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These are the posts from my Crucial Tracks profile for the last few days.

14 May 2025 - WhatÔÇÖs a lyric that resonates deeply with you and why?

“And If You Should See Dave…” by The Stranglers

"It would be nice to say hello

“And If You Should See Dave…” by The Stranglers on Apple Music

13 May 2025 - If your life were a movie, what would its theme song be?

“What a Wonderful World” by Joey Ramone

“What a Wonderful World” by Joey Ramone on Apple Music

12 May 2025 - How do you discover new music, and whatÔÇÖs the latest gem youÔÇÖve found?

“Henrietta Street” by The BeerMats

It’s a mixture of the streaming service, Shazam-ing stuff, music magazines (through Libby)…and very occasionally seeing bands. This is from a band who I saw last month, who were fab

“Henrietta Street” by The BeerMats on Apple Music

11 May 2025 - What is a song that feels like home to you?

“Blue Is the Colour” by Chelsea Football Club

This feels like home both because it was the first record I had when I was a kid, and because I hear it at Home games

“Blue Is the Colour” by Chelsea Football Club on Apple Music

10 May 2025 - WhatÔÇÖs the first song youÔÇÖd play at a party?

“Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley & The Wailers

“Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley & The Wailers on Apple Music

09 May 2025 - What song do you associate with the current season?

“Here Comes the Summer” by The Undertones

“Here Comes the Summer” by The Undertones on Apple Music

08 May 2025 - WhatÔÇÖs your favorite love song, and why?

“A Rainy Night In Soho” by The Pogues

We used to go to see the Pogues in the ’80s, and it was lovely to go again last weekend, after 30-odd years, with our eldest

“A Rainy Night In Soho” by The Pogues on Apple Music

07 May 2025 - WhatÔÇÖs a hidden gem or underrated song you love?

“Would She Do That for You” by Mary Saenz

“Would She Do That for You” by Mary Saenz on Apple Music

06 May 2025 - WhatÔÇÖs a guilty pleasure song?

“Guilty (Duet With Barry Gibb)” by Barbra Streisand

“Guilty (Duet With Barry Gibb)” by Barbra Streisand on Apple Music

05 May 2025 - WhatÔÇÖs a song youÔÇÖve had on repeat recently?

“(You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back” by Peter Tosh & Mick Jagger

"(You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back" by Peter Tosh & Mick Jagger on Apple Music

04 May 2025 - WhatÔÇÖs a song that helps you focus or concentrate?

“Kundalini” by 23 Skidoo

“Kundalini” by 23 Skidoo on Apple Music

03 May 2025 - WhatÔÇÖs your favorite collaboration between artists?

“Miniskirt Blues (feat. Iggy Pop)” by The Cramps

In all honesty my favourite is probably The Fairy Tale, but it’s not December yet

“Miniskirt Blues (feat. Iggy Pop)” by The Cramps on Apple Music

02 May 2025 - Which song would you use to introduce yourself to someone new?

“Ordinary Man” by Christy Moore

"I’m an Ordinary Man, nothing special nothing grand"…. although I have seen Christy Moore a zillion times

“Ordinary Man” by Christy Moore on Apple Music

01 May 2025 - A song that tells a story

“Camouflage” by Stan Ridgway

Possibly the last I a series of hit songs with a spooky ending such as Johnny Remember Mr, Big Bad John and, obviously, Ernie

“Camouflage” by Stan Ridgway on Apple Music

30 April 2025 - What song always cheers you up?

“Train In Vain (Stand By Me)” by The Clash

Not necessarily my favourite Clash song but it always puts a spring in my step

“Train In Vain (Stand By Me)” by The Clash on Apple Music

29 April 2025 - A current mood

“Summer Breeze” by The Isley Brothers

It’s unseasonably warm in The Shire today

“Summer Breeze” by The Isley Brothers on Apple Music

Sous les floorboards,….la plage!!

