This is an idea I've shamefully plagiarised from my lovely friend Becki who is also on an adventure at the moment. She's also far more interesting than me right now what with her doing actual travel, rather than menial farm work.
So, here are songs that I'm coming to associate with my time in Australia. The sort that trigger a memory, or feeling, and will now forever be associated with my time so far down under.
Sometimes a song just fits in perfectly with what's going on around you, karma for all those times that the 'ironic' Britney song on your iTunes playlist has flicked over at an inopportune moment...
This came on my random playlist just as the plane started to descend into Brisbane. Moments during the song timed perfectly with the plane first emerging from cloud, then banking and giving me my first glimpse of Australia. It was genuinely like having my own soundtrack. Marry that with it also being one of my favourite songs, and you've got yourself a keeper. I deliberately don't put it on; I prefer the surprise of it turning up. Like the time it was played during an impromptu jamming session during a thunderstorm in Melbourne. Far more poetic.
This is more to do with someone back home. Whever it flicks on in either country the other must be told, and this song has followed me around Australia turning up in the most perfect of moments.
Whether it's been during a brilliant party, overheard in a hammock on Magnetic Island or simply discovered while radio-hopping on a road trip it always reminds me that as wicked as it might be out here, I can't quite forget about home.
This song was just bursting out as I left England (I'm pretty sure Greg James had it as his record of the week when I went on), and I expected to not heard much of it in Aus...
Hmm, not so much. It was everywhere, still is. And it's a pretty good song. It now reminds me of goodbyes, but in a happy way. Oh, sunshine too. it reminds me of sunshine; when I play it against memories it always gives them a bit of screen glare.
He's Aussie, how could I not?
Triple J's hot 100 winner and therefore Australia day memories are unavoidably entwined. It's also everywhere. Still. And I still have no idea what 97% of the lyrics are. Did no one teach them about the importance of diction?
I'm so sorry.
I really am; I still hold that it's a pretty good little pop song. It sounds happy and summery and it makes me smile, even if I do have to wash my ears out with Regina Spektor afterwards, just in case. When I landed, no one over here knew who they were so the first time I heard it on the radio I got all excited and had to text my brother. Now, of course, teenagers across the globe are mad for them and I can't escape their cute little jailbait faces.
A reminder of many, many shifts with Ash at Zenbah (see also: Mark Ronson - Toxic which could only be played after 10pm on our Nightlife system and therefore indicated that closing time was nearing).
What Will is getting jiggy with we will, sadly, never know. Much like we'll never know why he inexplicably dresses as a Pharoah, or decided to don a suit so bright the screen in Zenbah couldn't cope with it.
Ever heard a song which felt plagiarised from your own thoughts, feelings and half dreamt motifs? This is mine.
During day shifts this would be played rather frequently, causing Rudy the chef to poke his head around and exclaim 'hey! It's your song!', thereby ruining my daydream of performing a spellbinding Like A Version performance.
Dubbed over my skydive DVD - Weezer before and Powderfinger during freefall (the latter was probably to cover up the swears).
Whoever dubbed my DVD officially altered my Australian memories. I hope to God it wasn't you Dawson... Though kudos on the tune choices.
Duh.
A song about impending summer strangely fits my life right now, even though summer seems to be an all pervasive season here. By British standards at least.
One to remind me of the lovely Louise, and conquering her fear of skydiving.
Another happy song. Sure, it's massively manufactured dance music but I LOVE IT and not just because of the lovely memories that have collected around it.
Most prolific song ever.
Nothing more to say on this. It's been on every radio and DJs A Playlist since (it seems) the dawn of time. Unfortunately it's now inextricably linked with my entire Australian stay, and I fear I'll never be free of it.
A song that signals the start of an adventure.
The first song I listened to on the plane. There's something about it musically that feels like a force driving you forward, and I like it.
So there you go, some Aussie songs for y'all. Here's to many more memories surrounding them all.
Except LMFAO. I'd rather like them to remove L,M, and A and F O.
xx
