So this week there are only two thematic videos:

1. Name of the game, Abba
2. Don't dream it's over, Crowded House

The Abba video is slightly disconcerting (see my previous post) so my vote today is for the Crowded House Video. The table at 2 minutes 26 seconds is like our kitchen worktop ????.

Now we move from London (see yesterday's clip Comfortably Numb) to Sydney. A fantastic piece of rock and roll. And what a find on Youtube to see it was performed at the Sydney Opera House. Brings back memories seeing the old Manly to Circular key hydrofoil in action which was later replaced by the jet cats. This 3 part song traces the full story of Evie, from courting through to losing her.

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

This is one of my all time favourite Christmas carols. As I get older, I realise the reality in which we find ourselves leaves us with a stark choice. We can make our way through life looking for the odd joy here and there but anyone who really ponders the human condition realises that if there is really no power outside of ourselves then things are existentially very bleak.

While I am a Christian, I accept that my only tiny understanding of reality means that I could be mistaken. However, for me the Christian message appears to be the most coherent and correspondent (for a more formal explanation of these ideas which are used in the practice of science see my first lecture) explanation of the strange life in which I find myself. While sometimes, in my darker moments, I think surely the gospel is too good to be true, I choose to continue to hold onto the hope that there is a good God who made us and who one day will put everything to right, despite our best efforts to mess everything up.

This is the first song of The Beautiful South to appear in Covid Island Discs and what a lovely little song capturing the memories of a man looking back over the shared experiences of his long life with his lover. I particularly like the line: "Take a look at these crows feet, just look! Sitting on the prettiest eyes, sixty 25^th of Decembers, fifty-nine 4^th of Julys".

Well this band is well overdue to make its first appearance on Covid Island Discs. This song reminds me of happier times in sunny Australia in the 1980s. I had a really good friend who was very into Madness and introduced me to their songs. "It must be love" is probably Madness' most famous song but they certainly have some other great hits which might make an appearance in Covid Island Discs before the UK finally comes out of its Covid-19 lockdown.

OK so this time last year I shared the song for my twentieth wedding anniversary which was Day 26: Happy Anniversary Baby by the Little River Band. Couldn't think of another anniversary theme song so went for the next best thing a song that has been played at many a wedding and that is this Carpenter's classic "We've only just begun". Although this song is perhaps a little sickly sweet, as always I am always blown away but Karen's angelic voice. In some ways, this song is kind of unusual because, being in a minor key, it actually sound a little melancholic for a tune that is celebrating marriage.

I guess my learning experience from my wedding day is just how fast 21 years goes; seemingly in the blink of an eyelid. Anyway, thank you my dear Helen for looking after me and putting up with my shenanigans for 21 years. It has been an interesting, sometimes fun, sometimes sad and sometimes scary journey with you as we have both experienced the things God has ordained for us during our married years💞.

Now this song fits the psychedelic sci-fi pop genre perfectly. A complete classic from the rather "out there" band the B52s. This is their third appearance in Covid Island Discs. Enjoy Kate's continuous singing of a single note being electronically mixed with her synthesizer. Very cool.

She came from Planet Claire I knew she came from there She drove a Plymouth Satellite A-faster than the speed of light Planet Claire has pink air All the trees are red No one ever dies there No one has a head