I think I’ve mentioned around here before that I now volunteer in a local charity shop. It’s only for one day a week but I’ve really come to enjoy my day in the shop, in amongst all those things people have found excess to requirements.
This week I was going through a trolley of things which had to be priced ready to go out on the shop floor and in amongst it all there were three 45rpm singles – the one at the top caught my eye. It was the song Out On The Floor by Dobie Gray. But of course Dobie wasn’t singing about anything going out on a shop floor, he was singing about dancing, and I knew this song was a big favourite with the Northern Soul faithful back in the early to mid 70s. Could you ever find lyrics more appropriate for people who regularly attended “all-nighters” in repurposed dancehalls in the North of England?
Out On The Floor by Dobie Gray
I’ve written about Northern Soul around here before (link to posts), as it fascinates me how a body of young northern men came to love dancing to obscure soul records from the mid 60s so much, but it wasn’t until I read this book by Stuart Cosgrove that I realised how little I knew about it all. Although Stuart is a Scot, back in the day he and his friends would travel south to attend the legendary all-nighters in places like Wigan Casino and in doing so he built up a vast knowledge of not only the records that were played but of the various characters best known on the circuit. It was all down to a handful of DJs really and where they went the crowds followed. What a time to have been alive.
If you are interested in the history of Northern Soul I would thoroughly recommend Stuart’s book. As for Dobie’s record in the shop, I didn’t buy it as it’s definitely not one of those really rare ones that change hands for lots of money, and I don’t think it was in very good condition, but it certainly drew me to a song that has become an earworm for the rest of the week. Thankfully a nice earworm.
Until next time…
Out On The Floor Lyrics (Song by Fred Darian/Alfred V De Lory)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, babe’s it’s out of sight Out on the floor each night, I’m really movin’ The band’s is wailin’ right I feel like groovin’ The chicks are out of sight and I am grooving The crowd is in tonight beggin’ for more
I get my kicks out on the floor
I am on the floor tonight, I feel like singin The beat is running right and guitars are ringin’ I’m really on tonight and everything swingin’ The room is packed out tight, light at the door
So I get my kicks out on the floor
Yeah, yeah, yeah, babe’s it’s out of sight
When I’m out on the floor, it makes me feel like a king Everybody here, don’t you know what I mean It makes me wanna move (makes me wanna move). It makes me feel that groove (make me feel that groove). I wanna twist and shout (makes me twist and shout). Work it on out (make me work it on out)
When I feel that beat (feel that beat), I gotta move my feet
Out on the floor tonight, I feel like singin’ The beat is hot and bright, guitars are ringin’ The chicks are out of sight everything’s swingin’ The room is packed up tight, lined at the door, oh, yeah So I’m gettin’ my kicks, out on the floor (I got some more) Don’t you feel that beat, down in in your feet
WIAA: You know what I’m about to say, Alyson, don’t you?
ALYSON: I do indeed, WIAA, and I’m sorry your pages have remained blank so far this month. I could say I’ve been really busy, but in truth it seems that I’m just prioritising other things at the moment – sorry about that. What can I do to redeem myself?
WIAA: Hmm… let me think. How about WRITING SOMETHING! Just let your fingers dance around the keyboard telling us what you’ve been up to?
ALYSON: Good plan WIAA.
The big news is that DD and the still relatively new Mr DD have bought their first house together. An exciting time for them but also a busy time, as it being a 10-year-old house there is a fair bit of DIY to be done to get it just the way they want it. Guess who’s been doing the DIY? To be fair, the lion’s share has been down to her dad who is flooring their loft as I type. There is method in this madness, however, as our own loft might finally get a decent clear out of all the stuff she accumulated during her teenage years/early twenties when she had more disposable cash but a childhood bedroom too small to hold it all. I have an awful feeling most will go to the recycling centre but now at least there will be options.
The House That Jack Built by Tracie
In other news, we’ve had a short caravan holiday on our favourite beach up in East Sutherland. I’ve written about such holidays before so I won’t go there again but it was very relaxing indeed. The weather was not kind but in three days we went to three folk museums and three coffee shops, had three walks along the beach (in between rainstorms) and three nice dinners. The first of these dinners was paella cooked by Mr WIAA to celebrate my birthday. The cards and flowers I’d received in the morning came on holiday with us and a lovely day was had, despite the fact a very age-specific Beatles song kept ringing in my ears. Suddenly the age mentioned in the song didn’t feel very old at all, but then you remember two of the Beatles didn’t even make it, so feeling blessed (especially after my stint in hospital last year) to be happy and healthy at this point in my life.
When I’m Sixty-Four by the Beatles:
It would be hard to miss the fact there is a big football tournament going on at the moment, the Euros, so lots of coverage on the main two television channels. I no longer follow club football but I do like the big tournaments as it’s a chance to see some of the world’s best players perform their magic on the pitch. From the 1970s on I’ve followed these biannual events and am lucky to have watched players such as Pele and Johan Cruyff as well as the more recent superstars such as Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Tartan Army en route to a match
Sadly Scotland doesn’t have such superstars in their squad which might excuse them for their humiliating defeat last Friday night. I had to leave the room at one point as it was just so tough to watch after the big build up and following the antics of the 200,000 strong tartan army partying ahead of the match. It’s been 26 years since the tartan army had a chance to travel abroad for a tournament and they were certainly going to enjoy it. This song sums up their attitude I think, and despite the heavy defeat in their first match, optimism is high again ahead of their match tonight. (Don’t be misled by the still in this clip, it’s a very funny video.)
No Scotland No Party by Nick Morgan:
As this post is very much a web diary kind of affair what else have I been up to since the end of April? Many more hours of socialising with friends it seems. I really thought it would tail off once I’d been home from hospital for a while, but not a week passes without people getting in touch about going for walk, meeting up for coffee, organising a trip to the cinema… – I really am a very lucky lady and at no point over the last few months have I missed running the holiday hideaway. It was hard work and the standards I set myself were so high I was permanently exhausted and tied to my phone. Much better to do my weekly stint volunteering in the charity shop and continue to run our little online jewellery business. We’re definitely never going to make a fortune from it but it ticks over nicely and you just never know when a really interesting commission might come in.
