I came across this playlist challenge at probably just the right moment. It's not something I'd normally ever entertain but I found it really helpful to focus on. It was a way back into things I'd not listened to in a long time and some of the memories that went along with particular songs or albums. Getting down to 30 songs was tough, but I just kept reminding myself that these aren't my favourite 30 songs, or the 'best' - they're just things that speak to me when I look at each topic.
I put the list together as a whole over about four or five weeks and shuffled a few songs around a couple of categories before it was finished. Weirdly I somehow decided that it was enough to have a list in a spreadsheet and didn't think to listen to it until yesterday (a good few months after I'd finished it).
What follows are my answers, a YouTube link and some explanation as to why I chose that song where I can give it. Again, not the best 30 songs in the world, or even my 30 favourite - just ones that work well. And listening to the list as a whole was, for me, a hugely positive experience. If you have an Amazon Music subscription, you can listen to the whole lot in just 2 hours and 6 minutes here
If you're inspired to have a go, drop me a line on twitter.com as I'm always on the look out for something new.
1. A song with a colour in the title - Little Red Corvette by Prince
There's a few that sprung to mind here - ELO's Mr Blue Sky, Donovan's Mellow Yellow, Eiffel 65's Blue... but I remember hearing this, and more of Prince's music and it's always stuck with me. Purple Rain was another contender but I went with pop to kick off
2. A song with a number in the title - Four Out Of Five by Arctic Monkeys
I will basically fight anyone who says that Alex Turner isn't one of (if not the) greatest lyricists of this generation. A song about a taco stand on the moon called The Information Action Ratio sounds ludicrous but I love it and it was the stand out track on Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino which I listened to non-stop for weeks
3. A song that reminds you of summertime - Plage by Crystal Fighters
I've listened to hardly anything by this group, and I'd not heard this track in years but it immediately sprang to mind. Light, airy and talking about going off down the beach. Summer innit?
4. A song that reminds you of someone you'd rather forget - Don't You Find by Jamie T
The entire song as about remembering people you shouldn't or would rather not and invariably I can't listen to it without mentally ticking off some of those names. Jamie T's entire discography is excellent so would recommend if he's new to you
5. A song that needs to be played loud - I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor by Arctic Monkeys
Yes it's their second track in the first five. Yes they'll appear again. There's no rules and you're not the boss of me... I remember hearing this on a demo CD before their first album came out and being blown away by it. I think history shows that it was a focal point for British music as well. I wore out the album CD I played it that much. I've also seen this live and shouted along with thousands of others. Spine tingling.
6. A song that makes you want to dance - Dancing Queen by ABBA
Potentially a cop-out choice on the face of it, but for me Dancing Queen is associated with two very strong memories. Firstly being the only album we listened to for a week on our A Level German exchange trip and secondly (and more recently) as the finale number for my daughter's ballet school summer performances. It makes me want to dance because it's the only routine I ever know and I sometimes get the chance to embarrass her at class by dancing along.
7. A song to drive to - Bright Lit Blue Skies by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
I'm not sure what to say about Ariel Pink other than he has a lot of interesting and varied music and you should give some of it a listen. This is from his 2010 Before Today album and for me is perfect to have on for a summer evening drive.
8. A song about drugs or alcohol - Blinded By The Lights by The Streets
As a tee-totaller it was hard to find something to personally relate to here. I considered Blur's Coffee & TV as a compromise, but this from The Streets is almost certainly a more appropriate pills and clubs example
9. A song that makes you happy - My Delirium by Ladyhawke
I can't remember how I first heard this, but it's always stuck with me as an upbeat pop number that I have to sing along to. I saw her at the Leadmill in Sheffield too and getting to hear this live was pretty special
10. A song that makes you sad - Five Bottles Of Shampoo by The King Blues
The message in this is a positive and affirming one, but I think as a husband and father, it's still appalling that 'don't be a prick to women' is a still a message that anyone should be talking about. The King Blues are the only punk outfit I've seen live (Fibbers in York) and would urge you to listen to their whole 'Punk & Poetry' album if you're feeling even moderately rebellious
11. A song you never get tired of - One Day Like This by Elbow
I could basically listen to this on repeat for a week. It's beautiful and passionate and just generally perfect. It was also used as the music for a video summary of my daughter's first ever dance show and a couple of years ago the senior girls did a ballet routine to it as well. Lots of wonderful memories associated with a perfect song
12. A song from your pre-teen years - The Sign by Ace of Base
My pre-teen years go up to the early 1990s so there's a wealth of stuff to choose from for this and narrowing it down was nigh on impossible. That said, I can't listen to this without beaming and I think anyone would objectively say it's amazing.
