By Loud Atlas
I have too many fridge magnets. Collecting them has become a hobby, of sorts. However, they're not simply magnets for attaching to-do lists. They're souvenirs of my family's travels over the years. Among many escapades, they remind me of a beautiful drive to a large castle in Somerset, of queueing far too long for a 30-second log flume ride at a local theme park, and that time when my daughter locked herself in the loo of a Croatian service station. Fun times. They serve as an inexpensive daily reminder of life gone by.
Souvenirs are typically inanimate objects that stir the soul and remind us of what it is to live. Reminiscing on those memories are plenty of singers and songwriters from all sorts of backgrounds.
For a reminder of a great gig, it is necessary to indulge in over-priced merchandise. Dire Straits are keen on buying all the Badges, Posters, Stickers, T-Shirts and other gumph that they can get their hands on after a gig (band memorabilia that'll be priceless in years to come).
Connie Francis hasn't had nearly as much fun as Dire Straits. Perusing her souvenirs, she finds a photo (or two), a rose, and she adds her broken heart to the treasure trove of the memory of a lost love. Among My Souvenirs serves to remind us that souvenirs can change their meaning as time goes by.
An important event in a Catholic child's life is their first Communion. To serve as a keepsake, a photographer is usually called to document the event. The Foto de Primer Comunión ('First Communion Photo') is a souvenir to cherish. Chilean band Los Jaivas provide the musical memories.
The souvenir of a lifetime, some would argue, is a wedding ring. Unfortunately for Freda Payne her Band of Gold only holds bad memories – a wedding night which she spent by herself, and a reminder of those unrealised dreams. Musically, this is one of those happy danceable tunes, but with rather sad lyrics.
"Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)", her admiring punters cry, but for the titular barmaid there's only thing on her mind: her sea-loving sailor. A Spanish locket bearing his name adorns her neck, one of the numerous gifts her lover has brought her from afar. Looking Glass are the providers of that painful reminder, in their distinct Jersey Shore sound way.
If holidaying in Mexico, mini tequila bottles, sombreros and fluorescent Día de los Muertos skulls are probably the souvenirs you'll be coming home with from the Tijuana Gift Shop. Charles Mingus is the maestro providing a jazzy backdrop to the shopping. Taken from the album which Mingus declared his best.
Coming from his debut solo album, Bryan Ferry is surrounded by reminders of a lost love in These Foolish Things. Originally penned in 1935, and covered in a multitude of renditions, the song reminds us that we see souvenirs – sometimes haunting memories – in little things around us.
Aside from travelling Europe gallivanting from one city to the next, a soldier's obligation is also to his wife. In The Ballad of the Soldier's Wife, the wife receives a number of souvenirs of his travels. From the pen of Kurt Weill, Marianne Faithfull tells the tragic tale of the trail of souvenirs.
There are some souvenirs people don't want to put on display: Nick Cave dolls, an Eiffel 'Cower' plush, canned fog from San Francisco Bay (to name a few frightful real-life souvenirs). Some souvenirs can't be put on the mantel piece. The Souvenir in London that Procol Harum have brought back is one of those. Ouch.
Mourning the loss of so many Souvenirs, Maggie Bell sings a bittersweet song of life passing. Old love letters, graveyards and pawnshops are the symbols of all the souvenirs she has collected over the years. Remarkably Janis Joplin-esque.
Early 90s glam rockers Jellyfish draw musical fanaticism and televangelism together in Joining A Fan Club. Both of those draw people together to the respective pulpit of devotion. The money spent on both in terms of memorabilia, fan club membership, and souvenirs of loyalty can be remarkable.
What becomes of a lifetime of souvenirs when the owner has passed on? Tom Waits sings about the Soldier's Things, a song which measures our lives by the sum total of the trinkets we have collected along the way. It's only a dollar an item to repurpose those souvenirs.
Writing of a lifetime of souvenirs, Tommy Collins is the ultimate collector in I Always Get A Souvenir. Rooster feathers, gold nuggets, and bear claws are among his souvenir collection. He also makes sure to get a souvenir from each girl he knows too. This is 'Been There Done That' 50s style.
To end, British icon George Formby has perhaps the most remarkable use of a souvenir. The traditional stick-shaped boiled sugar confectionary item is often gifted as a souvenir. In With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock, Formby...well, you'll hear. All very innocent. Honest.
The A-List Playlist:
Dire Straits - Badges, Posters, Stickers, T-Shirts (ajostu)
Connie Francis - Among My Souvenirs (Suzi)
Los Jaivas - Foto de Primera Comunión (pejepeine)
Freda Payne - Band of Gold (amylee)
Looking Glass - Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) (amylee)
Charles Mingus - Tijuana Gift Shop (TatankaYotanka)
Bryan Ferry - These Foolish Things (Uncleben)
Marianne Faithfull - The Ballad of the Soldier's Wife (Suzi)
Procol Harum - Souvenir In London (severin)
Maggie Bell - Souvenirs (Nicko)
Jellyfish - Joining A Fan Club (ShivSidecar)
Tom Waits - Soldier's Things (Uncleben)
Tommy Collins - I Always Get A Souvenir (Fred Erickson)
George Formby - With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock (megadom)
B–List Playlist:
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Come And Get These Memories (SweetHomeAlabama)
Jean-Michel Jarre - Souvenir de Chine (ajostu)
Richard Thompson - Cold Kisses (Suzi)
Django Reinhardt - Souvenirs (magicman)
Donald Fagen - Memorabilia (Fred Erickson)
Bob Dylan - Boots of Spanish Leather (Suzi)
The Stylistics - Tears and Souvenirs (Fred Erickson)
Matt Nathanson - Kinks Shirt (Fred Erickson)
Sam Mangwana - Celica-Souvenir (magicman)
Joyce Grenfell - Picture Postcard (Keepsake) (severin)
Johnny Cash - The Night Hank Williams Came To Town (tincanman2010)
Mischief Brew - Bury Me In Analog (EnglishOutlaw)
Ben Sollee - Pieces of You (Jamesowen475)
MC Solaar - Souvenir (megadom)
Guru's Wildcard Picks:
Penthouse - Fridge Magnet
Souvenirs on the fridge remind us of where we've been. There isn't a better place to store memories than the place we keep our refrigerated goods.
Omega One - Memento
As well as the title, this instrumental is full of yearning.
Barbara Evans - Souvenirs
Memorabilia mentioned from various celebrities: The Platters, Dean Martin and James Dean to name a few. All of those, however, don't matter as much as one particular thing.
Billy Joel - Souvenir
Life is full of things we collect, so enjoy the art of collecting them while they – and we – last.
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: These foolish things: songs about memorabilia and souvenirs. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Fancy a turn behind the pumps at The Song Bar? Care to choose a playlist from songs nominated and write something about it? Then feel free to contact The Song Bar here, or try the usual email address. Also please follow us social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running: