Thursday, March 01, 2007

Three Songs Forever

Lisa over at The Food Snob has tagged me to pick the three songs I would choose to hear if I were never going to hear music again. I can pick anything I like, for whatever reason. This is actually incredibly hard, because once I began to give it some thought I kept changing my mind on what would be my top three.

My teenage years were just as rock'n'roll was emerging and I loved all the music that my parents, father in particular, hated.
My parents never allowed me to go to concerts (I remember begging to be allowed to go to a Cliff Richard concert with a group of friends. Even with the assurance of being accompanied by an older brother, my father would not relent, you can imagine how I felt when they all came back having had a good time) and no I am not going to choose a Cliff song.
Once I left home (1962) I could never afford to go to concerts on a nurses salary, however, I did sometimes manage go to a Chinese and R&B jazz club held each week in the Bristol Corn Exchange. This where, to name but a few, people like Alex Korner, Long John Baldry and Aker Bilk (most famous for Stranger on the Shore) played each week. I met my first husband here after my best friend, at the time, begged me to go on a double date with her. Her relationship didn't get off the ground and although I did eventually marry my date it didn't last more than 8 years, so will not be choosing a jazz record.

Although I liked all the modern music growing up after the war I listened to a lot of Glen Miller (something my parents did like) and he has remained a firm favourite so my first record will be Moonlight Serenade just because I didn't know which one to choose and this one is easy listening and I love it. (the first video I chose failed to upload after three attempts I found another version).

My second record was again a difficult choice and it's going to be either a Carpenters or an ABBA and do you know until I go and see what's on you tube I still haven't made up my mind.
OK I have decided on ABBA and Dancing Queen although I have many favourites it could easily have been Waterloo or Winner takes it all oh and too many others to mention. I went to see Mama Mia in London when the show first opened and I have tickets booked for wait for it '2008' when the show comes to Bristol. All their songs were very catchy and so easy to remember. There music is still very popular, after all, look how many tribute bands there are making a good living from these songs.


The final record is going to be an Eva Cassidy from her Songbird collection I know Fields of Gold is beautiful but I have chosen Over the Rainbow. I think it is so sad that she only became well know here in UK after she died. She has a fabulous voice and I never tire of listening to her music.

Well I hope you enjoyed my choices I wish the challenge had been for 5 or even 10 as I could easily have choosen Angels (Robbie Williams) he's a great performer or Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) again you can't beat some of Freddy Mercury's performances. I just love Katie Melua, Norah Jones, Patsy Cline, the Platter oh and many more. Just imagine how awful it would be if you could no longer listen to all these wonderful artists.

I am not going to tag anyone but hope that if you read this you might decide to take up the challenge and if so please let me know.

PS sorry this is in so many separate posts but I haven't worked out how to combine more than one video, I'm sure there is someone who can tell me.

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28 Comments:

At 1/3/07 12:15, Blogger Beccy said...

Good post Mum, of course Abba has to be my favourite amongst your choices, I've even been known to sing Abba songs on a karoke, very badly and only after I've consumed vast amounts of alcohol!

 
At 1/3/07 12:27, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your second husband likes jazz and that marriage has lasted nearly 29 years AND he still loves you

 
At 1/3/07 12:47, Blogger ChrisB said...

beccy glad I picked one you liked

embee you can be sweet 'sometimes'

 
At 1/3/07 14:44, Blogger Brooke - Little Miss Moi said...

Dear chrisb. I love 'chiquitita' by Abba. All time fave! And Eva cassidy... oh, so haunting and beautiful.

 
At 1/3/07 15:02, Blogger FH said...

Great to know all that Chris.I never was into music much but read books like crazy!:))

 
At 1/3/07 18:13, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oooh - Glenn Miller a great choice, really.

I've always loved ABBA. I went to a concert once of a band (can't remember their name) - but they were an mimic band of ABBA - played all their covers. It was fun.

 
At 1/3/07 18:31, Blogger Barbara said...

Yes I like the Eva Cassidy version of Over The Rainbow. In NZ she only became popular after her death. My husband being a musician had been listening to her before she became known.

 
At 1/3/07 18:37, Blogger ChrisB said...

little miss moi that's another one I like as well

asha I enjoy reading as well but I have a huge pile of books that I am trying to catch up on reading. All stored from before I retired and although I read every night before I go to bed the pile doesn't get any smaller because my mum keeps adding to it. It does mean I always have plenty to take on holiday.

karmyn yes the ABBA tribute bands are still very popular here in UK I have never seen one live wish I had.

 
At 1/3/07 18:40, Blogger ChrisB said...

barbara that's just the same as here. It was one of our radio stations BBC 2 that started playing her and she was an immediate success. I read her story and it was quite sad.

 
At 1/3/07 21:39, Blogger The Old Foodie said...

Hi chrisb - thanks for coming over to my blog on St David's Day. It is great to meet Sam's mum! I couldnt possibly pick three pieces of music, even the thought of trying to do it makes my head spin. I too have a pile of books that keeps growing no matter how much I read. I have a theory that books have a secret sex life .....

 
At 1/3/07 22:09, Blogger ChrisB said...

