Big Mouth Strikes Again on Carl Barat, founder of The Libertines, playlist

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My playlist: From Billy Bragg's busking tunes to Damon Albarn's world grooves
By Mark Ellingham
Published: 14 October 2005
Over the past six months, Rough Guides has been putting together the Book of Playlists (published this week). The idea was simple: we commissioned, from a wide range of music writers, playlists covering different bands, artists and genres, plus quirky categories like great songs sung by drummers, or songs about cats and dogs (climaxing with the Cramps' " Does Your Pussy Do The Dog"), or - and I hold my hand up here - music discussed in Haruki Murakami novels. Each list was to have a maximum of 10 tracks, and include brief reviews of the featured songs.

Everyone got it from the start, for playlists really are the new way of listening to popular music. Sure, CDs remain a handy format for symphonies and concertos, but when it comes to rock, soul, pop, reggae, hip-hop, jazz, world music, it's individual tracks that matter.

In the course of creating the book, we thought it might also be fun to add some playlists from musicians, often counterbalancing lists of their own music featured in the book. And these are (mostly) what appear on this page. They are revealing selections - and had me, for one, logging on to download tracks. I mean, if Al Green rates Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary", it's got to be good, right?

For details of the best places to download these online, both for iPod-and Windows-based MP3 players, check Rouigh Guides directory at www.roughguides.com/playlists

Mark Ellingham is editor of Rough Guides

NICK HORNBY'S 12 GREAT SONGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

The author Nick Hornby proved himself a master of lists with his novel High Fidelity and his collection of music writing, 31 Songs. He says about this list: "Of course, I have no idea what you know and don't know. But I have managed to introduce these songs even to people who listen to a lot of music; maybe you have somehow managed to have missed them."

1. Watch Your Step by Bobby Parker from the album Bent out of Shape.

2. Can I Change My Mind? by Tyrone Davis from Atlantic Rhythm & Blues Vol 7.
Two Sixties R&B songs, one slightly menacing, the other exuberant, both irresistible.

3. Formula Cola Dollar Draft by Marah from Let's Cut the Crap.
The first three stages of man, encapsulated in four minutes and what seems like a million urgent words, with a beautiful and unusual banjo outro.

4. I Can't Be Me by Eddie Hinton from Hard Luck Guy.
The singer Jerry Wexler described Hinton as a white Otis Redding, and as a writer his songs were covered by Aretha Franklin and Percy Sledge. "I Can't Be Me" was recorded just before he died in 1995, and he'd just about perfected blue-eyed soul by then.

5. A Long Way Back Again by Peter Wolf from Fool's Parade.
More white R&B; the former singer with J Geils is growing older with dignity and, on this evidence, just the right amount of regret and melancholy.

6. Goin' Back to Cali by LL Cool from All-World Greatest Hits.

7. Bridging the Gap by Nas from Street's Disciple.
Hip-hop for people who don't think they'll like hip-hop. The same excitement you'd find in great rock'n'roll.

8. Piece of Clay by Marvin Gaye from The Master

9. Stranger in My Own Town by Elvis Presley from The Memphis Record.
You may think you know all you need to know about these two, but Gaye's "Piece of Clay" is a haunting, mournful ballad released after his death (and, given the circumstances of his death, the first line is pretty chilling) and "Stranger in My Own Town" is from the fantastic Memphis sessions, when Elvis briefly twitched back into glorious life after his long, slow Sixties death, like one of the characters in Awakenings. Colonel Parker soon put a stop to his fun.

10. I Want to Know What Love is by the New Jersey Mass Choir from Beginner's Guide to Gospel.

11. Walk of Life by Charles Mann from the Essential collection.
Yes, the Foreigner song and, yes, the Dire Straits song. One is done gospel, the other Cajun, and both make you doubt every aesthetic judgement about songs you've ever made.

12. Me Just Purely by Brendan Benson from One Mississippi.
A heartbreaking ballad, possibly about giving up drugs. I don't know. I never know what songs are about.

ED SMITH

England and Middlesex cricketer Ed Smith compiled this list of the music he listens to before going out to bat. Smith is also a broadcaster and author of the book On and Off the Field.

1. Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen from the album Born To Run.

2. Into the Mystic by Van Morrison from Moondance.

3. The Rescue Blues by Ryan Adams from Gold.
"Everybody wants you to be special," goes the opening line, reminding uswe all had hopes of being the best.

