A new Birthday playlist

A two years ago, at the age of 60, I decided to create a birthday playlist. This was to celebrate my love of music in all forms and it took me sometime to put together. I first thought 60 songs for 60 years but changed my mind to 50 songs and 10 albums. Ok so, it was a sort of cheat but who cares.

I have since created one at 61 and now find myself making this one for 62. It’s fun, it makes you think, allows me to listen to something when I am working or in my ManLoft building model, something I got back into during Covid. The playlist can be found here.

Birthday Thoughts

Why make a new birthday playlist? The reason is I am now at the age of my birth year. This one is mixing old and new, taking some songs and film themes from the year 1962. It just feels right and proper to celebrate in this way. Again, how to pick? Well some I keep in because I just like them but this year I have split my playlist into four parts, songs both old and new, classical, film/TV and now dance music.

Dance music has in the past few years become more important. It is not just your traditional waltz or quickstep music but songs you may not have thought would fit the sort of dance I now do. We have joined a very good group of people who have taught us sequence dancing. Now benefits of this are more than you might think.

You have to learn how to move, various steps and timing. It keeps you fit, uses the memory and is just good fun. It costs very little and gets you into the company of like-minded friends. Overall, it keeps you healthy in mind and body.

Song choice 62

The opening song or theme was a simple pick, the fanfare to 20th Century Fox films. I have heard it so many times in cinemas it was the prefect choice. Makes next year difficult however. The next few choices are a mixture of pop/rock songs. Some of the songs are from 1962 like A Swingin’ Safari, Green Onions and Moon River. I have included a song from Cliff Richard and The Shadows, The Young Ones and The Shadows version of Thunderbirds theme. I had that version of the theme on an extended LP, vinyl in the old days.

Moon River is a favourite as I learnt to play it on the violin as a student and I always enjoy hearing that piece. I remember how the violins played and much fun it was to create those sounds. Although written in 1961, it won a Grammy in 1962 hence its inclusion.

The next selection I decided to pick from film music, some from 1962. I picked three very noticeable film selections, two from James Bond Dr No, the overture to Lawrence of Arabia and Seventy-Six Trombones from The Music Man. The first is just iconic, the moment you hear those notes for many film-goers they know who it is. Lawrence of Arabia is just a classic moment in film history for me. Again it makes me wonder how both composers created such pieces of work.

The last of the three pieces, Seventy-Six Trombones, is one dedicated to my late Mum and Dad and their joy of musicals. The Music Man is oddly uplifting given the actual story and the film of course came out in 1962. Yes I have seen it. One other choice was pure fun, the main theme from Carry on Films as Carry On Cruising came out in 1962.

Dance

The last choice is something I have not always included on purpose. Many film and classical music fans will have heard the Blue Danube Waltz, which was used in 2001: A Space Odyssey. In the past few years, I have enjoyed dancing again. It all restarted on a cruise after a chance conversation which sort of got me into trouble—a nice sort of trouble—and rekindled an interest in ballroom dancing. By joining a dance group, it gave me the chance to try sequence dancing. Hence, the inclusion of songs to various dances. It has been a surprise which songs fit the various dances. Now, the minute I hear them, I feel the movements and often smile to myself. For example, Let’s Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez is a song I would not have thought I could dance to. In retrospect, I can’t do disco dancing anymore; my hips just won’t do it. But play it the Sally Ann Cha Cha Cha, and well, it’s a different song to me. Great fun, very quick, and you do have to move. Have a listen to it.

Another one I have discovered that slightly annoyed me. Cry To Me is used in the Rumba Rosalie. I have danced to this a few times and discovered, when I was checking, that the version played, it is by one of my favourite artists, none other than Huey Lewis and the News. It just shows that I was concentrating on the dance and the tune, not who sang it. I shall listen more carefully in the future.

Playlist 62

It is quite good fun creating these, I do it for myself but happy to share. I have birthday ones, season ones and holiday ones. I do recommend people trying this, again it makes you think, creates memories and is just what you like. To be honest, if no-one else listens who cares.

Tagline: Music is for enjoyment, memories, to dance to and just plain listen. Enjoy my playlist.