Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Almost Blue - the original versions - a Spotify playlist

Joe writes: While setting my dad up with an iPod (it's the future you know), I got distracted and ended up making this Spotify playlist of the original versions of country songs covered by Elvis Costello & The Attractions on the 1981 album Almost Blue (except where the originals weren't on Spotify, in which case I've gone for the next best thing).

Tenor Fly - Sorry If I Hurt U Feelings

Joe writes: Damn, Tenor Fly has died and Sorry If I Hurt U Feelings still hasn't been a hit. Every summer in the mid nineties Choice FM used to have a reggae playlist and that's where I heard this banger.




or if you prefer it without the annoying ident, listen on Spotify:

Treorchy Male Voice Choir (Côr Meibion Treorci) - Myfanwy

Joe writes: Heard this on Desert Island Discs today - pretty amazing.




So I added it to The Mother of all Playlists.

Story Songs, a Spotify playlist, including 7 Years by Lukas Graham

Joe writes: Everyone loves a song with a lyric that tells a story, so it's surprising how few songwriters write these kinds of songs. One good example is the current no. 1, 7 Years by Lukas Graham, which opens this playlist:


I have another observation about 7 Years. I reckon that until recently, a Danish soul/rap/pop hybrid might have been no. 1 everywhere in mainland Europe but still not broken in the UK. What's changed? Spotify, and their power to influence the charts and so UK radio. It's a huge change and mostly very positive.

Mike Skinner from The Streets did a great BBC 6Music show of his favourite story songs. It doesn't seem to be online anymore but he does talk about story songs here.

The Mother Of All Playlists and what's happened to this blog

Joe writes: I haven't been updating this blog much but I have been spending as much time as ever seeking out great music new and old - it's just that nowadays when I find a great track I tend to just add it to a Spotify playlist.

I'm sure I will post YouTube or Soundcloud links here from time to time, but mostly I will post Spotify playlists here, which are updated regularly.

This is the Mother Of All Playlists, featuring 4000+ songs and growing, including most of my favourites and plenty of new discoveries from all genres.

Paul Simon - The Late Great Johnny Ace

Joe writes: A great song about mourning recently deceased rock 'n' roll stars:

Warren Zevon - Keep Me In Your Heart

Phil writes: I'm indebted to Spotify radio for playing me this beautifully simple and very moving song, the last track on his final album, recorded when he knew he was dying of cancer: