DON’T STOP THE MUSIC…

Days out in the car always involve a bit of a tussle over whose music gets played.  We’ve now come to a deal that one of us will have their iPod playing on the outward journey, the other on the return.  Problem sorted, right?  Well not quite; you see neither of us really like each other’s music!

It’s a crazy thing because when I met my other half one of the things we found we had in common was that our music tastes were quite similar.  In fact when we moved in together and our record collections were merged we found there was quite a bit of duplication.  Time, however, appears to have completely turned that on its head.  I do have quite an eclectic taste – ballads, R & B, even occasional electropop but guitar driven rock music is my main love.  My other half acknowledges that some of my taste is good but a lot of it gets a definite thumbs down and at times a sort of ‘Are you kidding me?’ look.   But then why complain when my feelings about his choices are just the same?    So every trip out listening to his iPod becomes a bit of a travel lottery.  Can I cope with it all?  Should I take ear plugs?  The reason for the latter comment is because one of his favourite bands are Yes who were very big in the seventies.  Now I can cope with one or two tracks, but if I’m trapped in a car for any length of time with Jon Anderson’s falsetto voice I’m likely to want to open the door and take my chances with the tarmac!

Today as we drove down into Somerset for lunch with friends my other half’s music was playing.  I was supposed to connect my iPod for the return journey but for whatever reason it didn’t happen.  Usually I would have been a little miffed but on this occasion the music wasn’t bad and I felt fairly relaxed – probably helped by the large amount of wine consumed over lunch!  The sun was out the sky blue and we sang along very loudly like a couple of twelve year olds to things like Yellow Submarine, Can’t Buy Me Love and Ticket to Ride as the Beatles came up on the shuffle.  The Killers, Coldplay, Keane, Kasabian  and similar followed with not a Yes track in sight! It’s obvious the shuffle fairy was on my side (thank goodness!). There have been times, however, when I’ve had to sit through track after track of the most uninspiring stuff which left me wondering ‘how did these guys get a recording contract for heaven’s sake?’

Still, like beauty I guess it’s all in the eyes (or in this case ears) of the beholder.  As far as I’m concerned Reggae is a non-starter.  Artists like Bob Marley. Desmond Dekker, Aswad and Steel Pulse completely bypassed me.  Then there is Country Music.  Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers doing Islands in the Stream is guaranteed to bring out the worst in me as is Tammy Wynette’s Stand by Your Man – or should I say Mayun?  ‘Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman’ she drawls and for me it’s like someone dragging fingernails down a blackboard.  Yes it is I want to tell her; men can be very difficult, support is one thing but sounding as if you are turning yourself into an accommodating doormat is bad, very bad Tammy!

Seriously though such a blanket statement about my dislike of Country Music is a little OTT, it’s simply the twee stuff I don’t like.  I love  Jude Cole and Shania Twain, especially  her single It Don’t Impress Me Much because there’s a verse in that which aptly describes my other half.  It’s the bit about kissing his car goodnight that really hits the spot with me because he’s absolutely passionate about his motors.  Whenever I hear the song it always makes me laugh out loud and think ‘now that is so true!’ The kissing goodnight might be a tad far-fetched but there is no denying  he does lavish a lot of attention on his four-wheeled ‘ladies’.

Well this lady has come to the end of her blog journey for today and will now leave you with some music to enjoy.  Strangely I’ve found the choice this time very difficult, although I’m not sure why.  There’s so much music out there which I really love and this time around because I simply could not decide what to choose I’ve done a blindfold and pin job instead.  This really is a case of big production – melody and loads of energy.  It’s U2 and of course with The Edge you have that brilliant guitar work as well.  Enjoy or not as the case may be.  Next time around I’ll try and post something a little less dramatic – Spanish guitar maybe or those wonderful Corrs  – it’s a promise, but for now, till next week…

Apologies for the YouTube video not appearing – please click to view