13. A song from the 70s - You're So Vain by Carly Simon
Again - how do you pick one song from an entire decade without having some kind of remorse? Loads of artists fell away here because I just love this song - no grander, but also no better reason
14. A song you'd love to be played at your wedding - Nobody Does It Better by Carly Simon
It felt wrong (and dangerous) to pick anything other than the song we had for our first dance when we got married
15. A song that's a cover by another artist - Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
I'm unashamedly a snob when it comes to cover versions and so this was a fairly small pool to choose from, with Valerie by Amy Winehouse being the other consideration. Buckley's version of this is haunting and powerful and the definitive version for a lot of people
16. A song that's a classic favourite - Don't Stop Me Now by Queen
I'm yet to meet anyone who won't try and sing this at the top of their voice and if that's not the definition of a classic favourite, I don't know what is
17. A song you'd sing a duet with someone on karaoke - Where The Wild Roses Grow by Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue
There's a reasonable argument to be made here that I might find someone to do Kylie's part, but this is a wonderful duet and that in itself was a deciding factor in it making the list. Nick Cave is another one of those people who's lyrics I could listen to forever and he'll pop up again shortly.
18. A song from the year you were born - Start Me Up by The Rolling Stones
Another one where there were a number of contenders (sorry Duran Duran) but I think you can't argue with some classic pop rock that's a toe-tapper
19. A song that makes you think about life - Europe is Lost by Kate Tempest
Obviously none of us can remember a time before Brexit and I think Kate Tempest encapsulated that feeling in this track. Her work in general is clever and astounding. It's hard to pull out individual songs from albums that are essentially complete pieces in themselves, but this is exceptional
20. A song that has many meanings to you - Everything That You've Come To Expect by The Last Shadow Puppets
There's so much odd fantasy in this that I'd almost struggle to give you one thing it means to me. It takes me back to seeing them at Sheffield City Hall, it's a song I play to calm my anxiety when I have bloods drawn and it partly makes me cast my mind back to different people from my past. The bilabial plosives of "dirtbag ballet by the bins down the alley" are also incredibly pleasing
21. A song with a person's name in the title - Stagger Lee by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Loads to choose from here, but this made the list for two reasons. Firstly Nick Cave's ability to tell murderous stories like this is unparalleled and secondly Stagger Lee itself is such an interesting song. A folk song first recorded in 1923 and then retold in different ways by different artists over the years.
22. A song that moves you on - 99 Problems by Jay Z
Jay narrowly beat out Britney's 'Toxic' here which was the first song on my running playlist for years. I'm a big fan of his early stuff on The Black Album as well as Magna Carter and 4:44. I saw 99 Problems live as part of the Watch The Throne tour in Manchester and it was incredible.
23. A song you think everyone should listen to - People's Faces by Kate Tempest
Again, Kate Tempest's ability to tell a story and really see people comes through on this one for me. I think it sparks something different inside all of us and is underpinned by a hypnotic hook. Don't read my words, listen instead
24. A song by a band you wish were still together - Something by The Beatles
Picking a single Beatles track is hard enough but I've always loved Harrison's simple love song. This was another one from our wedding and something I used to sing to Violet when she was born.
25. A song by an artist no longer living - Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division
Ian Curtis died before I was born so I think that qualifies Joy Division for this one. The first 30 seconds of this song alone are enough.
26. A song that makes you want to fall in love - One Hundred and Thirteen by Middleman
Most of us have probably been head over heels in love at some point in our lives, but I don't think anyone has ever managed to put down in words the beauty that we see in someone else the way that this song does. It's spoken-word over gorgeous music and if this doesn't make you want to fall in love then nothing will
27. A song that breaks your heart - Sometime Around Midnight by The Airborne Toxic Event
This is just pure artistry. A song built on layers, from orchestral music, to soft lyrics, to guitars to an impassioned plea for an unrequited love. It builds to a crescendo and really evokes that feeling of unrequited love and wanting someone when it's never meant to be
28. A song by an artist who's voice you love - Not Mine To Love by Slow Club
Rebecca Taylor's voice is almost certainly the most incredible I've ever heard live. Powerful, emotional and haunting it's criminal that Slow Club weren't more widely successful before the broke up after the release of 2016's One Day All Of This Won't Matter Any More. Rebecca's work as Self Esteem is equally superb in the pop genre but this song (taken from the album Complete Surrender which you should also listen to) feels like she's looking into my soul
29. A song you remember from your childhood - Karma Chameleon by Culture Club
Six fairly emotionally hard hitting and powerful songs are brought to an end with the first song I ever remember. It's easy to almost dismiss it as 'classic 80s' but there's a lot more to it than that
30. A song that reminds you of yourself - Mardy Bum by Arctic Monkeys
Hearing someone being called mardy is one of those things that always reminds me of home. Those things we take for granted about our city that others don't understand mean more to us as we get older. I remember my mum and dad calling me mardy when I was a kid, and I'm still prone to being a mardy arse now. This was my ringtone for years and I can't think of anything better to describe myself
And that's that. Hopefully you're telling yourself you can do better because these are just those that mean something to me. Your memories and attachments are different, but if you do make your own list, hopefully it's as enjoyable for you as it was for me.
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