(We’ve been to the Mayflower pub in Rotherhithe. It’s got some decking at the back which goes out over the River. If you look closely you can make it out)

"Camouflage" by Stan Ridgway

Listen on Apple Music

Possibly the last I a series of hit songs with a spooky ending such as Johnny Remember Mr, Big Bad John and, obviously, Ernie

View mattypenny's Crucial Tracks profile

"Train In Vain (Stand By Me)" by The Clash

Listen on Apple Music

Not necessarily my favourite Clash song but it always puts a spring in my step

View mattypenny's Crucial Tracks profile

"Summer Breeze" by The Isley Brothers

Listen on Apple Music

It's unseasonably warm in The Shire today

View mattypenny's Crucial Tracks profile

My thoughts on the top 20 songs from Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. These thoughts clearly say more about me and my taste in music than they do about the songs themselves…but I thought it was fun

  1. Robyn: “Dancing on My Own” ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’m a sucker for a sad banger

  2. John Lennon: “Imagine” ⭐⭐⭐ I like the simplicity, but, contrariwise, I’m a bit bored with it

  3. Prince and the Revolution: “Purple Rain” ⭐⭐⭐ The only act in Rolling Stone’s top 20 that I’ve seen live, but there are a dozen Prince songs I like better

  4. Queen: “Bohemian Rhapsody” Dreadful drivel.

  5. Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z: “Crazy in Love” ⭐⭐ Resistance is futile

  6. The Beatles: “I Want to Hold Your Hand” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The best at their best

  7. The Kinks: “Waterloo Sunset” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The other best at their best…although to be honest his voice often doesn’t work for me, for some reason

  8. The Rolling Stones: “Gimme Shelter” ⭐ Every 10 years they came up with a song I loved. Gimme Shelter isn’t one of them.

  9. Stevie Wonder: “Superstition” ⭐⭐⭐ I’d like to like Stevie Wonder more than I do, but as with Ray Davies, I don’t quite get on with his singing voice

  10. The Beach Boys: “God Only Knows” ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A work of genius, but it came on the radio when someone close to me was seriously ill. I’ve not been able to listen to it since

  11. Outkast: “Hey Ya!” ⭐ I can sort of see why people like this…but I don’t. Maybe it’s too tricky for my simple taste.

  12. Fleetwood Mac: “Dreams” ⭐ Pleasant enough

  13. Missy Elliott: “Get Ur Freak On” ⭐⭐ I prefer Work It

  14. The Beatles: “Strawberry Fields Forever” ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cleverer than I Want To Hold Your Hand, but not quite as good

  15. Marvin Gaye: “What’s Going On” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ All the stars aligned, magically

5.Nirvana: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” ⭐ A bit heavy for me….and a pale imitation of punk rock

  1. Bob Dylan: “Like a Rolling Stone” ⭐⭐ I am not a big Dylan fan, but I like the Greatest Hits

  2. Sam Cooke: “A Change Is Gonna Come” ⭐⭐ I am a big Sam Cooke fan…but this isn’t my favourite. I think this polls well with critics because they are endorsing the message as much as the song

  3. Public Enemy: “Fight the Power” ⭐⭐⭐ Loses one star for slagging off Elvis,

  4. Aretha Franklin: “Respect” ⭐⭐ It goes without saying, this is a great song, but it’s not as good as I Say a Little Prayer.

Further to the above….if I’d done a list there would be folk, and reggae, and Elvis, Eddie, Buddy, Chuck, and Smokey on it

I think the psephology of it is, in at least some cases, that some of my favourite artists had a lot of songs to choose from, whereas, say, Queen has one obvious choice, Aretha has two, Nirvana has one, and the Kinks have one.

Back in the olden days, when Twitter was a nice place to be, there was a hashtag called #PostASongLyricYouLove

“And I can play hide and seek with my fears And live my days instead of counting my years”

Goin' Back - Dusty Springfield