4. Tiny Dancer by Elton John from Madman Across the Water.
There are few happier moments than a win followed by a team sing-song. This is the most sing-along-able I know.

5. It Makes No Difference by The Band from The Last Waltz.
This captures the whole essence of life on the road.

6. Everybody's Changing by Keane from Hopes and Fears.
Tim Rice-Oxley, Keane's keyboardist, played with me in the same Tonbridge School First XI.

7. Simple Twist of Fate by Bob Dylan from Blood on the Tracks.
Luck, destiny, fate - sport's recurring themes.

8. East by Marah from 20,000 Streets Under the Sky.
Sometimes you need straight-shooting, rock'n'roll.

9. Fire and Rain by James Taylor from You've Got a Friend, The Best of James Taylor.

10. Most of the Time by Bob Dylan from Oh Mercy.
Dylan sings this brilliantly: no bitterness.

AL GREEN PLAYS

One of the greatest soul singers of our age, Al Green has a playlist that recognises the influences of such classic voices as Sam Cooke and Otis Redding on his own style, but also reveals tastes that range from jazz to hip-hop.

1. Just For The Love by John Coltrane from the album Legends of Jazz.

2. Moon Dreams by Miles Davis from Birth of the Cool.

3. You Send Me by Sam Cooke from Greatest Hits.

4. The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix from Are You Experienced?

5. Try A Little Tenderness by Otis Redding from Complete and Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul.

6. Higher Ground by Stevie Wonder from Innervisions.

7. Where Do We Go From Here? by Chicago from Chicago II

8. Simply Beautiful by Queen Latifah from The Dana Owens Album

9. If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys from The Diary of Alicia Keys

10. The Fact Is (I Need You) by Jill Scott from Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2

BERT JANSCH'S INFLUENTIAL 10

The doyen of English acoustic folk guitarists, Bert Jansch's musical tastes run to jazz, blues, rock and soul, all reflected in his rather eclectic playlist.

1. Blues Run the Game by Jackson C Frank from the album Blues Run the Game.

2. Blackwaterside by Anne Briggs from A Collection.

3. Key to the Highway by Big Bill Broonzy from Trouble in Mind.

4. Proud Maisie by Davey Graham and Shirley Collins from Folk Routes, New Routes.

5. Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop that Atomic Bomb on Me by Charles Mingus from Oh Yeah.

6. (I'm Your) Hoochie-Coochie Man by Muddy Waters from The Best of Muddy Waters, 1947-55.

7. Byker Hill by Martin Carthy with Dave Swarbrick from Byker Hill.

8. The Frog Galliard by John Dowland from Julian Bream Vol 7: Fantasies, Ayres & Dances.

9. Charlotte Hope Sandoval and The Warm Inventions from Bavarian Fruit Bread.

10. Green Onions by Booker T & The MGs from The Very Best of....

JAZZIE B'S SOUL SET

Jazzie B, founder of Soul II Soul - who have a good claim to putting British soul on the international map - has also worked as a producer, label boss and DJ with Kiss FM. "This," he says, "is a playlist I would play, in order in which I'd play them."

1. Flipjack by Hustlers of Culture from the album Fat Jazzy Grooves.
I've been playing this for over five years now and it still commands respect.

2. One Sweet Love To Remember by Roy Ayers from Southport Weekender Volume 3.
One of those Classic Ayers tracks that is such a big boogie tune.

3. You Make Love Like Springtime by Teena Marie from Irons In The Fire.
The Lady of Soul. So full of passion, heart and emotion.

4. As by Gene Harris from The Wonder Of Stevie.
A Stevie Wonder tune, and this updated version really works for me.

5. Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye from Let's Get It On.
A classic that has been given a new lease of life with an updated backing track.

6. Sunny by James Brown from Live In Japan.
The great Mr Brown with a Japanese re-make that totally blows up the dancefloor.

7. Battle by Wookie from the "Battle" single.
His greatest commercial track.

8. Pass That Dutch (PTA Mix) by Missy Elliot - bootleg.
A Missy Elliot re-make. This bootleg gets respect.

9. As If You Read My Mind by Stevie Wonder from Hotter Than July.
The don... 'nuff said!

10. Back To Life (Special Mix) by Soul to Soul from the "Back To Life" single.
How could my set be complete without this?

MICHAEL STIPE'S SUPPORT NETWORK

Most of the artists on this list have supported REM on tour...

