Guest Post – An acrophobia-themed, ad-libbed top 5
The more observant amongst you may recall that when we did our first challenge, I went a teeny bit over the top with our top 5 climbing songs, which turned into a top 50 and had to be published in instalments? Well this time, we decided to call in an expert – Fiona is not only our lovely friend and inspiration for Hearts and Heads, she’s also a music writer y’know. She has an encyclopaedic knowledge of music and regularly filters out the bland and the banal to bring us Ad Libbed, which is packed full of top quality top 5s, birthday tributes and, sadly, rather too many tributes of another kind recently. Take a look if you haven’t already. So here you have our Aerial Extreme top 5, brought to you by someone who knows what she’s doing.
Thanks Fi!
So Cath and Lisa asked if I could put together a suitable top 5 ahead of their fearless assent to the top of Aerial Extreme this weekend. Naturally I said yes, since I have to keep myself firmly planted on terra firma it seemed like the least I could do.Higher Ground
Reached No 29 in the UK Charts in 1973
You can’t go wrong with a bit of 70s funk whatever the occasion. Apparently Wonder recorded this song in a ’3 hour burst of creativity’ just before he was involved in a near-fatal accident. He was in a coma for an unspecified amount of time (damn you wiki you let me down!) but moved his fingers when this was played to him. The idea of Hearts and Heads was a fantastic burst of creativity, mostly it seems of coming up with ideas to do stuff that terrifies our dynamic duo….
Higher Love
Steve Winwood
Reached No 13 in the UK Charts in 1986
Steve Winwood, now there was a man with a fabulous voice. Shame he looks and dances like your dad. Also, I only just realised it is Chaka Khan singing too. All those women clutching their chests and swishing their skirts around distracted me.
The directors of this video also directed the Duran Duran video ‘Notorious’ which wiki says is virtually identical, I think very similar is more accurate. (What? There IS a difference). Anyway despite both being nominated for several MTV awards neither won a single springy M which just goes to show that creativity is where as it’s at – rather than replacing one slightly out of synch English man with an American one….
(Your love keeps lifting me) Higher and Higher
Jackie Wilson
Reached No 11 in the UK Charts in 1969
It is actually technically impossible not to cheer up when you hear this song. Cath? Lisa? Height is a good thing see? It is making this particular soul legend sing a slightly speeded up version whilst working a very natty red boiler suit. Actually maybe you could wear red boiler suits on Sunday, it will make it easier to keep track of you both when you are all the way up there… No? OK OK just a thought…
Higher Ground
UB40
Reached No 8 in the UK Charts in 1993
This came out just before I turned 14 at a time I was physically attached to my radio for around 20 out of any 24 hours and this was everywhere. Now generally I prefer my UB40 either singing about manipulated statistics (maybe One in Ten is due a revival?) or getting wasted on crushed grapes. Has anyone tried to sing Red Red Wine of Lips? There are huge swathes of that song I don’t remember being there before – and that is without the consumption of booze…
ANYWAY this one is a different song to the wonderful Wonder erm weecording… OK no I am done really. You could just go and donate via Just Giving you know and just click the video links and ignore me completely…
So four songs on the theme of heights to get Cath and Lisa in the mood to scale tall things and walk on tiny little wires. What can be the number one choice?
Don’t Look Down
Go West
Reached No 13 in the UK Charts in 1985
Well, for two women about to undertake a lofty challenge when neither has a head for heights this seems the most useful piece of advice I can impart. The fact that it comes via two very bouffant and smartly jacketed mid 80s teen pop idols is merely good luck…
Thank you Cath and Lisa for facing the fear and doing it anyway – again! So any obvious choices I missed?
Also ran: Wuthering Heights, I Can See Clearly Now The Rain Has Gone, Foot Of The Mountain, Living On The Edge, River Deep – Mountain High, Then I Got High, High and Dry
