Three songs that are helping me enjoy the start of Summer 2016
Enjoy
Three songs that are helping me enjoy the start of Summer 2016
Enjoy
I’ve done similar posts to these before, but this year I thought I would do it slightly differently. Once again the list comes from one of my iTunes playlists which looks at the Top 100 tracks I’ve been playing in the last 12 months.
1. Peg – Steely Dan – The video how this complex track was ‘assembled’ by the best musicians in the business for the Aja album (in my opinion)
2. Genesis – After the Ordeal – This track comes from another favourite album of mine ‘Selling England by the Pound’ from the early 1970’s.
3. Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine – This track was used in a clever scene in the film Notting Hill starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant
4. Mason Williams – Classical Gas – No sure why I love this track so much, but it dates back to my early awareness of music and I tend to like guitar instrumentals a lot!
5. Bruce Hornsby & the Range – The Way It Is – A 1980’s classic, the track that started my love of Bruce Hornsby and his magic piano playing.
6. Gerry Rafferty – Night Owl – Gerry has a different way of singing, but I can listen to his albums often late at night without tiring of them.
7. Pink Floyd – Sorrow taken from the live album Pulse. I’m not always a fan of Live albums but Pink Floyd are an exception to this rule.
8. Robert Palmer – Simply Irresistible
9. Steelers Wheel – Stuck in the Middle – Gerry Rafferty again, Love the line ‘Clowns to the left of me Jokers to the right‘ it reminds me of trying to mediating in disputes at times!
10. Phil Collins – In The Air Tonight – I listen to a lot of Phil Collins tracks, love the drums on this track, especially once it gets going at about 3:15 in to the track!
My favourite new track of 2014 was Pharrell Williams – Happy
Once again here’s the Top 100 music tracks I have listened to in 2013, this is an output from iTunes so it includes music I listen to in the car, whilst at my desk or wandering around. I listen to many hours of music in any week, but these tracks are the ones I’ve listened to most. In the year I listened to over 3000 different music tracks!
What do you enjoy listening to?
Name | Artist | Album | Year | Plays | Last Played | |
1 | Peg | Steely Dan | Aja | 1977 | 38 | 22/12/2013 |
2 | Night Owl | Gerry Rafferty | Night Owl | 1979 | 30 | 17/12/2013 |
3 | Anything For Your Love | Eric Clapton | Journeyman | 1997 | 29 | 24/12/2013 |
4 | Classical Gas (Acoustic Version) | Bernd Schoenhart | Classical Gas (EP) | 2004 | 29 | 05/12/2013 |
5 | The Way It Is | Bruce Hornsby & The Range | The Way It Is | 1986 | 28 | 27/12/2013 |
6 | Right Through You | Alanis Morissette | Jagged Little Pill | 1995 | 27 | 05/12/2013 |
7 | Piano Intro/Great Divide (Live) | Bruce Hornsby | Here Come The Noise Makers | 2000 | 27 | 22/12/2013 |
8 | Mary Shut The Garden Door | Donald Fagen | Morph The Cat | 2006 | 27 | 05/12/2013 |
9 | The Way That You Do It | Gerry Rafferty | Night Owl | 1979 | 27 | 27/12/2013 |
10 | You Always Want What You Have | Lighthouse Family | Whatever Gets You Through The | 2002 | 27 | 27/12/2013 |
11 | Get Down Tonight(Miami Club Mix) | K.C. & The Sunshine Band | The Very Best Of KC & Sunshine Band | 26 | 02/12/2013 | |
12 | (Don’t Fear) The Reaper | Blue Öyster Cult | Agents of Fortune | 1976 | 25 | 05/12/2013 |
13 | Lovely Day | Bill Withers | Magic Summer Feeling | 2003 | 24 | 05/12/2013 |
14 | Everyone’s Gone To The Movies | Steely Dan | Katy Lied | 1975 | 24 | 05/12/2013 |
15 | Sorrow | Pink Floyd | Pulse | 1995 | 23 | 18/12/2013 |
16 | Run Like Hell | Pink Floyd | Pulse | 1995 | 23 | 18/12/2013 |
