Entertainment For Lively Minds
Family albums
Just as a little change from the usual indie durge I happen to indulge in, I have recently looked up a few “classic” albums by artists I would not usually listen to just to get a little more grounding in this rich musical cotton field we are all toiling away in.
What slightly disturbed me was how familiar some of them were and how much credit I can now give my parents for having something other than just “Greatest Hits” collections weighing down the shelves back home. The records I looked into weren’t exactly hidden jems, but they meant a lot to those who played them.
At the mention of some of the artists I would usually (and rather unfairly) cast a wry smile at but, having now dug them out on Spotify or elsewhere, I have discovered that these LPs have soundtracked by youth without me realising it. One of them I don’t think is even available anymore.
They are:
“Tapestry” by Carol King
“Watermark” by Enya
“Oasis” by Mary Hopkin, Peter Skellern, Julian Lloyd Webber etc (as Oasis)
Having listened to samples of these records I can admit that I know each and every track like the back of my hand, even though I never once put the record on myself. I find that really odd that something can penetrate you so deeply without you even realising it. The above three albums are classic examples of the “Sunday lunch” music that routinely got stuck on in the dining room at home over warm lamb and countless bottles of red wine.
Listening to them again is rather poignant now that my family has “split up” over the years and the memories they bring back are a little hard to take, but I do find it interesting this idea of almost subliminal cultural ingestion.
What albums have surprised you over the years by being more familiar than you realised?
James
(Sheffield)
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I once worked in a newly-opened...
...rooftop bar overlooking the harbour in Hania, Crete, and I spent six nights a week for three months working to the sound of just three albums: "Confessions Of A Pop Group" by The Style Council, "A New Flame" by Simply Red, and, for the last four of those weeks, "Various Positions" by Leonard Cohen.
I've recently cooked to the Spotify accompaniment of the first two, and I was able to sing each from beginning to end without ever having properly listened to either before.
Life
I had to endure lstening to Life by Des'ree virtually on loop when I briefly worked in Blockbusters when I was 18.
Eleven years later it still sends chills down my spine.
When will it stop?
word for word singalongs to obscure and ancient songs
but try remembering those damn pin numbers
In a similar vein
but a record I owned in the mid to late seventies was the Edgar Broughton band album with the meat hanging cover. I loved the opening track Evening over rooftops. I hadnt listened to it in more than 20 years and bought as a twofer on cd with their following album. The first time I played the cd I was amazed to find that I knew every word to the song (if anyone knows the song there are rather a lot of words).Yes you are right about the pin number problem - 2 weeks holiday can leave me forgetting my password for my computer at work!!
Mine would be:
'Brothers in Arms' by Dire Straits - thanks to my dad's predeliction for all things Knopfler.
And 'The Works' by Queen - thanks to the sadism of a girlfriend's father, who insisted on playing it whenever I was at their house - "Now this is proper music lad, none of your Depeche Mode nonsense!" The relationship didn't last long. But her Dad still keeps in touch.
Finally Chris de Burgh's 'Greatest Hits' thanks to my mum - I was always too polite to tell her my exact feelings on this one...
Sunday lunch was often preceded by one of the following:
...and I know every note of every track to this day. Even though at the time I was listening to King Crimson and Wishbone Ash, I still knew a good tune well played when I heard one. Great stuff.
Are you me?
We did the very same with those very LPs, depending on whether "Family At War" was on the telly or not. This was followed by the Beer at Home means Davenports TV ad and a burst of "Star Socer" with Huw "Bread & Circuses" Johns.
Now I think of it, if "Family at War" wasn't on, "The World At War" generally was. What was it with ITV and war at sunday dinnertime?
The Seekers
I bought a Best-Of by The Seekers last year. It had lurked around the record cabinet in our house when I was growing up. I'm guessing it was my mum's - my Dad is and was more of a Scottish Dance fan. Something had been nagging me to give it another whirl.
It's as good if not better than I remember it. Judith Durham has an absolutely stunning voice, and their version of The Carnival Is Over remains one of the most heart-breaking songs I've ever heard.
On reflection, I think the best Family album
is probably Bandstand.