The Student Room Group

The Student Room Desert Island Discs

Desert Island Discs has been going since 1942 and is still going on BBC Radio 4.

The format is simple: you choose the eight records you would take with you to a desert island and explain why :heart:

List your eight songs - link to it on YouTube if it's available
Share why you'd take it with you to your desert island....

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I would take 8 of the same song since records can break, scratch etc. :smile:

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Very hard to pick just eight songs, but:

Alternative Ulster by Stiff Little Fingers - As the username would suggest, one of my favourite bands of all time, and this is the song that really got me into them and by extension, punk

Pinball Map by In Flames - I think my favourite track off Clayman, one of the definitive melodeath albums and one that still gets ready plays in my house.

Bruce Campbell by Psychostick - because Bruce Campbell is the finest man to grace a silver screen. Also, this was the highlight of one of my favourite ever gigs (Psychostick supported by Dog Fashion Disco and Footprints in the Custard)

Holy Diver by Dio - Dio is one of my favourite ever vocalists and this was the song that introduced me to him (via South Park)

Oblivion by Mastodon - I think my favourite track off the album (Crack The Skye) that taught me metal could be really highbrow and intelligent (an album about astral projection and the art aesthetics of Tsarist Russia anyone?)

Let Legend Mark Me As A King by Christopher Lee - Can't find a video for this but I loved Lees symphonic metal albums and the aptness of this track stands out above all else

Father of the Wolf by Amon Amarth - Great video and simply put one of the best songs I've heard about Norse mythology

Empire of the Clouds by Iron Maiden - Only been out a month but this is just beautifully composed and one of the most epic songs I've ever heard.


Honourable mentions: Delilah by Tom Jones for being my go to karaoke tune, Take This Life by In Flames for getting me through a few rough spells, Savior and Swing Life Away by Rise Against for the same thing, Orgasmatron by Motorhead for being a filthy classic and This Is Not A Song, It's A Sandwich by Psychostick because I'll need to eat on this desert island, oh and We Ran Out of CD Space by Psychostick because what if your face was made out of bumblebees?
(edited 8 years ago)
My desert island discs are:


That's all
Nat King Cole

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Someday
The Strokes

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Colours of the wind
Pocahontas

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Stay with you
Lemon Jelly

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Run Rudolph Run
Chuck Berry

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Moving to New York
Wombats

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Parklife
Blur

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You got the love
The Source and Candi Staton

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Losing my religion
REM

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(edited 8 years ago)
:beard:

1. St Lucia - Elevate
This track is so uplifting and makes my mood swing to really positive and upbeat within the first 10 seconds. I put it on and close my eyes - just letting my mind run wild! It's got so many levels to it that if you focus on just one instrument, then you'll hear a few dozen songs in one!

2. Jamie xx - Girl
If anyone is a fan of The xx or forward thinking music then Jamie xx's record In Colour is for you. Girl has such an amazing vibe and flow through 4 minutes! A close second is Loud Places as it includes Romy from The xx - they sound so great live and it's just a great tune for if you're on your own and want to chill out!

3. Jack Garratt - Worry
Jack Garratt is new to the scene and I've just fallen in love with his vocals. His quirky attitude as well is fun and makes him stand out for me. He performs all of this live by himself. He's not yet released a record, but shall do really soon and it'll be right up there with my favourite! Hope to see him at Glastonbury 2016!

4. Florence + The Machine - Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)
This is an absolute classic Florence song! Love the airy-ness of this. The harp is such a refreshing thing to hear in music. Lungs is my favourite Florence record so Kiss With A Fist and Dog Days Are Over are only just behind Rabbit Heart.

5. Disclosure Ft. London Grammar - Help Me Lose My Mind
In my office we have a go to band for when we're having a bit of a crap day and just want to get on with it. London Grammar is that band. Their vocals are just relaxing and stunning. Mix that with some drums and synth - then you've got an absolute tune. Do you see a pattern of chilled but upbeat music here? :lol:

6. Queen - I Want To Break Free
Because who doesn't want to pretend to be Freddie Mercury in drag with a hoover? I do. I may even have already done it. Who knows? Not you.

7. Massive Attack - Teardrop
An amazing trip hop band. I love to get in the bath and just close my eyes - lean back and forget about everything. Bliss!

8. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Can't Stop
Don't you just wanna grab your air guitar out now and play that sweet riff?! Of course this has accompanying favourites like Californication and Snow (Hey Oh). 2002 music at its finest!

:biggrin:
Wow, this is really difficult. I've had to leave out a lot of amazing songs and lots of artists that I love. It's kind of painful to choose to be honest. I've gone with songs that I know I can handle listening to again and again, because I already have done for many years. And I've picked tracks that really evoke emotion in me personally, since I think that's what I'd want on a desert island! Mostly positive, uplifting songs for me, but not all.

