If you could only keep 5 record albums, what would they be?
I'm not really into albums, prefer to compile my own but it's funny how Abbey Road keeps coming up. It would be on my list too, along with the following Astral Weeks Van Morrison Born to Run Bruce Springsteen Love and Theft Bob Dylan Get Happy!! Elvis Costello and the Attractions. These are not necessarily what I regard as the best albums of all time, but they are all for me at least, eminently playable. I never get tired of playing them, at least not for long, and hardly ever want to skip tracks. Like yourself I love them as much as I ever did, and in the case of my gold CD Sony sbm copy of Born to Run, even moreso. |
There are 20 albums I would want to have but if five is what you insist on, here are my choices. Carnegie Hall Concert by Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker (1974) It's Too Late To Stop Now by Van Morrison (1974) Mother Lode by Loggins and Messina (1974) Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan (1974) Dvorak Symphony No.9 by The Royal Philharmonic conducted by Jascha Horenstein (1962) 1974 must have been a pretty good year. I did not notice that until I had whittled the list down to five from my list of twenty which span from 1962 to 1993. |
This topic thread pops up regularly, sometimes with a more reasonable 10 album limit ;-). But okay, 5. I’ll limit it to Pop (non-Classical), as this crowd is of a more Rock persuasion. I will also leave off my number 1 and 2, as everyone may be sick of hearing about The Band (their debut and it’s follow-up, Music From big Pink and The Band, aka the "brown" album). In no particular order, and at this moment in time: - The Everly Brothers: any best-of collection. They created the Rock ’n’ Roll template of great songs (chord progressions, melodies), great singing, great musicians (the best in Nashville), and the 2-part harmony copied by everyone, especially The Beatles. - Dave Edmunds: Get It. IMO the premiere practitioner of Rock ’n’ Roll guitar playing (Chuck Berry perfected), production (his own, The Everly Brothers, The Stray Cats, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Flamin’ Groovies, Foghat, Mason Ruffner, Brinsley Schwartz, many others), arranging, and singing. Get It is only one of his albums I would be happy to take. - Rockpile: Seconds Of Pleasure. Pure, 100 Proof American Rock ’n’ Roll, created by an Englishman (Nick Lowe) and three Welshmen (Dave Edmunds, Billy Bremner, and Terry Williams). The best live Rock ’n’ Roll band I have ever seen/heard. - The Dwight Twilley Band: Sincerely. The debut album by the trio of Dwight (vocals, rhythm guitar, piano), Phil Seymour (vocals, drums), and Bill Pitcock IV (lead guitar). The ultimate, perfect melding of early Beatles and early Elvis Presley. What a debut! - The Flamin’ Groovies: Shake Some Action. Dismissed by some as an English Invasion Cover/Garage band (even by Bill Graham, but what did he know?), but I love ’em. This album, produced by Dave Edmunds, is really, really special; I guarantee it sounds like no other you have heard. - John Hiatt: Bring The Family. Combine the songwriting and singing of John Hiatt with the musicianship of Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, and Jim Keltner, and you have one of the very best albums ever recorded and released. Oops. You just can’t break up a 6-pack, can you? ;-) |
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Just putting in writing is hard. joni Mitchell - blue gram Parsons - GP John grant - pale green ghosts John Wizards - John Wizard paul Simon - Graceland falling off William Onyeabor, Laura marling, Bob Dylan, lcd soundsystem, muddy waters - the folk singer, pink floyd, the band, david Bowie, Gillian Welch ...... aaargh already subbed 2 on on the top list |
1. Tower of Power - Back to Oakland 2. Lighthouse -- One Fine Morning 3. Blood Sweat & Tears — Blood Sweat & Tears 4. Funk Filharmonik — Everybody Get Down 5. Sante Fe & The Fat City Horns. - When the Curtain Goes Up Honorable mentions: 6. Chicago Transit Authority 7. Chase — Pure Music 8. — Tower of Power — Drop It In The Slot |
I have to say, it is like asking "who's your favorite child?" I am past the half century mark so there's so much great music tied to so many great experiences. All of the above albums have me saying "ya, that one". The five best for me are the mood and flavor of the day. Too many to be concise. And for that I'm grateful. |
What a great list. It shows me that I have a ton of things I have not heard before and look forward to streaming and downloading them. Thanks to all who posted their favorites. Now I have my xmas list. I guess there will be no new tweaks or upgrades for a while. This list is probably the cost of an upgrade. Probably more bang for the buck. My List: Stardust, Willie Nelson Traveler, Chris Stapleton MTV Unplugged, Eric Clapton, Revisited, Creedence Clearwater Greatest Hits, James Taylor Folsom Prison, Johnny Cash Its about Time, Hank Gunslinger, Garth Brooks Diana Krall, Turn Up the Night Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd Sorry that's more than five. |
Like others have mentioned, these are not my favourite five records, but the ones that I could/would want to live with for the rest of my life if that be the case: Radiohead - Hail to the Thief Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Volume II Elliott Smith - XO Massive Attack - Mezzanine |
I have to agree with geoffkait on this one. I would have to choose very carefully from discs that I love and never seem to get sick of. Some pieces are so great that you can always find something new in them. Right now I'm thinking of Horowitz playing Schumann. Things along those lines. Of course, having only 5 to choose from, I would want something from the jazz genre; either Stan Getz or Oscar Peterson, and something from rock...maybe Crowded House or Roxy Music. Those would be difficult choices. |
To be perfectly honest I would definitely not (rpt not) bring ANY of my all-time favorite records with to a desert island as I’m sick of listening to them. Electric Ladyland, Exile on Main Street, Roxy Music Manifesto, The Wall, The White Album, Led Zeppelin II, The Freewheelin Bob Dylan, and others. |
You'll probably find the following thread to be of interest, which asked essentially the same question: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/you-can-only-take-5-albums-to-a-deserted-island My answer in that thread: Brahms, Symphony No. 1 Regards, -- Al |
weather report -heavy weather led zep -II louis bonfa -brazil van morrison -moon dance simon and garfunkle -in central park return to forever -romantic warrior that's my five. don’t tell me it’s six. there are many others I would miss as I would the above if I didn’t get to keep them. i like most all the ones everyone has already mentioned. good choices |
The choices I am posting, are NOT the most valuable, nor are they my absolute favorite music. I am listing these because of a variety of factors, sound quality of the record vs. digital alternatives, lack of digital alternatives, and sentimental value. 1. Brubeck-"Take Five" The original 6-eye Columbia sounds better than any subsequent reissue. 2. Ellington-"Blues in Orbit" The original 6-eye Columbia sounds better than any subsequent vinyl reissue and the SACD that I own (at least on the SCD-1 player I use to own). 3. Michael Hurley-"Have Moicy" Great music and pretty good sound. I bought this record when it first came out and I still love it. 4. The Great Jazz Trio-"Direct from LA" Fantastic sound from this direct to disc recording; subsequent reissues not quite as good. 5. Ramirez-"Missa Criolla" I have the original Los Fronterizos recording of this recording (Argentine Philips); I found it in the $1 bin at a used record shop. Amazing sound and, to me, a better arrangement of the music than subsequent recordings of this first approved mass (post Vatican II) sung in the vernacular. |
fjn04--you sound like my kind of collector!!! |
I'd say Nick Drake: 5 Leaves early US Antilles....Eva Cassidy: Songbird Hoffman pressing, Maybe my Zep III Classic.... Hate to be without my Beach Boys: Surfs Up...Joni: Ladies early Reprise brown... Early brown label Strange Days...Yeah, they would have to kill me to get these. Or at least bludgeon me to a pulp. |
