My Music Chart: September 2017

Whoops, this is a couple of days late this month but I am sure you can forgive me...

So the stats are a little down this month. I have no real idea why though. I have been shuffle playing a little more though which is why the average play count and the Top 20 plays is down this month.

There was a large number of new-entries on the chart this month, as I say, I was shuffling a lot more but then I'd have days where I was listening to a few particular songs. Chim Chin Cher-ee (East Wind) comes from the original motion picture soundtrack to Disney's Saving Mr Banks. The film is one of my favourites and I really enjoy the arrangement of the well known song. Given the style and tone of the film, this piece really embodies the bittersweet story behind the film Mary Poppins.

Sticking with the musical theme, three new entries came from the 'Definitive Cast Recording' of Miss Saigon. Taken from the 2014 revival in London, this cast recording is my quite easily my favourite. Ever since I was lucky enough to attend the gala performance back in 2014, Miss Saigon has remained my favourite musical. Every once in a while I can just listen to the soundtrack on repeat. Eva Noblezaba and Rachelle Ann Go are two incredibly talented performers who both possess the most insanely good vocal qualities and range. The Movie In My Mind is so well sung and so powerful, it still gives me goose bumps even now.

Boys In The Street was a song I stumbled upon when a friend had it playing in the car. It is a very emotive song which is a son, telling the story of his strained relationship with his father because the father disapproves of him 'kissing boys in the street'. The singer, Greg Holden, is actually straight, but was asked to provide a song for a fundraising compilation album by the organisation Everyone Is Gay that supports LGBT+ youth. Holden has managed to really capture the struggles of sexuality acceptance for some parents without crossing into any form of spokesmanship or preaching. What I love about the song is that through the verses where the father is disapproving, there is the underlying message that the real reason for his disapproval is because of how it reflects on him and not the son. As each verse passes, I get the sense that the father begins to understand it actually isn't about him. I think this may actually be a common theme for those that have had disapproving parents when they came out perhaps?


I am not sure how many people know the Britney Spears track which came in at number five this month. It was never on an album and is known as a bit of a rarity. It samples the Prince track 'Kiss' and it features Britney doing what she does best. I always wonder what a finished, fully produced version would sound like.
There was also quite a bit more Melanie C on the chart this month, as I did have a couple of days where I was only listening to her. I've said for many years, that if anyone was to make a film of my life, Melanie C songs would provide the soundtrack. I know most people will only really remember her as Sporty Spice but since then she has put out some brilliant solo material and I have always enjoyed and admired how she constructs the songs lyrically. Quite often I feel like they are my own thoughts in song.

Similarly, Damien Rice featured a fair bit this month too (again). As mentioned in previous charts, I have always found his music to be a calming influence and find that it helps me to think through things. Naturally, with the process of becoming parents well underway, I have a lot buzzing around my mind so that calming influence has definitely been helpful with Damien taking the number 1 spot again this month with Long Long Way. Check out this pretty brilliant live version of the song...