With the children away on a school trip in northern Italy - we search the snowy slopes of the Italian Alps and beyond for inspiration for this playlist.
Since they are there skiing, we might also stretch the theme to include something a little bit mountain-y....
1. Dean Martin: Mambo Italiano
Written by Bob Merrill in 1954 for Rosemary Clooney, this jumbled tune of nonsensical lyrics was apparently written in haste, on the back of a napkin in an Italian restaurant in New York City. This was a bit of a pastiche of the mambo craze that was popular in the States at the time, and was an extension of the light novelty songs started by Louis Prima. It has been covered by Bette Midler and Carla Boni, but we are going to go with Dean Martin's typically charismatic version from 1955.
2. Turin Brakes: Over And Over
A bit of a left turn here - going with the band name for this one. This is the second single from the London band, Turin Brake's third album, Jackinabox, which made the UK top10 in 2005. The band, formed by Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian in 1999, had recorded the album at their own Brixton studio the year before. This song has a nice rolling, acoustic feel to it, not unusual for them, with lovely little slide guitar moments dotted throughout.
3. Stevie Nicks: Italian Summer
This song comes from Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks, seventh studio album, In Your Dreams, released in 2011. The album was produced by Dave Stewart (Eurthymics) and Glen Ballard (who co-wrote and produced Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill). Italian Summer was written by Nicks, with music from Stewart. The album was well received by the music critics, with AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine saying that Stewart had managed to capture "the essence of Stevie Nicks." Having said that, while this tune has a nice orchestral sweep to it, it is a little bit too sugary and over-produced for me - but you might like it (probably not you though Mrs G!).
4. Siouxsie & The Banshees: Cities In Dust
A goth pop song about the volcanic disaster that befell Pompeii in 79A.D. - fantastic! This tune, a number 21 hit in 1985, came from the Banshees seventh album Tinderbox, that would come out the following year. Spin magazine said that the band had managed to create an "intoxicating wonderful commercial dance record without losing their edge." The song featured in the 1986 action crime film, Out Of Bounds (Anthony Michael Hall) and the classic 1997 movie, Grosse Point Blank (John Cusack and Dan Ackroyd).
5. Frank Sinatra: Three Coins In A Fountain
..."Each one seeking happiness." Ah, what a tune - one we used to love singing in the park on the walk back from the pub (but that's another story). This one the 1955 Oscar for Best Original Song - written by Jule Steyn, with music by Sammy Cahn - as part of the soundtrack for the film of the same name, which starred Clifton Webb, Dorothy McGuire and Jean Peters. Apparently they throw coins into the Trevi Fountain in Rome - I'm not sure if there is more to the film than that though... While it has been covered by The Four Aces, Dinah Shore and Jack Jones, we go back to that award winning performance by the king of all the crooners.
6. Julia Fordham: Italy
Hayling Island born Julia Fordham, started her career as a professional singer in the early 80s as a backing vocalist for the likes of Mari Wilson and Kim Wilde. This tune appeared on her sixth album, Concrete Love, and is a mellow little jazz-pop number that breezes along gently, like the boat in the song. "Can we move to Italy. I will take a boat and meet you there."
7. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell: Ain't No Mountain High Enough
As I say, the playlist can be stretched to relate to the fact that they are skiing in Italy! And let's be honest, any excuse to roll out the smooth tones of Marvin Gaye... This was written by Ashford & Simpson (who had hits themselves in the 1980s) as a way to get themselves onboard at the Motown label. It worked (they reportedly turned down Dusty Springfield, who wanted to record it) and it was released in 1967, giving Gaye and Terrell a top 20 hit - although Diana Ross would also record a version in 1970, giving her a first solo number one in the US.
8. Billy Joel: Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
This came from Joel's 1977 album, The Stranger, becoming one of his most popular songs (despite never being released as a single). Taking his influence from later era Beatles, the song has three distinct phases to it - a gentle and melodic opening around two friends meeting at the restaurant of the title; an upbeat mid-section as they reminisce; before sliding back into something more gentle as they part.
9. Crowded House: Italian Plastic
What started as a Finn Brothers project, ultimately ended up seeing older brother Tim, join Neil's band, Crowded House instead, with the songs they had been working on, morphing into third album Woodface. Italian Plastic however, was a rare outing on vocals for much loved (and missed) drummer Paul Hester. It is a beautifully whimsical number, and perhaps is somewhat surprisingly, one of the standout tracks on the album - quite a feat given how many great songs are on it.
10. The Walkmen: While I Shovel The Snow
Okay - another tenuous one - but snow and skiing, so okay... This is just such a beautiful and simple song, taken from their fifth album Lisbon (2010). Singer Hamilton Leithauser's voice is front and centre, with not much more than some delightful arpeggiated guitar in the background.