Life is a strange old beast when you look at it. From a very young age you are compiling lists, and that never stops. From an early age it’s for fun and easy to do as you don’t have a great deal to add to those lists, however as you age, the knowledge improves and what was originally on your lists gets bumped in or out depending on taste and preference changes, commiserate with your growth and ageing process.
Now when you get a lot older, and here is where I can relate quite well, you get into similar age groups where the talk sometimes goes around what music you want at your funeral. And yes I speak for my wife and closest members of our family circle in that we all know what we want played at our last big hurrah. These decisions have usually been made after a night of listening to good music and imbibing some questionable beverages.
Hence subject to change in the title.
This got me thinking. What are my three favourite songs of all time and why? It wasn’t a difficult decision to make as they’ve sat in my head for a while now, two of them especially from when I was a very young buck back in the 70s. Now anyone who knows me knows that my musical likes cover anything from Heavy rock through to classical. My favourite group of all time are R.E.M, I just love them, but none of their tunes feature at all in my top three. Believe me though they do have some fantastic tunes in their repertoire.
It seems I was heavily influenced from the seventies, my childhood years, difficult years, quite abusive years but these these tunes helped get me through that pain and anguish, and that’s why they still have a positive impact on me all these years later.
My first is this one by the Doobie Brothers.
Now if this song doesn’t get you tapping your feet you’ve probably already got no pulse. It’s raw 70s happy music, it’s one of those songs I play when feeling low and I can honestly say it’s probably as close to a musical drug as you can get as it improves my mood no end. I just love it, I love the movement, the double drums, the three guitarists and the inclusion of a bit of banjo indicating its roots in a country rhythm as it goes mainstream. It’s food for a bad mood and should be prescribed by doctors to listen to in my opinion. But hey, it’s my opinion and you probably would feel totally different. But do me a favour first, just check your pulse hey!
Secondly is the Bellamy Brothers.
Another 70s crossover song that just like the Doobie Brothers above is just such a happy song. I was about 12 years old when this came out, and it’s stayed with me since. Another one that just oozes good vibes and happiness. Basically two Cowboy brothers that hit the big time with a song that crossed over into the mainstream. In the 70s life was tough with strikes, power cuts and 3 day weeks and songs like this really did lift the mood, I even remember my old man tapping his feet to this tune and he was a curmudgeonly old sod at the best of times.
The third is from the Eagles
Randy Meisner just sings this song so beautifully. Again a 70s masterpiece of pure musicianship with super talented masters of musical togetherness, pure musical class. Such a mellow song, superb singing and a great tempo, what’s not to like about it. Peaceful, easy and just beautiful.
As I stated earlier, subject to change. Who knows if I gain more senior years I may well accumulate another tune to displace the third choice, but I know only too well that the first two choices just ain’t gonna budge.
It seems that my choices have been influenced by those informative pre teenage years of my childhood, and fifty years later they are still top of my list. Amazing isn’t it? When you consider all the fine music that has been created within that time period, that these two songs hold their heads above the parapet for me.
What does it for you, and what are your reasonings?
Have a peaceful day.
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