Top Ten Films from the 1980s

The eighties were full of cringe-worthy music, awful fashion and terrible action movies. However, through this decade of shame, a few little gems arose. Here are my favourite ten films from this era of mullets and raa-raa skirts.

10. Romancing The Stone

Pure cheese! This narrowly missed out on my romantic comedy list but as 80s movies go, it's pure gold. The corny romantic novel scenes are clever and appropriately puke-inducing (and cliched - I love the title of Joan Wilder's book "Treasures of Lust". LOL) Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner always had great chemistry and Danny De Vito is suitably sleazy in comparison. Furthermore, the scenery is beautiful!

I also love Alan Silvestri's Columbian-inspired score with the sexy 80s saxophone at the end. It always makes me smile.

9. E.T : The Extra Terrestrial

E.T. is the first film I really remember going to when I was a kid (at Glenelg Cinemas). It is also the first film I remember crying in. What a beautifully made piece of cinema. Without the coldness of CGI, it was a true story of friendship in which you truly related to the relationship. Whilst Drew Barrymore was almost sugary in her cuteness, most of the performances are actually very good from the children and who doesn't love the flying scene? That shot across the moon is very memorable!

8. Top Gun

I am not a big fan of Tom Cruise - never have been. I have always found him to be particularly wooden and unable to communicate emotion. I am, however, a big fan of Kelly McGillis, Tom Skerritt and Anthony Edwards and this is what makes this movie so appealing to me. It is so cheesy in its macho manliness that it is actually funny, particularly after watching Quentin Tarantino's spiel in 'Sleep With Me'. I particularly love the pub scene where Maverick and Goose serenade Charlie with 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling'. What a classic! And who can forget the gratuitous oily shirtless beach volleyball scene!

7. Ghostbusters

Bill Murray makes me laugh all the time. This movie is classic eighties, from the soundtrack (ah, Ray Parker Jr!) to the all-star line up of the big stars of the decade. It's so silly and fun and not at all serious and I love it. My favourite bit is where Dan Aykroyd says to the mayor "It would have been okay if dickless here [the environmental protection guy hadn't turned off the machine". The mayor turns to Bill Murray and says 'Is this true?' and Bill Murray says 'It is true. This man has no dick'. LOL. And if

I ever go to a movie theme party, I'm going as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man! :)

6. The original Star Wars Trilogy

Two words: "Hold me!" Hahahaha! I love everything about the original Star Wars trilogy. It is a great piece of storytelling with great characters and gets you hooked from the word 'go'. Han Solo was who every girl wanted and Princess Leia was who every girl wanted to be. The script is corny and cheesy but it just works. And they didn't need high-tech special effects for it to still be some of the greatest movie experiences around. And, stuff The Sixth Sense (predictable) or Fight Club (overrated, as far as I'm concerned!). As far as twists go, "Luke, I am your father" is about as good as it gets!

5. Back To The Future

I love Michael J Fox. He was the kid who you would have killed to hang out with in school because he was just too cool for school! The car was amazing (does anyone actually still have a Delorian?), everybody wants a nutty professor for a friend and who wouldn't want to go back to the fifties for even one day? I love Huey Lewis and The News so their contribution to the soundtrack was a most welcome one. And I would love to name a kid 'Marty McFly' - such a great name!

4. The Neverending Story

This is one of my favourite movies of all time. There is something so magical and innocent about this movie and it was made by an (at the time) non-Hollywood director. The soundtrack is AMAZING. I bought the original German soundtrack and I love its mixture of electronic and orchestral instruments. There was something so imaginative about the way the film was shot (and the Bavarian landscapes were gorgeous, too) that really brought the story to life with a wonderful array of complex and weird characters. I loved Falcor the Luck Dragon (who, incidently, is the spitting image of the lady from the Profix ads!) and Gmork scared the crap out of me as a kid!