As I mentioned the cinema above, our Film Club pick for last month was Bleeding Love starring one of my favourite actors, Ewan MacGregor. His real life daughter Clara plays his daughter in the movie. I always avoid reading the review for a film until after I’ve seen it so that I’m not predisposed to thinking a certain way about it. My friend and I both liked this story of the difficult road trip both characters went on, so were surprised when the reviews were less than favourable. Something else my friend and I liked was one of the songs on the soundtrack so we waited until all the credits rolled to see who it was by. As the words crept up the screen we eventually came to the songs. As soon as the names Bobby and Billy come up, I knew who it was going to be – yes, back in 1976 those Alessi brothers (of Oh Lori fame) wrote the sweet song Seabird which had now made it’s way into a MacGregor family offering 48 years later. They will be old men now just like I’m an old woman but having these songs in their back pocket is definitely something to impress the grandchildren with.
Seabird by Alessi:
Not much more to write about really as I’ve had a bit of an outpouring here. I no longer keep a paper diary so I like to use this blog as a reminder of what’s been going on in the world, and closer to home. Speaking of what’s going on in the world I didn’t mention the upcoming General Election, but that might be because I don’t watch much news nowadays and I know I’m not alone. Come the day I will turn out to vote but the electioneering is leaving me cold. What never leaves me cold however is a blogger’s meet-up and if all goes well there will be one next week. Looking forward to it very much and there will no doubt be stories to tell.
Until next time…
Seabird Lyrics (Song by Bobby Alessi/Billy Alessi)
There’s a road I know I must go Even though I tell myself That road is closed
Listen, lonely seabird You’ve been away from land too long Aw, too long
I don’t listen to the news no more Like an unwound clock You just don’t seem to care This world isn’t big enough To keep me away from you Oh, from you
Seabird, seabird Fly home Seabird, seabird Fly home Like a lonely seabird You’ve been away from land too long Oh, too long
Suddenly, you’re with me I turn, and you’re not there Like a ghost, you haunt me You find warmth in a one-night bed
Sunsets, full moons Don’t turn you on Like an untied dog You just had to run
Like a lonely seabird You’ve been away from land too long Oh, no, too long (so long, seabird)
Seabird, seabird Fly home (like a lonely bird) Seabird, seabird Fly home
Seabird, seabird Fly home (seabird, sea) Seabird, seabird Fly home
I’m going to quickly pop my head above the parapet just in case people think I’m unwell again. Anything but actually, just not had as much time for blogging because of all the socialising I’ve been doing, plus, I’ve got myself a job in a charity shop. Not had time yet, but I intend to have a good look through the vinyl and CDs in the shop to seek out any gems that have accidentally found themselves being donated. As for all the socialising, I thought I would lose touch again with most of the people who came to see me in hospital, but not at all – I’m fully booked up for walks, coffees and cinema trips on a weekly basis and my good friend from student days came all the way up from Harrogate to see me last week. A fun time was had by all.
But what else have I been doing other than donning my charity shop apron and socialising? I’ve been doing a fair bit of reading (5pm in our house is now “Reading Hour”) and I’ve just finished this book by Will Hodgkinson, where he revisits the singalong pop of the 1970s. Most of this music has been forgotten about and doesn’t get played on the radio any more, but as Will points out, the hits of Slade, the Sweet and Suzi Quatro were there to brighten up people’s lives at a particularly difficult time in Britain’s history. No-one has ever written a critical essay about the song Son Of My Father by Chicory Tip, but as Will postulates, isn’t a radio hit that appealed to millions back in 1972 socially significant? The decade had begun with the song Grandad by Clive Dunn and ended with There’s No One Quite Like Grandma by the St Winifred’s School Choir, but in between those two singalong horrors there was much to lift the spirits at a time of three-day weeks, rampant inflation and power cuts.
Son Of My Father by Chicory Tip:
I think I’m going to revisit several of the artists and songs in Will’s book (a new mini-series perhaps), but as I’ve already mentioned them, here is Chicory Tip with their catchy singalong hit. It was apparently the first hit single to feature a Moog synthesiser as a lead instrument, overlapping the lines of melody to create a catchy song.
Chicory Tip
I think everyone who was around at the time would remember this group from TOTP and the lead singer had a fine example of a feather cut hairstyle, cropped at the top with longer hair at the back and sides. The band were from Kent and were still working as printers and engineers when they found chart success. Fun fact – the song was written by Giorgio Moroder who would go on to become the father of Euro disco and it was a hit all over Europe in 1972. Not all Europeans were happy about this however as they thought too much British music was infiltrating their charts, and although it might have been accidental, a missing apostrophe and unfortunate tight spacing on the cover of the Swedish single certainly packed a punch – ENGLANDSHIT.
So, “What’s It All About?” – I love reading books about the history of pop and Will’s book should appeal to anyone who was born in the early ’60s and loved the mainstream pop music of the ’70s. In the coming months we shall revisit some of the other songs that have all but been forgotten but will forever hog a place amongst the rest of the “tracks of our years”.
Until next time…
Son Of My Father Lyrics (Song by Giorgio Moroder/Michael Holm/Peter Bellotte)
Mama said to me we gotta have your life run right Off you go to school where you can learn the rules they write Be just like your dad lad Follow in the same tradition Never go astray and stay an honest lovin’ son
Son of my father Moulded, I was folded, I was free from draft Son of my father Commanded, I was branded in a plastic vac’ Surrounded and confounded by statistic facts
Tried to let me in but I jumped out of my skin in time I saw through the lies and read the alibi signs So I left my home I’m really on my own at last Left the trodden path and separated from the past
Son of my father Changing, rearranging into someone new Son of my father Collecting and selecting independent views Knowing and I’m showing that a change is due
Son of my father Moulded, I was folded, I was free from draft Son of my father Commanded, I was branded in a plastic vac’ Surrounded and confounded by statistic facts
It was this blog’s 8th birthday yesterday and I got one of these anniversary badges from the WordPress people. Considering my long enforced absence for much of last year, the popping up of that badge was extra special, as at times I had thought my blogging days were over.
