I’m in a festive mood today. Let’s see if my iPod shuffle is similarly inclined:
1. Where Do You Go To My Lovely by Peter Sarstedt. I don’t know about “where you keep your Rolling Stones records and a friend of Sacha Distel” (why would you do that?) but the slightly bonkers lyrics just make this classic even more classic.
2. 36 inches by Nick Lowe. An underrated genius. Every house should own a copy of Jesus Of Cool.
3. Something Got Me Started by Simply Red. Disliked partly because he is successful but more importantly because he is a Man Yoo fan, Simply Red is Simply Mick really and I love his early stuff, like this.
4. Ramblin’ Boy by Tom Paxton. Quite simply, an ode to rambling. Pure as the driven snow.
5. Build Me Up Buttercup” by the Foundations. There were West Indians, white Brits and a Sri Lankan in the Foundations, almost unheard of at the time. The group was founded on the gorgeous voice of Colin Young who should have been far more successful.
6. Say You Will by Fleetwood Mac. Latter day Mac brilliance, driven by the classic Fleetwood Mac rhythm section and the soaring guitar of Lindsey Buckingham. Stevie Nicks still sounds amazing.
7. Back To Life by Soul II Soul (feat Caron Wheeler). My God: 1989. Still sounds good to me.
8. Big Foot by Chickenfoot. This is how rock music is meant to sound. Sammy Hagar still in his pomp.
9. Rosanna by Toto. Not my favourite Toto tune, save the Rosanna half-time shuffle as played by Jeff Porcaro.
10. Matthew and Son by Cat Stevens. Long before he became Yusuf and a fair time before he made some seriously substantial music. But this is all right.