Hi old foodie I love your theory about books LOL
I don't know if you scrolled down below the music post because that where you will find the St David's day post and thank you for dropping in.

 
At 1/3/07 22:58, Blogger ~ej said...

i love abba and glenn miller! that's oddly funny (in a good way) to me :)
i love this version of "over the rainbow". that song brings memories of my son's 3rd grade class doing "the wizard of oz" tho they used a different one in the background.

and i like "pennsylvania 6-5000" or "chatanooga choo choo" or "waterloo" (or "super trooper").

i've wanted to see the "mama mia" show, but i keep missing it when it's around me! :(

thx for sharing your songs, i'd be hard pressed to choose.

 
At 1/3/07 23:19, Blogger ChrisB said...

elena jane I love all the memories that go with different songs. I could so easily choose more for all sorts of reasons. I have quite a few Glen Miller albums and abba so I have been playing them all today which has been fun while I did my blogging.

You should do it; are you able to upload from you tube and even if you can't you could still just write about them.

 
At 2/3/07 02:50, Blogger Merle said...

Hi Chris ~~ I couldn't comment yesterday, because there were no letters showing in the WV. Glad you liked the Teacher story and the
Punctuation which was clever.Thanks
for your good wishes for my health.
I would find it difficult to choose just 3 songs to hear forever.Maybe
"The Dance" by Garth Brooks, "Always on my mind" Willie Nelson or Elvis, and "Crazy in Love" by Conway Twitty.But there are lots of other I enjoy.
Take care, Love, Merle.

 
At 2/3/07 07:17, Blogger Pamela said...

I hear a song and it's my favorite...until the next one starts playing.

 
At 2/3/07 08:24, Blogger ChrisB said...

merle I have that problem a lot with the letters what I find often works is to type in a few random letter and send then it gives you set.
Conway Twitty I haven't thought about him in years ' It's only make believe' I remember so well.
I can see I will be back on youtube looking for this one to play thanks for reminding me

pamela I know just what you mean because of doing this post I am listening to a lot of old favourites again

 
At 2/3/07 11:11, Blogger enidd said...

hi chris, enid's sorry she's been so long helping out. to post more than one video, you go to your video, and them look at the box to the right of it. there should be some html in the "embed" box - cut and paste that into your blogger posting. (make sure you're editing in html mode.) then do the same with any other vids you want to include.

 
At 2/3/07 11:52, Blogger ChrisB said...

enid thank you for this info (I shall pass on to beccy as well) I'm not very bright when it comes to the computer (although I do try and work things out it's often without success) but I'm good at following instructions.

 
At 2/3/07 16:02, Anonymous Anonymous said...

the version familiar to me of "over the rainbow" has been haunting me since yesterday. i found out the singer is Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and that he has died. there are a few tribute videos on youtube. later on i will put one touching version on my blog (it includes footage of his funeral). but to me, it's the SONG, not the video. the link i'm putting here (with "what a wonderful world" on it as well) is so sad and haunting and apparently. (just scenes of rainbows).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4XhMANcCbM

 
At 2/3/07 16:36, Blogger ChrisB said...

elena jane thanks I have looked at this video and have to admit I have never heard of him before. There are so many versions of this song and I never tire hearing it. Rainbow scenes were lovely as you say.

 
At 2/3/07 17:04, Anonymous Anonymous said...

what coincidence elena jane - i was going to mention the same singer - israel - i love his version of somewhere over the rainbow (love eva cassidy's too)....i'll be singing it all day now!

 
At 3/3/07 06:14, Blogger AfKaP said...

Hi Chris,
I just love Moonlight Serenade too and also Begin the Beguine by Artie Shaw. (You can have Abba all to yourself (and the many fans who have replied here.))
Sorry about getting your name wrong earlier - I fixed the link!

 
At 3/3/07 08:34, Blogger ChrisB said...

Purpleworms thank you for fixing the link, my hubby likes Artie Shaw amongst others from that era and I agree BtB is a lovely song.
I have an eclectic taste in music so it was difficult to choose.

 
At 3/3/07 08:45, Blogger ChrisB said...

alison I really enjoyed IK's version of this song and have now played it a few times myself. So glad you both mentioned it.

 
At 4/3/07 05:27, Anonymous Anonymous said...

One of the most famous renditions of Over the Rainbow when I was growing up in Australia was by Billy Thorpe, who tragically died of a heart attack during the week.

I think it's a song that should be avoided, given the fates of those that recorded it (including Judy Garland).

I was going to suggest Katie Melua when I saw you liked Eva, but seems I don't need to.

 
At 4/3/07 09:37, Blogger ChrisB said...

willowtree you could be right about over the rainbow. choosing 3 was not easy but it was fun browsing you tube and I found lots of videos I enjoyed. Glad you like Katie Melua she has a lovely voice and I often play her albums

 
At 4/3/07 21:33, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chris,
Great choices, I know if I had to do mine over two would be different.
I admit, I have Dancing Queen and Take a Chance on Me on my iPod.

 
At 5/3/07 10:23, Blogger ChrisB said...

Lisa As I like so many artists I just tried to go for variety of different types of music.

 

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