Listening To Music On The Move

Introduction

I have had some issues with phones dying on me, using backup phones and eventually landing up with my Google Pixel 4XL. Since I got it I have not actually listened to any music on it even though I have some excellent wireless earphones/buds. I did load some music on for when I was going to use it but when I was walking I just didn’t bother listening to anything.

Today

Today I went for a walk and decided to finally listen to some music while I was walking, and the result was that I walked faster, enjoyed my walk and caught up on some of my favourite music. These are half a dozen of the songs that were on the player that I enjoyed on my walk.

There is no particular theme or connection apart from the fact that I love all these songs.

1: Marcel King - Reach For Love

Apparently, Shaun Ryder’s (Happy Mondays, Black Grape) favourite Factory single and I cannot disagree with him. Marcel sadly died of a brain tumour in 1995 aged 38, but this eighties electro single is one of my favourite songs ever and I have a digital copy as well as two vinyl 12” copies of different mixes which both get played a lot.

2: Frank Wilson - Do I Love You? (Indeed I Do)

Due to a lot of issues, this song nearly never got released and apparently, the original vinyl single was exchanging hands for above twenty thousand pounds. It is a so full of life song and my vinyl copy did not cost me that much and it is now available digitally and is a Northern Soul staple.

I was surprised to see that Bruce Springsteen has covered it and his live version is stunning so from me, you get the original and Bruce’s version (which is not on my phone yet).

3: Emotions - Best Of My Love

A great soul record from my teens to twenties years, and I still love this one so much.

4 & 5: Donna Summer - Loves Unkind & I Feel Love

I always loved the Phil Spectorish sixties riff and lyrics on this, after the accidental electro brilliance of I feel love. If you listen to “I Feel Love” there is a slight echo on the synthesiser which wasn’t meant to be on there but that is what actually made the song (well it did for me). I love the way that it got many of my space rock friends (and me) into disco.

5: Graham Parker - I Want You Back

I’ve always been a fan of Graham Parker and loved his cover of “Hold Back The Night” on the “Pink Parker” EP which I own on both seven-inch and twelve-inch vinyl, but I love the Jackson Five original of this and think the Graham Parker’s version is worthy of the original but maybe Michael Jackson fans will disagree with me.

6: Americans - Janelle Monae

Janelle Monae is almost a female equivalent of Prince (see my article at the end of this) and “Dirty Computer is an amazing album and film (also in the article) but although she opens with a short duet with Brian Wilson I love the song “Americans” so powerful and sassy and the words of an extremely powerful woman. If you don’t have the album buy it now.

In Conclusion

I will be listening to a lot more music on my walks because there is so much that can make us feel good and inspire us.