15 Favorite Albums

Orla Fay tagged me for this challenge. Orla's blog is where I first came across Rumi. (I'm sure he's delighted wherever he is!) In fifteen minutes I'd to list 15 favorite albums. 15 minutes isn't very long, I ran out of time before I knew it. If anyone is stuck for writing inspirations this is a great way of stirring up memories. I tried to be chronological...and failed. First off is my very first tape...

The Beatles Blue AlbumOn cassette tape - lady madonna children at your feet, wonder how you manage to make ends meet - still have this, 32 years later, bring back cassettes!

Elvis - Greatest Hits
Get offa my blue suede shoes... I always switched the speed setting on the record player so Elvis sounded like a middle aged bosco running after a train. Myself and my sister jumped on and off the two-seater leatherette couch (boat) into the carpet (ocean) to this album, a type of dance not often seen nowadays, it had to be done with a pout. My fifteen minutes are already running out!

A Larry Gogan Top Thirty
One of the many tapes I recorded off the radio. It must have been 1980 as John Lennon had three songs in the charts - Woman, Starting over and Imagine, it was the year of his death. I painted his head on the wall at the end of my bed. A dash of gloss on each eye to make him seem alive. A visiting grandmother was unsettled and couldn't sleep; it was a very big head. He's still there. My one and only.

Infected
Loved the anger and lyrics - full of piss stinking shopping centres and rage against the state. The Ilac in Dublin was the only shopping centre in those days so they held a certain toxic exoticness in my imagination.

Violent Femmes
Great teenage angst and energy - "why can't i get just one ****" - Go Gordon. A great one to jump around to after mass and before Sunday dinner.

The Doors
Velvet dresses, shaggy perms...arms doing demented snake turns at the local disco... us, not Jim. This is when we got "sophisticated" (full of ourselves)

Tracey Chapman

Still a great album -I played this to death. Two weeks in a Virginia jail for my lover, for my lover...

Parade
Sometimes it snows in April - the year my gran aunt died. Prince does the best sad songs though he's known more for being tiny and a bit kinky.

Why do birds sing?
Nobody will go to the prom with me. We'd no proms but I loved "American Music."

Ancient Rain
"A leaf from a tree" - it's worth getting your heart broken just so you can cry along to this song. I mean it. It's beautiful. Time will take your love from me...

No Angel
A great "pacing- the- room- with- a- baby- crying- into- your- ear" album.

Golden Age of Radio
Also a great pacing the room with same baby album. Damn colic. (Early over zealous listening to Lady Madonna must've put a curse on me.) Listening to this always makes me grateful for a nights sleep and long for a porch to drink my bud on.

The Beekeeper

I made a really vibrant painting to the Hoochie Woman track on this CD - went to bed with sore knees from bopping in front of the canvas. This woman is a genius.

Billy Holiday

Been a fan off Billy since I my early twenties, it's the music I take out when nothing else suits a mood I call "fed up but enjoying it."

Abbey Road
You should see polythene Pam - she's so good lookin but she looks like a man -oh yes! This belongs in the middle of the list. I bought it on CD but it doesn't sound as satisfying as on the album.

It's amazing how the memory of certain songs brought me right back to the time I first heard them. Will flesh out this post later. What are your top 15?

Comments

Avo said…
Wow, that looks like fun (nice selection too ;j)!
It's especially interesting because you added the context. Was that part of the game?
Words A Day said…
I dont know really Alesa but I just couldnt stop myself! I was tied to 15 mins or I would have written a lot more!
Brigid O'Connor said…
Great choices, Niamh, the Larry Gogan one made me laugh, he's still on the radio, unbelievable.
Great choices, espec Doors, Prince, Beatles.
Loved your memories attached to each one, I ready a book a while ago and the author started each chapter with her favourite songs, worked really well.
Words A Day said…
Thanks Brigid -I'll probably keep adding to this post - the music evokes so much.
Martin said…
The Beatles, Tracy Chapman and Billie Holiday. All 'top drawer'.
Old Kitty said…
What a brilliant challenge!! Good grief - well done you!!

And a great selection - some I adore (Tracy Chapman, Billie Holliday, Beatles) some incredibly new to me!! Wonderful!

You're right, 15 minutes is so not enough!!! LOL!

Take care
x
notRuairi said…
So going to do this later. I have already done 30 Days of Music, but it's not enough, damn it!

http://notruairi.blogspot.com/p/30-days-of-music.html
Ann said…
I love Billie Holiday. I have that album too. Beatles White Album is another fav. of mine and Neil Young's After the Gold Rush. I guess I could go on too.
love the doors and beatles, and some other on your list are ones i'd like to hear from since i don't know them.

best recommendation for an album ever: "A great "pacing- the- room- with- a- baby- crying- into- your- ear" album.

that's hilarious, and true!
Jan Morrison said…
wonderful and telling selection. I'm not going to play well maybe a little - Joni Mitchell's Court & Spark; John Hiatt's Slow Turning; Carrie Rodriguez and Chip Taylor's Red Dog Tracks; all of Leonard Cohen's work; Rufus Wainwright's Want Two; and Etta James - all.
Jan Morrison
Orla Fay said…
I love tracy chapman too and I'm raging that I lefr r.e.m. out of my 15! ;( :)
MTeacress said…
Hey, thanks for the follow. Right back at ya. Isn't KarenG's idea grand?
Have a great weekend. :)
Romulo Vela said…
Interesting selection. I'am mexican and I love Ireland. Erín Go Bragh!
Miranda Hardy said…
Great albums! I love Tracey Chapman. Stopping by to say hello from the BBQ. Hope you are enjoying your weekend.
Lisa Potts said…
That's a tough task, but I love Tracy Chapman, The Doors, Prince and the beautiful Tori Amos, so they would probably be on my list also.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog from the BBQ, I'll be following yours.
Vicki Rocho said…
Wow, what an eclectic collection! I don't think I could come up with 15...I jokingly say I'm a musical ignoramus, but really I AM.
Angie Ledbetter said…
Lurve most of the music you chose as your favs! (Check out some Aaron Neville if you get a chance. Lovely velvet-voiced Louisiana son.) :)

I'm here from the bbq too. Nice to "meet"/follow ya. Going back to look around for some of your art now. We love artists, poets, authors at Rose & Thorn Journal @RoseandThorn.
Padraic Murray said…
Great post,agree with many choices but would add Abba, Carpenters, Elton John, Finbarr Wright, Andrea Bocelli, Dvorak, Handel and U2...It very much depends on where you were and when and with whom...
Talli Roland said…
You've got some great ones there, Niamh! I love Tori Amos, Dido and Tracy Chapman too!
Kath said…
Great choices, Niamh, and such a mix of music.

Have popped over here from KarenG's BBQ and think I may be here a while having a browse around.

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