Musical Memories of John Rawlings

1. Joan Baez, Love is Just a Four Letter Word: From her 1968 album Any Day Now. All tracks were written by Bob Dylan although he never recorded the song. I have seen Joan Baez almost every decade since the 60's, the last time was at the Royal Albert Hall last month (May) which, given her age, she said would be her final tour. I think,without doubt, she is, along with Emmy Lou Harris. my all time favourite singer. I chose this song because of Dylan's usual enigmatic words and the line "Outside a rattling store front window, cats meowed to the break of day".

2. Joni Mitchell, Amelia: From her 1976 album Hejira. I saw her in concert at Wembley Arena in 1983 and it still remains one of the best concert evenings ever for me. The words are based on the aviatrix Amelia Earhardt who was the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic and who disappeared in July 1937 during a flight over the Pacific. I also like to think it could be about Amy Johnson,another heroine of mine, who crashed into the Thames Estuary in 1941 and whose body was never found.

3. Kate Wolf, Here in California: This song was featured on her album Close to You (1979). Kate was a singer/songwriter who died from leukemia in 1986 aged 44. I first heard one of her songs Across the Great Divide sung by Nanci Griffith and decided to find out more about her. Her album contained songs about longing and loss. This song,particularly, is a prime example of her talent, sadly cut short.

4. Don McLean, American Pie: Driving back to UK from Germany Christmas 1971, I first heard the song in a bar in Brussels but didn't know the song or singer. It was only later that I discovered it and, despite the innumerable times played since then, it still remains a beautiful anthem to rock n' roll.

5. Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Talk to me of Mendocino: From the debut album by Kate and Anna McGarrigle issued in 1976. I first saw them on The Old Grey Whistle Test and was smitten, buying all their albums and seeing them perform in 1976 (Victoria Palace) and in 1985 (Dominion Theatre). I found it most difficult to select one song from all those I love but this song had, in the end, to be my choice. Words and harmony are sublime. I made the mistake of visiting Mendocino in 2016. It was full of Starbucks, Taco Bell and Burgher King. It did not tarnish the song however. Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III (see below) are the parents of Rufus and Martha - some pedigree. Kate died in 2010 but what a legacy.

6. Loudon Wainwright III, The Acid Song: Taken from his album More Love Songs (1986). Cynical,world weary and funny, his tics and grimaces as he sings are priceless. Sometimes he lapses into bittersweet (Westchester County for example) but generally his songs are barbed and full of satire. I picked this track purely because it injects a bit of humour to my list.

7. Eric Clapton, Wonderful Tonight: I know it's near sacrilege but I don't go a bundle on Eric Clapton since he left Cream. However there are always exceptions to the rule and this is one. This track form his album Slowhand (1977) is, to me, one of the most romantic songs I've heard. OK, so Noel Coward said "How potent,cheap music" and this fits the bill. He hasn't the greatest voice but with words and music like this I'm more than ready to forgive him. The line about the car keys always amused my wife. How many time had she taken the keys when I had one too many.

8. Dire Straits, Romeo and Juliet: Form the 1980 album Making Movies. Probably one of the finest rock bands England has produced. I used to go to the Greyhound Hotel in Croydon on Sunday nights where they often headlined up and coming groups (sorry,bands!). Did I imagine I saw Dire Straits supporting Talking Heads? No! Hard to think that both went on to become iconic bands. On occasions, depending on the artist and price you could go up market to the Fairfield Hall acoss the road. A line that appeals "Oh,Yeah, Romeo, I used to have a scene with him".

9. Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni, Adagio in G Minor. Included for no other reason than it was from the soundtrack of the film Galipoli. I can't say anymore than that it is beautiful haunting music from a fine film.

10. The Pretenders, Back on the Chain Gang: Issued as a single in 1982 and included in their album Learning to Crawl. Sung by Chrissie Hynde, the original rock chick and dedicated to the band's guitarist James Honeyman-Scott who died of a drug overdose. The newspapers were cynical and unsympathetic about his death hence the scathing reference to the "News of the World" in the lyrics. The lines "come to ruin some day" were quite prophetic as the newspaper was shut down in 2011.

11. Leonard Cohen, Sisters of Mercy: From Leonard Cohen's first album Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967). This was the year I got married and one of my wife's flatmates bought us this album and also Sgt Pepper. I was familiar with Cohen having read his book Beautiful Losers the year before but did not know at the time he would become a singer/songwriter. I saw him a few years ago at the Echo Arena in Liverpool and although in his seventies he was still the urbane,laconic,fedora wearing, ladies man he ever was. On this album alone he should have beaten Dylan for the Nobel Prize. This was the first song I chose when compiling my list. Oh, that the rest were so easy to pick.

12. Jennifer Warnes, Song of Bernadette: Written by Leonard Cohen and (supposedly) Jennifer Warnes, this is from her album Famous Blue Raincoat (1986). Cohen never recorded the song but was happy for her to record an album devoted entirely to his songs. He refused point blank when she suggested the title "Jenny sings Lenny"!. The song refers to the young french girl who saw a vision of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes in 1858. Leonard Cohen picked and mixed his religions throughout his life but this is the nearest he came to writing a hymn and that includes "Hallelujah". What a song,what poetry.

13. Richard Thompson, Vincent Black Lightning: Written and sung by Richard Thompson and included in his album Rumor and Sigh (1991). My first interest in motorbikes stems from riding pillion on my dad's Scott Flying Squirrel bike some light years ago. My first bike was a Triumph Tiger Cub and then I graduated to a Norton. Mickey,one of my friends, owned a Vincent Black Prince which was one of the last models Vincent made. We were in awe of it. To my shame I swapped my leather jacket for a parka and bought a Vespa scooter; this, after a couple of near miss accidents on the bike. This song therefore reminds me of those days so there was no second thoughts about including it.

14. Emmylou Harris, Pancho and Lefty: I have always liked songs that tell a story and this one is no exception. It was written by Townes van Zandt, a talent which was somewhat wasted by drink and an early death. The song became an anthem for Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard but this version is by Emmylou Harris and is from her 1977 album Luxury Liner. Emmylou is the 7th female artist to appear on my list, what that says about me is anybody's guess. Van Zandt never explained the storyline but some in the music industry think it has connections with Pancho Villa, the mexican revelutionary. Emmylou Harris comes a very close second to Joan Baez when it comes to my all time favourite singers.

15. Pietro Mascagni, Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana: This comes from the opera by Pietro Mascagni and was featured in the film Godfather III. This is the final piece of music on my list and I have included it because I simply cannot imagine any other piece of music that can stir the emotions with it's beauty. Requested to be played at my funeral.