About this blog

This blog has been inspired by the novel "High Fidelity" by Nick Hornby, and the movie adaptation. For those of you who don't know, throughout the story, the lead character, Rob(a record store owner), mentions several all time top 5 lists of things. Before I mention my own, it seems only fair to directly quote some sections from the novel, and state Rob's Top 5s.

The novel opens with: "My desert-island, all-time, top five most memorable split-ups, in chronological order:

1. Alison Ashworth
2. Penny Hardwick
3. Jackie Allen
4. Charlie Nicholson
5. Sarah Kendrew.

These were the ones that really hurt. Can you see your name in that lot, Laura? I reckon you'd sneak into the top ten, but there's no place for you in the top five; those places are reserved for the kinds of humiliations and heartbraks that you're just not capable of delivering. That probably sounds crueler than it is meant to, but the fact is that we're too old to make each other miserable, and that's a good thing, not a bad thing, so don't take your failure to make the list personally. Those days are gone, and good fucking riddance to them; unhappiness really meant something back then. Now it's just a drag, like a cold or having no money. If you really wanted to mess me up, you should have got to me earlier."

"What came first - the music or the misery? Did I listen to music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to music? Do all those records turn you into a melancholy person?

People worry about kids playing with guns, and teenagers watching violent videos; we are scared that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands - literally thousands - of songs about broken hearts and rejection and pain and misery and loss. The unhappiest people I know, romantically speaking, are the ones who like pop music the most; and I don't know whether pop music has caused this unhappiness, but I do know that they've been listening to the sad songs longer than they've been living the unhappy lives."

Rob then goes on to explain each of the break ups in detail; but I just felt I had to quote the opening few paragraphs here alongside the list as it is one of the greatest openings to a novel I have ever read in my life.

The following 'Top Five' lists Rob mentions throughout the movie are as follows.

Top 5 Subtitled Films
1. Betty Blue
2. Subway
3. Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!
4. The Vanishing
5. Diva

Top Five Films
1. The Godfather
2. The Godfather Part II
3. Taxi Driver
4. Goodfellas
5. Reservoir Dogs

Floor-fillers at The Groucho
1. "It's a Good Feeling" by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
2. "No Blow No Show" by Bobby Bland
3. "Mr. Big Stuff" by Jean Knight
4. "The Love You Save" by The Jackson Five
5. "The Ghetto" by Donny Hathaway

Top Five Elvis Costello Songs
1. "Alison"
2. "Little Triggers"
3. "Man Out of Time"
4. "King's Horse"
5. "Everyday I Write the Book"

Rob's Dad's Top Five Films
1. Genevieve
2. The Cruel Sea
3. Zulu
4. Oh! Mr Porter
5. The Guns of Navarone

Rob's Mum's Top Five Films
1. Genevieve
2. Gone with the Wind
3. The Way We Were
4. Funny Girl
5. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Top 5 Episodes of Cheers
1. The one where Cliff found a potato that looked like Richard Nixon
2. The one where John Cleese offered Sam and Diane counseling sessions
3. The one where they thought the chief of staff of the US armed forces had stolen Rebecca's earrings
4. The one where Sam got a job as a Sports Presenter on TV
5. The one where Woody sang his stupid song about Kelly

Best Side One Track Ones
1. "Janie Jones", The Clash, by The Clash
2. "Thunder Road", Born to Run, by Bruce Springsteen
3. "Smells Like Teen Spirit", Nevermind, by Nirvana
4. "Let's Get It On", Let's Get It On, by Marvin Gaye
5. "Return of the Grievous Angel", Grievous Angel, by Gram Parsons

Top Five Bands or Musicians Who Will Have to Be Shot come the Musical Revolution
1. Simple Minds
2. Michael Bolton
3. U2
4. Bryan Adams
5. Genesis

Five Dream Jobs
1. NME Journalist: 1976 - 1979
2. Producer for Atlantic Records: 1964 - 1971 (approx)
3. Musician (any kind except rap or classical)
4. Film Director (any kind except German or silent)
5. Architect (eventually changed to owner of a record store)

Favourite Records (singles)
1. "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
2. "The House That Jack Built" by Aretha Franklin
3. "Back in the USA" by Chuck Berry
4. "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" by The Clash
5. "Tired of Being Alone" by Al Green