I would love to get a copy of Michael Ende's book with an actual AURYN on the cover. I wonder if it has been released like this or, perhaps, a DVD? Perhaps a good marketing tool for an anniversary release? And I have always wondered what the kid who played Atrieu is doing now because he was a very cute young kid. I read somewhere that he was a tattoo artist or something! And, as a side note, I would like to have two pets called 'Engywook and Urgl'

3. Labyrinth

Jim Henson is a legend! I remember seeing Labyrinth in the cinemas as a young kid and loving every second of it. I remember laughing so loud at the fart jokes in the Bog of Eternal Stench and I could quote the movie almost completely! I also remember when I first heard Dance Magic Dance and then later, hearing it quoted almost exactly in The Atomic Fireballs' song 'Man With The Hex'. As I was a teenager, my friends and I would debate the possibility of socks down David Bowie's tights! My favourite bit is the worm: "Allo!" "Did you just say Hello?" "Nah, I said 'Allo but that's close enough!" I want to get a t-shirt with the worm on it! And I want a sheepdog just so I can call it 'Ambrosius'. :)

2. The Princess Bride

I have decided my life long ambition is to become a marriage celebrant JUST so I can start every ceremony with "Ma-widge. Mawidge is what bwings us togevah today." Peter Cook, you rock! When I went to a friend's wedding a couple of years back, the priest or whatever he was was started with "Marriage." I almost LOST IT, as did all the 'eighties children' friends next to me! I love everything about this movie. It is cheesy, corny, soppy and silly but it's pure gold. Of all the movies I've ever seen, it is about the most quotable from "My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die" to "As you wish!!!!!!!" to "I'm not a witch, I'm your wife!" And my second dog's name is going to be Fezik! :)

1. The Breakfast Club

"You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal" - great quote, great movie. Again, very quotable and funny from start to finish. Judd Nelson was a crack up in this film (I particularly like the bit where he does 'Life at Big Bri's house' and when he is 'reshuffling' the library cards!) and it was a great performance from him. It is interesting that no-one in that film has really done anything better than this movie and probably never will. It is a classic film that I don't think could have been any better.

**Note: Honourable mentions must go to: Flashdance, The Little Mermaid, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Aliens, Footloose and Dirty Dancing but they missed out on the top 10 for me!

Favourite Romantic Comedy Films of the Last 30 years

This was actually a harder list to put together than I first thought. I have noticed that not many pre-1990 movies exist here but I figure that a 'favourites' list should consist of films that you are more likely to have watched more than, say, twice and many pre-1990s rom com movies sit at the back of my video cupboard, collecting dust. This is why I have limited this list to the last 30 years. The screwball comedies of the 1930s are of course, great for their day and thoroughly entertaining but would I watch them again? Probably not. And I love Roman Holiday, The Philadelphia Story, It Happened One Night, Breakfast at Tiffany's....but that would make a very long list here. So here I have added the romantic comedies of recent years that I could watch more than once and feature moments that make me laugh, cry, or just give that little fuzzy feeling in the stomach!- the cheesier the movie, the generally better it rates! And for all you pretentious film critics, I am not making this list based on the quality of filmmaking, acting or writing. I make this list on a purely 'I am really a soppy girl at heart' basis.

10. While You Were Sleeping

I actually really like this movie - as unrealistic as the plot is (what? I hear you say, romantic comedies unrealistic???) because it had a gentle sweetness about it - no sex, no violence, no swearing, no ridiculous car chases or excess action. Lucy, Sandra Bullock's character is laced with loneliness and fragility and I think pulls this off very well; she is uncharacteristically understated in this performance. The film has a lovely feel about it - the filming really highlights the prettiness of Chicago covered in snow. And hey, it opens with Natalie Cole's This Will Be, so how can you go wrong? Peter is a suitably superficial, unlikeable character and the family is quirky, eccentric and funny (Peter Boyle is one of the best comic actors around!). The memorable moment for me is where Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman are trying to walk across the pavement to her apartment but can't stand up on the slippery ice. Very funny slapstick and some good acting there!