I always know when the anniversary is approaching as my blogging career started the day we found out about the death of David Bowie so it was inevitable I would write about him. He was only 69 when he died so we felt a bit cheated as he had become quite prolific over the last few years of his life producing new albums and creating a musical, Lazarus, which opened Off-Broadway in the December of 2015 when he made his last public appearance. Lazarus is a jukebox musical that was inspired by the 1963 novel The Man Who Fell To Earth which in turn was made into a film starring David in 1976. Lazarus continues the story of Thomas Newton, a humanoid alien who is stuck on Earth, unable to die or return to his home planet.
David as Thomas Newton in The Man Who Fell To Earth
Of late, whenever I write about David Bowie I can’t help remarking on his incredibly good hair. Some of us in life are blessed with “good hair” (as my mum would have called it), and I am very jealous of them, as my fine baby soft hair has always been tricky to deal with and the fashionable styles of the day have usually had to pass me by. Bowie on the other hand changed his hair’s style and colour every time he invented a new persona. Who could forget his Ziggy Stardust “do” and the Thin White Duke’s (above), as well as his long locks of earlier years and the blond bouffant of the Let’s Dance years. Even at his death he still had a fine head of hair which is quite unusual for men approaching 70.
I mention all this as I have my final story to tell that relates to my stay in hospital last year. Before my blogging hiatus I had mentioned that my life in the sun (without a hat at any rate), had come to an end as the troublesome “sore” on my scalp where my parting fell, turned out to be a carcinoma, or BCC as they are called. I had ignored it for a long time and the waiting list to have such things removed is equally as long.
At last the date for the procedure at our local General Hospital came round, however, I was still an inpatient at the other large hospital in our town (see previous posts for which one). It took a bit of coordination, but I was transferred across very early in the morning, wheeled down to theatre and put under general anaesthetic, after which the offending bit of scalp was removed. It took me a bit of time to come round, after which I was given some lunch and transferred back to “my hospital”. All very efficient and seamless I hear you say, which is true as the procedure went well, except I now had a set of stitches across my scalp smeared in a Vaseline-like substance that couldn’t be washed out for seven days. My hair was also caked in blood at the back where it had trickled down during the surgery. I didn’t quite look like Frankenstein’s monster but in my mind’s eye I did, because there were no mirrors in the hospital. Every meal time I had to explain to whoever sat next to me what had happened, but I still got many odd looks that week. Finally we got to hair washing day. Andrea the nurse helped with that, and also gave me a bit of a blow dry which was good of her. They don’t shave your head any more thankfully when having such procedures but it’s definitely a bit thinner than it was, so the parting has had to move west a little and a mini combover has to be hair-sprayed into place. Even now, a few months on, I still have to apply chemotherapy cream (who knew that was a thing?) onto the offending bit of scalp every day. Thankfully Mr WIAA, with the help of a cotton bud, does that for me as I don’t have eyes on the back of my head, although we all know people who do!
Anyway, back to the music and the follicly blessed David Bowie. As I’ve written about his time playing the character Thomas Newton in the film he made in 1976, I’m going to choose something from the album he released that same year, Station ToStation, where he played the character The Thin White Duke. I give you Golden Years.
Golden Years by David Bowie
Golden Years is apparently a funk and disco song reminiscent of the music on David’s previous album, Young Americans. The song also utilises elements of several ’50s doo-wop tracks in its arrangement. Lyrically, the narrator offers a companion the hope of entering a limousine, and being isolated from the outside world. He assures his companion that she will always be protected by him, and promises her a brighter future. Well, now we know, and I wouldn’t have worked that one out back in the day.
So, “What’s It All About?” – Who would have thought eight years ago I would still be tapping away on my keyboard all this time later. We had a bit of a scare last year when it looked as if I might not make a return, but happy to say I am just as enthused about blogging as a hobby as ever (or again, could it be the drugs!?).
As for having good hair like David Bowie, I think that ship has well and truly sailed, although I paid a visit to my hairdresser earlier on this afternoon and she did report back that there are short hairs growing in the general area of the surgery, so that’s a relief.
David Bowie was the first person I ever wrote about on this blog and I have revisited his body of work many times since, usually around the time of the blog’s anniversary. I think I was too young to truly appreciate him during the height of his fame in the early ’70s, but in later life I have come to realise he was the consummate artist, who could sing, act, write songs, create art… the list goes on. I also remember reading this week that he has been voted the Best Dressed Man In History. Not sure if some of his wacky Ziggy Stardust outfits helped or hindered in the receiving of that accolade, but he certainly was one cool dude. On that note I shall finish for today. Have a good weekend everyone.
Until next time…
Golden Years Lyrics (Song by David Bowie)
Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop
Don’t let me hear you say life’s taking you nowhere Angel Come get up, my baby Look at that sky, life’s begun Nights are warm and the days are young Come get up, my baby
There’s my baby, lost that’s all Once I’m begging you save her little soul Golden years, gold whop whop whop Come get up, my baby
Last night they loved you Opening doors and pulling some strings Angel Come get up, my baby In walked luck and you looked in time Never look back, walk tall, act fine Come get up, my baby
I’ll stick with you, baby, for a thousand years Nothing’s gonna touch you in these golden years Gold Golden years, gold whop whop whop Come get up, my baby
Some of these days, and it won’t be long Gonna drive back down where you once belonged In the back of a dream car twenty foot long Don’t cry, my sweet, don’t break my heart Doing all right, but you gotta get smart Wish upon, wish upon, day upon day, I believe, oh Lord I believe all the way Come get up, my baby Run for the shadows, run for the shadows Run for the shadows in these golden years
There’s my baby, lost that’s all Once I’m begging you save her little soul Golden years, gold whop whop whop Come get up, my baby
Don’t let me hear you say life’s taking you nowhere Angel Come get up, my baby Run for the shadows, run for the shadows Run for the shadows in these golden years
I’ll stick with you, baby, for a thousand years Nothing’s gonna touch you in these golden years Gold
Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop Golden years, gold whop whop whop
I had a birthday last week, which was nice. I also had another trip to the skin clinic, which wasn’t so nice. Yes, my fair Scottish skin has yet again let me down and whilst many people (other than fair-skinned Scots) have been enjoying the current heatwave, I’ve been told in no uncertain terms that a life in the sun is not for me. It’s a sobering thought, as come summer so much of what we do is outdoors, but from now on I’ll be the person in trousers, long sleeves and a hat – probably sitting under a canopy. I blame those boys from Wham! as my younger self ignored all the sage advice, and I suffered for those suntans which went well with my white clothes and bleached blonde hair. ‘Twas the times.
Club Tropicana by Wham!:
Club Tropicana was a bit of a departure from Wham!’s previous singles, but it was never meant to be taken seriously. It was seen as a swipe at the hedonistic Club 18-30 package holidays which had become really popular with young people in the early ’80s. I didn’t ever go on one of those holidays, and wouldn’t have wanted to, but as soon as you hear the opening 30 seconds, what with the cicadas, the car door, the footsteps and the funky club sounds, you are immediately transported to warmer Mediterranean climes.
This clip has been doing the rounds of late, so I’m sure many of you will have seen it already, but another fair skinned Scot who should never have been exposed to the Mediterranean sun (hope you had your Factor 50 on Lewis Capaldi) decided to remake the Club Tropicana video to accompany his song Forget Me. I was mighty impressed at how they managed to recreate each scene so perfectly, and got the timings spot on (a compare and contrast below). No, he’s not averse to poking fun at himself is Lewis, but I do hope he is lucky in love soon as his songs are all just so heartsick.
But back to the birthday, by the time you to get to my age (I’ve stopped counting) they really are no big deal and I had almost forgotten all about it until a few days before. I did get a surprising amount of cards for someone so ancient however and my social media pages were full of good wishes which was nice. DD was on holiday (yes, on the Mediterranean) but a lovely bouquet of flowers arrived via a local florist which again was nice. Mr WIAA and I don’t do big presents any more as we best know what we want ourselves, but a little outing was definitely on the cards. In view of my inability to be outdoors in the sun, it was decided a trip to the cinema was in order. Thankfully a film I had wanted to watch on the big screen – rather than on the small screen down the line – was still showing at our local multiplex. And so it came to pass that we spent my birthday afternoon sitting alone in a very cold cinema (the air conditioning was working just a little too well) watching the latest offering from those intrepid Guardians of the Galaxy.
Rocket, Nebula, Gamora, Peter, Mantis and Drax – Guardians of the Galaxy
No-one was more surprised than I at how much I enjoyed the first GOTG film when DD introduced us to it back in 2015, just after it came out. I’m not usually a fan of superhero movies but this bunch are just a little bit different, and special I think. The scripts are genuinely funny, local girl Karen Gillan (we used to watch her in school shows) plays blue-skinned Nebula, and best of all, the music used for the soundtrack is right up my alley. I have a whole category on my sidebar (link here) dedicated to songs from the series which up until now were generally lesser-known, soft rock songs from the 1970s. The lead character’s old Walkman, a link to his dead mother and home in Missouri, was one of the stars of the first two movies but it sadly bit the dust at the end of GOTG2 and has now been replaced by a new digital device. The songs this time were from bands like Radiohead and Florence and the Machine but some old favourites from the previous outings still put in an appearance, such as this song from American band Redbone. Come And Get Your Love was originally a hit for them back in 1974, but whenever I hear it now I will always think of Peter Quill, Rocket, Nebula, Drax and the rest of the GOTG gang.
Come and Get Your Love by Redbone:
So, “What’s It All About?” – I am well aware this blog needs a little reinvention but as you might suspect I’ve been somewhat distracted of late. All being well I’ll get onto that over the summer (as let’s face it I’m going to be spending a lot of time indoors). Thank goodness for birthdays though, as however old you get they do make for a bit of a special day. The cards and flowers were unexpected, as was the last minute trip to the cinema. As we seem to have caught up with all our telly series at the moment I may well seek out those earlier GOTG films, just to remind myself what drew me to them in the first place. My shiny new Netflix account (yes, we fell foul of password sharing with DD) will hopefully provide them.
Until next time…
Club Tropicana Lyrics (Song by George Michael/Andrew Ridgeley)
Let me take you to the place Where membership’s a smiling face, Brush shoulders with the stars. Where strangers take you by the hand, And welcome you to wonderland – From beneath their panamas…
Club Tropicana, drinks are free, Fun and sunshine – there’s enough for everyone. All that’s missing is the sea, But don’t worry, you can suntan!
Castaways and Lovers meet, Then kiss in Tropicana’s heat, Watch the waves break on the bay. Soft white sands, a blue lagoon, Cocktail time, a summer’s tune, A whole night’s holiday!
Pack your bags, And leave tonight. Don’t take your time, Gotta move your feet, don’t you miss the flight! Cool, cool, cool, cool
Cool, cool, cool, cool
Postscript:
Why the Redbone song is so important to the whole series – it was played during the closing credits of the latest film but was also the song that featured during the opening credits of the very first film. I give you… the Star-Lord dance (song kicks in at 0:30).
As this place seems to act as my web diary nowadays I no longer keep a paper diary. I did get a small one from a neighbour at Christmastime however (think it was surplus to requirements) and I’ve been using it to record the films and TV dramas I’ve watched this year, plus the books I’ve read. Time to share some of my favourites here I think.
I’ll start with the telly – I last did a roundup of what I’d been watching 10 months into the pandemic, and although it was a well-received post, I did feel a tad guilty about having had so much free time for boxset binging, especially when many of us were really struggling at the time, what with home-schooling kids and remote working. Hopefully this time, the divide between the time-rich and time-poor who visit this place will be less pronounced. Also, I’ll not admit to all of it, just the ones that have really made an impact.
Well, we didn’t dilly dally with this one and have finished it already, but if you haven’t yet watched BBC Scotland’s dark comedy-drama, Guilt, I would thoroughly recommend it. Think Better Call Saul relocated to Edinburgh, or Fargo on the Firth of Forth. Here is the trailer.
You really need to watch the first two series before embarking on the latest (and final) series, but only four episodes in each so very doable. I have always liked Scottish actor Mark Bonnar who seems to pop up on our screens regularly, but in Guilt he really is the lead actor and gets a chance to shine in the role of Max, a Leith boy done good, but a Leith boy whose charm and lawyer shenanigans don’t always get him out of a fix. I won’t offer up any spoilers but I would urge you to watch it. For the music bloggers who visit here, Max’s brother Jake runs a record shop very much like the one in the film High Fidelity, so lots of musical anecdotes interspersed throughout the show. Catch it on the BBC iPlayer.
But this is a music blog, so next up we have the Amazon Prime show Daisy Jones & The Six. Regulars who visit this place will already know I have a real fondness for the music that came out of Laurel Canyon in the late ’60s/early ’70s, so it was a no-brainer that I would watch this drama set in that very place. It charts the rise and fall of a fictional rock band made up of an amalgam of real-life characters from that time (we spotted Fleetwood Mac, Ringo and George, plus many more).
One of the lead actors, who played the titular Daisy Jones, was Riley Keough who interestingly is Elvis’s granddaughter. Both she and British actor Sam Claflin, who played Billy Dunne in the band, provided the vocals and if this is indeed the case they both did really well. Again I don’t want to give away any spoilers but the format they used, with documentary style footage included of their future selves, worked really well I thought. Oh, and Daisy’s extensive wardrobe of hot pants and diaphanous garments felt right for the times. There is a soundtrack album, and a couple of the songs from it have been released as singles. Here is a clip of Look At Us Now (Honeycomb). Wonder what Elvis would have thought. He would have been a proud grandfather no doubt, but that was never going to be.
Looking at my little diary, here are the other dramas I’ve really enjoyed so far this year: Happy Valley final series (BBC iPlayer), The Gold (BBC iPlayer), Dead To Me (Netflix), You (Netflix) and Blue Lights (BBC iPlayer). The common factor amongst really memorable telly is the writing, and there can’t be many people in the UK who didn’t watch the final series of Sally Wainwright’s Happy Valley. It was going to be tough coming up with an ending that tied up all the loose ends and left viewers satisfied, but I think she managed it. What a fine young man Ryan had turned into too. As for Neil Forsyth, the Scottish writer who gave us Guilt, it seems he also wrote the screenplay for The Gold, the mini-series centred on the Brink’s-Mat robbery of 1983. It makes sense now that I enjoyed both so much and it was good to see the talented actor (with a wonderful voice), Emun Elliot, pop up in both. Blue Lights, set in Belfast, follows the trials and tribulations of three probationary police officers and it was so well-received a second series has already been commissioned. More synchronicity here in that one of the police officers is played by the same actor who played Max’s wife in Guilt.
From across the pond came the black comedy, Dead To Me, very much centred around the bond of friendship between two women (in amongst all the death!). It reminded me of the days before I met Mr WIAA when I was lucky enough to have a series of very close female friends, the kind you do everything with and can depend on entirely. These kind of friendships are by their nature short-lived, especially once a boyfriend or partner comes along, but I have fond memories of those days and this drama reminded me of how important it can be to have such a friend. My last pick, You, was also from across the pond, although in the final season the action moved to London. It’s a psychological thriller and although I thought it lost its way a bit in the second season we persevered with it and enjoyed the twists and turns along the way.
I will finish with the song that was used as the opening theme to Daisy Jones & The Six, one that formed an earworm when we were watching the show. Dancing Barefoot by Patti Smith was recorded for her second album Wave in 1979 but was the perfect fit for this new drama released in 2023. Something timeless about it I think and the lyrics really did work for the character of Daisy.
Dancing Barefoot by Patti Smith:
So, a lot of telly there but not as much as I admitted to during the long periods of lockdown. What have you been watching of late? If you have anything you think I might like, please do share. I’d love to hear from you and as you know by now, I always reply.
Until next time…
Dancing Barefoot Lyrics (Song by Patti Smith/Ivan Kral)
She is benediction She is addicted to thee She is the root connection She is connecting with he
Here I go and I don’t know why I fell so ceaselessly Could it be he’s taking over me…
I’m dancing barefoot Heading for a spin Some strange music draws me in Makes me come on like some heroine
She is sublimation She is the essence of thee She is concentrating on He, who is chosen by she
Here I go and I don’t know why I spin so ceaselessly, Could it be he’s taking over me…
She is re-creation She, intoxicated by thee She has the slow sensation that He is levitating with she …
Here I go and I don’t know why, I spin so ceaselessly, ’til I lose my sense of gravity…
(oh god I fell for you …)
The plot of our life sweats in the dark like a face The mystery of childbirth, of childhood itself Grave visitations What is it that calls to us? Why must we pray screaming? Why must not death be redefined? We shut our eyes we stretch out our arms And whirl on a pane of glass An afixiation a fix on anything the line of life the limb of a tree The hands of he and the promise that she is blessed among women.
Thank goodness for this series, as I seem to have lost my blogging momentum. I return with the latest edition a bit earlier than usual this month in the hope it will kickstart things. Watch this space as they say.
We’re now well through the month of April and at last it’s starting to feel quite springlike with record temperatures around here this week. It hit 23 degrees on Tuesday so there was a mad scramble to find some summery clothes. As ever, such unseasonal temperatures are more a cause for concern than joy nowadays, but still nice to see blue skies again after a long winter (of discontent).
Yet again I suspect the naming of the month of April will have something to do with the Romans, as has every other month since I started this series. I haven’t checked yet but let’s have a look. Yep, although the derivation is not certain it is thought to come from the Latin verb aperire, to open, it being the month when trees and flowers begin “to open” for spring. Thankfully my garden is indeed now looking a lot more interesting as trees and shrubs start to flower, making them a lot less stick-like. Roll on summer I say.
My Forsythia shrub now in full bloom
The great thing about these series where we ask for song suggestions is that they almost write themselves. This might not be the series I’ve enjoyed researching the most, but I have really enjoyed making new musical discoveries courtesy of those who drop by the comments boxes with their contributions. As I always say, I couldn’t do this one without you, so thank you.
One of the first suggestions last time came in fromMartin and it was April Come She Will by Simon & Garfunkel. Considering they have their own category on my sidebar this was a welcome contribution as I love the music they made around the time of The Graduate film soundtrack which this song was on. Although I re-watched the film recently after carrying out a clearance of old DVDs (The Graduate was definitely a keeper), I wouldn’t have specifically remembered it – but next time I’ll know when to look out for it. The song was written in 1964 when Paul Simon was living in England. The lyrics apparently use the changing nature of the seasons as a metaphor for a girl’s changing moods. Girls…, Changing Moods…, don’t know what you’re talking about Paul.
