Well, I had a new experience this week. My good friend Jens Klausen is from Denmark and has recently retired from his spanish veterinary practice. He is a man who likes to keep busy and amongst his passion for gardening, horse riding and creating interesting craftworks, he finds time to present a weekly radio programme. Unfortunately we can't receive Radio Sol de Almijara up here in the mountains, but it is available along the coastline from Almayate to Almuñecar on FM 87,8 with information at http://www.rsafm.org.

Anyway, Jens invited me to be a guest on his show this week, for a presentation along the lines of a mini Desert Island Discs. I was asked to choose five pieces of music and he would ask me questions and chat in between.

As I don't consider myself to be a very interesting person, I was a little anxious, but happy to take on a new challenge. It was not possible to get a recording of the show and I don't know anyone who listened to it, so I shall never know how it went, but Jens is a very easy person to talk to and it was really just like having a chat with a friend – which is exactly what it was.

Here is a list of the music I chose –

Land of Hope and Glory from Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March – just for a bit of flag-waving patriotism
http://youtu.be/9tLL1Gk4gww

All Right Now by English rock band Free, released in 1970. It takes me back to those care-free mid-teen years and is guaranteed to get me on my feet and dancing (although I resisted the urge during the interview).
http://youtu.be/ny7vW6dgnUY

You'll Never Walk Alone sung by Gerry and the Pacemakers – a song with much emotion attached. My father was a Liverpudlian and a fervent supporter of Liverpool football club, where it is sung by fans as the club anthem. It also reminds me of walking the camino de Santiago across Northern Spain with my daughter, in memory of my parents.
I have only now discovered that it was originally from the 1945 Rogers and Hammerstein musical Carousel.
http://youtu.be/QOXwzvk1WTc

Woman in the Moon by Barbra Streisand from the film A Star is Born (1976) (former versions 1937 and 1954). I love the complete soundtrack from this film and could have chosen any of the tracks. I have sung along to the music since it was released in the mid seventies. I particularly relate to this track which is very empowering for young women.
http://youtu.be/SZ1WjrA5L0s”>http://youtu.be/SZ1WjrA5L0s

Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World by the Hawaiian musician Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. I have only recently become aware of this artist, who sadly died in 1997 aged 38. He came from a musical family and started performing at the age of 11 with his brother and cousin, going solo in 1990. He has a beautiful, clear voice that gives me goose-bumps. He accompanies himself on the ukulele. Throughout his life Israel was morbidly obese, tipping the scales at 54 stone, which is 384 kilos, and died of respiratory and heart problems. He was so popular in Honolulu that his coffin lay in state in the Capitol building, one of only three people to be awarded this honour.
http://youtu.be/Z26BvHOD_sg”>http://youtu.be/Z26BvHOD_sg
If you don’t check out any of the other tracks, please take time to look at this one – I hope you won’t be disappointed – let me know what you think.

What five tracks would you choose?

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