Compulsive cataloguing: An index of “Desert Island Discs”

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I started blogging about Desert Island Discs two years ago, and segued into Desert Island Singles a year ago. I figured it’s time for an index, to be updated periodically.

A friend believes I’m going about this all wrong. If I were lucky enough to be stranded on a desert island with an functioning sound system and a reliable electricity source, he said, I would do better with an assortment of music that I was not as familiar with, not emotionally attached to. Otherwise, through repetition and lack of alternatives I would inevitably grow tired of hearing music I once enjoyed. Familiarity breeds contempt. I pondered that for about a second and replied no, I don’t think so. It leaves too much to chance. The less-familiar music might suck, and/or it could be a very long stretch for me to listen to Styx and Air Supply and George Michael. Yikes. I’d rather take my chances with the sharks.

It’s been instructive to review the past two years as road-marked by the discs and songs I chose. They’re surprisingly accurate indicators of where I was and what I was doing along the way. To paraphrase music blogger Alex DiBlasi: these are the records that have gotten me through rough times, good times, desperate times. The Soundtrack Of My Life, you might even say.

If you discover any “dead” links, send me a message so I can fix.

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DESERT ISLAND DISCS:

9/30/14: “Red Headed Stranger” by Willie Nelson (1975)
8/30/14: “Damn The Torpedoes” by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (1979)
6/1/14: “Silk Degrees” by Boz Scaggs (1976)
4/7/14: “New Miserable Experience” by Gin Blossoms (1992)
8/24/13: “Making Movies” by Dire Straits (1980)
8/6/13: “Other Voices, Other Rooms” by Nanci Griffith (1993)
7/10/13: “When The Roses Bloom Again” by Laura Cantrell (2002)
5/30/13: “Headquarters” by The Monkees (1967)
5/9/13: “Above The Blue” by Vegas With Randolph (2011)
4/30/13: “Drink A Toast To Innocence: A Tribute To Lite Rock” by Monsters Of Lite Rock (2013)
4/1/13: “Frontier Days” by The Del-Lords (1984)
9/7/12: “Where Are All The Nice Girls?” by Any Trouble (1980)
7/26/12: “Souvenir (1989-1998)” by The Rankins (2003)
7/13/12: “Year Of The Mouse” by Eytan Mirsky (2012)
7/13/12: “Cornerstone” by Richard X. Heyman (1998)
6/7/12: “Happy Hour” by Shonen Knife (1998)
5/11/12: “Fountains Of Wayne” by Fountains Of Wayne (1996)
5/8/12: “Singles Going Steady” by Buzzcocks (1979)
4/28/12: “Summertime Dream” by Gordon Lightfoot (1976)
4/5/12: “The Hard And The Easy” by Great Big Sea (2005)
4/2/12: “Fervor” by Jason and The Scorchers (1983)
3/29/12: “Track Record” by Joan Armatrading (1983)
3/20/12: “It’ll Shine When It Shines” by The Ozark Mountain Daredevils (1974)
2/28/12: “Get Happy!” by Elvis Costello and The Attractions (1980)
2/8/12: “This Is Easy: The Best Of Marshall Crenshaw” by Marshall Crenshaw (2000)
1/11/12: “Grand Prix” by Teenage Fanclub (1995)
12/1/11: “In My Tribe” by 10,000 Maniacs (1987)
11/23/11: “Cheap Trick At Budokan” by Cheap Trick (1979)
10/25/11: “Heat Treatment” by Graham Parker and The Rumour (1976)
8/31/11: “Phoebe Snow” by Phoebe Snow (1974)
8/10/11: “Beat And Torn” by The Spongetones (1994)
6/15/11: “Murmur” by R.E.M. (1983)
5/13/11: “Revolver” by The Beatles (1966)

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DESERT ISLAND SINGLES:

2/28/15: “If She Knew What She Wants” by The Bangles (1986)
11/2/14: “Lovesick Blues” by Hank Williams and His Drifting Cowboys (1949)
8/8/14: “New Slang” by The Shins (2001)
7/29/14: “Too Late” by Shoes (1979)
7/20/14: “Sultans Of Swing” by Dire Straits (1978)
6/7/14: “Did I Say” by Teenage Fanclub (2003)
5/14/14: “This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ To Glide” by The Kings (1980)
3/9/14: “Ups And Downs” by Paul Revere and The Raiders (1967)
2/7/14: “Blue Period” by The Smithereens (1989)
1/17/14: “There She Goes” by The La’s (1990)
12/16/13: “Let Nothing Come Between You” by Warren Zevon (1982)
12/8/13: “Me Neither” by Brad Paisley (2000)
11/13/13: “My Heart Hurts” by Nick Lowe (1982)
11/5/13: “Fountain Of Sorrow” by Jackson Browne (1974)
10/30/13: “More Than This” by Roxy Music (1982)
8/16/12: “Taken In” by Mike and The Mechanics (1985)
8/12/13: “American Pie” by Don McLean (1971) (Tag-Team Edition)
8/8/13: “Message In The Box” by World Party (1990)
7/11/13: “Goodbye’s All We’ve Got Left” by Steve Earle (1987)
5/28/13: “Blame The Vain” by Dwight Yoakam (2005)
5/3/13: “Candy Everybody Wants” by 10,000 Maniacs (1992)
4/26/13: “Rendezvous” by The Hudson Brothers (1975)
3/16/13: “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” by Mac and Katie Kissoon (1971)
2/16/13: “Golden Blunders” by The Posies (1990)
1/31/13: “Tonight” by Raspberries (1973)
11/18/12: “All For You” by Sister Hazel (1997)
11/9/12: “Constant Craving” by k.d. lang (1992)
11/9/12: “Man Of Constant Sorrow” by The Soggy Bottom Boys (2000)
10/17/12: “MMMBop” by Hanson (1997)
10/1/12: “Followed Her Around” by Jimmy Rankin (2001)
9/18/12: “All I Want” by Toad The Wet Sprocket (1992)
9/16/12: “That’s Just What You Are” by Aimee Mann (1994)
9/16/12: “No Myth” by Michael Penn (1989)
9/6/12: “Happy Hour” by The Housemartins (1986)
8/30/12: “Eagle Rock” by Daddy Cool (1970)
7/25/12: “(I Don’t Want To Love You But) You Got Me Anyway” by Sutherland Brothers and Quiver (1973)
7/24/12: “Book Of Rules” by The Heptones (1973)
6/20/12: “Girl of My Dreams” by Bram Tchaikovsky (1979)
5/16/12: “I’m On Fire” by Dwight Twilley Band (1975)