1. In The Sun by Joseph Arthur from the album Come To Where I'm From.

2. Wing by Patti Smith from Gone Again.

3. We Are Nowhere And It's Now by Bright Eyes from I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning.

4. Hidden Song by Angela McCluskey from The Things We Do.

5. Merecedes Children by The Cheeks from What You Heard.

6. Aunt Avis by Vic Chesnutt from Drunk.

7. Reverse by Now It's Overheard from Fall Back Open.

8. Favourite Writer by Magnapop from Magnapop.

9. Nights Of The Living Dead by Tilly And The Wall from Wild Like Children.

10. H The President by Flash To Bang Time from Glo.

BILLY BRAGG'S BUSKING TUNES

"I did a bit of busking in London in the early 1980s, sometimes earning as much as £15 a day. These were my favourites."

1. Me and Bobby McGee by Kris Kristofferson from the album The Best of Kris Kristofferson.
Any busker worth their salt should be able to play this, a classic.

2. Bring it on Home to Me by Sam Cooke from The Best of Sam Cooke.

3. Love Has No Pride by Bonnie Raitt from Give It Up.
Complex chord changes, but they really wring the heartbreak out of a lyric that must rank among the greatest sad songs ever sung.

4. Catch the Wind by Donovan from What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid.
A song that just rolls gently along, drawing in the listener so that by the time they get to where you are playing their hand is already in their pocket...

5. Early Morning Rain by Gordon Lightfoot from Lightfoot!.
Buskers should always do a couple of rambling songs, to give passers-by the impression that they are travelling round the world with nothing but their musical talent to support them.

6. The Mountains of Mourne by Don McLean from Playin' Favorites.
It's always good to have an unashamedly sentimental song in your repertoire.

7. That's Entertainment by The Jam from Dig the New Breed.
This was my nod to contemporary taste - the only Jam song that's convincing on an acoustic guitar.

8. Spanish is the Loving Tongue by Bob Dylan from Dylan.
Dylan wrote a few busker's standards, but not this one, which is based on a poem by a guy named Badger Clarke.

9. You Don't Miss Your Water by Otis Redding from Otis Blue.
The definitive William Bell classic...

10. Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley from The Hollywood Hits.
There was something about Elvis ballads that just kept the small change coming, and this one was my pièce de résistance.

KT TUNSTALL TAKES 12

KT Tunstall was hailed as one of the most exciting new British singer-songwriters after releasing Eye to the Telescope, which gained a Mercury nomination. "I know there's 12 on this list, but I can't live without any of them,'' she says.

1. Inner Meet Me by The Beta Band from the album The 3 EPs.

2. Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash from Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.

3. Country Cassette by Half Cousin from The Function Room.

4. Bullitt: Main Title Theme by Lalo Shifrin from the Bullitt soundtrack.

5. Be My Husband by Nina Simone from Pastel Blues/Let It All Out.

6. Root Down by the Beastie Boys from Anthology.

7. Lost Cause by Beck from Sea Change.

8. Jimmy T by David Axelrod from David Axelrod.

9. Patience by Micah P Hinson & The Gospel of Progress.

10. Who Are You by Tom Waits from Bone Machine.

11. Perfect Day Elise by PJ Harvey from Is This Desire.

12. Sega by Ry Cooder and Ali Farka Toure from Talking Timbuktu.

DAMON ALBARN'S WORLD GROOVES

"There's so much great music out there that isn't widely available outside the country where it was made. That's why we set up our own label [Honest Jon's], just to get some of it out there."

1. Deni Kelenbe Koko (Lonely Girl by the Riverside) by the Lobi Traore Group from the album Lobi Traore Group.

2. Omelebele by Dr Victor Olaiya from Lagos Chop Up.

3. Professional Super Bantous by Super Negro Bantous from Lagos All-Routes.

4. Calypso Blues by Mona Baptiste from London is the Place for Me, Vol 2.

5. Chocolate en C7 by Chocolate from Son Cubano.

6. El Hob Keda by Oum Kalthoum from El Hob Keda.

7. Eya Ka Jo by Jimmy Solanke and the Junkers from The Shrine Presents Afrobeat.

8. The Old Ark's a-Moverin' by Alphabetical Four from Complete Recorded Works 1938-1943.

9. Shake Sugaree by Elizabeth Cotten from Shake Sugaree.

10. Mankunto by Mehr Ali and Sher Ali from Sacred Voices: Sufi Passion.

CARL BARAT'S LIBERTINE RAVES

Carl Barat, founder of The Libertines, is soon to release his first solo album. Here's what he rates.

