# What are your desert island albums? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 27, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191 "2005-02-27T22:11:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/1 "2005-02-27T22:11:34Z")
In [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=304472) thread, **MizQuirk** is unfamiliar with the expression “desert island album.” To folks of a certain age, it’s a standard category – what are the albums you’d take with you if you were going to be stuck on a desert island with only ten albums to listen to? The concept may be going the way of the dodo, what with mp3’s and Ipods, but I find it a way of taking my own musical pulse. Ground rules – no compilation albums or “best of/greatest hits.” My list: [ul] [li]_Exile in Guyville_ – Liz Phair[/li][li]_Exile on Main Street_ – the Stones[/li][li]_A Foreign Sound_ – Caetano Veloso[/li][li]_Love Devotion Surrender_ – Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin[/li][li]_Mad Dogs and Englishmen_ – Joe Cocker[/li][li]_Pirate’s Choice_ – Orchestra Baobab[/li][li]_Poetic Champions Compose_ – Van Morrison[/li][li]_What’s Going On_ – Marvin Gaye[/li][/ul] The other two I’d have to pick on the morning I left. So – what are your ten? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/2 "2005-02-27T22:16:13Z")
Nope – sorry – hit “submit” too fast – 1. _Matchowe_ – Momo Wandel Soumah (sax player from Mali who I’d put head to head with Louis Armstrong on both playing and singing) The last album might very well be _Live at the Fillmore_ – the Allman Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/3 "2005-02-27T22:29:18Z")
Except for the first one, there is no particular order: **Warren Zevon** - Warren Zevon **Warren Zevon** - Mutineer Soundtrack to **"Garden State"** **Rolling Stones** - Let It Bleed Soundtrack to the movie **"Local Hero"** **White Stripes** - De Stijl **Neil Young** - Rust Never Sleeps **The Who** - either Who’s Next or Live at Leeds **Grateful Dead** - American Beauty **The Pogues** - Hell’s Ditch ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/4 "2005-02-27T22:31:31Z")
**Twickster** Did I blow it with my soundtrack albums? Sorry! They just flow so well! I also love your Allman Bros and Marvin Gaye choices–still have them on vinyl. So I could replace my soundtrack choices with those. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/5 "2005-02-27T22:42:33Z")
**Frank Zappa** , The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life, Roxy & Elsewhere **King Crimson** , Lark’s Tongue in Aspic **Beatles** , White Album **Mike Keneally & Beer for Dolphins** , Dancing **Mike Oldfield** , Ommadawn **Genesis** , Foxtrot **Dave Brubeck Quartet** , Take Five **Pink Floyd** , Wish You Were Here **Roger Glover** , Elements ---
**Author:** ![Hoops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoops/32/6408_2.png) [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/6 "2005-02-28T00:18:07Z")
**Frank Zappa** : One Size Fits All **The Roches** : The Roches **They Might Be Giants** : Flood **King Crimson** : Starless And Bible Black **Crowded House** : Temple of Low Men **Jane Siberry** : No Borders Here **Steely Dan** : Two Against Nature (yeah, I had to look twice at that one myself!) **Thomas Dolby** : The Flat Earth **The Pixies** : Trompe Le Monde ( **Kilvert’s** , you’re a man after my own heart. Or woman, as the case may be.) ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/7 "2005-02-28T00:27:54Z")
> [@Hoops](#): > > **Frank Zappa** : One Size Fits All > **The Roches** : The Roches > **They Might Be Giants** : Flood > **King Crimson** : Starless And Bible Black > **Crowded House** : Temple of Low Men > **Jane Siberry** : No Borders Here > **Steely Dan** : Two Against Nature (yeah, I had to look twice at that one myself!) > **Thomas Dolby** : The Flat Earth > **The Pixies** : Trompe Le Monde > ( **Kilvert’s** , you’re a man after my own heart. Or woman, as the case may be.) “Man”, and thank you. I’m still bummed my daughter wouldn’t take 20 bucks to name our dog “Evelyn”. 🙂 “Starless…” and “Lark’s…” are probably a toss-up for me, but I can attribute most of my hearing loss to the last three minutes of _Fracture_, so I figured “Lark’s…” was safer. “One Size Fits All” and "Roxy are likewise toss-ups. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/8 "2005-02-28T00:40:48Z")
**Out of the Blue** - The Electric Light Orchestra **A New World Record** - The Electric Light Orchestra **Time** - The Electric Light Orchestra **The Kick Inside** - Kate Bush **Love Stinks** - The J. Geils Band **Band on the Run** - Paul McCartney & Wings **Abbey Road** - The Beatles **Live** - Alison Krauss + Union Station **52nd Street** - Billy Joel **Goodbye Yellow Brick Road** - Elton John I like pop, sue me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/9 "2005-02-28T00:43:57Z")
Off the top of my head (and bound to change): Lyle Lovett **Live in Texas** Bonzo Dog Band **Urban Spaceman** **The White Album** **Who Are You** Original Cast of **A Chorus Line** Original Cast of **Kiss Me Kate** A version of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony **The Band** Pink Floyd **Atom Heart Mother** Denver Symphony, **George Gershwin Plays Rhapsody in Blue using the Original Piano Rolls** ---
