Ruth is one of my favourite Melbourne bloggers. She writes the blog Gourmet Girlfriend where she talks about her life, her family, her recipes and music. Ruth’s been ace enough to make a play list for us all! I am quite in love with these tracks, I must say, and Monday seems a very good day for some Jam!
Ruth Says :: I compiled my list of music based on songs that were part of my earliest memory of music. I was lucky enough to grow up in a house filled with music ALL the time. It was so rare that music wasn’t playing. And the variety was wide. From music my jazz loving mother played to the punk rock of my older siblings and then to the German dance hall music my dada would put on that would almost certainly spell the end of the dinner party! My love of music has never left me…..neither have these songs. I have listed the first ten that came into my head….there are so many more that didn’t make it. These songs are all from the time I was between 10-14 years old. My kids are listening to them all now!
Ruth’s Playlist ::
1: Dave Brubeck Quartet: Take Five :: I have chosen this track first as I think it is the track that I remember being on the most and so I think is responsible for my love of music today. My mum would turn it up really loud. I loved that. I love this track now as much as I ever did. My kids love it too.
2: David Bowie: Five years :: I fell in love with Mr. Bowie when I was 10. I was sure I would grow up and marry him. so sure. I loved this song so much. I used to imagine he was singin’ to me of course.
3: Ian Dury & the Blockheads :: Clevor Trevor : This album seemed to be on the turntable permanently. I loved listening to Ian’s fab accent as he sang his great songs. We would all sing along. I think we could probably still all sing along if we put it on now.
4: Billie Holiday: Strange Fruit :: The haunting mellifluous sound of Billie was often playing thanks to my Mumma’s love of Jazz. I remember her often singin’ in the background as we prepared food for our many many get togethers. This song was probably the beginning of me understanding the power of lyrics in music.
5: Talking Heads: Listening Wind :: One of my siblings in particular loved this album. I remember us all sitting at the dining table doing our homework to this. Hauntingly beautiful.
6: The Sunnyboys: Let you go :: The Sunnyboys were my first favourite Oz band. For my 14th bday my mum took me a on a trip to Melbourne ( we lived in Adelaide) on the Overland (the overnight train). My eldest brother lived here & we all went to see the Sunnyboys play at the Seaview Ballroom. My first ever gig. AMAZING. This is still my favourite track of theirs.
7: Madness: My Girl :: This was one of my favourite albums. I taped it onto cassette so I could rewind it a gazillion times and learn the lyrics. Although I had no idea about ‘love’ I used to sing along and imagine this was what it was like to be heartbroken- and of course i was wishing that Suggs was singing about me. I still love Suggs. SPUNK.
8: Erika Eigen: I Want to Marry a Lighthousekeeper (from the ‘A Clockwork Orange’ soundtrack)
This was probably the first soundtrack i ever heard. I was entranced by this song and would play it over & over carefully guiding the needle to the right track on the record.
9: Bob Dylan: Tangled up in Blue : What can i say? the master story teller…….I never have tired of his stories.
10: The Jam: That’s Entertainment :: I couldn’t get enough of the likes of the Jam, the Specials, UK Squeeze and their counterparts. Loved it. I had no idea of the politics they sung of. But just loved the music. I understand it on a different level now.
If you had to list the first ten songs you remember from your childhood, what would they be?
xx Ruth
Oh, The Sunnyboys.
My 14 year old self loved them.
And listening to them again, I realize what great discernment my 14 year old self displayed!
phworrr! nearly died when I spied the lovely old photo of The Jam at the top of this post – I even sported a badge exactly like the one Paul Weller is a-wearing to high school every day – no one in my little county high school had a clue who The Jam were – I had to import their records as it wasn't until 1983 (I think) that The Jam had a minor aussie hit with 'Town called Malice' (and I suspect that was only an oz hit then because of the Chamberlain trial of that era…… ahhhhhh memories)
thanks for sharing!!!!
what a great list! love Madness, Sunnyboys and The Jam!
Ruth is now my BFF!
Love your list Ruth x
What a great list….memories are flooding back! Just reading 'The Seaview Ballroom' was enough to make me very nostalgic. 🙂