All Over Albany

My Exit: Jeannette Sheehy

It's Monday, which means WEXT is running another My Exit show -- where the listeners get to pick their own playlists.

Here's this week's person...

Who?
My name is Jeannette Sheehy and I live in Albany. I am British and emigrated here 10 years ago to be married to my American husband. I'm an associate agent for the Doug Schulz insurance agency in Delmar, but out of work I love to dabble in writing and photography.

How would you describe your taste in music?
Erm... anything and everything? My iPod has all kinds of stuff from Jose Carreras to Levon Helm to Dave Brubeck to Jay-Z to UB40 to Ruben Gonzales to Adele to Journey. I don't have one particular taste, which is why I love listening to WEXT because you never know what you're going to hear next. And that's what My Exit show is about... mostly stuff that I grew up listening to in England and one artist that I learned to love when I moved to the USA.

5 Songs from Jeanette's My Exit show

Madness - "Night Boat to Cairo"
Such a silly but fantastic song. Whenever I'm down I throw some Madness on and dance to the Nutty Boys music all around the house or (to my husband's mortification when he's driving) in the car. How can you not smile and dance their ridiculous moves when listening to this, I ask you?

Camera Obscura - "Honey in the Sun"
A band from Glasgow in Scotland. A friend emailed me this YouTube video of Honey in the Sun a couple of years ago and I have loved them ever since. The song seems light, jangly, summery, but the lyrics are a kind of heartbreaking. And I love the lyric "Wish my heart was as cold as the morning dew, but it's as warm as saxophones and honey in the sun for you". Sublime.

U2 - "Unchained Melody"
Best concert ever was at Wembley Stadium in London when Achtung Baby first came out. Listening to Bono singing "One" live was like a spiritual experience. This version of "Unchained Melody" gives me goosebumps every time. No one will ever surpass the original but for me, this comes a close, passionate 2nd place.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - "Brompton Oratory"
Nick's voice is so...lugubrious, so mournful and dark. Brompton Oratory is gorgeous - organ playing in the background, religious imagery and lost love; it all combines to bring together a breathtaking song of beauty.

Elvis Presley - "Lawdy Miss Claudie"
OK, I have a very deep, dark, secret confession. Before moving to America, I thought Elvis was OK, but kinda thought he was a wee bit too....over-rated or lauded as "the King". I'm sorry. I have redeemed myself. Watching documentaries on the anniversary of his death for many years, I began to be swayed by his charisma and talent, and that concert Live on Stage in Memphis had me grinning from ear to ear, and I love it! I repent. This song is just plain fun and Elvis rules.

You can hear Jeannette's My Exit show tonight at 8 on 97.7 or at exit977.org.

Here's how to schedule your own My Exit show on WEXT.