1. Oh You Pretty Things by David Bowie from the album Hunky Dory.

2. Hurricane by Bob Dylan from Desire.

3. Personality Crisis by New York Dolls from New York Dolls.

4. Remote Control by The Clash from The Clash.

5. Eton Rifles by The Jam from Setting Sons.

6. No More Heroes by The Stranglers from No More Heroes.

7. Too Much Too Young by The Specials from The Specials.

8. Big Mouth Strikes Again by The Smiths from Big Mouth Strikes Again.

9. Sorted for Es and Wizz by Pulp from Different Class.

10. Fit But You Know It by The Streets from A Grand Don't Come For Free.

MARIANNE FAITHFULL'S ICONS

An icon herself, Marianne Faithfull picks tracks by 10 iconic artists.

1. One More Cup of Coffee by Bob Dylan from the album Desire.

2. Pain in my Heart by Otis Redding.

3. Redemption Song by Bob Marley from Uprising.

4. Chain of Fools by Aretha Franklin from Lady Soul.

5. Fine & Mellow by Billie Holiday from The Sound of Jazz.

6. Lust for Life by Iggy Pop from Lust for Life.

7. Mother by John Lennon from Plastic Ono Band.

8. First We Take Manhattan by Leonard Cohen from I'm Your Man.

9. That's
A
ll Right by Elvis Presley from The Sun Sessions.

10. Delia's Gone by Johnny Cash from American Recordings.

Over the past six months, Rough Guides has been putting together the Book of Playlists (published this week). The idea was simple: we commissioned, from a wide range of music writers, playlists covering different bands, artists and genres, plus quirky categories like great songs sung by drummers, or songs about cats and dogs (climaxing with the Cramps' " Does Your Pussy Do The Dog"), or - and I hold my hand up here - music discussed in Haruki Murakami novels. Each list was to have a maximum of 10 tracks, and include brief reviews of the featured songs.

Everyone got it from the start, for playlists really are the new way of listening to popular music. Sure, CDs remain a handy format for symphonies and concertos, but when it comes to rock, soul, pop, reggae, hip-hop, jazz, world music, it's individual tracks that matter.

In the course of creating the book, we thought it might also be fun to add some playlists from musicians, often counterbalancing lists of their own music featured in the book. And these are (mostly) what appear on this page. They are revealing selections - and had me, for one, logging on to download tracks. I mean, if Al Green rates Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary", it's got to be good, right?

For details of the best places to download these online, both for iPod-and Windows-based MP3 players, check Rouigh Guides directory at www.roughguides.com/playlists

Mark Ellingham is editor of Rough Guides

NICK HORNBY'S 12 GREAT SONGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

The author Nick Hornby proved himself a master of lists with his novel High Fidelity and his collection of music writing, 31 Songs. He says about this list: "Of course, I have no idea what you know and don't know. But I have managed to introduce these songs even to people who listen to a lot of music; maybe you have somehow managed to have missed them."

1. Watch Your Step by Bobby Parker from the album Bent out of Shape.

2. Can I Change My Mind? by Tyrone Davis from Atlantic Rhythm & Blues Vol 7.
Two Sixties R&B songs, one slightly menacing, the other exuberant, both irresistible.

3. Formula Cola Dollar Draft by Marah from Let's Cut the Crap.
The first three stages of man, encapsulated in four minutes and what seems like a million urgent words, with a beautiful and unusual banjo outro.

4. I Can't Be Me by Eddie Hinton from Hard Luck Guy.
The singer Jerry Wexler described Hinton as a white Otis Redding, and as a writer his songs were covered by Aretha Franklin and Percy Sledge. "I Can't Be Me" was recorded just before he died in 1995, and he'd just about perfected blue-eyed soul by then.

5. A Long Way Back Again by Peter Wolf from Fool's Parade.
More white R&B; the former singer with J Geils is growing older with dignity and, on this evidence, just the right amount of regret and melancholy.

6. Goin' Back to Cali by LL Cool from All-World Greatest Hits.

7. Bridging the Gap by Nas from Street's Disciple.
Hip-hop for people who don't think they'll like hip-hop. The same excitement you'd find in great rock'n'roll.

