The Vatican newspaper, L’Ossertavore Romano, has published its picks for the best popular music. It suggests this is a “semi-serious” list of 10 classic albums to take to a desert island.
The choices are surprising. They haven’t included anything as obvious as Stairway to Heaven or Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. And while there’s no evidence that the Pope actually pops The Beatles’ Revolver or Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon into the papal CD player, those albums made the list. So did Graceland by Paul Simon Supernatural by Carlos Santana and Michael Jackson’s Thriller. It makes one wonder if the Pope can moonwalk. I’ll bet he has tried.
The other albums that ranked as Pope-worthy are Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, Nightfly by Donald Fagan, If I Could Only Remember My Name by David Crosby, U2’s Achtung Baby and What’s the Story (Morning Glory) by Oasis.
Pope Benedict released his own debut album late last year. Alma Mater – Music From the Vatican features recordings of the octogenarian chanting, singing hymns and giving prayers in various languages. It didn’t make the Vatican top ten for obvious reasons. When you go to a desert island you want to get away from it all. Listening to your own album would be too much like being at work.