Desert Island Albums

Desert Island Albums

Ever wonder what it would be like to be stuck on a desert island? Not like on "Lost", where there's a thousand people around, and outrageous happenings happening. More like a Tom Hanks situation in "Cast Away". Completely alone, nothing with you. Except, of course, your favorite cds of all time! The ones you've always loved for years and can't imagine not having in your collection. How would you hear them, stuck on a desert island and all? You're resourceful. You'll think of something. Which ones would you bring? Me? Glad you asked.

1. Travelling Wilburys "Vol. 1"  1988  George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne, and Tom Petty. The best work any of these guys had done to date. And they did it together. Get this one if you don't have it.

2. Blue Angel  "Blue Angel" 1980  Cyndi Lauper's band before becoming famous. Great album. Full of 60's inspired romps played with high energy and wicked precision. Lauper's vocals rival any solo effort, except on "Everybody's Got An Angel", which she wails woefully off key. Other than that, solid performances from both her and the band.

3. Donnie Iris  "Back On The Streets" 1981  Donnie Iris had a small radio hit in 1969 with a band called The Jaggerz. The song was "The Rapper". This is his first solo effort and was well worth the wait. Great melodies, great rock grooves, layer upon layer of vocals and guitars to create an 80's "wall of sound". This is the album that yielded "Ah! Leah".

4. The Beatles  "Abbey Road"  1969  I am a Beatle freak, so any of their albums would do, but this is one of my favorites. They knew they wanted to break up, but wanted to do one more album before calling it quits. The result is sheer perfection. Lovingly crafted and produced, it is a fine farewell from the greatest band of all time.

5. The Osmonds  "The Plan"  1973  Stop laughing. This was their "Sgt. Pepper", and they managed to pull it off. Concieved as a love letter to God, it is insightful, well written and well played

.6. "The Music Man"  1962  Motion Picture Soundtrack  Okay, this you can laugh at, and I won't care. I love the musical trickery that courses through this one. Contains the world's very first rap song. And, I'm sorry, but in the movie, Shirley Jones is too hot for words.

7. Squeeze "East Side Story"  1981  They wanted Paul McCartney to produce this, and it shows. They had ditched their electronic sound by this time, and went with Beatle sounding songs that work remarkably well. Paul didn't produce. Instead they had Elvis Costello, with two tracks produced by Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds. The cream of the second British invasion.

8. Squeeze  "Cool For Cats"  1979  Two albums previous, it has some of the electronic sound, but mostly just good pop. It was their second album, with material intended for their first. When they showed up to record the first album, the producer didn't like any of the songs they brought with them, so he sent them away to write new stuff.  Thank God they saved the original stuff. It is severley infectious music.

9. Barenaked Ladies  "Gordon"  1992  Again, any of these guys' cds would do, but this one is special. Their debut album, you can hardly believe they were in their early 20's when this one was done. All acoustic, they run the gambit of musical styles and moods through the songs here. Probably one of the best albums I've ever heard.

10. Heart "Greatest Hits/Live"  1980  The only reason I brought this one was for the cover of Aaron Neville's "Tell It Like It Is". If Annie's vocals don't give you goose bumps, you ain't alive.

I'm sure there's more  I'm forgetting, but that's a good start. These are the cds that I will never get sick of.  How about you? What would you bring? If you're coming, bring me a freakin' cd player, would ya?