April Come She Will by Simon & Garfunkel:
As ever there was a fair amount of overlap when it came to suggestions, and Khayem and Rolboth came up with these next two songs.
First we have April Skies by The Jesus & Mary Chain. I really should know more about this band as they are Scottish, but somehow they weren’t on my radar in the late ’80s, possibly because they didn’t pop up on shows like TOTP very often. This song seems to have been the one that achieved their highest chart placing, reaching the No. 8 spot in 1987. I did like this comment attached to the clip on the video sharing website. “My hometown band – it can be a bleak and desolate place, but so glad that East Kilbride gifted them to the music world.” A proud fan from Scotland’s first New Town, designated in 1947.
Secondly, we have that musical genius from Minneapolis, Prince, with his song Sometimes It Snows in April. Again it’s from the soundtrack to a film, this time Under the Cherry Moon. I’ll have to admit I’ve never seen this film but it was very much Prince’s baby as he both directed it and starred in it. His character in the film was someone called Christopher Tracy, and deeply affected by the character’s death, the singer expresses their desire to rejoin them in heaven. Understandably it received much attention after Prince’s sudden death in April, 2016. I had only been blogging for a few months and after researching him for a tribute post realised I had totally underestimated his talent over the years – the man could do everything – but burnt out at far too young an age.
Ernie Goggins is another regular contributor to this series and one of his suggestions was April Anne by John Phillips, whom I know better as one of the Papas from the Mamas & the Papas. What a sweet sounding song this is from his first solo album, and although containing none of the harmonies we associate with his former group, it shows us what his solo work was like. Quite country-ish? I’m struggling with the language in the lyrics and sometimes wonder whether I’m just too naïve for the music blogging world, sharing things I sometimes don’t quite understand. Having just checked however, the (April) Ann in the song seems to have been based on a real person, and as I suspected, there are veiled references in there to real people such as Dennis Hopper, Michelle Phillips and Mick Jagger.
Time to mix things up a bit so we’ll now share something by an artist called April. Here is C from Sun Dried Sparrows in her own words:
I’m going slightly leftfield here but the first song thing that came to mind for me was Teach Me Tiger by April Stevens – if you’ll permit the bending of the rules there. It’s so kitsch you just gotta love it and once heard, never forgotten…
Indeed C, I won’t forget that one in a hurry, and I quite liked it. Lots of breathy wa wa wa wahs and even naïve little old me knows what April is getting up to.
Now that we’ve moved onto artists with April in their name, time to share another such suggestion. Here are a few words from Bill P:
As for April, since you chose the band name to carry March, I could offer April Wine as the band name for this month. They weren’t super famous, but they did have a few songs that charted rather high.
Thanks Bill P, a Canadian rock band from Novia Scotia it seems. Here is Roller from 1979. Very much of their time and didn’t get the recognition they deserved it seems.
For a total change in tempo here is Bill P’s other suggestion. It’s back to songs with April in the title, and as a fan of Ella & Louis, he tells us, “you can’t miss with April in Paris“.
I’ve never been to Paris in the springtime so maybe something to tick off the bucket list as it sounds as if it would be beautiful. This year the people were revolting on the streets of Paris in the springtime, but that’s their prerogative, and they’re not happy about having their pension age increased. We Brits are not ones for revolting so just take it on the chin, but I’m at the stage of wondering if I’ll ever make it to pension age.
There was an awful lot of overlap with suggestions last time and I hope I’m managing to cover them all but here is a song that both Khayem and Ernie Goggins came up with, April Grove by Chrysalis. Here are Khayem’s words:
I’d like to pretend I’m so cool that I knew about it first, but it was Martina Topley-Bird’s excellent cover version that alerted me to the song April Grove.
And here is Ernie’s reply:
Unlike Khayem I have long been familiar with ‘April Grove’ by Chrysalis. I don’t think that makes me cool, just old. (You’re in good company Ernie!)
Rigid Digit arrived a bit too late to the comments boxes this time and two of his suggestions had already gone. First one was the JAMC song but the second was this instrumental from Deep Purple, also suggested by Mr Sun Dried Sparrowswho tells us it was the flipside to their Hallelujah single from 1969. Here is April Part 1 (there were also Parts 2 & 3).
Despite his main two suggestions having already gone, RD did wrack his brain, and his hard drive, to come up with these other picks. As he says:
Something to do with the month perhaps, but none of these choices could be described as upbeat.
His final suggestion was this one by Three Dog Night – Pieces Of April. Very pretty indeed despite being quite sad. Thanks RD.
A final bit of mopping up to do with Khayem’s other suggestions (yes, there were even more – he was full of them for April).
Here are a few more for the pot: April 5th – Talk Talk April In Portugal – Les Baxter & His Orchestra
As for your Cocteau Twins suggestion KM, I’m going to save that one for May, as a bit of a twofer, but thanks as ever for your contribution. Before I finish I can’t let someone called Les Baxter go by without hearing what he has to offer. April in Portugal – wonder if they revolted there this spring?
Only four months left to go in this series but it does seem to be gaining momentum month on month. As ever, suggestions for May will be gratefully received. I had said recently I was feeling under the cosh having time-sensitive posts to write for series, but the flip side to that is that it gives you the discipline to sit down and put something together when you might otherwise not have got your ass in gear. Maybe I need more series and not less. Will have to revisit some ideas.
Remember her? April Merroney from The Brothers, an early 1970s TV Drama
Until next time…
April Come She Will Lyrics (Song by Paul Simon)
April, come she will When streams are ripe and swelled with rain May, she will stay Resting in my arms again
June, she’ll change her tune In restless walks she’ll prowl the night July, she will fly And give no warning to her flight
August, die she must The autumn winds blow chilly and cold September, I’ll remember A love once new has now grown old
I return with another edition of this series and thankfully we’re now heading toward the home straight as over half way through now. As I said last time, the story behind the naming of months hasn’t been as interesting as I had hoped, but let’s see if March can surprise us. Well, it seems despite March being the third month in our current calendar, in the Roman calendar it was the first, and was named after Mars, the Roman god of war. Mars was important to the people of Rome because he supposedly fathered Romulus and Remus whose story tells of the events that led to the founding of the city. Ok, a bit more interesting this time and I can see how they thought it would be a fitting name for their first month.