9. Never Been Kissed

Two words: Michael Vartan *undoes collar*. I am not usually a big Drew Barrymore fan but I really enjoyed this movie. It has it all: a cool soundtrack, hot love interest, the "geek turned all-round amazing girl" storyline, 80s references to taffeta prom dresses.... Jessica Alba also features, years before she became famous. The soundtrack is one of the best elements - Beach Boys, John Lennon, Semisonic, REM, Remy Zero plus some artists I never heard of but really enjoyed their contributions to this soundtrack. And Ozomatli feature as the band at the club and they rule!! Favourite scene: At the funfair when the teacher rescues her from riding alone on the ferris wheel - awwww...

8. Bridget Jones's Diary

I don't know any girl who watched this film and didn't relate to it, straight off. Helen Fielding got every woman right where they live - Bridget Jones is every woman's neuroses all rolled into one and proves that you can be an attractive girl even with a few extra pounds, even if you don't look like a supermodel every day. The leads are an unlikely couple and that's what makes them great. The end scene with Bridget chasing Mark Darcy down the street in her underwear in the snow is a classic! Renee Zellweger is appropriately awkward, frumpy and plain but the production team have gone to pains to show that beauty inside which is clever. And this movie has the best fight scene of all time - Colin Firth and Hugh Grant girly-fighting....slap slap..... Hilarious!

7. 10 Things I Hate About You

I really enjoyed this film and I'm not usually a fan of modernised Shakespeare adaptations. Heath Ledger was perfectly understated in this role and the best part is that he degenerate to a fake American accent! The scene in which he sings Frankie Valli to Julia Stiles on the soccer field is gold. It has a great eclectic soundtrack (from Joan Armatrading and Semisonic to Brick and Madness) and the lovely filming over the cliffs is a highlight. Julia Stiles is in equal parts bitchy and sensitive. The line of the movie: "I know you can be overwhelmed and you can be underwhelmed but can you just be whelmed? - I think you can in Europe!" The only poor bit about this movie is Julia Stiles' poem at the end - so badly rhymed, it makes me cringe- awful!

6. Only You

This has to be one of the sweetest, corniest rom-coms around and its made all the better with Robert Downey Jr being the lead. There is something very old-time about this movie - it has the feel of movies like An Affair To Remember and Roman Holiday (which it actually imitates in one scene). Marisa Tomei is a little ditzy in this as the slightly nuts star-gazer Faith but Bonnie Hunt (as her matter-of-fact sister in law) and Robert Downey Jr steal the show. The photography and setting of Venice, Rome and southern Italy is exquisite and adds to the ambience of the romantic story. The soundtrack is suitably soppy, combining opera, jazz saxophone and a sweet orchestral score (quite obviously composed by a woman!). Love the line "How could you do this to me? - Cos I'm in love with you - What kind of an excuse is that???" Very funny!

5. Sleepless In Seattle

What girl (and some guys too) didn't just love this movie? It is the mark of a good rom-com filmmaker that you really felt the connection between the two leads and they don't even meet in the film until the final five minutes! There is an element of tragedy and sadness in this film. You know that Tom Hanks character is a damaged one who has no pretenses about who his soul mate was but you really barrack for him anyway. Meg Ryan is well suited to cutesy romantic comedies and was in her element in this movie. The scene when Tom Hanks' sister is tearily recounting the story of "An Affair To Remember" is really funny, especially when the guys join in, talking about the Dirty Dozen. And there is one extremely good song on the soundtrack that ISN'T Celine Dion - an excellent version of Bye Bye Blackbird by Joe Cocker. Just great!

4. How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days

This is one of the funniest movies I've seen in recent times. It has it all - a clever, intelligent and gutsy heroine, a genuinely funny original script and of course, Matthew McConaughey, hotness supreme. The actions that Kate Hudson's character takes in this film ring true for all girls. I'm sure that every girl who has ever dated has probably done one of those things before (albeit probably in a much more subtle fashion than letting their dog wee on the pool table or naming their boyfriend's penis Princess Sofia!). The chemistry between the two leads is very strong (which I notice is rare these days as Hollywood casting agents will usually pair the two hottest actors of the moment together, even though the chemistry is often non- existent) and even towards the end, it doesn't get into too much sentiment, even though it could have. And it has an friggin' ugly dog and a love fern...LOL!

