Everyone has (at some point) been asked the “You’re stuck on a deserted island, you only have [insert number here] books/albums/whatever the hell else FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, what do you pick?” question posted to them.
I’ve probably spent more time thinking about this than the average person, because that’s the way my brain works. I can’t answer the book question, because my FAVOURITE books aren’t necessarily the books I’d choose. If I were talking about books, I’d have to take into consideration compendiums and whatnot, and that’s just more work than I’m willing to put in at the moment.
So, today, I’m going to talk about the five ALBUMS I’d take with me – were I lucky enough to be stranded with an iPod (that only holds five albums, WTS?) and a way to keep it charged until I died of scurvy or some shit. These are albums that I can (and have) listen/ed to over and over and will never ever grow tired of.
sj’s Deserted Island Top Five
(in chronological order)
1. The Beatles – Rubber Soul
Yeah, maybe it’s a total cliché to choose The Beatles, but IDGaF. This album has been one of my favourites for almost as long as I can remember. I’m ignoring the fact that my “class song” when I graduated from high school was In My Life (because, ZOMG there was some terrible singing at graduation, no joke) and just thinking about how a few of my happy childhood memories stem from listening to this album with my Nan (who was a huge fan of both The Beatles and CCR) and the two of us singing Drive My Car whenever we were out together.
2. Pixies – Surfer Rosa
One could argue that this is my favourite album by my favourite band, so it should be my favourite album of all-time, right? Eh, possibly. It’s up there, as should be evident by its place on this list. My main concern about having this on here is that my FAVOURITE FAVOURITE versions of a lot of these songs are off of bootlegs from the 80s (oops), so I don’t know how long I’d go without wishing that I had some of those available to me. I know I’d be saying “Oh, but I really just want to listen to that version of Break My Body from Boston in ’87!” before too much time had passed, but here’s the thing – my very favourite song of all time is on this album, so it has to be on the list. I had considered not telling you what my favourite song is, but I know no one would guess. This is my all-time favourite song, ever. So, there you go.
3. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
OH, THE ARGUMENTS! No, srsly, I’ve had so many FIGHTS about whether Paul’s Boutique is superior to Check Your Head (hint: it totally is) and friendships have been close to ENDING because CERTAIN PEOPLE refuse to recognize the genius of what is obviously the greatest hip hop record ever recorded. No. Shut up. I’m totally for realsies here. FFS, Sounds of Science is better than almost any song ever released, I don’t understand how people can still want to argue this point or fail to recognize the genius of this album. Bonus, go listen to Shadrach (or, if you can find it – get a copy of An Exciting Evening at Home with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego…you’re lucky, I’m not taking EPs with me on my island adventure or I’d be taking that one too, just for Your Sister’s Def [DRE!]) and try to argue with me. You still don’t believe me? I hate you.
4. Magnetic Fields – 69 Love Songs
Okay, I admit it. I feel like kind of a snapebalrog including this one because TECHNICALLY it’s THREE albums and not just one. BUT, you really have to have all three albums together, or the title doesn’t make any snaping sense. No, seriously – if you only have ONE, it would be 23 love songs and that’s just stupid. This album breaks my heart into tiny pieces with Reno Dakota, then puts it back together with The Sun Goes Down and the World Goes Dancing. I giggle to The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side, and sob my face off to All My Little Words. This is an album that just gets better and more fraught with personal meaning every time I listen to it.
5. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
This album is still fairly new, but I’ve already listened to it (repeatedly) more than a lot of the other stuff in my personal library, and it’s actually the album that inspired this post tonight. I was listening to Postcard from 1952 on repeat, and said to myself “I will never ever get tired of this song.” It’s true. According to iTunes, I’ve listened to this song over 100 times since the album came out less than 2 years ago, and I’m still not anywhere close to being sick of it. Don’t let my adoration for this one song cause you to think the entire album is less than stellar, though. It’s all amazing. Even more amazing? This video, and seeing them perform the album live (even though I’ve never been to Belgium). It’s gorgeous. No, really. Put this on and close your eyes, and spend an hour and twenty minutes being swept away by the music. [happy sigh]
There are runners up, but these are my definitive list, as of the fifth of February, 2013. What’s on yours?
Sidenote: Thank you to everyone who commented on Sunday’s post. Your kind words mean the world to me. I was going to reply to each comment, but it was too difficult. Thank you for understanding. <3