8. Piece of Clay by Marvin Gaye from The Master

9. Stranger in My Own Town by Elvis Presley from The Memphis Record.
You may think you know all you need to know about these two, but Gaye's "Piece of Clay" is a haunting, mournful ballad released after his death (and, given the circumstances of his death, the first line is pretty chilling) and "Stranger in My Own Town" is from the fantastic Memphis sessions, when Elvis briefly twitched back into glorious life after his long, slow Sixties death, like one of the characters in Awakenings. Colonel Parker soon put a stop to his fun.

10. I Want to Know What Love is by the New Jersey Mass Choir from Beginner's Guide to Gospel.

11. Walk of Life by Charles Mann from the Essential collection.
Yes, the Foreigner song and, yes, the Dire Straits song. One is done gospel, the other Cajun, and both make you doubt every aesthetic judgement about songs you've ever made.

12. Me Just Purely by Brendan Benson from One Mississippi.
A heartbreaking ballad, possibly about giving up drugs. I don't know. I never know what songs are about.

ED SMITH

England and Middlesex cricketer Ed Smith compiled this list of the music he listens to before going out to bat. Smith is also a broadcaster and author of the book On and Off the Field.

1. Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen from the album Born To Run.

2. Into the Mystic by Van Morrison from Moondance.

3. The Rescue Blues by Ryan Adams from Gold.
"Everybody wants you to be special," goes the opening line, reminding uswe all had hopes of being the best.

4. Tiny Dancer by Elton John from Madman Across the Water.
There are few happier moments than a win followed by a team sing-song. This is the most sing-along-able I know.

5. It Makes No Difference by The Band from The Last Waltz.
This captures the whole essence of life on the road.

6. Everybody's Changing by Keane from Hopes and Fears.
Tim Rice-Oxley, Keane's keyboardist, played with me in the same Tonbridge School First XI.

7. Simple Twist of Fate by Bob Dylan from Blood on the Tracks.
Luck, destiny, fate - sport's recurring themes.

8. East by Marah from 20,000 Streets Under the Sky.
Sometimes you need straight-shooting, rock'n'roll.

9. Fire and Rain by James Taylor from You've Got a Friend, The Best of James Taylor.

10. Most of the Time by Bob Dylan from Oh Mercy.
Dylan sings this brilliantly: no bitterness.

AL GREEN PLAYS

One of the greatest soul singers of our age, Al Green has a playlist that recognises the influences of such classic voices as Sam Cooke and Otis Redding on his own style, but also reveals tastes that range from jazz to hip-hop.

1. Just For The Love by John Coltrane from the album Legends of Jazz.

2. Moon Dreams by Miles Davis from Birth of the Cool.

3. You Send Me by Sam Cooke from Greatest Hits.

4. The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix from Are You Experienced?

5. Try A Little Tenderness by Otis Redding from Complete and Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul.

6. Higher Ground by Stevie Wonder from Innervisions.

7. Where Do We Go From Here? by Chicago from Chicago II

8. Simply Beautiful by Queen Latifah from The Dana Owens Album

9. If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys from The Diary of Alicia Keys

10. The Fact Is (I Need You) by Jill Scott from Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2

BERT JANSCH'S INFLUENTIAL 10

The doyen of English acoustic folk guitarists, Bert Jansch's musical tastes run to jazz, blues, rock and soul, all reflected in his rather eclectic playlist.

1. Blues Run the Game by Jackson C Frank from the album Blues Run the Game.

2. Blackwaterside by Anne Briggs from A Collection.

3. Key to the Highway by Big Bill Broonzy from Trouble in Mind.

4. Proud Maisie by Davey Graham and Shirley Collins from Folk Routes, New Routes.

5. Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop that Atomic Bomb on Me by Charles Mingus from Oh Yeah.

6. (I'm Your) Hoochie-Coochie Man by Muddy Waters from The Best of Muddy Waters, 1947-55.

7. Byker Hill by Martin Carthy with Dave Swarbrick from Byker Hill.

8. The Frog Galliard by John Dowland from Julian Bream Vol 7: Fantasies, Ayres & Dances.

9. Charlotte Hope Sandoval and The Warm Inventions from Bavarian Fruit Bread.

10. Green Onions by Booker T & The MGs from The Very Best of....

JAZZIE B'S SOUL SET

Jazzie B, founder of Soul II Soul - who have a good claim to putting British soul on the international map - has also worked as a producer, label boss and DJ with Kiss FM. "This," he says, "is a playlist I would play, in order in which I'd play them."