3. The Truth About Cats and Dogs

This movie has a very funny dog. The End. :)

What I like about this film is that even though Uma Thurman's character, Noelle, is supposed to be the more attractive one, the filmmakers go to pains to show us that it is actually the opposite without hitting us in the face with it. Since when is Janeane Garofalo the less obvious choice?? Ben Chaplin is lovely in this (I don't like him as a dramatic actor but he is in his element here) and the dog is adorable and very ugly! I have mentioned on my other blog the funniest scene ever with the guy on the bike - what a memorable scene! And the score by Howard Shore is awesome - a small ensemble of jazz piano and violin! Great. Unfortunately they haven't released it as a whole score, just as an album of songs.

2. Love Actually

I could have added so many of the Richard Curtis movies as I have really liked all of them (except, perhaps Notting Hill, which I thought was just schmaltzy) but I particularly liked this movie. I thought it was clever that even though you only saw snippets of each person, you still cared about each and every one of them. It is a little sad that some of the nicest characters in the film end up alone but I suppose, realistically, they all know each other so what would the odds be of them all finding true happiness on the same night! There are some overly silly moments (ie Colin Frissell and the American girls!) but I really enjoyed this movie, particularly Hugh Grant's dancing, the whole story with Colin Firth and the Portugese housekeeper and of course, little Thomas Sangster - who, incidently still gives me shivers after playing a young Hitler in that telemovie!

1. When Harry Met Sally

The classic 80s romantic comedy! It was a great premise with two great leads, a great soundtrack with Harry Connick Jr, some snappy dialogue and some beautiful settings. Central Park looks lovely with all those coloured leaves. It is unashamedly soppy, funny and the characters are realistic, despite the comedic aspects. Meg Ryan's character is hilariously high maintenance and obsessive, Billy Crystal's simultaneously kooky and damaged. The lovely touch of 'the unrelated people talking about their spouses and how they met' interspersed in the story is a great touch and each is amusing and endearing. I love Carrie Fisher's character in this (a complete departure from Leia). The best scenes (aside from THAT restaurant scene) are the karaoke scene, the wagon wheel coffee table scene and the best one, when Harry leaves the very funny message on Sally's answering machine 'You're either 1. not home, 2. at home but don't want to talk to me or 3. At home, desperately want to talk to me but are trapped under something heavy!' Ha ha ha! A deserving winner on this list!


Honourable mentions must also go to: Pretty Woman (so close to making the top ten), One Fine Day, Romancing the Stone, The Wedding Singer, Moonstruck and Four Weddings and A Funeral (although pipped at the post by Love Actually).

FAVOURITE ALL-TIME SPORTSPEOPLE

This was a tough one for me - I'm generally not a sporty person but I managed to get ten that I have been quite impressed with over the years.

Starting off with....

10. Gordie Howe - ice hockey

Ice hockey is a really cool sport - I love that blood bounces on the ice! Unlike my bro who would probably argue that lacrosse is better, I love the pace of ice hockey and I marvel at the way that some players can take a knock and still remain upright on their skates! As a newbie figure skater, I appreciate just how difficult it is to keep your balance, let alone skating at high speed, stopping so quickly, all while pushing a puck. Gordie Howe is a champion Canadian hockey player who was only sixteen when he hit the big time (and he's now an old fart!)- a true inspiration to aspiring young sportsmen! He was named third in the NHL's 100 Players of All Time and considering that Wayne Gretsky was one of the ones above him, that's a pretty mean feat!

9. Ayrton Senna - Formula I Racing

I have fond memories of watching the Formula One grand prix as a kid when we were lucky enough to still have it here in Adelaide. I remember sometimes going to a friend of the family's house to watch from Wayville and getting all excited about our chosen driver's potential victory (I know that Jodie always went for 'Junior Burger' aka Gerhard Berger) but I had a soft spot for the Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna - what a great sportsman and champion. It was always a toss up between Senna and Frenchman Alain Prost for me. I was very sad when Senna was killed and unfortunately I was never able to see him in the flesh as the first time I went to the Grand Prix was a year or two after he died. Thinking of Senna brings back such fond memories of times when we actually had family time!