I also said last time that I’d quite enjoyed February, as it had felt quite Spring-like. Sadly March has been a bit of a letdown, it having been so cold and wet (where I live anyway), but with the Vernal Equinox now behind us and the fact the clocks spring forward tonight into BST, I’m sure things will improve soon.
What I was hoping for…
What I got!
But enough of the etymology and onto the main event, the songs. Despite there being a dearth of songs that refer to the month of March, yet again you did not let me down and we have plenty to share from last month’s comments boxes. Not all refer to the month to be fair, but in this instance that’s just fine.
First up we had Neil who came up with Julie London’s Melancholy March. Julie’s Calendar Girl album has been invaluable for this series as it contains a song for each month, most quite sad sounding like this one although perhaps her style of vocals just makes everything sound melancholy. Anyway one to get the ball rolling and an added bit of info from Neil was that it had been written by Dory Langdon, who later married André Previn. The most famous Mrs Previn was probably Mia Farrow but having just checked it seems André had five wives in total and 10 children! Lots of alimony payments there I suspect.
Melancholy March by Julie London:
Next suggestions came in from Jez, who despite having been very ill returned to blogging for a while last month. If he drops by this post, I think I can speak for everyone when I say we’re all rooting for you to get fully well again soon. Here are his own words:
Marching On by The Alarm, and two versions of the same song (The Marching Song Of The Covert Battalions) by Billy Bragg: firstly, the original which is on The Internationale EP, but secondly (and for my money, a much better) live version from a gig at the Mountain Stage where he was supporting R.E.M. which was broadcast both here and in the US. After his set, the US radio announcer had to state that Billy’s views did not reflect those of the US station it was broadcast on; when R.E.M. took the stage bassist Mike Mills said “The views of Billy Bragg very much reflect the views of R.E.M.”. Broadcast over here on Radio 1, I’ve posted it over at my place at least once or twice, it’s a brilliant example of a) how Billy connects with his audience and b) how he changes the words to suit current times.
Thanks Jez for the tangential suggestions and for providing the music clips.
Marching On by The Alarm:
The Marching Song of the Covert Battalions by Billy Bragg:
Over the months Khayem has been a great source of suggestions for this series and as ever he didn’t disappoint, despite it being a tricky month to find songs/instrumentals for. Here are three of them: Ides Of March by John Cale & Terry Riley from 1971, followed on by March 9th by My Life Story and March Violets by Andrew Weatherall. Thanks Khayem, all of these totally new to this blog, that’s for sure.
The most common suggestion when it came to a band for this month’s edition was The Ides Of March. In fact four of you, C, Rol, Rich and Ernie all mentioned the band and their song Vehicle. Before I go on to share the clip I’m realising I don’t exactly know what the Ides of March refers to, so time to find out.
Ok, so apparently the Romans (yes them again) didn’t number each day of the month as we do but counted back from three fixed points: the Nones, the Ides and the Kalends. The Ides always fell around the 15th day and in the month of March, the 15th was the date by which you had to settle your taxes. It was also the date of Julius Caesar’s assassination so probably why it has entered into our vernacular to such an extent.
Anyway, here are The Ides Of March, a band formed in Illinois way back in 1964 and still going strong. What a great sounding song, although as Rol reminded us, “Don’t accept lifts from strange men, ladies.”
Vehicle by The Ides Of March:
Rigid Digit dropped by again with his tuppence worth and here is what he had to say:
March songs seem harder to come by than other months, but I do have to offer: Journey – Winds Of March (quite like a bit of Journey in small doses, and Neal Schon is a pretty decent guitarist). Other than that … Iron Maiden – Ides Of March and Helloween – Time Marches On (not about the month, but it does have “March” in the title).
Thanks RD. I always think of Journey as being an ’80s band but it seems they were around for most of the ’70s too and this song is from 1978.
Ernie Goggins has been mentioned already but for completion’s sake, here are his other March suggestions:
Unusually for me I have something chirpy to offer this month – Rosa Passos with Águas de Março, which as George will tell you means ‘Waters of March’ in Portuguese. Slightly less chirpy but nowhere near as miserable as last month’s offerings I can also suggest March Rain by Michael Chapman, from his excellent album ‘Fully Qualified Survivor’.
Thanks Ernie, let’s hear what they both sound like.
Well that’s just about it for this month although I did have a late submission from The Swede. Here are his own words:
Here’s a very short offering for next month’s challenge. I’ve written about local favourites Christina Alden & Alex Patterson several times over at my place. They are absolutely lovely and if they tip up in your neck of the woods anytime, I can guarantee a splendid evening’s entertainment. March is a brief instrumental interlude from their terrific 2021 ‘Hunter’ album.
(The tune doesn’t appear to be on YouTube, but you should be able to embed it from their Bandcamp page:
Sadly WordPress won’t let me do that TS but I’ve left the link. Here is a picture of the duo in their very interesting looking front room.
Christina Alden & Alex Patterson
Roll on April, that’s what I say, because I need some warmer weather to offset the heating bill hikes. I may also have to dig up my garden and “grow my own” this Spring to offset the food shop hikes. Where will it all end? Who knows but in the meantime we’ll always have an eclectic mix of music (this post a case in point) to raise our spirits. Suggestions for April songs gratefully accepted.
Until next time…
Vehicle Lyrics (Song by Jim Peterik)
Hey, well, I’m the friendly stranger in the black sedan Woncha hop inside my car I got pictures, I got candy, I’m a lovable man And I can take you to the nearest star
I’m your vehicle, baby I can take you anywhere you wanna go I’m your vehicle woman By that I’m sure you know
I love ya (love ya) I need ya (need ya) I wants ya gots to have you child Great God in heaven, you know I love you (Oh you know I do)
Well, if you wants to be a movie star I canna take-a you to Hollywood But if you wanna stay just like you are You know, I think you really should
I’m your vehicle, baby I can take you anywhere you wanna go I’m your vehicle woman By that I’m sure you know
I love ya (love ya) I need ya (need ya) I wants ya gots to have you child Great God in heaven, you know I love you (Oh you know I do)
Well I’m the friendly stranger in the black sedan Oh woncha hop inside my car I got pictures, candy, I’m a lovable man And I can take you to the nearest star
I’m your vehicle, baby I can take you anywhere you wanna go I’m your vehicle woman By that I’m sure you know
I love ya (love ya) I need ya (need ya) I wants ya gots to have you child Great God in heaven, you know I love you (Oh you know I do)
I’m your vehicle, baby Y’know I love you (love ya) I Needs ya (need ya) I wantcha gots to have you child Great God in heaven you know I love you
It is with good grace that I return to this series with another edition. Last time I had complained that such series can end up not being as much fun as was anticipated at the outset. It has come to my attention several times this week however that this is very much a First World problem. Yesterday marked the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it occurred to me that if any of the displaced Ukrainians being put up locally in hotels stumbled upon my post, they would not be impressed. They have lost everything. I have just temporarily lost my enthusiasm for something which in the grand scheme of things, is a bit of light-hearted fluff and nonsense. With that it mind let’s get on with it.
