In this episode, Peter talks to Mr World Music, Simon Broughton, about the best places to have a truly authentic music experience in your travels.

A Scottish musician who followed his heart to Calabria helps him read out your musical tales from the road.

And Peter tries to explain, with little success, why ‘Kiss (When The Sun Don’t Shine)’ by the Vengaboys is one of his Top 5 music and travel experiences.

Oh, and there’s the podcast’s very first live musical performance as well.

Simon Broughton - Mr World Music

Simon Broughton has been involved in the world music scene for more than 35 years.

He is the founder and editor-in-chief of Songlines, a magazine that covers music from all over the world.

He co-edited the Rough Guide to World Music books

And he is a freelance writer and filmmaker directing music documentaries in Europe, Russia, Afghanistan and across the Islamic world.

Let’s just call him ‘Mr World Music’, shall we?

A happy customer: transcribed Vengaboy lyrics on a train in Madagascar
A happy customer: transcribed Vengaboy lyrics on a train in Madagascar

Before each episode we ask you, the listener, to send your related tales of mishaps and misadventures to feature on the show.

In this episode, I was helped out Charles Winning, a Scottish musician who followed his heart to Calabria.

Sadly, not of all them can make it. You’ll find the best of those that didn’t below.

From Lama Dame Joanne

“My song is Waka Waka, also by Shakira strangely enough. She must have cornered the market in travel music.

I spent 3 months in southern Africa in 2011, the year after the South Africa World Cup, and it was played EVERYWHERE.

Whenever I hear it I’m transported back to a hostel on the Wild Coast where there was a nightly tradition of every resident playing a huge, 20 person game of killer pool.

Any time a ball was potted this song would play at 90dB and the staff would lead us all in dancing a circuit of the pool table doing jazz hands.  

It was a simpler time.”

I promised you a playlist of the songs that remind you of your travels (with a couple of mine thrown in for good measure).

And I said I’d cobble together the videos mentioned by Charles and Martin. (Take care with that one, I also added ‘Sock It Already’ by Ambi.

Enjoy!

Spotify Playlist | Youtube Playlist

If you’ve got an amusing, horrifying or salutary tale about music on your travels tell us in the comments below.

And while you’re at it, why not check out the list of our upcoming episodes?

If you’ve got a tale to tell about any of the topics we’ve got coming up, send it to us using the form on the page for the chance for it to be read out on the show.