1. Flipjack by Hustlers of Culture from the album Fat Jazzy Grooves.
I've been playing this for over five years now and it still commands respect.
2. One Sweet Love To Remember by Roy Ayers from Southport Weekender Volume 3.
One of those Classic Ayers tracks that is such a big boogie tune.

3. You Make Love Like Springtime by Teena Marie from Irons In The Fire.
The Lady of Soul. So full of passion, heart and emotion.

4. As by Gene Harris from The Wonder Of Stevie.
A Stevie Wonder tune, and this updated version really works for me.

5. Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye from Let's Get It On.
A classic that has been given a new lease of life with an updated backing track.

6. Sunny by James Brown from Live In Japan.
The great Mr Brown with a Japanese re-make that totally blows up the dancefloor.

7. Battle by Wookie from the "Battle" single.
His greatest commercial track.

8. Pass That Dutch (PTA Mix) by Missy Elliot - bootleg.
A Missy Elliot re-make. This bootleg gets respect.

9. As If You Read My Mind by Stevie Wonder from Hotter Than July.
The don... 'nuff said!

10. Back To Life (Special Mix) by Soul to Soul from the "Back To Life" single.
How could my set be complete without this?

MICHAEL STIPE'S SUPPORT NETWORK

Most of the artists on this list have supported REM on tour...

1. In The Sun by Joseph Arthur from the album Come To Where I'm From.

2. Wing by Patti Smith from Gone Again.

3. We Are Nowhere And It's Now by Bright Eyes from I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning.

4. Hidden Song by Angela McCluskey from The Things We Do.

5. Merecedes Children by The Cheeks from What You Heard.

6. Aunt Avis by Vic Chesnutt from Drunk.

7. Reverse by Now It's Overheard from Fall Back Open.

8. Favourite Writer by Magnapop from Magnapop.

9. Nights Of The Living Dead by Tilly And The Wall from Wild Like Children.

10. H The President by Flash To Bang Time from Glo.

BILLY BRAGG'S BUSKING TUNES

"I did a bit of busking in London in the early 1980s, sometimes earning as much as £15 a day. These were my favourites."

1. Me and Bobby McGee by Kris Kristofferson from the album The Best of Kris Kristofferson.
Any busker worth their salt should be able to play this, a classic.

2. Bring it on Home to Me by Sam Cooke from The Best of Sam Cooke.

3. Love Has No Pride by Bonnie Raitt from Give It Up.
Complex chord changes, but they really wring the heartbreak out of a lyric that must rank among the greatest sad songs ever sung.

4. Catch the Wind by Donovan from What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid.
A song that just rolls gently along, drawing in the listener so that by the time they get to where you are playing their hand is already in their pocket...

5. Early Morning Rain by Gordon Lightfoot from Lightfoot!.
Buskers should always do a couple of rambling songs, to give passers-by the impression that they are travelling round the world with nothing but their musical talent to support them.

6. The Mountains of Mourne by Don McLean from Playin' Favorites.
It's always good to have an unashamedly sentimental song in your repertoire.

7. That's Entertainment by The Jam from Dig the New Breed.
This was my nod to contemporary taste - the only Jam song that's convincing on an acoustic guitar.

8. Spanish is the Loving Tongue by Bob Dylan from Dylan.
Dylan wrote a few busker's standards, but not this one, which is based on a poem by a guy named Badger Clarke.

9. You Don't Miss Your Water by Otis Redding from Otis Blue.
The definitive William Bell classic...

10. Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley from The Hollywood Hits.
There was something about Elvis ballads that just kept the small change coming, and this one was my pièce de résistance.

KT TUNSTALL TAKES 12

KT Tunstall was hailed as one of the most exciting new British singer-songwriters after releasing Eye to the Telescope, which gained a Mercury nomination. "I know there's 12 on this list, but I can't live without any of them,'' she says.

1. Inner Meet Me by The Beta Band from the album The 3 EPs.

2. Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash from Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.

3. Country Cassette by Half Cousin from The Function Room.

4. Bullitt: Main Title Theme by Lalo Shifrin from the Bullitt soundtrack.

5. Be My Husband by Nina Simone from Pastel Blues/Let It All Out.

6. Root Down by the Beastie Boys from Anthology.

7. Lost Cause by Beck from Sea Change.

8. Jimmy T by David Axelrod from David Axelrod.

9. Patience by Micah P Hinson & The Gospel of Progress.

10. Who Are You by Tom Waits from Bone Machine.

11. Perfect Day Elise by PJ Harvey from Is This Desire.

12. Sega by Ry Cooder and Ali Farka Toure from Talking Timbuktu.

DAMON ALBARN'S WORLD GROOVES

"There's so much great music out there that isn't widely available outside the country where it was made. That's why we set up our own label [Honest Jon's], just to get some of it out there."

