iHeart iTunes

You know, most days I am happy to set my whole iTunes playlist to 'random' and listen away contentedly all day long. I very rarely skip a song. There's not a lot on my everyday playlist that I dislike after couple of years fine iTuning. Of course, sometimes I'm just not in the mood for Nick Cave - he can be a bit grumpy now and again, after all - but by and large I've got a good enough mix to keep me entertained.

If I listen to my whole library, on the other hand, it's a different story. I have over 1,000 tracks, but you can guarantee that, out of all the fabulous songs on Stevie Wonder's Definitive Collection, the little man inside my PC who picks the random tracks will choose to play 'I Just Called To Say I Love You' or 'Ebony and Ivory' every time.

All this randomising means, however, that I don't really know any of the albums I've bought. I sometimes listen to them from beginning to end, but not often. I don't know the names of any of the songs, even if I like them.

I haven't put all my CDs on iTunes yet, so a lot of my old favourites aren't there, but I treat myself to a monthly download (ooer, missus!) and I'm building up quite a collection. What I heart most about iTunes is that you can just download a single track. It means that I've got a bunch of songs I adore, that I'm never likely to own on CD. When I hear a song on the radio, or featured in a film, I just make a note and go and download it when I'm next online (Love is in the Air from Strictly Ballroom; Windmills of Your Mind from something else - The Thomas Crowne Affair, perhaps?).

Today I felt like only listening to songs I really, really like. Songs that make me smile, and that I'd sing along to if I wasn't in the office (or if I don't think anyone's listening, which is always dangerous when you're wearing headphones...). What I realised was that I couldn't pick out individual songs from albums I've bought fairly recently - I know I really like most of the Kaiser Chiefs' album, but I couldn't pick my absolute favourite song because I don't know what it's called. I ended up with a playlist of the kind of music I was brought up with - Glen Campbell and The Carpenters and Neil Diamond and suchlike. Nothing wrong with that - oh no!

What's interesting is that I don't have any music from my teenage years. No Spandau Ballet (or Duran Duran for that matter). Back then it was the most important thing in the world to know all the words to every song, and you wouldn't be caught dead listening to anything else. Now, the closest I've got is a solitary Style Council track.

Hmm... well, that's quite enough music musing for one evening, so I'll leave you with this: I've given away most of my guilty music secrets (did I hear someone say 'Barry Manilow'?) that would score lukewarm on the coolometer - what are yours? Don't worry - I won't tell a soul...