**Author:** ![sleeepy2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@sleeepy2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeepy2)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/10 "2005-02-28T00:43:58Z")
**Life On Other Planets** by Supergrass ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/11 "2005-02-28T00:46:41Z")
The Biggs Bach Book - E. Power Biggs Mozart Serenade in G - K525 Time Out - Dave Brubeck Miles and Monk at Newport The Red Headed Stranger - Willie Nelson Last of the Independents - The Pretenders Aerial Panadamoneum Ballet - Harry Nilsson 6 & 12 String Guitars - Leo Kottke Gravity - Jesse Cook I - Aria ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/12 "2005-02-28T01:00:30Z")
When I first read this thread title, I thought you were doing a takeoff, **twickster**. Only when I did some research, did I see that neither WRTI or WHYY broadcast the program that I’ve come to know. Those in central PA who listen to WITF-FM are familiar with [Ellen Hughes and her program “Desert Island Discs”](http://witf.org/temps/FM/FM.shtml#) which can be heard every Saturday and Sunday. 89.5 once you get west of Morgantown. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/13 "2005-02-28T02:39:29Z")
In no particular order: English Settlement – XTC Abbey Road – The Beatles Surfer Rosa – Pixies Spilt Milk – Jellyfish Dusk – The The Discipline – King Crimson The Big Express – XTC Repercussion – The dB’s All Things Must Pass – George Harrison (if double LPs don’t count, then just Disc 1) Talking Heads: '77 – Talking Heads ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/14 "2005-02-28T02:40:57Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > When I first read this thread title, I thought you were doing a takeoff… Nope – never heard of the program. It’s a concept that I first heard, oh, 30 years or so ago – and, as I said, it’s interesting to write down the ten from time to time. For instance, _Exile on Main Street_ has been ont he list for, oh, 30 years or so. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/15 "2005-02-28T02:42:09Z")
Wow – this is the first time in a decade there’s been no Talking Heads on the list. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/16 "2005-02-28T02:52:43Z")
The Beatles, _Abbey Road_ Phish, _A Live One_ Neutral Milk Hotel, _In The Aeroplane Over the Sea_ The Apples in Stereo, _Tone Soul Evolution_ The Old 97s, _Satellite Rides_ Ani Difranco, _Living in Clip_ They Might Be Giants, _Flood_ Wilco, _Being There_ (tough to pick one there) The Fiery Furnaces, _Blueberry Boat_ DJ Shadow, _Endtroducing…_ Notes: –Yes, I cheated by including two double live albums, one double studio album, and one studio album with a bonus live disc. It’s my island. Piss off. –_Blueberry Boat_ is not something I’d ordinarily have on this list, but it is such a complex album that every time I listen to it I hear new things. Thus, this is my way of always having something new to listen to. –I’m sure that tomorrow night I would have a completely different list. ---
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/17 "2005-02-28T02:56:13Z")
Got some good islands going here, especially **twickster** ’s and **Kilvert’s Pagan** ’s. Pour moi (no particular order): **#1 Record** - Big Star **Exile On Main Street** - Rolling Stones **Larks’ Tongues in Aspic** - King Crimson **Physical Graffiti** - Led Zeppelin **Exploded Drawing** - Polvo **Marquee Moon** - Television **TNT** - Tortoise **Forever Changes** - Love **Main Street People** - Four Tops **Third** - Soft Machine ---
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/18 "2005-02-28T03:05:28Z")
**TALKING HEADS** , STOP MAKING SENSE. **FRANK ZAPPA** , SHEIK YERBOUTI. **KING CRIMSON** , (this was a tough one) RED. **TONY LEVIN BAND** , DOUBLE ESPRESSO. **BEATLES** , (another tough one) WHITE ALBUM. **BR5-49** , BR5-49. **DANNY ELFMAN** , SO-LO. **STEVE HILLAGE** , MOTIVATION RADIO. **THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS** , FLOOD. **SEX PISTOLS** , NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS… Unclviny ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@Stan\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/19 "2005-02-28T03:24:57Z")
**Miles Davis** Kind of Blue **The Beach Boys** Pet Sounds **AC/DC** Live at Atlantic Studios **The Clash** 1st LP UK Version **The Ramones** 1st LP **The Minutemen** Double Nickels on the Dime **The Replacements** Sorry Ma Forgot to Take out the Trash **Public Enemy** It takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back **Liz Phair** Exile in Guyville **Beastie Boys** Check Your Head ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2005, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191/20 "2005-02-28T03:52:43Z")
**Universal Hall Pass** Mercury **Bruno Pelletier** Sur Scène **Mario Frangoulis** Sometimes I Dream **Anthony Warlow** Face the Music **Dar Williams** The Green World **Josh Groban** Closer **Piñataland** Songs for the Forgotten Future Vol. 1 **John Rutter** Requiem **Beethoven** Symphony no. 9 **Gabriel Fauré** Piano Quartets [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-desert-island-albums/292191.md?page=2)