By: Blonde One
This week has been quite busy for the Two Blondes (nothing unusual there) but I have found time to do a very important job. We are out again this weekend with a fantastic group of kids and adults and there were numerous jobs to be done in preparation. I prepared the aforementioned trips pack, wrote a detailed risk assessment, collected parental consent, picked up minibus keys and money for fuel, and finally reminded everyone of the pick up time. But there was one job this week that took priority over the rest: making a ‘minibus playlist’ for the iPod. This job was necessary after last week’s unsatisfactory drive home. Nothing seemed to be right in terms of music. It was either too old (for the kids), too new (for The Blondes), too slow (might have sent me to sleep which is no good when driving) or too fast (for the kids who were tired and sleepy after a hard day walking). So I decided that this problem needed resolving as a matter of great urgency! I reluctantly (!!!!) put aside all other work-related tasks in favour of this more interesting job. I am quite pleased with the result but accept that it will need some in situ adjustments as the need arises. There is a strange mix on our playlist. We have Hakuna Matata (kids request), Barbie Girl (kids request), Keane (Blonde Two request), Robbie Williams (Blonde One request) and The Script’s Hall of Fame (everyone’s request) to name but a few. I even succumbed to ‘Shut up and Drive’ at a very cheeky passengers request! Any suggestions for songs for when driving a full bus of a wide age range of passengers after a long, tiring, usually wet day would be gratefully received!
Our exped playlist is long and varied, including anything from Queen to Avicii. When the teams are out walking my personal fave is the Hairspray soundtrack. Shhhh!
Our music guilty pleasure is on a par with yours: Barbie Girl!
Surely you have to include the proclaimers “I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more”. Or optimistically “walking on sunshine” Katrina and the waves? As a fan of U2, a whole assortment: Beautiful Day; Walk On; I will follow; vertigo; get on your boots; one tree hill……….and of course Coldplay: Paradise!!!!!
We must have similar taste in music. A lot of your suggestions are on the playlist. We enjoyed listening and singing to U2’s Beautiful Day last night.
Keep Right On To The End Of The Road? (You could also include other WW1 songs and tell them it is the centenary! Issue song sheets?)
I once took 46 children and 6 adults to France and was the only person to have brought a dvd. They didn’t really like ‘The Prisoner!’
Or you could try getting the troupe to bring their own choice – allow five mins each? I seem to remember a similar scheme with home TV and four daughters! (Half an hour each – do you remember?)
For our long journeys later this year we will ask them to bring a selection each! I shall ask B2 to tell me the story.
P.s. Thank you very much for the gift. They are perfect for driving!
I’m too old for this lark. How about “These Boots Are Made For Walking,”(ancient history), “The Manchester Rambler,” (no, I know they won’t know that one, but it has a lovely walking beat!) and couldn’t they write a “Dartmoor Rap?” I’ll shut up now and go back to the Gershwin I’m learning to play.
I love the idea of writing their own rap. I’m going to suggest it next time.
Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time. You want esoteric? He’s got esoteric.
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. At six-hours-plus, perhaps a bit long.
6 hours may be a tad long for a drive home from Dartmoor but perhaps ok for our drive to the Isle of Man in July!
Now I don’t wish to offend but the people playing that Messiaen stuff must have had their music upside down and their instruments back to front. I think if we played that to our kids, they would all jump out of the bus without waiting for it to stop. The Wagner is much better and might suit for the Isle of Man trip!