Otis Redding - A Change is Gonna Come
I had to go with Otis's version over Sam Cooke's, just because it's a little more upbeat and makes me feel good. Both are in my top 20 songs of all time though.

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Wu-Tang Clan - Triumph
Because if I'm stuck on a desert island, I need a song that I can just rap along to every single word for 5 minutes straight to make myself feel good every now and then. I also need some heavy bass and this track is one of my favourite of all time. Just beat C.R.E.A.M. due to it featuring the whole clan and being a little longer :P

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Toots and the Maytals - Pressure Drop
Have to have a Toots and the Maytals song, especially on a desert island! This is my favourite by them. I would listen to this while drinking coconut water and dancing around my fire on the beach.

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Tom Waits - Come on up to the House
At some point on a desert island you're gonna feel a bit down, and then you're gonna need some Tom Waits to empathetically lift you up. No condescension, just honest blues. I used to listen to this late at night before I went to uni and it just makes me feel nostalgic about my parents and my home in London, but in a good way.

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Mobb Deep - Quiet Storm
I need a song to hype me up if I'm feeling lazy or need to energise myself. This track always does that for me.

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A Silver Mt. Zion - God Bless Our Dead Marines
Silver Mt. Zion and Godspeed You! Black Emperor are two of my favourite ever live acts, thanks largely to Efrim Menuck being so funny and also being a musical genius. I could have picked any number of songs by one of these two bands, they're all emotional. But this is probably my favourite. Dead Flag Blues just missed out due to being a little too depressing for the situation.

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Björk - Jóga
I'm gonna be at one with nature, how could I NOT have a Björk song? I know this one is an easy choice, but it's pretty moving.

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Burial - Unite
This is one of Burial's less famous songs, off a dub mixtape rather than either of his albums, but I love it. So atmospheric. I once spent an hour listening to it on loop with a friend and two girls, as the sun rose after a night raving, and it was perfect. I always thought I'd like to listen to this at dawn on a desert island, so it's a perfect fit. Every time I listen to Burial I miss London, but in a good way. I think I would need that.

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(edited 8 years ago)
This is really hard! My music tastes do change a lot over time and I've got a feeling I've missed some obvious ones. Plus I would want to take only songs that I can sing and dance to to keep me occupied on the island. In this particular moment in time my selection would be:

Life is Life - Noah & the Whale
The perfect song to remind you that you and only you have control over what happens in your life... Or what doesn't happen. So get off my lazy butt and make it happen.

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Never Let Me Go - Florence & the Machine
This song actually reminds me of the book by the same name, and it matches the story really well. It reminds me of love and the power of the inevitable separation that everyone faces one way or another, and the depressing brutality of our own mortality. But that above all of that, love is more powerful, and if you never let that go, nothing else matters and people live on regardless.

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Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush
Basically a brilliant song. Wuthering Heights is better and reminds me of the time my Grandad passed away as I was reading the book, and he and my gran met on a wild and windy moor, but I've listened to it too much.

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Phoenix - Elton John vs Pnau
This is my current anthem and the message in it is constantly renewing.

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Love & Understanding - Cher
Best Cher song, amazing violins, epic climax. More pop songs need violins in them.

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Paradise - Coldplay
I just love it, and it's perfect for a desert island. I would definitely be trying to reshape my island into a neon jungle to match this.

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Eagle - ABBA (long version...)
This should really be "I Am The City" but it's probably not a good idea to take a song about cities to a desert island, to remind you all the time of the thing you're missing out on... So Eagle is from the same album and what I love about this is that it's different to most Abba songs but equally as singalong. I can imagine myself running around the island arms open wide dancing along to this.

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You Learn - Alanis Morissette
Alanis' first album was a classic at the time and is still amazing now. I'd want one of the songs with me as they never get boring, and this is probably the least depressing, most motivating one! :biggrin:

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(edited 8 years ago)
The taste in music here is mostly dire but worse is the clear cultural isolationism if it ain't fed to you by the Anglo-American media you don't know it.
The Smiths- This Charming Man
Morrisey basically defined my angst riddled adolescence. I love this song- it's melancholy and simultaneously uplifting. I've listened to it so many times, and it just doesn't get old!

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X-Ray Spex- Oh Bondage! Up Yours!
Angry female punk music. Not about bondage (as most people think) but about the bondage of consumerism. It gets me fired up!

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Loudon Wainwright III- Samson and the Warden
My dad used to sing this to me and my sisters when we were children. It doesn't matter how many times I listen to this song, I can't not hear my dad singing to me.

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The Lovin' Spoonful: Do You Believe in Magic?
This is my mum's favorite song. Every time I listen to it it reminds me of sunny days drinking wine, sitting in the garden with my mum and feeling happy.

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Carl Orff- Carmina Burana
Growing up in the countryside with not very much to do- me and my sister used to drive around with this on full blast trying to sing in German. It's epic, and amazing to listen to really, really loud!