8. Kieran Perkins - swimming

Now seriously, who didn't watch Kieren Perkins' historic record-breaking swim in the 1500 metre event in 1992 and then watch him smash it again in 1994?! That was an exciting sporting day for Australia. He's an all-round good sportsman and bloke and one of the greatest long-distance swimmers ever produced in this country and, indeed, the world. He is a prime example that just because you're successful, doesn't mean you can't be a nice person, humble and family orientated. And I will always remember going with Isobel to the Royal Show where he was doing a lap of honour in the back of a truck and her stalking him for his autograph, followed by us trying to ring his hotel room to chat with him!

7. James Blake - tennis

James Blake is probably the most recent addition to this list but there are good reasons for me picking him and not someone like Federer or Nadal or going back to someone like Magnus Norman, Pat Rafter or Goran Ivanisevic.

1. I met James Blake at the Adelaide International Tennis tournament and he was one of the ONLY competitors on that day to talk to the staff working that day; the rest merely snubbed us (not being specific at all...Lleyton...The Poo!). He was friendly and accommodating.
2. He is strong and fast across the court which I like to see in a tennis player. He is not afraid to admit his shortcomings and although he is not the best player around, always gives it his all and is a good sportsman.
3. *undoes collar* He's hot!

6. David Seaman - football

I could have picked so many English football greats to top this list - Becks, Ryan Giggs, Michael Owen, Alan Shearer....but a sentimental favourite won out. So faithfully nicknamed 'Handy Mitts' by our family when I was a teenager, Seaman brought many a good moment in the sport, except the bit where he let Brazil win the quarter-final in the 2002 world cup. I actually cried when it happened and it looked like he would too! Like the amazing Peter Shilton before him, it was like he had magnets on his gloves - the balls just seemed to be sucked towards them. My greatest appreciation for the sport was cemented when I was a kid so I could really appreciate Seaman's brilliance when I understood the sport so much better. And how could you go past a guy with a surname like that!? Words that sound suggestive but aren't. *smiles*

5. Michael Murphy - diving

I love the sport of diving. I appreciate the incredible difficulty of what divers make look so simple - it is elegant, beautiful and powerful. And well before the lovely Matthew Mitcham won the gold medal for Australia in Beijing, there was an Australian diver called Michael Murphy. He was a Commonwealth champion, an unsung hero as he never really received the recognition from the public that he deserved. That's the problem with Australia - unless you win a medal, you don't factor. He never won an Olympic medal but he still came fourth (which is still a fantastic achievement in a sport dominated by China, Russia and other Eastern Bloc countries. I still cheered for him every time. He is now a commentator, I believe.

4. Mohammed Ali/Cassius Clay

What a friggin' champion! He had it all....the talent, the looks, the charisma. His cocky, confident slogans have pervailed in history "Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee" and "I am the Greatest!". The moment he knocked George Foreman to the ground and then hovered, knowing that he had him (he could have sunk that last punch but didn't), and he didn't want to spoil the beauty of the moment - now that's a charismatic sportsman. And what a brave man, to still make appearances despite his debilitating illness and inspire an entire generation of new boxers! Not a fan of boxing but I love him!

3. Kristi Yamaguchi - figure skating

Kristi Yamaguchi was the first skater to make me really love figure skating. I loved watching her - she was an Olympic champion when I was in high school, right when I began to really get into the sport. She wasn't the most technically consistent but like Michelle Kwan, had real beauty and artistry in her skating and was light across the ice, which is why I liked her (and why I didn't like skaters like Tonia Harding or a later champion Tara Lipinsky). She won the competition trifecta (US championship, World Championship and Olympic Gold Medal) in the same year that Tonia Harding organised the attack on her teammate, Nancy Kerrigan, and I am so glad it wasn't Kristi that she hurt!

