1997 – Think Bensonium

Day 456: Left of the Middle, Natalie Imbruglia

Roderick Benson — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 23:00:05 +0000

Well as we start a new week of Covid Island Discs which was never meant to be because we were due to come out of lockdown on the 21^st of June. As the final relaxation of lockdown restrictions has now been pushed back to the 19^th of July, I thought I would start this week with this little gem from Natalie Imbruglia. “Left of the Middle” was a hidden track on her first album by that name but this video is Natalie performing this song in 2020. I personally thought this song was one of the best on the album and her version of it in this video is very good to listen to.

Day 334: All Cried out, Alison Moyet

Roderick Benson — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 00:00:23 +0000

I am surprised it has taken me so long to cite a song from this very talented musician. I really enjoy songs that carry a certain musical intensity to them and this one definitely fits the bill. The bit for me that carries the intensity is in the middle of chorus line with the key change “you took a whole lot of loving.”

Day 296: Brimful of Asha, Cornershop

Roderick Benson — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

A fun song from the 1990s. This is actually a remixed version which is significantly faster than the original. This version reached number one in both the UK and USA charts while the original version (also on this post) reached number 60 on the UK charts in 1997.

Norman Cook Remix

Original Version

Day 292: Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Verve

Roderick Benson — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Second song in Covid Island discs by the Verve. I particularly like the string instruments in this song and the line: “trying to make ends meet, you’re a slave to money then you die” Not the most cheery line I must confess.

Day 272: No Surprises, Radiohead

Roderick Benson — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000

There is something very sad and true about this song. Perhaps it is just me, but there are lyrics in this song that I have related to at different times in my life. Probably the lines that I most relate to at this present time are:

Bruises that won’t heal
You look so tired, unhappy
Bring down the government
They don’t, they don’t speak for us

A very dark song by Radiohead which let’s face it, along with the video, is full of suicidal images.

Day 240: So Young, The Corrs

Roderick Benson — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

I was young when this song was first released. Not so now! It would also be dishonest of me not to note that the women who make up this group I think are some of the most beautiful in the world. I remember a comedian once saying: you know, I was talking to Jimmy Corr the other day about how disgusting I think it is when guys become mates with another bloke just so they can get to know their beautiful looking sisters.

Day 184: Takes a little time, Amy Grant

Roderick Benson — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 23:00:00 +0000

Hope she’s right especially in relation to the current political and environmental situations we find ourselves in.

Day 151: Tomorrow never dies, Sheryl Crow, (James Bond Theme)

Roderick Benson — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 15:32:36 +0000

OK this is the last James Bond theme although I did share Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let die” way back in week 2 day 9 which also belongs here. Sheryl Crow has already also made an appearance in my play list and she certainly was a good choice to do one of the James Bond opening songs.

Day 80: The Drugs Don’t Work, The Verve

Roderick Benson — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 18:04:02 +0000

This song first came out when I was still working at Manchester University. Years later, I would attempt to play my part in developing science which could help optimise chemotherapy by testing cancer samples using High Content Screening. Sadly it is very hard to the change the paradigm that underlies modern cancer treatment, yet hopefully one day ….

This song by the Verve is so hauntingly beautiful as it captures the tragedy of chemotherapy which fails to help the patient.

Day 52 (album cover 7 of 10): Karma Police, Radiohead

Rbenson — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 20:07:13 +0000

“Karma Police, arrest this man he talks too much..“

For you Séan Ó Cuinn