Record Store Day: Nick Hornby's "High Fidelity" songbook (a collection of songs quoted in the book)

I know I will sound banal, but the record store of my life is Champsionship Vinyl. Created by Nick Hornby in the novel High Fidelity and re-created (and moved from London to Chicago) by Stephen Frears in the movie adaptation. I've never been at Champsionship Vinyl - who did it? - but it's like I've spent there some of the best and craziest days of my (still young and full of incredible forthcoming adventures) life. It's The Record Store. And a playlist & mixtape heaven, too. In the novel and in the movie, everybody is making playlists about everything. Love, death, etc.

So, playing with mirrors and metareflective narratives, here it is... a playlist taken from a playlist-friendly book: a collection of every Spotify-available song quoted, sang, listed, adored or cursed in Nick Hornby's High Fidelity. It starts in a heartbreaking way, with Neil Young's Only Love Can Break Your Heart, as the novel starts with a heartbreaking incipit: "My desert-island, all-time, top five most memorable split-ups in chronological order".

Then, it goes on with Dusty Springfield and Marvin Gaye, Cat Stevens and Madonna, Elvis Costello and Elvis Presley, Nirvana and Bruce Springsteen, Ricky Valance and Ritchie Valens. Sometimes only the song title was quoted, so I dictatorially decided which one to choose (a bit of myself in the Championship). Sometimes songs were not available on Spotify, so I passed on. Only one track, Solomon Burke's Got To Get You Off My Mind is repeated two times. It deserves it. And the playlist must end with it.

Bizarre and lovely coincidence. Today is not only the Record Store Day. As my Facebook birthday reminder just told me, today is also Nick Hornby's birthday. Perfect, isn't it? So, this is a little gift, too. Happy birthday, Nick!

yes, yes, yes, I'm sick and to build this playlist I completely re-read the novel... :o)

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Full list 

Neil Young – Only Love Can Break Your Heart
The Smiths – Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
Aretha Franklin – Call Me
Everything But The Girl – I Don't Want To Talk About It
Roy Orbison – Love Hurts
Prefab Sprout – When Love Breaks Down
Al Green – How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?
John Prine – Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness
Tindersticks – She's Gone
Dusty Springfield – I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
Katrina & The Waves – Walking On Sunshine
Mitch Ryder – Little Latin Lupe Lu
Righteous Brothers – Little Latin Lupe Lu
Stevie Wonder – I Just Called To Say I Love You
Marvin Gaye – Sexual Healing
Peter Frampton – Baby, I Love Your Way
Peter Frampton – Show Me The Way (live)
Sex Pistols – God Save The Queen
Otis Redding – You Left The Water Running
Cat Stevens – Tea For The Tillerman
Bobby Bland – No Blow No Show
Jean Knight – Mr. Big Stuff
Jackson 5 – The Love You Save
Donny Hathaway – The Ghetto
Solomon Burke – Got To Get You Off My Mind
Madonna – Holiday
The Paragons – Happy Go Lucky Girl
Elvis Costello – Alison
Elvis Costello – Little Triggers
Elvis Costello – Man Out Of Time
Elvis Costello – Every Day I Write The Book
Charlie Rich – Behind Closed Doors
The Clash – Janie Jones
Bruce Springsteen – Thunder Road
Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit
Marvin Gaye – Let's Get It On
Gram Parsons – Return Of The Grievous Angel
Bruce Springsteen – Bobby Jean
Linda Thompson – I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Al Green – Sha-la-la - Make Me Happy
The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar
Jeff Beck – Hi Ho Silver Lining
Elton John – Song For Guy
The Shangri-Las – Leader Of The Pack
Jan & Dean – Dead Man's Curve
Ricky Valance – Tell Laura I Love Her
Madness – One Step Beyond
The Rolling Stones – You Can't Always Get What You Want
Marvin Gaye – Abraham, Martin & John
Bob Marley & The Wailers – One Love
Jimmy Cliff – Many Rivers To Cross - Harder They Come
Aretha Franklin – Angel
Gladys Knight & The Pips – Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me
Art Garfunkel – Bright Eyes
Emmylou Harris – Boulder To Birmingham
The Flying Burrito Brothers – Sin City
America – A Horse With No Name
Boney M. – Ma Baker
Charlie Drake – My Boomerang Won't Come Back
Elvis Presley – Baby, Let's Play House
Aretha Franklin – Think
The Kingsmen – Louie Louie
Prince – Little Red Corvette
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Stir It Up
James Brown – Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
Sly & The Family Stone – Family Affair
Aretha Franklin – The House That Jack Built
Chuck Berry – Back In The U.S.A.
The Clash – (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais
Al Green – Tired Of Being Alone
Elvis Presley – In The Ghetto
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – Satisfaction Guaranteed (Or Take Your Love Back)
Special AKA – Nelson Mandela
Chuck Berry – Route 66
Little Richard – Long Tall Sally
Wilson Pickett – In The Midnight Hour
Ritchie Valens – La Bamba
Solomon Burke – Got To Get You Off My Mind