It is now mid June and Vinni and I are preparing for our passage to Seattle and Canada.  We’ll leave later in the coming week.  The passage is about 2700nm and we expect it will take us 18-20 days – depending naturally on wind and weather.

So what do we do during those long lonesome night watches?  Well, first you solve all the world’s problems.  I’ve done this any number of times so as far as I’m concerned I have an answer for everything.  Then you wander down memory lane – all the good times and wonderful people I met, seen and loved.  Luckily, there are many and I can get almost emotional when I think of all the sweet girls (for Vinni- boys) I’ve lucky to know and the close friends I’ve had (and still have).

Then you start trying to list the 25 best songs you’ve heard in your lifetime.  Now that’s a challenge.  There are many and sorting through them all is hard work.  As soon as you think you’ve finally got the list, you recall another song and BANG!- well that one simply HAS to be included – but wait!  Add a new one and you have to subtract one.

Hmmm.  Ok – so here is my list – not in any preferential order.  I know that all of you will have your own favorites and say, “Carsten is crazy – how can he omit **?”  Or else you’ll agree that the artist is right but I’ve included the wrong song.  The only thing I can say is  – it is my list – you’re welcome to make your own……………

• Mustang Sally – Wilson Pickett. Probably the best backbeat bass ever recorded.

• Runaway – Del Shannon. .Yeah, well this song just keeps on rockin’ non-stop.

• Can’t find my home – Blind Faith. What can I say.  The superb guitar and Steven Stills British accent make this a song that is in a class by itself.

• Here comes the sun – Beatles. The Beatles recorded many good songs and this one is one George Harrison wrote – not Lennon McCarthy.  Think about which Beatles songs you hear on the radio and you’ll be surprised that this is probably the one you hear the most.  I thought long and hard about While my guitar gently weeps, but Eric Clapton played the guitar on that recording and we’ll get to Mr. Slowhand further down.

• River of tears – Clapton. The problem with Clapton is that you can easily make a list of the 25 best songs and find they are all Clapton. He is one of a kind and while I can name a multitude of his songs that should be here, River of tears is unique.

• Sympathy for the devil – Rolling Stones. Well we can’t forget the Stones.  Again a tough choice there are countless fantastic songs – Sympathy for the devil is my vote.

• Lay Lady Lay – Dylan. His Bobness can’t be left out.  But which one? Here is an early song

• Good Lovin’ – The Rascals. Rock & roll, rock & roll, rock &   Get out your dancin’ shoes!

• Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Barry. If you can sit still while this is being played – you’re dead, you just haven’t been buried yet..

• Brown-eyed girl – Van Morrison.  Happy, happy music.

• Dancing Queen – ABBA. Ok so pure pop music – and why not?  I always get in a happy mood listening to ABBA.

• Voices in the sky – Moody Blues. I have wonderful memories of this song. One of their best.

• Under the boardwalk – Drifters. There is no better music than this.

• Homeward Bound – Simon & Garfunkel. Perhaps this isn’t rock – but what a song.  I can listen to it again and again.  Still crazy after all these years is another great Poul Simon song.

• Still got the blues – Gary Moore. Classic blues – rarely gets better than this.

• Midnight Hour – Wilson Pickett or The Rascals. It wasn’t my intention that any artists would be on this list twice.  The song – In the midnight hour can’t be left off.   Wilson Pickett sings it and nobody does it better.  But the Rascals also recorded it and they let their organ take the lead and their version is just as good.  I want them both.

• Good Vibrations – Beach Boys. Yep – all those great vibrations………………

• Ripple – Grateful Dead. What can I say?  I’m a Deadhead.  Ripple is their best

• Samba Pa Ti – Santana. Perhaps the best guitar ever recorded

• Light my fire – Doors. Classic, classic rock and that’s all I can say

• Lyin’ eyes – Eagles. Unfortunately this song is ”only” 6 minutes long.

• Going home – Dire Straits. So simple, so elegant

• All along the watchtower – Jimi Hendrix. Can’t  leave jimi out.  Here is a Dylan song.  Little wind ain’t bad either.

• Back on the Chain Gang – The Pretenders. Super music

• Porgi Amor – Figaros Bryllup. I’m an opera and if you can listen to this without shedding a tear – well then you are one cold, cold person.

That’s it and even as I write this, I end up thinking of several songs that should be on the list.  Maybe I’ll expend it to the best 50 songs…………………………..