So, in honour of the beautiful Swayze and his godforsaken pancreas, we're going to kick off this blog in style, by reviewing the Dirty Dancing soundtrack (specifically Ultimate Dirty Dancing, which has got EVERYTHING on it, even the piano-based incidental music that you're probably supposed to skip through, and the mambo shit).

I haven't listened to it in a couple of years, so it was with some trepidation that I dug it out. But oh my god it's amazing. Of course everyone remembers Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes belting us about the face with what a wonderful time they'd had on holiday (smug bastards), and Hungry Eyes makes me do complicated things with my feet, but this CD would be at least five different kinds of awesome even without those "classics". And here's why:

1. 'In the Still of the Night' (the shoo-do-n-shoo-be-do song) has a slow n sexy sax solo. If they'd just thought of adding a rave horn or a trumpet, it would be perfect.

2. DO YOU LOVE ME (do you love me) DO YOU LOVE ME (do you love me) DO YOU LOVE ME (do you love me) Now that I can dance??? ... WATCH ME NOW, HEY!

3. I remember 'She's Like the Wind' being awesome but unfortunately I can't listen to it right now, on account of it being performed by beautiful dead Swayze. I will be having words with God about this.

4. 'Be My Baby' by the Ronettes. A perfect pop song, despite not having a rave horn.

5. 'These Arms of Mine' by Otis Redding. Simple, beautiful, heartfelt. I hear X Factor wankers ruining this song and it literally tears my heart out of its socket.

Worst thing about this album:

The incidental music, and 'Love is Strange' by Mickey and Sylvia. I would rather (spoiler alert) "carry a watermelon" than listen to this.

Hidden gem:

The Kellermans' Anthem (all together now: "Join hands and hearts and voices, voices hearts and hands...").

Number of songs I'll be transferring to my iPod now that I've heard them again:

18 out of 26.

Nobody puts the Dirty Dancing soundtrack in a corner. (Although actually people do, but maybe they should remove it from that corner and put it in their CD player every now and then, and life would be instantly made better even if something awful has just happened like beautiful Swayze dying).