The radio listening public are being invited to become “celebrity castaways” and submit their eight musical choices on the Desert Island Discs page of the Radio 4 website – anyone who is interested in partaking, has up until 2pm on Friday 3rd June. A special 90-minute programme, “Your Desert Island Discs”, will then air at 9am on 11th June on Radio 4. The programme will unveil some of the selections made by the public and compare and contrast them with the choices of previous famous castaways. Famous castaways have included Tony Blair, Noel Coward, John Cleese, Colin Firth, Stephen Hawking and Paul McCartney.

The most popular piece of music selected over the years has been Beethoven’s ‘Symphony No. 9 in D Minor’, picked by 97 castaways. The top eight most popular music choices have been classical, while the eight favourite artists are also classical composers. The most popular non-classical discs include Edith Piaf’s ‘Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien’, Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ and Noel Coward’s ‘Mad Dogs And Englishmen’.

Desert Island Discs Presenter, Kirsty Young points out: “Every castaway is unique, but the one thing they all say to me is how difficult it is to choose their eight discs. Now the nation has a chance to share in the agony and ecstasy of making their very own selection”. As part of a celebration of Desert Island Discs, Kirsty Young will also present a special edition of BBC Radio 2’s “Friday Night Is Music Night”, “Desert Island Music Night”. The show, due to air at 8pm this Friday, will include interviews with former castaways, including some of their music choices.

In March of this year, the BBC announced plans to make all 500 episodes of Desert Island Discs from the last decade available to download online, supported by every castaway’s choice of music, books and luxury items. We reported this at the time on this Blog. You can read the article by clicking on this link….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/recordpress/retro-music/if-you-were-on-desert-island-discs-what-would-go-in-your-suitcase/

At the time I pondered my choice of eight songs, book and luxury item, and after much soul searching this was my selection…..

Beatles – “A Day in the Life”, Small Faces – “Tin Soldier”, Pink Floyd – “Time”, Genesis – “Snowbound”, Spencer Davis Group – “Gimme All your Loving”, Guns ‘n’ Roses – “November Rain”, Simple Minds – “Big Sleep”, and the Kinks “Waterloo Sunset”. My book would be Nick Hornby’s “High Fidelity”, or Peter Brown’s Beatles tome “The Love you Make”. My luxury item would be a bountiful and endless supply of Andrex toilet rolls!!

What would be in your selection of eight records? If you wish to submit your choices to Radio 4’s “Your Desert Island Discs” programme, click here…… www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs/your-desert-island-discs

How about creating an idyllic desert island scenario in your living room, with a couple of small palm trees and your favourite Desert Island Discs, framed and mounted, on the wall? Order now by clicking on……..  http://www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/ …….. and this way your favourite songs can act as constant reminder of an alternative life on a paradise island……..

Alternatively this would make a unique present or original gift for a special celebration  ie a 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th Birthday, a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Mother’s or Father’s Day or Valentine’s Day!!  THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!

If you wish to listen to previous episodes of Desert Island Discs, click here……. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qnmr/episodes