Tracks of my years

Kim appears on Ken Bruce’s show, presented by Richard Allinson, on BBC Radio 2 for the second part of ‘Tracks of my years’, talking about two of her favourite songs: ‘Ladies of the canyon’ by Joni Mitchell and ‘Flowers in the window’ by Travis.

Ladies of the canyon – Joni Mitchell
‘It’s really hard to choose one of her songs ‘cos there are so many fantastic ones. And I was lucky to grow up in a household where my parents had her early albums and I was only ten or eleven while I was listening to this stuff. It had a big impact on me and then I went out and bought ‘The hissing of summer lawns’ and really got into her. She’s a fascinating individual. She’s obviously been through an awful lot of pain and had quite a difficult sort of life. And it seems to be sometimes the price they have to pay for their brilliance. You have to suffer for your art.’

Flowers in the window – Travis
‘It’s part of that, getting into horticulture and falling in love with flowers again and being in a position to plant them and enthuse people about being out in the garden and now of course my children. It is such a happy song and it really kindof demonstrates and communicates that fantastic energy of joy and living a life. That’s what nature does for me. It makes me feel glad to be around. I’m driving here today and all the spring flowers are out and there’s little crocuses smiling up at the sun, and it’s just great, you know. After a seeming year of winter whose heart could not be moved by the sight of a beautiful spring day?’