In 1980 I was 12.

So in 1990 I was 22.

Yep; I’m a child of the eighties.

Music. 

Music played a big part of my growing up.

Then it faded away a little.

And now it’s back.

I get nostalgic.

The Eighties.

So here I am.

Listing the best selling singles from 1980 to 1990.

The top 10?

No.

The top 11, actually.

Because one of my favourite tunes ever is at 11.

Hey; it’s my blog…

Here it is.

Number 11: https://www.50odd.co.uk/the-eighties/

My favourite cover version.

My favourite video.

My saddest song.

It reminds me that it will all end.

And that reminds me to try to be all that I can before it does.

Please go here: https://www.50odd.co.uk/hurt-2/

Love at First Sight?

Love at First Sound?

Both?

This is a lovely thing.

Give it a moment.

It wakes up and deepens from 1:10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Sw0mTi8BRI.

I get affected when I watch this.

And when I listen to this.

I think it’s because of Dorota’s husband’s calm, knowing look.

It’s just his wife, you see.

Singing.

Like she probably does at home.

Dorota.

Dorota Osińska wandered onto the set of ‘The Voice’ in Poland in the winter of 2013.

A few weeks later.

She’d won the entire series.

Here it is: https://www.50odd.co.uk/affected/

I am always interested in which craftsmen and women.

That other true craftsmen and women admire.

So I was interested to hear which eight pieces of music George Michael liked most.

When he appeared on Desert Island Discs.

In 2007.

George’s Favourites.

So here they are:

1. Kanye West – “Gold Digger”
2. Rufus Wainwright – “Going to a Town”
3. Gnarls Barkly – “Crazy”
4. Goldfrapp – “Paper Bag”
5. Pet Shop Boys – “Being Boring”
6. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
7. Roxy Music – “Do The Strand”
8. Amy Winehouse – “Love is a Losing Game”

George’s most favourite from these eight.

Was Amy.

Goldfrapp.

Here’s one of George’s choices that I’d not heard before.

Goldfrapp.

Paper bag.

Please go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw3Z-kUMC7g

I don’t know if Michael Jackson was a goodie or a baddie.

I really have no idea.

Awkward.

But so much of his story, to be honest, makes me feel funny.

Awkward.

And it has affected his legacy.

For me.

I know this because, when I was looking for a great live version of my favourite Michael Jackson song this week.

I stopped looking.

Because I felt better about a studio version.

With no video.

Which is unusual for me.

To not want see a live performance.

What a strange feeling!

Human Nature.

But I’ve always really loved ‘Human Nature’ from his 1983, Thriller album.

And I still do.

I don’t think much else sounds like this.

Before or since.

So here it is: https://www.50odd.co.uk/human/.

If you like George, please go here: https://www.50odd.co.uk/intimate/.

Please watch this full screen.

With the sound up high.

When you have 4 uninterrupted minutes.

Intimate.

This is an intimate, wobbly, amateur IPhone recording of George Michael on the 17th of September 2012.

Singing live in Birmingham.

It is one single shot.

With no snazzy visual or audio post production.

And I love how you see George telling one of the stories he wrote so beautifully.

So sincerely.

And so well.

With the conductor’s hand at George’s side.

Rawness.

I think that the intimacy comes from being raw, vulnerable and true.

Something that I will strive to achieve when I restart my Always Wear Red storytelling in September.

I prefer real.

And so do consumers.

And that’s why I prefer this George Michael film to the rather more polished and better edited official SYMPHONICA version.

I love how we see George here.

George.

George Michael.

To me, a genius.

Sadly.

Died alone.

In 2016.

On Christmas Day.