On this week’s Another Country we celebrate our favourite songs of the year. We don’t do lists remember. There is no ‘countdown,’ no pecking order and no winners and losers. However we do feel it’s a worthy exercise to recap the songs we loved most. Richard Murdoch and I have sent each other a few choice suggestions and found our selves in total agreement about those we have loved.
So this Tuesday night you’ll hear Part One of our songs, albums and artists of the year. Thanks too to all of you who have been kind enough to post up your suggestions on Facebook. There have been lots of great nominations and many of the things you have posted have already been selected – which is good to know.
Songs get in your head do they not? Over the last month I’ve been out on tour and have come onstage and offstage to different records being played by my big pal Steph who mixes my sound for the audience and for me. On more than one occasion it’s been Bruce Johnston’s brilliant ‘Disney Girls’ as performed by the Beach Boys. It’s so perfect in so many ways it stopped me on my tracks on the way to the dressing room. One night, towards the end of the tour I found myself (correctly) thinking, ‘Is there anything in my arsenal as good as that? Probably not…but it’s good to have something to shoot for.’
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t get beaten down by great songs…I only get inspired. That, I believe is what they are made to do.
At the end of the year I often think back to the stupid things people pontificate about modern music….oh nothing’s as good as the 50s/60s/70/s etc…. Please! There really is so much to celebrate. New artists are coming through all the time and many of the great artists we love just keep coming up with more new things all the time.
So this Tuesday tune in to hear some fine selections from the greats…Willie Nelson, Ray Davies, Lee Ann Womack and David Rawlings. The under celebrated, Charlie Dore, Laura Cortese and Iron and Wine and the new names to have thrilled us in the last 12 months Holly MacVe, The Strange Blue Dreams and Angelina. There are many more old friends too who keep delighting us year on year…but for those names you’ll just have to join us live from five past nine on BBC Radio Scotland FM this coming Tuesday evening.
