What Are Your "Desert Island Albums?"

There used to be a great podcast published by the BBC called “Desert Island Discs”. It may still be available, and if it is you should definitely check it out or subscribe to it. The premise of the show is that a celebrity is interviewed (mostly English celebrities, but occasionally there are celebrities from other countries), and the interview is centered around the question, “If you were to be stranded on a desert island for a year, and could only have six CDs, what would they be?” It’s assumed that there would be some sort of solar-powered or long-lasting battery operated player that would be with you. They are also given the Bible and the complete works of Shakespeare, but asked to select one book and one luxury item to take with them. The range of answers and the reasons why people choose certain discs are fascinating.

I always thought it would be awesome to be invited on that show, but since I’m not British, and certainly not a celebrity (yet), I figure my chances to share my choices are very slim at best. But one of the benefits of having your own blog platform is the ability to make your own rules. Now, in order to avoid any possible legal problems with the BBC, I’m going to take only five albums and take two books. Here are my choices:

Albums

1. “Johnny Cash: Live at Folsom Prison” – I love this album. One of my earliest memories is of my mother playing this when I was a small boy. It’s a fantastic example of a performance with the bare minimum of instruments, and one that is perfectly presented to a unique audience. It’s raw, powerful, and shows a performer who knew exactly how to communicate with music.

2. “Stardust” – Willie Nelson – This was the strangest album when it was released: the American popular songbook sung by a country music “outlaw”. But it is beautiful, and exhibits the versatility and excellent musicianship of Willie Nelson. I learned my first jazz standards from listening to this album.

3. “Aloha From Hawaii” – Elvis Presley – I almost wore the grooves off this album. I’ve heard “American Trilogy” scores of times and it still gives me chills every time I hear it. As troubled as Elvis was, the man had an incredible voice and incredible stage presence.

4. “The Nightfly” – Donald Fagen – This was the debut solo album from the lead singer of Steely Dan. My friends and I devoured this album, talked about it, quoted it, and played it on our cars’ cassette decks day and night. Not only do I think the songs are brilliantly written and arranged, but listening to this makes me think of good times with close friends and our shared love of music.

5. “Requiem” – Gabriel Faure – I don’t have a specific recording recommendation. Very few times have I been stunned into breathless silence by a piece of music, but this one did it to me. It is beautiful, hopeful, and powerful.

Books

1. A Short History of Nearly Everything– Bill Bryson – This is a non-science book that shares the author’s amazement about science itself. It is educational without being scholarly, and illustrates how incredibly complex our universe and planet is. It also has an extensive bibliography in case your curiosity is aroused, as mine was.

2. The Complete Works of Plato– It would take a year on a deserted island for me to be able to understand the depths of thinking that Plato exhibits. Socrates has a way of making the reader doubt what he or she thinks is known for certain. And Socrates does that by asking a series of simple questions that demand increasingly difficult answers.

My Luxury Item

This would have to be my subscription to the daily online New York Times Crossword Puzzle. Hey, I know. I’m on a desert island with no electricity. But when you have your own website you can make your own rules. Like including a computer, wi-fi, and a yearlong battery.

What are your desert island albums and books? I’d love to hear them.