My inspiration

Hmm, I know I haven't post for a while.. But I'm damn sure that I posted something a few weeks ago. Heigh-ho.

At work, we've been asked to fill in a questionnaire entitled "My Inspirations" kind of like the big campaign that we have where we've got various artists listing favourite lyrics from songs that inspired them. So you've got Razorlight listing "Waterloo Sunset" as their inspiration, Paul Weller listing The Beatles, etc. However, (in typically cowboy fashion), the questionnaire we were given hasn't been thought out properly. We've been asking to list:

Top 3 Albums
Top 3 films
Top 3 games
Top 3 songs of all time
What song changed your life?

Immediately, I question if they are wanting to know my top 3 films or the tops 3 films that have inspired me? I mean Orlando is one of my favourite films ever, but I wouldn't say that it's inspired me. And then, I don't have a song that changed my life.. My life is defined by events and even then, they're mainly food related such as the first time I learnt to use chopsticks properly, the first time I ate a raw oyster.. I don't think there's a song that was so inspiring or great that it changed my life.

And then, I learn that they're also after favourite song lyrics so that it's done out like the official posters. Oh hell, not only do I need to think of a song that changed my life - I need to think of some lyrics too.

The problem with working in music retail is that you are forever trying to impress other people and trying to show how you are much more intellectual and culturally diverse than you let on, so you want your choices to reflect such attributes. Should I put a some Hendrix, or even Led Zep in there? Perhaps The Smiths who defined my teenage life? Do I not let on that one of my favourite albums ever is "Sacred Heart" by Shakespear's Sister? SURELY I need to include Madonna somewhere?

So, I work on the assumption that it's not necessarily my top 3 films/songs/albums of all time, but 3 of my faves that are more inspirational to me than the rest. Here's my list:

Top 2 albums:

Glenn Gould's 1981 recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations
Madonna - Confessions on a Dancefloor
Texas - White On Blonde

Madonna has been one of the biggest inspirations in my life and whilst I could pick any of her albums, I chose "Confessions.." simply because it's the only album of hers where I like *every* track. Even on seminal albums such as "Like a Prayer" or "True Blue", there were tracks I weren't so keen on. But on "Confessions.." I like them all. Glenn Gould because it was one of the first pieces of classical music I ever heard in it's entireity - And I was completely captivated. The 1981 recording is a lot slower than the 1955 recording which means that it is a lot more moving. It was the first piece of classical music that I heard that made me want to discover more about that genre. As for Texas, well they're my favourite band of all time and "WoB" was their "comeback" album after a few years in the wilderness - And what al album! Again, I like every track on the album and it's full of modern classics like "Say What You Want" (which is a contender for my fave lyrics ever).

Top 3 films

Amélie
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Schindler's List

Games - Not that interesting

Top 3 songs

Emmylou Harris - Orphan Girl
Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come
Rufus Wainwright - I Don't Know What It Is

Orphan Girl, strangely enough, makes me think about my family and how they're the most important thing in my life. The song reminds me that they really are the greatest thing in my life and every time I hear it, I end up contacting at least one member of my family.

A Change Is Gonna Come - In terms of inspiring songs, they don't come any more inspiring and moving than this.

Rufus - OK, I included it because it never fails to make me smile whenever I hear this song. It inspires me to smile, ok?

Song that changed my life:

The Wonder Stuff - Don't Let Me Down Gently.

It took me forever to think of this song - I wanted to put a Wonder Stuff album in the top 3 albums section, but I decided on this song instead this was the first song I heard by The Wonder Stuff and well, it was my first foray into the world of Indie music - And I've never looked back, since. It was hearing this song that made me buy "Hup", which then got me to buy "The 8 Legged Groove Machine", which then got me into Pop Will Eat Itself, and Ned's Atomic Dustbin.. And then onto Back To The Planet.. And then to The Levellers... I'm just an indie girl at heart.

OK, lyric for my poster.. I wanted to put "Don't give me love I know none of that stuff, cos it's yer money I'm after Baby" which I thought would be quite amusing for a cashier to have. Or possible "Give give give me more more more, I want it all". Or my favourite Crowded House lyric "I don't pretend to know what you want, but I offer love". But is that cool enough? Do I put a Madonna lyric? There's plenty I could choose from there.. How about all the lyrics to "Somebody" by Depeche Mode? That song sums up how I feel in life and relationships right now. John R at work did the classic "Take me down to a paradise city where the grass is green and the girls are pretty" by Guns and Roses - Now that's quite cool. Hmm, choices choices..

Then it dawned on me

"Lean on me when you're not strong, I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on.. For it won't be long til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on.."

That's just perfect. It sums up how I am in life - Forever there for everyone, but still vulnerable enough to need help from others too. I'm quite proud of that lyric choice, I don't care if people think it's cool or not - It's from the heart and I'm loving it.

So then, what would be yours?