happy.
If you want to see the whole list of 100 you can find them here. Just don’t ask me to justify some of them. Maybe you’ll do your own list. It’s only fair. I’ve shown you mine…now show me yours.