2. Harry Kewell - football

I really am wild about Harry! Yeah, sure, he doesn't often co-operate with the Australian team and hasn't been a golden boy but I love him! I used to support him when he played with Leeds (and unfortunately then went to Liverpool, before redeeming himself with Galatasray). Although he's been injured a lot, particularly in the 2000s, he still seems to be a bloody star on the field when he plays for Australia. There was a load of hoopla about Tim Cahill scoring the goals but who set the goals up?! Harry! He was a great addition to the team and you knew that they would pick up when he came on the field. And he ain't bad to look at either. :) And I'm still convinced that Australia lost to Italy in the 2006 World Cup because Harry wasn't playing - damn gout! :( I am very sad that he is quite likely retiring from international competition. It's a sad day for football.

1. Philippe Candeloro - figure skating

!
Philippe Candeloro, the French figure skater, I think, has to be my favourite all-time sportsman. Everything he has ever done, I have loved! His long programme of D'Artagnan was awesome - his footwork where he simulates a sword-fight is just incredible! If you can find it anywhere, check it out! His famous Godfather programme was extremely memorable for the self-named Candeloro Spin. The Candeloro spin was created when he fell in training during a sit spin and spun on his ass. It looked so good, it became his trademark move but unfortunately he wasn't allowed to use it later as it became illegal. I love that I still thought he was the best even when he fell, because he got right back up and still stayed in character. He has a wicked sense of humour and in his show skating, this has been his strong point. I saw him last doing a TV special of Mulan with Michelle Kwan. He played the hero - and what a hero he is!

TOP TEN FAVOURITE SONGS OF ALL TIME!

Please note that this does not include any recent song obsessions that will probably grow old and tired in the near future. I make this list based on the tried and true favourites that have stood the test of time, ones that I can listen to on a loop and never get tired of them. Starting at number 10...

10. Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes - Paul Simon.



Paul Simon revolutionised popular music with his album Graceland which introduced the beauty of African music to Western popular music. Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes was always my favourite ever since I was a little little girl and although my reasons for loving it have changed, it still remains my favourite track off the album. I love the introduction which I could never actually sing (Ladysmith Black Mambazo!) and always feel that little tingle when the guitar suddenly pops in with that familiar riff. Love it!

9. Soy - Gipsy Kings


Gipsy Kings - Soy by sayit

I grew up with the Gipsy Kings which was the bonus of having a father with access to plenty of world music. This song came a little later for me as I grew up mainly with Volare, Bamboleo, Amor Amor etc from their first album. I loved this song from the first moment I heard it. I think it's the familiar chord structure that settles well with me but the playing on this song is exquisite - what musicians! I can't help but smile when I hear this song, no matter how down I am. And the added bonus with this is that I have never learned what the song actually says as I have not translated the Spanish so I am not influenced by the lyrics (which, as far as I am concerned, is the least attractive and least important part of a song for me).

8. I'll Find My Way Home - Jon and Vangelis



I have always been a massive fan of Vangelis. Like Jean-Michel Jarre, his music was the soundtrack of the eighties and like many of the songs in this top ten, I grew up listening to his music (particularly Antarctica, China and Bladerunner). Jon and Vangelis is an extension of this fascination with Vangelis, also introduced to us as kids (the collaboration of Vangelis and Jon Anderson of Yes). This song has that unmistakable Vangelis touch - the massive sound, layered and layered until it sometimes even out does the vocals. Jon has an amazing countertenor voice that almost sounds electronic anyway which complemented Vangelis' arrangements, creating this awesome wall of sound. I hadn't heard this song for several years and came across it again about 12 months ago and instantly remembered why I loved it so much as a kid. Their song State of Independence was also memorable.

7. Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead



Radiohead are one of my favourite bands as they are one of the few bands in the entire world that never disappoint me. I am always interested in anything new that they do and they never seem to write a dud (or if they do, it's inconsequential). However, The Bends, one of the earlier albums, produced my favourite of their songs to date. Fake Plastic Trees demonstrates all the things that I love about Radiohead - Thom Yorke's unique and emotive voice, simple yet effective chordal structure, lyrics of substance and intelligence and some great playing. I have heard a beautiful acoustic version of this song as well that loses nothing of the original recording as the song is so brilliantly simple, it works in this context. Lovely...

