Hello pals and a happy new year to you! It’s that time: the time that my iPod can decide my social status. Musical shuffle is a silly little game that I play with my iPod, in which I let it randomly select five songs and I shall recount that, and all my associated memories, to you here. Let’s pray for less Pitbull than we’ve had before.

Song 1: Partyline-555-Online by Five

Oh those funky 90’s beats. This was from Five’s album that was something to do with a pool party, if I remember rightly? I loved them. I had their poster on the door of my wardrobe and sometimes (on my perhaps most sad days) I would kiss Scott’s picture before I went to sleep. He was my fave, closely followed by Abs. They were the pinnacle of cool when I was in infant school. I knew all their songs, had all their albums and even knew some of the dance routines. You cannot come close to that kind of devotion and love these days. This was an album track from their first album released way back when in 1998. What a year, what a band. Richie’s floppy locks and Jay’s raps (that I used to know all the words to. Who am I kidding, I still know them all) take me straight back.

Song 2: Ready to go by Panic! At the disco

This was one of my jams at uni. I distinctly remember cranking this up in the summertime in my tiny Vauxhall Corsa and speeding away from my student house to go and pick up friends for a day trip. I just love the joyful chorus and Brendan’s tone. From the 2011 Vices and Virtues album, which is one I really enjoyed (perhaps my third favourite Panic! album) this song makes me think of friendship and freedom and dancing in the sunshine for some reason, although I am sure that my perpetual state of poverty and stress probably didn’t allow that to happen at uni. Sadly when I saw Panic! their set at Reading was a little bit of a let-down. And with very little original members left in the band, who knows what is next for them.

Song 3: Au Revoir Adios by The Front Bottoms

Now this is a band that wasn’t a let-down live. When I saw the Front Butts, as me and a pal affectionately refer to them, two years ago it was sweaty and dingy and loud and lively and awesome. This song was the first of theirs that I properly loved and knew all the words to, enough to shout them loudly while inebriated during rounds of beer pong. It really is uncanny how so many songs that I love are intrinsically connected to memories of my car or alcohol. Anyway, this classic, from the Talon of the Hawk album in 2013 is just wonderful, from the very first tambourine shake to when the drums kick in and the final reverb in the guitar of the final adios. It’s short and snappy and I just love it, and it really does make you wanna scream it out loud.

Song 4: Serious by Gwen Stefani

Oh the instant I hear the violins. This is from the Love. Angel. Music. Baby album of 2004 that I had on CD (still do) and worshipped. I had loved Gwen since her No Doubt days and sang Don’t Speak at so many performances at school that I lost count. This album was so cool. From the Harijuku girls to the outlandish Alice in Wonderland inspired videos, Gwen was the epitome of everything I wanted to be in 2004. I was 13 and she had knee high stripy socks and the curliest hair that I seriously envied. I played this album over and over during a particular crush of mine in my heady schooldays and envisioned singing this to him. S E R I O U S. Thankfully, for all involved, I never did.

Song 5: Church by T-Pain vs Teddy Verseti

Oh! ‘Ladies and gentleman!’ Oh and I do already know what it is. Church, as featured in the 2007 film Step Up 2: The Streets, came out when I was at the tender age of 16 and blew my tiny mind. Now, I’m not a huge fan of R&B or rap that much. But Church? I know every word. ‘Clap, clap.’ I remember this reverberating around the walls of house parties at the end of my school days, I remember girls in my school listening to it before tutor and learning the dance routines. An attitude I’m not even sure I possessed then comes over me now when this song comes on. Also any song that can get ‘piehole’ into its lyrics I am all about. I think one of my dear pals sent me this at the time and I can still see her dancing at a house party with a WKD in hand. Like I said, weirdly so many songs are related to alcohol memories in my mind.

 

So that’s it for another month! Thankfully, less Pitbull than previous months and, oddly enough, mostly alcohol and party related memories this month. Perhaps that is apt for the end of the festive season and into a new year. So Happy 2018 to all of you and thank you for reading. I’ll see you for more Musical Shuffle and iPod related torture next month.