Listen, my friends! Playlist: Autumn 2025

.

In the words of Moby Grape… listen, my friends!

Yes, it’s back (again) – the occasional playlist presented by George’s Journal just for you good people.

There may be one or two classics to be found here dotted in among different tunes you’re unfamiliar with or have never heard before – or, of course, you may’ve heard them all before. All the same, why not sit back, listen away and enjoy…

.

CLICK on the song titles to hear them

.

Marty McFly with The Starlighters ~ Johnny B. Goode (1955?)¹

Edith Piaf ~ Les Feuilles Mortes/ Autumn Leaves (Live) (1957) 

John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman ~ Autumn Serenade (1963)

The Kinks ~ Autumn Almanac (1967)

Keith Mansfield ~ Grandstand (1975)²

Justin Hayward and Richard Burton ~ Forever Autumn (1978)³

Earth, Wind & Fire ~ September (1978)

Frances Ruffelle ~ On My Own (1985)⁴

The Dream Academy ~ Power To Believe (1987)⁵

Guns N’ Roses ~ November Rain (Live) (1992)

Tina Turner ~ GoldenEye (1995)⁶

The Beatles ~ Free As A Bird (1995)⁷

Alan Silvestri and the Outatime Orchestra ~ Overture from Back To The Future (1985)¹

.

¹ Back To The Future may have celebrated its 40th anniversary this summer (it was originally released in US cinemas on July 3rd 1985) but its fantabulous time-travel trilogy is a decidedly autumnal affair; Marty McFly first traveled to/ arrived in 1955 on October 26th, arrived in 2015 on October 21st and arrived in 1885 on September 2nd

² This absolutely stonking track by library music supremo Keith Mansfield debuted as the iconic title theme of BBC1’s equally iconic Saturday afternoon sports magazine show Grandstand (1958-2007) 50 years ago on October 11th

³ From Jeff Wayne’s incomparable, classic concept album adaptation of H. G. Wells’ sci-fi novel par excellence The War Of The Worlds (1898)

⁴ As featured on the first English-language cast album of revolutionary France-set mega musical Les Misèrables, which opened at London’s Barbican Centre 40 years ago on October 8th and in the West End on December 4th 1985 at the Palace Theatre, its London home for the next 19 years

⁵  From the soundtrack of the pre-eminent Thanksgiving-themed film, John Hughes’ Steve Martin-John Candy comedy starrer Planes, Trains And Automobiles (1987)

⁶ The beginning of the Pierce Brosnan era of Eon’s James Bond celebrates its 30th anniversary on November 17th, the date in 1995 when the glorious GoldenEye opened in US cinemas

⁷ Conceived as a part of the awesome Anthology project, which ensured Beatlemania swept Britain all over again in autumn 1995 and so is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary, this really rather wonderful effort was the Fabs’ first reunion single, hitting a high of #2/ #6 on the UK/ US charts (indeed, it’s also received a swish, new, just-released 2025 mix)

.