Hi pop pickers and welcome to my Friday music shuffle. Yes, it’s that time of the week when I set my music machine free and it selects ten songs from my collection. As it does so, I record the results in real time on this blog and you can join in the ‘fun’ by clicking the song title and listening, even singing, along.
Apropos nothing at all, it’s National Playlist Day today. Playlist For Life is a wonderful charity which helps raise awareness of how music can benefit those with dementia, something I got to learn first hand when I was working for the dysfunctional brain injury charity Headway. If you click here, you can create your own playlist. Sir Alex Ferguson is now an ambassador for the Playlist For Life.
This shuffle isn’t a prepared list. It’s a random shuffle. I hope you listen and even sing along and maybe you will find something you haven’t heard before and like.
- Backstreets by Bruce Springsteen. 50 years have passed since The Boss released Born To Run, but the whole album still stands up, as fresh and powerful as ever. What a great track this is.
- Never A Low by Gengahr. Excellent joint from their 2020 long player Sanctuary.
- Slide On Over Slinky by Rick Derringer. Absolute banger from his 1973 classic LP All American Boy.
- Rude Awakening #2 by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Bizarre instrumental from the otherwise excellent Pendulum album from 1970. Listen out for the UK national anthem just after halfway. Christ knows what this is about.
- I’ve Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You by Bob Dylan. His Royal Bobness released Rough And Rowdy Ways in 2020 and it was a staggeringly brilliant return to top form. If you think you recognise the backing music from somewhere else, it’s because you do.
- So Why So Sad by Manic Street Preachers. Back to 2001 for run-of-the-mill filler Manics, from their album Know Your Enemy.
- Casino Royale by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. From the 1967 movie of the same name. Gotta love Herb and his mythical Tijuana Brass.
- I’ll Be There by Bon Iver. From 2025’s Sable Fable. Love Justin Vernon so much.
- Honey Don’t by The Beatles. A bit of Carl Perkins, sung by Ringo Starr, from 1964’s Beatles For Sale.
- Massa Den by Fatoumata Diawara feat -M-. The magnificent Malian singer with a gorgeous track from her 2023 album London Ko. Give it a try.
By a close head – and sorry to Fatoumata, whom I adore – this week’s Desert island Disc is I’ve Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You by Bob Dylan.
Keep making your own lists, random or chosen. The power of music knows no limits.
Have a good week till next week.
