Desert Island Lists?

I’m sure that Nick Hornby isn’t solely responsible for my obsession with writing lists and making ‘Top Tens’, but i’m sure that High Fidelity was the novel which gave validation to my constant scribbling on post -notes.

Like Hornby, many of my lists concern music (favourite cover versions, top ten songs with guest vocalists, etc) and football (all time Premier League XI, top ten Ryan Giggs goals, and so on). But often they are more prosaic – shopping lists, things i have to look forward to, meals i’ll eat during the week, ad infinitum. In order to make myself feel better about the lack of activity in my life i often write ‘to do’ lists with simple tasks such as ‘having a bath’ on them just so that i have something i can cross off – this pathetic endeavour instils in me an ill-deserved sense of achievement.

I also have what i’m sure is the extremely annoying habit of asking people what their ‘favourite’ is. Often these enquiries refer to food: I don’t feel i know someone properly until i know what their favourite crisps are.

With this in mind, i’ve taken to asking people what their Desert Island Discs would be. The show has been broadcast for years, and i rarely listen to it unless i have a specific interest in the subject of that particular episode but that hasn’t stopped it becoming my favourite way of judging people – you can tell a lot about a person by their selections.

For those unfamiliar with the format, a guest is asked along to the studio and interviewed by Kirsty Young who asks them to intersperse their interview with a selection of songs which they would take with them were they to be cast adrift on the eponymous desert island. These choices are single tracks rather than albums and the subject can pick eight songs. They are also given a copy of the Bible, the complete works of Shakespeare, a book choice of their own and one luxury item.
So here are my choices.

1. Newborn by Elbow
2. Lonely Soul by UNKLE
3. Last Goodbye by Jeff Buckley
4. Many Rivers To Cross by Jimmy Cliff
5. La Ritournelle by Sebastian Tellier
6. Hurricane by Bob Dylan
7. The Private Psychedelic Reel by The Chemical Brothers
8. Tender by Blur

Of course, it’s impossible not to leave out dozens of brilliant songs. Amazingly, there is no Radiohead on my list but this is primarily because i see them as an ‘album’ band. Elvis Presley’s Suspicious Minds has missed out along with Interpol’s Slow Hands. But there cannot be room for everyone.

It’s no coincidence that a lot of the songs on my list are extremely long. The way i see it, if i only have eight tracks to last me until i’m rescued, i may as well string them out as long as possible. There’s nearly an hour of music here and that suits me just fine. Many of the songs are multi-layered with distinctly different parts – Lonely Soul, for example is almost like four songs in one and as such represents amazing value for a man with only seven other tunes in his life.

I’ve also seen all but one (Hurricane) performed live. Many of those performances stirred my feelings enormously – not least singing Tender back to Blur at Glastonbury 2009 and a tearful singalong to Jimmy Cliff. Those moments stay with you and add real emotional depth and context. Having just read the list back i’ve also realised that many of my choices are about break-ups or being alone. That certainly wasn’t a conscious decision – i’ll need to consult Freud to see what that says about me.

As for the books, Shakespeare is obviously welcome. The Bible would be of less use to me, but once i’d read the Old Testament i could use the rest of it as toilet paper. My own choice is a difficult one – there seems little point taking slim volumes like The Great Gatsby, so i’ll settle for something considerably thicker but no less entertaining – a collection of Bill Hicks’ articles, interviews and routines: Love All The People.

It’s very tempting to opt for a smart-arsed luxury item – a speedboat maybe? – but i’ll stick to a more sensible option and take my tent with me. I bloody love that tent, and as much fun as i’m sure it is trying to emulate Bear Grylles and Ray Mears i’d rather just chuck my pop-up house on the beach and shelter in there.

Please leave your own choices, criticise mine or leave your own Desert Island Discs below. I’m genuinely interested and it’ll save me chewing your ear off by asking when i see you...