I know, everyone does this and it is kind of stupid but I will give it a shot anyway.
The idea is, if you were stuck on a desert island and had to pick one album to listen to, what would it be? Which, by the way, is stupid because no matter what you pick, you would eventually get sick of it. I have decided to pick ten albums that I could comfortably listen to for an extended period of time. This list will be similar to other columns but those other columns were more open ended. Meaning, I will probably add on over time. This list is finite.
First, would have to be Quadrophenia. This two record set has so many different great elements that it would be very hard to tire of it. A rock opera that actually has a story and makes sense from beginning to end. No filler material. No stupid one minute and forty second songs. Just a complete work of art.
Next, The Beatles Abbey Road. Now critics and most other people would say Sgt Peppers or Revolver or any number of great Beatles albums but I love Abbey Road and I never skip past a song from this album when it comes up on my playlist. The White Album would be another option but listening to “She’s so Heavy” still brings chills to my spine so Abbey Road it is.
Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks would be my next choice. Every song is a mini masterpiece and I am not even a Dylan fan. This, like Quadrophenia, should be played from beginning to end, in order. There are stories here that only Dylan could tell.
Number four would have to be The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers. Granted, The Stones may have released better albums and of all the picks, this one was the hardest, Sticky Fingers, from “Brown Sugar” to “Moonlight Mile” is an example of how great this band is. Not a weak song in the bunch and it has one of my all time favorite songs, “Sister Morphine”. You can push back if you want to.
Van Morrison’s Moondance would be my next choice and it takes the nod over Astral Weeks by a smidgen. I may have said it somewhere in one of my previous columns but I think side one of the original vinyl might just be the best five tracks on one side of one record ever. Another album that I can never tire of.
Purists may scoff at this next selection but too bad, it’s my column and it’s my island, I’ll pick what I want. Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Another double record set with a story and all sorts of underlying meanings about humanity as well. Not too sure I care all that much about the bands take on humanity but the production is still incredible. There are ebbs and flows and thats fine because I can still listen to this album anytime and never be bored.
One of the harder choices had to be picking which Springsteen album I would bring along and I think I would bring The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle over Born to Run. It has more to do with the memories this album brings back than with the quality of the record. Born to Run is still probably one of the greatest rock and roll records ever but The Wild and the Innocent has a better feel to it. I remember seeing bands do covers of this album and the highlight was always “Rosalita” and thats what I am shooting for, memories and stories to get me through those long days on that desert island.
Same goes for Led Zeppelin. Picking one album when I probably could pick four is just as hard. I am going to go with Led Zeppelin. The debut album, while critics passed on it, was a breakthrough for me. It was one of the first albums I ever bought with my own money and played it on this cheap Panasonic stereo I had and almost wore out the grooves. I can still listen endlessly to this record and not skip a song. The guitar playing, Plant’s vocals, the power of the drumming. This record pushed me in the right direction and it still holds a special place.
Same goes for Cosmo’s Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival. This was the first record I ever bought and again, it spent more time spinning in my bedroom than I care to remember. Every song was a hit in one form or another and to have an album stick in an eleven minute version of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”, I mean come on! I loved the album the minute I listened to it but only became so much more appreciative of it and John Fogerty as I got older. I never realized how good a musician and statesmen Fogarty was until recently. How could you not love an album that has the ultimate protest song on it (Run Through the Jungle)?
Lastly, and this is a bit of a departure from the others on this list is Little Feat’s Waiting for Columbus. It’s a live album that is sort of a greatest hits compilation as well. I had been a fan in college and had tickets to go see them play when Lowell George suddenly passed away. Having missed that opportunity the next best thing was this album and it showcased all the things I would miss. George’s vocals and his slide guitar were showcased and the band’s ability to boogie and jam is why this record is on my list. Listening to “Dixie Chicken” for the 5,000th time I finally went to the Commodore Hotel but never got to meet the Bartender.
What, no CSN with or without Y?! You’ll always be the baby brother for this reason.