17 | Gimme Shelter | The Rolling Stones | Let It Bleed | 1969 | 23 | 05/12/2013 |
18 | (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman | Carole King | Tapestry | 1971 | 22 | 27/12/2013 |
19 | Hold Me | Fleetwood Mac | Mirage | 1982 | 22 | 05/12/2013 |
20 | Ordinary Morning | Sheryl Crow | Sheryl Crow | 1996 | 22 | 05/12/2013 |
21 | Where Would I Be Now | Michael McDonald | Blue Obsession | 2000 | 21 | 27/12/2013 |
22 | Don’t Worry | Appleton | Magic Summer Feeling | 2003 | 20 | 05/12/2013 |
23 | World Where You Live | Crowded House | Recurring Dream | 1996 | 20 | 27/12/2013 |
24 | Sad Songs (Say So Much) | Elton John | The Very Best Of Elton John | 1984 | 20 | 22/12/2013 |
25 | My Favorite Mistake | Sheryl Crow | The Globe Sessions | 1999 | 20 | 05/12/2013 |
26 | I Might Have Been Queen | Tina Turner | Private Dancer | 1984 | 20 | 19/12/2013 |
27 | Too High | Michael McDonald | Motown | 2003 | 19 | 05/12/2013 |
28 | High Hopes | Pink Floyd | Pulse | 1995 | 19 | 18/12/2013 |
29 | The Tide Will Rise | Bruce Hornsby | Harbor Lights | 1993 | 18 | 22/12/2013 |
30 | Hot House Ball | Bruce Hornsby | Hot House | 1995 | 18 | 05/12/2013 |
31 | Defenders Of The Flag | Bruce Hornsby & The Range | Scenes From The Southside | 1988 | 18 | 05/12/2013 |
32 | For One Day | Dido | Safe Trip Home – DeLuxe | 2008 | 18 | 07/12/2013 |
33 | Lions | Dire Straits | Dire Straits | 1978 | 18 | 22/12/2013 |
34 | For My Wedding | Don Henley | Inside Job | 2000 | 18 | 07/12/2013 |
35 | Everything Is Different Now | Don Henley | Inside Job | 2000 | 18 | 05/12/2013 |
36 | New Kid In Town | The Eagles | Hotel California | 1976 | 18 | 05/12/2013 |
37 | Last Good Time In Town | The Eagles | Long Road Out of Eden | 2007 | 18 | 07/12/2013 |
38 | Do You Know | Fleetwood Mac | Behind The Mask | 1990 | 18 | 07/12/2013 |
39 | Murrow Turning Over In His Grave | Fleetwood Mac | Say You Will | 2003 | 18 | 07/12/2013 |
40 | Learning To Fly | Pink Floyd | Pulse | 1995 | 18 | 18/12/2013 |
41 | Woman Tonight | America | History: America’s Greatest Hits | 1975 | 17 | 27/12/2013 |
42 | Big Rumble | Bruce Hornsby | Hot House | 1995 | 17 | 24/12/2013 |
43 | Jealous Guy | Bryan Ferry | The Ultimate Collection | 1988 | 17 | 05/12/2013 |
44 | Tomorrow’s Girls | Donald Fagen | Kamakiriad | 1993 | 17 | 22/12/2013 |
45 | Other Side of the World | KT Tunstall | Eye to the Telescope | 2004 | 17 | 05/12/2013 |
46 | Stay (I’ll Miss You) | Lisa Loeb | Magic Summer Feeling | 2003 | 17 | 05/12/2013 |
47 | Nobodys Perfect | Mike + The Mechanics | Hits | 1996 | 17 | 22/12/2013 |
48 | 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover | Paul Simon | Negotiations And Love Songs 1971-1986 | 1988 | 17 | 27/12/2013 |
49 | Start Me Up | The Rolling Stones | Forty Licks | 1981 | 17 | 05/12/2013 |
50 | Gasoline | Sheryl Crow | Detours | 2008 | 17 | 05/12/2013 |
51 | Pearl Of The Quarter | Steely Dan | Countdown To Ecstasy | 1973 | 17 | 05/12/2013 |
52 | Stop Loving You | Toto | Past To Present 1977-1990 | 1988 | 17 | 05/12/2013 |
53 | Walk In The Sun | Bruce Hornsby | Hot House | 1995 | 16 | 26/12/2013 |
54 | Till The Dreaming’s Done | Bruce Hornsby & The Range | Scenes From The Southside | 1988 | 16 | 22/12/2013 |
55 | Crying In The Night | Buckingham Nicks | Buckingham Nicks | 1973 | 16 | 06/12/2013 |
56 | When You Come | Crowded House | Recurring Dream | 1996 | 16 | 27/12/2013 |
57 | Sara Smile | Daryl Hall & John Oates | Hall and Oates: Greatest Hits Rock ‘n Soul, Pt 1 | 16 | 22/12/2013 | |
58 | Silence | Delerium | The Chillout Sessions 2 [Disc 2] | 2002 | 16 | 05/12/2013 |
59 | Expresso Love | Dire Straits | Making Movies | 1980 | 16 | 05/12/2013 |
60 | Workin’ It | Don Henley | Inside Job | 2000 | 16 | 27/12/2013 |
61 | Los Endos | Genesis | A Trick Of The Tail | 1976 | 16 | 19/12/2013 |
