Ken Bruce
Anyone familiar with BBC Radio 2 will realise the significance of the title of this post.
Legendary DJ Ken Bruce, a stalwart of Radio 2, has presented the mid-morning slot for as long as I can remember. Every weekday from 9.30 am until 12 noon, he has entertained us with his dry Scottish wit.
He introduces excellent music, a classic quiz in PopMaster, and every week a celebrity comes on to introduce the tracks of their years.
Songs that mean something to them, iconic or obscure, but generally with a story that somehow impacted their lives.
I was in Cambodia at the time, and I sometimes like to listen to Ken on catch-up. What came next was a shock.
With the news last month that after nearly 31 years doing the same show, Ken Bruce will move on and leave Radio 2 in March 2023, I figured it was high time to list my own songs.
On his show, they introduce two songs per day for a week. 10 in total. How hard can it be? I asked myself.
So, here we go. I will put a YouTube link to the songs in case anyone has never heard them!
I struggled to limit it to 10 songs as my life has many memorable moments in some way, good or bad. But below are the final ones, with an understandably added bonus track because of its powerful meaning and impact.
My tracks.
“Galveston” by Glen Campbell. This song is one of the first I ever remember hearing. Every Sunday morning, my parents wouldn’t be working, and together we would listen to records; artists like ABBA, Neil Diamond, Glen Campbell, Elvis, and Neil Sedaka, among many others, were blasting out of the stereo. This one has stuck with me for a long time and has become a memorable song from my childhood.
“St. Elmos Fire” by John Parr, this song was at the start of my teenage years and one of 4 records I first purchased with my pocket money. All 7-inch singles were the popular choice. I didn’t realise at the time it was from a film of the same name starring most of the Brat Pack from Hollywood. After learning about it a few years later, it became a firm favourite movie growing up during those troubled teenage years we all face.
“Something Inside So Strong” by Labi Siffre was my first understanding of a bigger world and the destruction people can do to each other. Used as a symbol against apartheid in South Africa, it made me want to learn and understand more about what was happening in the world. Still, to this day, I feel emotional when I hear this track.
“Wicked Game” by Chris Issac was my first song related to love. My first (what I thought was true love) and first heartbreak. Now I listen and understand the lyrics, but at the time I never did.
“Om Shanti Om” by Gandharvas. The song and the film, for me, are among the best Bollywood can produce. Shah Rukh Khan is excellent, and Deepika Padukone is a beauty to behold. It always makes me want to dance and sing at the top of my voice (when I am alone)
“Anyone Who Knows Love” by Irma Thomas. I discovered this song whilst watching a fictional series about life in Singapore in the 1960s. The catchy love theme has become one of my favourite easy-listening songs. What a woman Irma Thomas was.
“Momma’s Prayers” by JP Cooper (feat. Stormzy) has amazing vocals and a great collaboration between two very talented singer-songwriters.
“The Good Part” by AJR was given to me by a volunteer on the farm where I worked whilst in Cambodia, and I loved not only the lyrics but also the band’s style.
“Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon will be my wedding song for sure. It reminds me of my beautiful girlfriend, who I love dearly, and we always smile when this comes on the radio. I need to teach her the dance moves!
“Buy Dirt” by Jordan Davis (feat Luke Bryan) is a fantastic country song that certainly resonates with my time in life. Travelling has been a pleasure, and I didn’t think I would want to stop doing it alone. However, finding that special person and having a child will change your perspective every time. This is a favourite that my son and I like to listen to together.
Bonus Track
Whilst that is the ten I have chosen, I couldn’t ignore this one as well. Back in the 80s, it made such an impact not only on my life but on the world. Helped pave the way for celebrities to get involved and help charities and people around the world suffering.
To this day, it is played everywhere at Christmas and should be remembered for the much-needed help it gave to the famine in Africa. Can you remember where you were when Live Aid was aired?
“Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid. In my opinion, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure wrote a masterpiece and organised one of the biggest and best concerts in music history.
