"Where words fail, music speaks." — Hans Christian Andersen
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Desert Island Tracks Part One
I've never been a guest on the BBC's "Desert Island Discs," and unless I win the Nobel Prize for writing, it seems unlikely I will be. However, this is how it goes, Lauren Laverne, the Yorkshire lass with the sweet voice chats with famous writers, actors, scientists, and other luminaries. Each guest is asked to choose eight tracks of music, a book, and a luxury item, imagining their life marooned on a desert island. The music selections are particularly revealing, often tied deeply to the guest's personal story.
My thought with the BBC—shared by many, I presume—is that the show could also celebrate the unsung heroes among us. Imagine featuring the lad who sits outside Marks and Spencer’s, collecting coins for a hostel bed for the night; or the elderly couple I met who visit Scotland from Arkansas every year and walk Scotland’s West Highland Way; or the Israeli doctor I met walking up Goat Fell to camp under the stars with his family, or the displaced family from Gaza who launched a thriving coffee shop on a Scottish isle. Their extraordinary stories deserve a platform too. If you agree, why not suggest to the BBC the inclusion of these inspiring, ordinary individuals with extraordinary stories?
If by some twist of fate, I were to be invited, rest assured, my music selections are already decided—prepared over many years of thoughtful consideration. For instance, during my undergraduate studies in English literature, we explored James Joyce's Dubliners. In the story "Eveline," she reminisces about the song "Marble Halls" from the opera The Bohemian Girl by Michael William Balfe, which symbolizes her dreams of escape and the poignancy of her past. Discovering Enya’s rendition on YouTube, the song immediately gave me goosebumps. After sharing it with a friend, who then forwarded it to his wife at work, she was moved to tears. Many on YouTube have echoed that it might be the most beautiful song ever crafted.
Years later, while listening to Paul Gambaccini on Radio 2, a familiar tune was introduced as a wonderful focal performance. Sceptical yet intrigued, I gave it my full attention. It was Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush performing "Don’t Give Up." Once again, I was enveloped by the profound impact of the music, a lesson in how powerful a suggestion from a knowledgeable source can be.
Peter Gabriel - Don't Give Up (ft. Kate Bush)
Stranded on a desert island, one would inevitably experience both trials and joys. I envision the delight of watching a pod of dolphins leap and twirl against a backdrop of golden sands. Such a sight would stir my soul, compelling me to dance along the shoreline. And what better soundtrack for this scene than ABBA's "Chiquitita"? A song brimming with hope, it would be the perfect accompaniment to such a display of grace and freedom.
ABBA - Chiquitita (Official Music Video)
My wife is Filipino, so I would miss her if I was stranded, so here are a wonderful Filipino family doing a cover of the Abba song which would remind me of my wife waiting on some coastline hoping I would return,
CHIQUITITA_(abba) Acoustic Trio cover Father & Kids @FRANZRhythm
Stay tuned for Part Two of Desert Island tomorrow.