The Voices In My Head...

No, I'm not talking about the ones that keep telling me to kill Jedward. I mean the ones that sing to me in those times when my ipod is switched on.

For many years, I was a firm believer that anyone who asked you what your "Top 5 All-Time" songs were was just wasting time and effort in search of the unfathomable. I really did think it was something that changed on a weekly or monthly basis. Maybe this is true for most people, but I think I've broken the general rule.

I actually have a Top 5!

There may not be a full and obvious reason for any of these 5 songs being a Top 5, but I genuinely have not changed any of them in a fair number of years. I think it may be an age thing, but I'm fairly set in my ways now. It doesn't mean I don't like newer songs, but they'd have be something special to break into the Promised Land of Top 5 status.

Here's the list that I put forward whenever someone asks "the question":

1) Rocket Man - Elton John
My favourite song EVER. I know most people who like Dame Elton's stuff generally choose "Your Song", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" or "Candle In The Wind" as his best work, but this one blows them all away, in my opinion. On the basis that this is my blog, I'd say my opinion is the most important one here!

2) Bad - U2
I've been a fan of U2 since pretty much the very beginning. As unfashionable as it is these days, with Bono being everyone's favourite target of unreasonable abuse, I'm still a fan. This song was the absolute highlight of Live Aid and I've always rated it as my favourite U2 song.

3) Superstition - Stevie Wonder
The single greatest intro in music history! A real feel-good song that keeps my feet tapping whenever I hear it. Just hearing him still nail it during the Jubilee concert earlier this year was enough for me. I didn't even remember the other crap that appeared on that night. I'm looking at YOU, Will.I.Am!!!!

4) Son Of A Preacher Man - Rusty Bedsprings Dusty Springfield
I'm not a huge Dusty fan. I don't really like anything else she ever did, but this is one of the greatest vocal performances I've heard in my life. The song is fantastic and her voice just takes it to another level. Am I starting to sound like Simon Cowell yet?

5) Handbags & Gladrags - Stereophonics
No, not the Rod Stewart version. I can't stand his voice, although Maggie May is a great song. This version was the last song to break into my Top 5, and it made me a 'Phonics fan as a result.


Highly Commended
These songs just about bubble underneath the surface of the greats, and would probably make a good case for inclusion in a Top 10 if the conversation came up...
For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
No Rain - Blind Melon
Whiskey In The Jar - Metallica
The One I Love - REM
Pure And Simple - Hear'say Nope, only kidding!

There would probably be loads of others that would cause me to face-palm because I've forgotten them, but that's for another day. I have somewhat of an eclectic taste in music, so I'm sure any additional songs would end up being from a wide range of styles.

And now it's time for bed

Smell ya later

Blogging - How Hard Can It Be?

So, let's see how we go. How long can I keep this up? My money's on a short stay, purely because I have no ability to maintain correspondence, so a blog seems less likely to succeed. I'll give it a really good try, though.

I've been reading some of the random musings by my "Little Sis", Tracy. Her stuff is here, if you didn't already know. No, we're not really related, but we genuinely got asked that back in our 6th Form College Days.

Anyway, it got me a-thinking. Twitter is fun, but there just isn't space to write everything I'm thinking. There are topics that make me mad, stuff that impresses/amuses me and things I sometimes just want to spout about. Seems like a good reason to start a blog (of sorts), doesn't it? I thought so, too.

So here we are. It's late on a Monday evening. The US Open final is on in the other room (Murray leads 6-5 in the 2nd set) and the family is in bed. A brief introductory blog is in order.

I'm going to write about my life, my interests, my pet peeves, my likes and dislikes. In short, the sort of shit everybody puts in these things. It's just an avenue for my brain to escape. If you like it, tell your friends. If not, tell them it was written by Piers Morgan. He won't care if he adds a few more haters to the list.

Incidentally, the picture I use as my profile picture is a photo of my little girl wearing a t-shirt bought for her by her Godfather. I was amused to see the looks of fellow holiday-makers in Mallorca last year when they noticed what was on it. Nice choice, Mark!

OK, it's time for this old guy to go to bed. I just don't have the stamina I used to have. Oh, and Murray just took set 2. I wonder if he'll have won his first Grand Slam by the time I wake up for work...


Smell ya later