The High Fidelity Cultural Reference Guide, Vol. I: The Top Five Lists

This will be first in a series of guides to one of the greatest movies ever made and inspiration behind this space, High Fidelity. In Vol. I, I'll be detailing the various Top 5 lists referenced in the movie (the book will be touched upon periodically).

Top 5 Most Memorable Break-Ups (in chronological order)

1. Alison Ashmore (Ashworth in the book)
2. Penny Hardwick
3. Jackie Alden (Allen in the book)
4. Charlie Nicholson
5. Sarah Kendrew

Laura would sneak in later on. I wouldn't dare chronicle my Top 5 on this space, for fear of retaliation.

Penny Hardwick's Top 5 Recording Artists

1. Carly Simon
2. Carole King
3. James Taylor
4. Cat Stevens
5. Elton John

The first concert I ever went to on my own was James Taylor at then title E-Center in Camden, NJ. I still dig me some JT now and then. Elton John annoys me now. He just should have stopped making records after "Empty Garden". That Disney shit he did ruins what could be a top notch greatest hits compilation. As for Carole King, she could write one hell of an autobiography.

Top 5 Songs to Play on a Monday Morning (incomplete)

• "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina & The Waves
• "Little Latin Loopy-Loo" by The Righteous Brothers

I would suggest for that list "I Don't Like Mondays" by The Boomtown Rats, "Little by Little" by Groove Armada and "Jackson Canary" by Ben Folds Five.

Top 5 Musical Crimes Perpetrated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s (incomplete)

• "I Just Called to Say I Love You"

Ironically, Wonder's "I Believe (When I Fall in Love it Will Be Forever)"  is played at the end of the movie. This list can't pull any punches. You have these:

• The theme to Jungle Fever
• Don't Drive Drunk
• Part-Time Lover
• Overjoyed
• Ribbon in the Sky
• Letting Red Hot Chili Peppers cover "Higher Ground"
• Licensing "I Just Called to Say I Love You" to AT&T

Top 5 Side Ones. Track Ones

1. "Janie Jones" by The Clash from The Clash
2. "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye from Let's Get It On
3. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana from Nevermind
4. "White Light/White Heat" by Velvet Underground from White Light/White Heat
5. "Radiation Ruling the Nation" by Massive Attack vs. Mad Professor off No Protection

My favorite list from the movie. My selections off the top of my head would be...

• "Finest Worksong" by R.E.M. from Document
• "Girls & Boys" by Blur from Parklife
• "Rock 'n' Roll Star" by Oasis from Definitely Maybe
• "Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve from Urban Hymns
• "Block Rockin' Beats" by The Chemical Brothers from Dig Your Own Hole
• "I Wanna Be Adored" by The Stone Roses from The Stone Roses
• "Summer Babe" by Pavement from Slanted & Enchanted
• "Only Shallow" by My Bloody Valentine from Loveless
• "Just Like Honey" by The Jesus & Mary Chain off Psycho Candy
• "Staying Alive" by The Bee Gees from Saturday Night Fever

So much to choose from.

Top 5 Dream Jobs

1. Journalist for Rolling Stone magazine, 1976 to 1979
2. Producer, Atlantic Records, 1964 to 1971
3. Any kind of musician, besides classical or rap
4. Film director, any kind except German or silent
5. Architect (replace by record store owner)

Oh, man. This is tough. Ummmm

1. Journalist, NME 1992-1998, get to interview Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Supergrass and hit on British girls
2. Manager, Tower Records, Village in New York, mid-80s, when people actually bought records. Get to sell to The Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C.
3. Husband to Nigella Lawson. She cooks on TV and writes books. She comes home, makes spectacular meals and we make crazy, stupid monkey love every night. I don't have to lift a finger during the day.
4. Cinematographer for Steven Spielberg. Steady work, awesome movies (sometimes) and pick up an Oscar or two along the way
5. Movie Critic, New York Times, 1968-1977. Get to review The Godfather, The Wild Bunch, Jaws, The Exorcist, Taxi Driver and boat load of masterpieces.

Top 5 Things I Miss About Laura

1. Sense of Humor
2. She's got character
3. Her smell
4. The way she walks around
5. She does this thing in bed when she can't get to sleep

Laura is played in the movie by Danish actress Iben Hjejle, who's fallen off the radar. I always thought Rachel Weisz would make a good Laura, but she might be to good-looking. Or, if the movie was made 10 years earlier, a vibrant Molly Ringwald would be fine choice.

Top 5 Songs About Death (incomplete)

• "Leader of the Pack" by The Sangri-Las
• "Dead Man's Curve" by Jan & Dean
• "Tell Laura I Love Her" by Ray Peterson
• "One Step Beyond" by Madness
• "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by The Rolling Stones (disqualified because of its use in The Big Chill)
• "Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot

Most songs are about death in some way to begin with. I would suggest...

• "She's Lost Control" by Joy Division, even thought it not really about death.
• "The End" by The Doors
• "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" by Radiohead
• "Leslie Ann Levine" by The Decemberists
• "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" by Death Cab For Cutie
• Anything by Johnny Cash
• "Death of a Party" by Blur

Rob Gordon's Top 5 Records (deleted scene)

He couldn't decide on a top 5 and revises it through out the scene

• Sin City by The Flying Burrito Brothers
• New Rose by The Damned
• Hit It and Quit by Funkadelic
• Shipbuilding (Japanese Import) by Elvis Costello
• Mystery Train by Elvis Presley
• Spaced Cowboy by Sly & The Family Stone
• Summertime Blues by Blue Cheer
• The Upsetter and The Beat by Lee "Scratch" Perry

He settles on 6...

• Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye
• Sound + Vision by David Bowie
• Dirty Water by The Standells
• Dancing Barefoot by Patti Smith
• Me & My Baby Brother by War
• Grandma's Hands by Bill Withers

Comments

[Rob]

Isn't Nigella Lawson married to Charles Saatchi? I think she destroyed a Marc Quinn sculpture (a self-portrait bust cast in his own blood and frozen) because she unplugged the freezer that it was in...something like that. They made another one. Either that or the destruction was a rumor. Here's an address of the sculpture: http://arliquido.blogs.sapo.pt/arquivo/marc%20quinn%20self%201990.jpg
Enjoy having sex with a bloody head in your freezer!

[ondal]

that's a cosby sweater! a coooosssssbbyyy swwwweaattuuhh! jack black is wack now.

[Amrit]

I saw Rachel Weisz the other night. We were both eating at Tomoe (the city's best sushi). She had her baby with her. She was purty.

[Matt Berlyant]

Replace Nigella Lawson with Rachel Ray and I'm right there with you!

I hate to be the spelling police, but it's "Jackson Cannery". Incidentally, I was listening to the first Ben Folds Five album the other day. I still love it and "Jackson Cannery" could be one of the best side 1, track 1 entries as well as a good song to play on a Monday morning.

[Matt Berlyant]

I have to take back my comment re: Rachael Ray over Nigella Lawson. I just did a search on her and I think I'd pick her over Rachael Ray. Wow.

[me]

Psychocandy is actually one word, not two.

[me]

I mean, I guess they have a non-LP track called Psycho Candy, but the album itself is just one word. Psychocandy.

[Paul]

Does anybody know the story behind Grandma's Hands by Bill Withers? It is mentioned but never expanded on.

[HS]

Thanks for putting this up. :)

[Cellar]

thankyou so much for compiling this list. : )
I was about to start the movie over and take it down, myself. I thought to look and found yours, very nice. Good layout and i like your picks.

---Cellar.