62 | Do It Again | The Juju Orchestra | Bossa Nova Is Not a Crime | 2007 | 16 | 05/12/2013 |
63 | Aja | Steely Dan | Aja | 1977 | 16 | 28/11/2013 |
64 | Never Be The Same | Christopher Cross | Christopher Cross | 1979 | 15 | 05/12/2013 |
65 | Time After Time | Cyndi Lauper | 20 Number Ones | 1983 | 15 | 22/12/2013 |
66 | Damn It, Rose | Don Henley | Inside Job | 2000 | 15 | 05/12/2013 |
67 | Try And Love Again | The Eagles | Hotel California | 1976 | 15 | 05/12/2013 |
68 | Dreams | Fleetwood Mac | Rumours | 1977 | 15 | 05/12/2013 |
69 | Way Of The World | Genesis | We Can’t Dance | 1991 | 15 | 27/12/2013 |
70 | Lifeline | Spandau Ballet | TRUE | 1983 | 15 | 05/12/2013 |
71 | Building The Perfect Beast | Don Henley | Building The Perfect Beast | 1984 | 14 | 05/12/2013 |
72 | Hotel California | The Eagles | Hotel California | 1976 | 14 | 22/12/2013 |
73 | Sara | Fleetwood Mac | Tusk | 1979 | 14 | 03/12/2013 |
74 | I Want To Know What Love Is | Foreigner | The Definitive | 1984 | 14 | 22/12/2013 |
75 | Any Colour You Like | Pink Floyd | Pulse | 1995 | 14 | 24/12/2013 |
76 | The Longest Night | Bruce Hornsby | Hot House | 1995 | 13 | 07/12/2013 |
77 | Son Of A Preacher Man | Dusty Springfield | Magic Summer Feeling | 2003 | 13 | 22/12/2013 |
78 | Bleed To Love Her | Fleetwood Mac | Say You Will | 2003 | 13 | 03/12/2013 |
79 | Black Friday | Steely Dan | Katy Lied | 1975 | 13 | 01/12/2013 |
80 | Mandolin Rain/Black Muddy River | Bruce Hornsby | Here Come The Noise Makers | 2000 | 12 | 30/12/2013 |
81 | Air Born | Camel | Moonmadness | 1976 | 12 | 07/11/2013 |
82 | Let’s Go Together | Change | The Final Collection | 1989 | 12 | 07/12/2013 |
83 | Into Temptation | Crowded House | Recurring Dream | 1996 | 12 | 18/12/2013 |
84 | The Boys Of Summer | Don Henley | Building The Perfect Beast | 1984 | 12 | 20/10/2013 |
85 | Ripples | Genesis | A Trick Of The Tail | 1976 | 12 | 19/12/2013 |
86 | Surrender the Rain | Lindsey Buckingham | Out of the Cradle | 1992 | 12 | 21/09/2013 |
87 | Street Life | Roxy Music | The Best Of Roxy Music | 2001 | 12 | 03/12/2013 |
88 | Deacon Blues | Steely Dan | Aja | 1977 | 12 | 07/12/2013 |
89 | Magical Mystery Tour | The Beatles | Magical Mystery Tour | 1967 | 11 | 20/10/2013 |
90 | The Changes | Bruce Hornsby | Hot House | 1995 | 11 | 21/09/2013 |
91 | Italian Plastic | Crowded House | Woodface | 1991 | 11 | 08/11/2013 |
92 | Northern Skies (remix) | Dido | Safe Trip Home – DeLuxe | 2008 | 11 | 16/09/2013 |
93 | Little Tin God | Don Henley | The End Of The Innocence | 1989 | 11 | 25/11/2013 |
94 | American Pie | Don McLean | American Pie | 2003 | 11 | 24/12/2013 |
95 | Brite Nitegown | Donald Fagen | Morph The Cat | 2006 | 11 | 20/10/2013 |
96 | Out Of Reach | Gabrielle | Magic Summer Feeling | 2003 | 11 | 25/11/2013 |
97 | Stealin’ Time | Gerry Rafferty | City To City | 1978 | 11 | 02/12/2013 |
98 | Tinsel Town | Seal | Seal IV | 2003 | 11 | 02/12/2013 |
99 | In The Cage Medely | Genesis | Three Sides Live | 1982 | 10 | 19/12/2013 |
100 | Another Day | Paul McCartney | All The Best! | 1987 | 10 | 24/12/2013 |
I’ve been a Fleetwood Mac fan for longer than I can remember, certainly the early 1970’s possibly before then as a kid. I’ve also loved to hear about the background to some of my favourite songs no matter which band it is.
I came across this interview this evening, absolutely brilliant and a very enjoyable hour listening to the music from that golden era as well as hearing Stevie. Moments like this have to be captured and savoured.
Absolute Radio Icons: Stevie Nicks by Absolute Radio on Mixcloud
Here is a list of the top 25 tracks I listened to in 2012… at my desk, in the car or just wandering around on my iPod. Quite a varied list…yes no?