6. One of Us - ABBA



ABBA will always be held in the fondest regard for me as it was one of the groups I really remember loving as a child. I remember Jodie and I singing ABBA songs in our bedroom when we were little and I never got sick of the infectious pop sound. One of Us has a strange effect on me. It was used on a chaser for the ABC in the early 80s that consisted of a clown up to its neck in water; a melancholy image that has never left me and always pops back in my head whenever the first few bars are played. This song is the quintessential great ABBA, not the overplayed, overrated Greatest Hits that flood the airwaves (the likes of Dancing Queen, SOS and Mamma Mia). The girls are in fine vocal form, Bjorn and Benny's penchant for counterpoint vocal lines and competing harmonies are in full force and it's such a sad song! The song really gets me!

5. Hysteria - Muse



This is probably one of the more recent additions to my favourite songs of all time list but no less important. This is the only (and I mean, the ONLY) song that I will disregard being able to hear emergency vehicles and crank it up in the car. Everyone who knows me knows I have a soft spot for good bass lines and this song one of the best bass lines, in unison with the guitars; very busy and driving. I love the angst of Matt Bellamy's voice as the actual simplicity of the melody over the top of this rumbling riff contrasts beautifully (as many Muse songs do). I wish I could play the bass so I could learn this riff!

4. Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder



There are so many Stevie Wonder songs that I could include here. I love most of them equally (Higher Ground, As, Another Star and I Wish being notable favourites) and Stevie is one of my favourite artists of all time but this one edges out the others. This one was love at first listen. Sir Duke is one of the most sweet and boppy tunes around and has cracking horn lines (that, by the way, are not as easy as they look). It is quite unlike the other hundreds of funky tracks that Stevie has put out over his illustrious career. It loses the cheesiness of something like Isn't She Lovely but has the same light, cheerful and happy-spirited feel! It's my feelgood song.

3. Let Go - Frou Frou



I fell in love with this song when I saw Garden State many years ago. I really liked Imogen Heap anyway because of her songs Hide and Seek, Can't Take It In and Speeding Cars so I was destined to become a Frou Frou fan. This song has bizarre lyrics but as I said earlier, it's usually the last thing I look for in a song. I really like Imogen Heap's voice on this song with its mixture of that familiar huskiness and fragility. She's not the greatest vocalist but she is unique and this is a piece of very good songwriting that indicates that there is still some good electronic based music around (instead of just 'doof doof') and most of it is coming out of the UK.

2. The Ground Beneath Her Feet - U2



Usually my guidelines on a good mixed CD is the addition of songs that give me tingles down my spine. There was going to have to be a U2 song there! This is my favourite of all U2 songs and there is a rather long list of U2 songs on my list. It featured in a rather ordinary film called The Million Dollar Hotel, but is the best thing about it (often the case!). Salman Rushdie wrote the lyrics and his presence gives this song a real ethereal quality. Bono's voice is in top form; I love how it has a minor crack as he builds the tension just before the guitar break! And two words: The Edge! Awesome!

1. Africa - Toto



I could listen to Africa on a loop and never get sick of it! This song has stood the test of time as my favourite song in the world. I remember listening to it in the car in a supermarket carparkwhen I was a kid, not knowing who the artist was and thinking "Wow!" (Its funny how some things stay with you!) It has it all - multi percussion, great vocals, cheesy lyrics (trying to squeeze the extra syllable in for 'Serengeti' is a classic blunder but it endears me even further!), memorable riffs and great harmonies. Toto are a great band, underrated in a lot of cases, and this is one of their gems (although I do love Rosanna a lot!). I can't believe that they almost left it off their album because they were so sick of it, they didn't think it was any good. We could have been deprived of this wonderous piece of exuberant joy!

Welcome to Desert Island Top Ten

Welcome to my new blog: Desert Island Top 10.

This blog will be dedicated to my top 10 lists - inspired by the Living Social pages on Facebook, I have decided to document my all-time top ten albums in various genres, artists, movies, tv shows etc.

I would love to hear challenges from anyone who would like to comment or post their own so please leave notes for me here. I'd love to hear other people's views on each of the categories!

Looking forward to it!

Nix