redfiona99

So, for those who don't know, I have an appalling singing voice. To the point of at least one housemate banned me from singing in his presence. It has been described as high, squeaky, flat, out-of-key in a different direction every note and so on. (Same housemate phrased it as 'you know the whole, all the right notes, not necessarily in the right order, [real name redacted], you are all the wrong notes in all the wrong order' - it pained him greatly that I was the only person with a voice high enough to sing the Muse songs on Guitar Hero.)

This makes choosing this difficult.



This is a decent standby (the others are all Cher tracks, not because I can sing in her register or anything but because hers are at least fun).

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This is difficult for me. I collect covers. Like I have far too many versions of Sweet Child of Mine, and a whole chorus of Hallelujahs.

There's so many ways of doing covers, to the point that I am miffed that most of them are just "pop-punk" versions of pop songs or starlets doing slowed down, stripped down versions of pop songs.

There are some obvious classic covers, like



Which has obliterated the original from the public consciousness (I still prefer the Zutons version)

Or



Which takes that song and does things to it.

I also like tracks where an original artist does something different with it:

For example - JDB and John Cale playing "Ready For Drowning" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNFVnxhRWd4

(You can also have him playing Out of Time with Jools Hollands R&B Orchestra - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDzoFFxQy5E, playing Bright Eyes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6amm_PUjJ_k) (Okay, this has brought me KT Tunstall and JDB playing Christmas In New York - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QY3Ne_xRdA !!!)

Not a cover exactly, but Faster acoustic is, it's an experience - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbeQYDsZy28

Dylan playing The Times They Are A Changin' now he's older, that's a different song, different enough to count, I say - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_nKf7BNqhA

But in keeping with the original theme of the meme

Orgy - Blue Monday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJZTfl3DmCU (Yes, I just love detuned basses)

Joey Ramone - What A Wonderful World - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IoO5nkxT_4

Lars Fredriksen and the Bastards - To Have And Have Not - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qeAnOX-UCk

And, warming up for next week, Nate G - Prince Igor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL5qZSgOA10

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Both from 2019

Miscellaneous:

Forming A 385-Mile Human Wall, And 5 Other Ways Women Are Changing The World - https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/03/07/700716843/daring-to-ride-a-bike-and-5-other-ways-women-are-changing-the-world

Music:

The Austin 100 - https://www.npr.org/2019/03/05/695993809/the-austin-100-a-2019-sxsw-mixtape

Going sideways with this answer.

So when I was in either year 3 or 4 (first or second year juniors), they encouraged us to bring in an example of music we liked. Of course, at age 7-8, this was all really stuff our parents liked because we hadn't had chance to be exposed to much else (mine was undoubtedly something by Jimmy Shand).

One of the other girls in my year brought in a recording of "Wake Up Little Suzie" by the Everly Brothers. For whatever reason, that's the one that stuck. I hear it and wham!, I am straight back in that classroom.



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I haven't forgotten about this

Should you ever need to reduce me to tears and not have an onion to hand, Rare Old Times works every time.



A lot of Irish folksongs are songs of exile, this one is about someone exiled by time, and you can't ever back to a then.

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This is a truly impossible one to answer but I have gone with the Radetsky March because no-one is immune. Even Mum's boyfriend who lacks joy can be found clapping along to this.



There's also some part of me that gets a real kick out of the way this (admittedly jubilant) military march has become a universal clap-along tune.

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As there would be complaints if I went with any of the three obvious choices*, I shall instead go with "My Favourite Game" by the Cardigans, although most things of that era by the Cardigans will do.



The three are Fleetwood Mac's The Chain, Lift Me Up by Moby and the new(ish) theme by Brian Tyler (who really ought to be asked to do the next Bond).

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Animals:

Scientists Unveil Ancient Sea Monsters Found In Angola - https://www.npr.org/2018/11/08/659551721/scientists-unveil-ancient-sea-monsters-found-in-angola

Economics:

Viewpoint: Why Modi's currency gamble was 'epic failure' - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-41100610 From 2017

Geography:

An Interesting Fact About Every London Tube Station - https://thenudge.com/features/tube-facts/

Languages:

Trying to save South Africa's first language - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-39935150

Miscellaneous:

Namibia's Himba people caught between traditions and modernity - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-40247310

Slide Show: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Through the Years - https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/slide-show-ruth-bader-ginsburg-through-the-years

Should buying the morning-after pill be easier? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2k67StYBY0tMzNP1gs1xVSJ/should-buying-the-morning-after-pill-be-easier

Music:

Sia Is The 21st Century's Most Resilient Songwriter -https://www.npr.org/2018/11/06/664395501/sia-is-the-21st-centurys-most-resilient-songwriter

Politics:

Labour's Kezia Dugdale ‘was outed as gay against her will’ - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41082971 Also about other politicians's experiences of coming out.

Sport:

Athletics:

Doping: More than 30% of athletes at 2011 Worlds admit to doping - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/41084175

Football:

FA Cup: Billericay Town owner aiming for the Premier League - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40997071 From 2017, I think many things have changed with Billericay. They were the mid-2010s "that club with mad owners and wild plans".

Rugby union:

Premiership and Championship players to aid study into new head injury test - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41094045

This has been delayed because I couldn't think of one.

I still can't think of one. The people I'd rather forget have been a most unmusical lot. This may help explain why I didn't get on with them.

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I was yesterday days old when I discovered that "3 is the Magic Number" is, in fact, not called that. It is called The Magic Number. Which presents a problem.

I could either try to maintain my street cred, meaning I could go with 1985 by the Manic Street Preachers (or, for less street cred, 1985 by Bowling for Soup which is actually a good song too*).

On the other hand, because it was on Spotify a couple of days ago (and because I can still do half the dance moves without thinking about it), I will go with



*and I love how many of the comments under the video are "I thought this was funny when it came out, only now, it's really not. Help, when did Green Day become classic rock?"

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