Name | Artist | Album | Year | Plays | Last Played |
Sunlight Moon | Bruce Hornsby | Spirit Trail | 1998 | 63 | 19/12/2012 |
Sorrow | Pink Floyd | Pulse | 1995 | 60 | 18/12/2012 |
Hole in My Pocket | Sheryl Crow | C’mon, C’mon | 2002 | 55 | 18/12/2012 |
Aja | Steely Dan | Aja | 1977 | 55 | 22/10/2012 |
Lady With A Fan (Live) | Bruce Hornsby | Here Come The Noise Makers | 2000 | 52 | 01/12/2012 |
Life | Des’ree | Supernatural | 1998 | 52 | 17/12/2012 |
Heathaze | Genesis | Duke | 1980 | 52 | 20/12/2012 |
Listen To The Music | The Doobie Brothers | Listen To The Music | 2000 | 51 | 22/10/2012 |
Something In The Way She Moves | James Taylor | Greatest Hits | 51 | 22/10/2012 | |
Ramblin’ Man | Lemon Jelly | Lost Horizons | 2002 | 51 | 29/12/2012 |
Addicted To Love | Robert Palmer | Addictions, Vol. 1 | 1989 | 51 | 22/10/2012 |
It’s Only Love | Stevie Nicks | Trouble In Shangri La | 2001 | 51 | 21/12/2012 |
Rudy | Supertramp | Crime Of The Century | 1974 | 51 | 22/10/2012 |
Highwire | The Rolling Stones | Flashpoint (Live) | 1998 | 50 | 22/11/2012 |
Fire And Rain | James Taylor | Greatest Hits | 49 | 06/10/2012 | |
Children Say | Level 42 | The Ultimate Collection | 2002 | 49 | 13/11/2012 |
Ventura Highway | America | History: America’s Greatest Hits | 1973 | 48 | 03/11/2012 |
Across The River | Bruce Hornsby | A Night On The Town | 1990 | 47 | 05/11/2012 |
Mexico | James Taylor | Greatest Hits | 47 | 23/10/2012 | |
Ain’t No Sunshine | Lighthouse Family | Notting Hill | 1999 | 47 | 01/12/2012 |
Clocks | Coldplay | A Rush of Blood to the Head | 2002 | 46 | 08/11/2012 |
Hotel California | The Eagles | Hotel California | 1976 | 46 | 19/11/2012 |
Arose | Thomas Newman | American Beauty (Original Motion Picture Score) | 2000 | 46 | 17/12/2012 |
You Gotta Be | Des’ree | Supernatural | 1998 | 45 | 13/11/2012 |
It Comes And It Goes | Dido | Safe Trip Home | 2008 | 45 | 21/12/2012 |
What are you listening to?
My love of modern pop music dates back to my childhood. I have a very vague recollection of going to see the film ‘Hard Day’s Night’ at the cinema, which would have been about 1964, I was only 5 then hence why I say vague. I was born ‘across the water’ in Bebington, which is the other side of the River Mersey from Liverpool, where the Beatles thing all sort of exploded during my childhood, although I don’t remember much about them apart from their appearances on TV.
The first album I can recall buying was by Simon and Garfunkel, although I’m not sure why I bought it, may be it was to impress a girl I knew at the time! Anyway my musical interest sort of laid dormant for a couple of years or so. Then a friend of mine introduced me to the guitar, he was in a band and I went along to see them play a few times. I bought my own guitar and tried to learn how to play it, not very well I may add.
One of the first guitar pieces my friend Peter tried to teach me was the lead guitar from a Steely Dan track off of their album ‘Can’t Buy a Thrill’ called ‘Reelin’ in the Years’ which I feel I’m doing now! I literally tied up my fingers in knots learning that one track. I can just about remember how to play some of it still, but not at the speed required!
I’ve been using iTunes for several years and I think I got my first iPod in March 2004, a 20GB 3rd generation model. I have since got a bigger capacity one. But the topic of this post is how I have been using Smart Play Lists.
I have one play list which I use a lot, which I devised so that I don’t listen to the same song again once I have played it on my iPod or on iTunes. It uses the last played date which is recorded when ever you play a track either on the iPod or on iTunes. So this is what my Smart Play List looks like:
So if a track has not been played for more than 10 months and also if it is rated 5 stars it is included in the list. So each time you listen to a track when you next sync with iTunes then that track will disappear off of the play list for at least 10 months in my case.
You can also restrict the size of the list depending on the capacity of your iPod, this adds a bit more variety to each sync.
I also normally turn on shuffle to further randomise the list otherwise you will quickly play all the artists at the beginning of the alphabet and never get to ZZ Top!!
You don’t have to set it to 10 months, you can vary the time span accordingly depending on how recent you want a repeat to be.
I have found this works for me quite well and I rarely get fed up with what iTunes feeds me.