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Hottest 100 Songs of All Time



100.                    From St Kilda to King's Cross – Paul Kelly
99.                       Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
98.                       Walk this way – Aerosmith
97.                       Drops of Jupiter – Train
96.                       Ruby Tuesday – The Rolling Stones
95.                       More than a Feeling – Boston
94.                       Johnny B. Goode – The Beatles
93.                       School Days – Return to Forever
92.                       Spain – Return to Forever
91.                       Smooth – Santana feat. Rob Thomas
90.                       I’ll be there for you – The Rembrandts
89.                       Somebody that I used to know – Gotye
88.                       Just Give me a Reason – Pink
87.                       Save the Last Dance for Me - Michael Bublé
86.                       Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
85.                       Clocks – Coldplay
84.                       Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
83.                       Hotter Than Hell – KISS
82.                       Route 66 – Nat King Cole
81.                       Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera
80.                       (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones
79.                       Home Sweet Home – Mötley Crüe
78.                       When Doves Cry – Damien Rice
77.                       Stayin’ Alive – The Bee Gees
76.                       Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
75.                       Wild World - Cat Stevens
74.                       Prisoner of Society – The Living End
73.                       Beautiful Day – U2
72.                       Daydream Believer – The Monkees
71.                       You weren’t in love with me – Billy Field
70.                       I’m A Believer – Smash Mouth
69.                       Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Elton John and Kiki Dee
68.                       Always A Woman – Billy Joel
67.                       Sway – Michael Bublé
66.                       American Pie – Don McLean
65.                       All You Need Is Love – The Beatles
64.                       We are the Champions – Queen
63.                       It’s Only A Paper Moon – Paul McCartney
62.                       We Will Rock You – Queen
61.                       Sunshine of your Love – Cream
60.                       My Happiness – Powderfinger
59.                       Californication – Red Hot Chilli Peppers
58.                       Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler
57.                       Hey There Delilah – Plain White T’s
56.                       Cheek to Cheek – Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald
55.                       Sweet Ballad – Munchausen By Proxy
54.                       Do Wah Diddy Diddy – Manfred Mann
53.                       Thriller – Michael Jackson
52.                       Hero – Enrique Iglesias
51.                       When I Fall in Love – George Benson
50.                       I was made for Loving You – KISS
49.                       Time Warp – The Rocky Horror Picture Show
48.                       Piano Man – Billy Joel
47.                       As Long As You’re Mine – Wicked
46.                       The Longest Time – Billy Joel
45.                       Just the way you are – Billy Joel
44.                       Baby it’s Cold Outside – Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald
43.                       Tumbleweed – Michael Brecker
42.                       In My Life – Sean Connery
41.                       Classical Gas – Mason Williams
40.                       Mr Tambourine Man – Bob Dylan
39.                       Rock’n Roll All Nite – KISS
38.                       Walk the Line – Johnny Cash
37.                       Crossroads – Cream
36.                       Flame Trees – Cold Chisel
35.                       Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash
34.                       Revolution – The Beatles
33.                       What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
32.                       Wonderwall – Oasis
31.                       Hotel California – Eagles
30.                       Losing My Religion – R.E.M.
29.                       Something – The Beatles
28.                       Hey Jude – The Beatles
27.                       ‘Abbey Road’ Medley – The Beatles
26.                       Glory Days – Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band
25.                       Like a Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan
24.                       Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
23.                       Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who
22.                       Limelight – Rush
21.                       White Room – Cream
20.                       April in Paris – Charlie Parker
19.                       Wonderful Tonight – Cream
18.                       So What – Miles Davis
17.                       Come Together – The Beatles
16.                       Acknowledgement – John Coltrane
15.                       White Christmas – Bing Crosby
14.                       Nature Boy – Nat King Cole
13.                       Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
12.                       Take 5 – The Dave Brubeck Quartet
11.                       Lose Yourself – Eminem
10.                       Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
9.                           Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
8.                           Imagine – John Lennon
7.                           While My Guitar Gently Weeps – The Beatles
6.                           Layla – Derek and the Dominoes
5.                           Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton
4.                           Grace – Jeff Buckley
3.                           A Day in the Life – Jeff Beck
2.                           A Day in the Life – The Beatles
1.                Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley

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