2013 – Think Bensonium

Song 2: When you’re gone, Dolores O’Riordan

Roderick Benson — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 10:11:13 +0000

Another beautiful song that might make you feel a little melancholy on Good Friday 2022. I love this solo by Dolores and her absolutely incredible voice with that wonderful Irish accent. Sadly, the older you get the more death you must experience and the more folk you know who are no longer with us. Sadly, like so many amazing musical talents, Dolores left us way too young and so joins the long list of rock musicians who will never release a new song in 2022. The title of this song also seems poignant given we miss her now she’s gone. RIP Dolores.

Day 417: This is Gospel, Panic at the Disco

Roderick Benson — Mon, 10 May 2021 23:00:55 +0000

So this is the second time Panic at the Disco has appeared in Covid Island Discs. This is Gospel is certainly quite an interesting song lyrically and Brendon’s voice is of course exceptional given his huge vocal range.

Day 206: Demons, Robert Vincent

Roderick Benson — Sun, 11 Oct 2020 23:00:00 +0000

I had the privilege of seeing Paul Kelly playing in a small pub in the northern quarter of Manchester. I took my daughter Grace to the concert and when we arrived I sat down in the serving area and got myself and Grace a drink. We started talking to a guy and his girlfriend who were sitting on the other side of the bar and it transpired the guy we were talking to was Robert Vincent. He was the support act for Paul Kelly that night and this was one of the songs he played in his set. It is a fantastic song and I hope one day he gets the recognition he deserves given his immense musical talent.

The other thing I love about this song is it captures something that I think many people go through in life and that is facing the realities of their own brokenness in whatever form that takes. Certainly over the years I have suffered from a chronic stress disorder so this is a personal demon of mine that I continue to battle with day by day.

Day 174: Ain’t no love, David Gray

Roderick Benson — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 12:58:32 +0000

Staying on a fairly dark theme I am afraid there are times when I can relate to this song. While intellectually I am a Christian and emotionally I shall never surrender my final hope in goodness ultimately triumphing over evil, sometimes the darkness of the world feels quite overpowering as we witnesses the suffering of millions and the constant seeming success of wickedness, in the form of mostly evil men who hold the reigns of power. As the Chinese curse says (and boy does the Chinese church suffer under President Xi) we live in interesting times.

Day 109: Royals, Lorde

Roderick Benson — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 12:54:42 +0000

So many great female artists around at the moment. A song with interesting lyrics based on the class theme that certainly dominates British society.