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Kelly Rowland- Commander
This came out in my first year of uni. And played in every club all the time. Every time it comes on it makes me smile and reminds me of being a fresher. (P.S. I am aware that it is a truly terrible song...but so catchy!)

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Bjork- Violently Happy
This song, for me, is the epitome of what it's like to fall in love. 'Nuff said.

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Rage against the Machine- Killing in the name
My go-to song when I'm angry or frustrated and want to let off some steam. I imagine if I'm stuck on a desert island alone with only 8 CD's, I'd get pretty frustrated!

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Original post by Tank Girl

X-Ray Spex- Oh Bondage! Up Yours!
Angry female punk music. Not about bondage (as most people think) but about the bondage of consumerism. It gets me fired up!

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Great track. X-Ray Spex are up there with The Slits as my favourite female fronted punk bands.

Original post by sanacore2013
The taste in music here is mostly dire but worse is the clear cultural isolationism if it ain't fed to you by the Anglo-American media you don't know it.


I listen to a fair bit of non Anglo-American music (you can see a recent post of mine about the subject here: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3620699&page=4&p=59647553#post59647553), but then I suppose quite a lot of that is accessed through the Anglo-American media.

Since I only speak two languages, there are only really two languages through which I can easily access music.

Anyway, instead of trying to be insulting, why don't you enlighten us a little? Maybe we'll find something new that we love from your eight tracks.
Original post by e aí rapaz
Great track. X-Ray Spex are up there with The Slits as my favourite female fronted punk bands.


Such a good song!
It was a close call between the two (and Siouxsie and the Banshees).
Original post by Roving Fish

6. Queen - I Want To Break Free
Because who doesn't want to pretend to be Freddie Mercury in drag with a hoover? I do. I may even have already done it. Who knows? Not you.


I think we could guess...

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can i take a luxury as well :flutter:
Original post by the bear
can i take a luxury as well :flutter:


A volume of Bear's limericks perhaps.
My songs either remind me of family/friends, bring back nice memories or help me relax.

Sigur Rós - Samskeyti


Don McLean - American Pie


Inner Smile - Texas


Elton John - Tiny Dancer


Somewhere Out There - Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram


Jon Henrik Fjällgren - Daniel's Joik


Nena - 99 Luftballons


Annie Lennox - Walking on Broken Glass
Reply 16
This is a very hard choice!

1. All Time Low - Therapy
This was the first ATL song I ever listened to, and with only 8 choices I can't really include any more. It's also one of their gentler songs, and it's pretty emotional as well.

2. Schubert - Symphony no. 8 in B minor (Unfinished) mvt. 1
A brilliant piece of classical (well, romantic) music, and if I had enough space to pack the second movement as well, I probably would. It's quite dark in places, especially around the 9 minute mark in the video, where the trombones have a brilliant line (not that I'm biased towards trombones or anything!)

3. Holst - First Suite in Eb, mvt. 1
A Chaconne (so if you hate Pachelbel for repeating stuff over and over, you might not appreciate this as much. However I think Pachelbel's a little overrated and I really like this piece - it's more varied and often more subtle). As with the Schubert, if I could take the whole piece I would.

4. ? - Eventide (arrangement of Abide With Me)
Put simply, a beautiful arrangement of a beautiful hymn.

5. Tim Minchin - Not Perfect
One of Tim's more serious songs, but nonetheless humorous and enjoyable.

6. Axis of Awesome - I Love Being A Cow
Never fails to make me smile. Especially the indignant 'MOOOOOOO's at the end. I realise that I've swiftly gone from the sublime to the ridiculous, but my choice of songs should represent everything I enjoy listening to and all aspects of my character. Including the stupid ones.

7. Le Roi Lion - L'Histoire de la Vie (Circle of Life)
= ONE of my favourite Disney songs. And it's in French. What more could I want?

8. Le Bossu de Notre Dame - Lumière du Ciel/Infernal
In answer to my previous question, this. A beautiful, sensitive song, followed by perhaps the greatest Disney Villain song I've ever heard. And yes, this is technically two songs. But it's usual to hear them together (and Heaven's Light on its own is quite hard to come by)

This was very hard to narrow down and I have had to miss out some of my favourite songs.
Original post by Fullofsurprises
A volume of Bear's limericks perhaps.


i would take you with me... to open the coconuts etc.
Original post by Tank Girl
Carl Orff- Carmina Burana
Growing up in the countryside with not very much to do- me and my sister used to drive around with this on full blast trying to sing in German. It's epic, and amazing to listen to really, really loud!

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German? Isn't that Latin?
Original post by Snufkin
German? Isn't that Latin?

Yes! Sorry, the link I provided was for 'O Fortuna' which is Latin. But other parts of Carmina Burana are in Middle High German and Old French.

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