What would your Desert Island Discs be?

It occurred to me to write this post when I most recently listened to what to me is the greatest cover version of all time, David Bowie covering himself with the version of Cat People on the Let’s Dance album, featuring the epic production of Niles Rodgers and even more epic spare solo-ing of Stevie Ray Vaughan. At that time I mused to someone in the USA that “this would definitely be on my list of Desert Island Discs”. They had no idea what I meant.

For readers outside the UK (the UK is a distant #2 in terms of readership to the USA), Desert Island Discs has been broadcast on the BBC for nearly 80 years, with a simple format. Guests are asked what they would take with them if stranded on a desert island, with their limits being:

• 8 tracks
• 1 book
• 1 luxury item

So here is a list from me, created instinctively in the moment, each with a link to a live performance (where possible), though the original album tracks often even better to listen to. Each of these I have and could listen to over and over again.

Tracks:

1. Cat People — David Bowie — the live version from the 1983 tour (I saw him live then), the album version way better, three words. Stevie. Ray. Vaughan.
2. Black — Dave — the live version from the…