*This is a companion piece to a similarly-themed article on Karen’s site which, all things being equal, should be published at roughly the same time.*
I’ve enjoyed listening to this playlist, because the connection between the songs is fairly tenuous, and subsequently there’s been a fairly diverse range of genres in here. Here’s Spotify showing its incompleteness again.
1. **Denis** Blondie – it’s not a particularly impressive feat of songwriting, but it’s okay to listen to.
2. **Le Freak** Chic – I can’t listen to this song. Not so soon.
3. **Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick** Ian Dury & The Blockheads – great song, fantastic bassline. And yes, the French is dodgy.
4. **I’m Not Scared** Eighth Wonder – ah, this takes me back. My first album (not including toddlerfeed) was Hits 8 and tape 1, side 1, track 2 was this song. I remember, when I was young, making “radio shows” – I didn’t have a substantial archive, so most of the songs on those radio shows were lifted from this album. Most of the inter-song banter was between me and my toys. Memories.
5. **Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi** Kylie Minogue – I don’t really have much time for Stock Aitken Waterman songs these days.
6. **Joe Le Taxi** Vanessa Paradis – what a thoroughly unremarkable song, practically the dictionary definition of “5 out of 10”.
7. **Lady Marmalade** Labelle – it’s probably received more cover versions than would be advisable, and is subsequently a little over-exposed, but you can’t deny that this song is fantastic.
8. **Michelle** The Beatles – I quite like the bridge, but on the whole this song did nothing for me. I can talk about the way that the instruments were panned, if you like.
9. **Psycho Killer** Talking Heads – this playlist has also coaxed me into finally making a date with Talking Heads, a band that I’ve always had intentions of familiarising myself with, yet never got round to. It’s good news.
10. **Si Si Je Suis Un Rock Star** Bill Wyman – a slightly daft song, twice as long as it needs to be, but lyrically entertaining. And pigeon French lyrics always make me think of Checkout Girl, which is no bad thing. At the time, I thought I was doing something faintly original.
So, in conclusion: people should take the relevant precautions before handling an unfamiliar language.
The next week’s playlist
The Randomaroo picked 386, but there are no playlists starting on this page (as it is at the end of a chapter). I rolled again, and threw a 3. Two playlists, the Randomaroo picks the second – Africa calling. The book says
> A playlist for a whole continent? Tall order, mad idea, etc. Still, here are ten tracks that wear the classic tag with some ease.
Surprisingly near-full Spotify playlist
I have been unable to find a copy of *Monie* by Kanda Bongo Man. If you are able to provide me with an MP3 for study purposes, then we’ll be able to include it in next week’s playlist. If not, then when it comes to time to review it, we’ll have to make something up, and it will probably be hilariously insulting.