1. Deni Kelenbe Koko (Lonely Girl by the Riverside) by the Lobi Traore Group from the album Lobi Traore Group.

2. Omelebele by Dr Victor Olaiya from Lagos Chop Up.

3. Professional Super Bantous by Super Negro Bantous from Lagos All-Routes.

4. Calypso Blues by Mona Baptiste from London is the Place for Me, Vol 2.

5. Chocolate en C7 by Chocolate from Son Cubano.

6. El Hob Keda by Oum Kalthoum from El Hob Keda.

7. Eya Ka Jo by Jimmy Solanke and the Junkers from The Shrine Presents Afrobeat.

8. The Old Ark's a-Moverin' by Alphabetical Four from Complete Recorded Works 1938-1943.

9. Shake Sugaree by Elizabeth Cotten from Shake Sugaree.

10. Mankunto by Mehr Ali and Sher Ali from Sacred Voices: Sufi Passion.

CARL BARAT'S LIBERTINE RAVES

Carl Barat, founder of The Libertines, is soon to release his first solo album. Here's what he rates.

1. Oh You Pretty Things by David Bowie from the album Hunky Dory.

2. Hurricane by Bob Dylan from Desire.

3. Personality Crisis by New York Dolls from New York Dolls.

4. Remote Control by The Clash from The Clash.

5. Eton Rifles by The Jam from Setting Sons.

6. No More Heroes by The Stranglers from No More Heroes.

7. Too Much Too Young by The Specials from The Specials.

8. Big Mouth Strikes Again by The Smiths from Big Mouth Strikes Again.

9. Sorted for Es and Wizz by Pulp from Different Class.

10. Fit But You Know It by The Streets from A Grand Don't Come For Free.

MARIANNE FAITHFULL'S ICONS

An icon herself, Marianne Faithfull picks tracks by 10 iconic artists.

1. One More Cup of Coffee by Bob Dylan from the album Desire.

2. Pain in my Heart by Otis Redding.

3. Redemption Song by Bob Marley from Uprising.

4. Chain of Fools by Aretha Franklin from Lady Soul.

5. Fine & Mellow by Billie Holiday from The Sound of Jazz.

6. Lust for Life by Iggy Pop from Lust for Life.

7. Mother by John Lennon from Plastic Ono Band.

8. First We Take Manhattan by Leonard Cohen from I'm Your Man.

9. That's All Right by Elvis Presley from The Sun Sessions.

10. Delia's Gone by Johnny Cash from American Recordings.




My playlist: From Billy Bragg's busking tunes to Damon Albarn's world grooves
 
aahhh the first smiths song i ever heard, still feel all excited when i hear the opening guitar riff
 
Wind Cries Mary is an exceptional song. It's what I like from Hendrix, the songs that haven't been played a million times on car ads.

Has a real mellow, bad-ass feel to it.
 
Wow that was a f***ing waste to post. The Libertines are shit, stop posting about them.
 
The post was not meant to be about the Libertines, I'm not sure if I have ever heard them, and if I have they were so unmemorable that I don't remember them.

The post was more about that someone felt strongly enough about "Bigmouth" that they included it in their "playlist" of songs.

I actually like more of Marianne Faithfull's list:

1. One More Cup of Coffee by Bob Dylan from the album Desire.

6. Lust for Life by Iggy Pop from Lust for Life.

8. First We Take Manhattan by Leonard Cohen from I'm Your Man.

9. That's All Right by Elvis Presley from The Sun Sessions.

10. Delia's Gone by Johnny Cash from American Recordings.

First We Take Manhattan, That's All Right and Delia's Gone are outstanding.
The way Elvis sings the words "That's All Right" during that song. And I learned of Leonard Cohen by seeing the First We Tkke video om MTV when it first came out. That was the one and only time I have ever seen that video played. I wish I could get a copy of it. But that song introduced me to Mr. Cohen.
 
> aahhh the first smiths song i ever heard, still feel all excited when i
> hear the opening guitar riff

who the f*** are ya? where did you spring up from ?nothing's worst than a new moz fan.
 
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