The name February apparently comes from the Latin term februum which means purification. The Roman ritual Februa was always held on February the 15th to ‘purify the city’, promoting health and fertility. Hmm…, interesting, NOT. I don’t know about you but I feel these Latin names used for the months of the year have well and truly lost their meaning in today’s world, but they’re too engrained now to be changed or updated. Valentine-uary or Snowdrop-uary anyone? No, that definitely wouldn’t work either, for all sorts of reasons, so we’re stuck with them. A safe and familiar pair of hands I suppose. Let’s look at the songs that reference February.
I’ll start off with a song suggested by two of last month’s visitors. First of all we had C who remembered a song she has never been too keen on, but which fits the remit. Here are her own words:
I can’t think of anything at all, apart from January February by Barbara Dickson which as I’m sure you know is not my cup of tea at all, but for some reason I seem to know it very well – it must have had a lot of radio play at the time.
Rigid Digit also came up with Barbara’s song as a suggestion, ‘a Scottish MOR Folkie Two For The Price Of One’, he said. Sadly I had forgotten about it for the January edition so a lost opportunity, but happy to include it now as I quite like Scottish MOR Folk. She’s had a long career Barbara Dickson and I feel a certain loyalty to her as first of all she’s Scottish, but also she used to work for a good friend’s dad way back in the day before she got her big break. Yes, Barbara used to be a humble civil servant in Rosyth where she grew up. A lot less glamorous than the world of West End Theatre, where she ended up.
January February by Barbara Dickson:
I look at Barbara in that clip and remember a perm I had in 1978 (and in 1979, in 1980…) that looked just like her one. That was a really popular style for girls back then and although it looks very dated now, and a bit poodle-like, it was a great low-maintenance style that just needed to be washed and left to dry naturally. A bit of a fluff up with one of those afro combs and you were good to go. My middle-aged hair needs much more maintenance, so I look back at those days fondly, although I now realise there was an element of cultural appropriation going on. The afro comb became recognised as a way of saying no to oppression, and wearing it in the hair led to a kind of comradeship amongst those whose hair grows up and out, not down. I was definitely not aware of this back in 1978 when I headed along to our local salon.
But this is supposed to be all about February songs so what else was suggested last time. Rick dropped by again:
Not a ton of great February songs but Xmas in February by Lou Reed is a good one, pretty sad tale though it is.
Crikey Rick that really is a sad tale – what a song though. It often occurs to me that had some of the American bloggers who visit this place been born a few years earlier, Vietnam would have beckoned. Not lost on you either I imagine.
Next up we have Ernie Goggins whose blog I have just discovered (apologies for the delay Ernie). Here are his own words:
Only a couple of suggestions for February, both of them as miserable as Rick’s suggestion – Cold Days of February by Edinburgh’s own Incredible String Band and Sad February by The Unthanks.
I had started this series with September songs and they were pretty sad but February seems to be upping the ante. Here are Ernie’s suggestions.
Martin from the New Amusements blog offered up this song by Billy Bragg, The Fourteenth of February. This is the studio version but Martin also added a link to a lovely, simple, live version. What a beautiful love song. Unlike Billy I do remember everything about the first time I met Mr WIAA but just down to the kind of memory I have. He, needless to say, remembers nothing.
Roldecided he couldn’t beat Martin’s suggestion, but offered up February by Dar Williams as an ‘also-ran’. Hope Dar never drops by as not an ‘also-ran’ song at all, although September by now has well and truly been usurped by February in the sadness stakes.
Neil came up with another Two For The Price Of One suggestion – Van Morrison’s March Winds In February. Thanks Neil, a new one for me from Mr Grumpy of Belfast, a Mr Grumpy who delivers sublime songs.
Nearly at the end of the suggestions now but Rigid Digit did come up with a second one. Here are his own words:
From the Foo Fighters The Colour & The Shape – is it the best Foos album? – comes February Stars. Actually, writing out that album title, I’ve just noticed – The Foo Fighters spell “Colour” properly, not the US English version sans U.
Yes Neil and Rick, funny that an American band used the British English spelling as opposed to the American English version, or as RD calls it, the proper version! Here is their February song.
My February suggestion is a lovely little instrumental ditty by Australian musical collective Architecture In Helsinki. One Heavy February is the opening song of their debut album (Fingers Crossed) from 2003, just under a minute long but with a fun video.
He goes on to say:
I own a different version from 2008 on the Like It Or Not EP. No video for this one (though an image pops up around 0:38) but it’s a veritable extended club banger, with a handy run through of the calendar towards the end, all done in under three minutes. That’ll blow the cobwebs away!
It certainly will Khayem, so thanks for suggesting that Australian collective with a Scandinavian capital in their name. Having just looked it up they apparently got their name after cutting up a newspaper and re-arranging the words. Was it a Finnish newspaper I wonder.
So, that brings our February edition to a close. All new songs for me apart from the Barbara one but regulars to this place would probably have expected that. A lot of sad songs amongst them, but personally I’ve quite enjoyed February this year. In the Celtic calendar, Spring starts on the 1st of February (Imbolc, written about here), and the lighter nights and flowers in my garden would attest to that.
Imbolc was one of the cornerstones of the Celtic calendar, as the success of the new farming season was of great importance. Winter stores of food were getting low and rituals were performed to ensure a steady supply of food until the harvest six months later. This year, it seems that however many rituals are performed, supermarkets are still going to be low on supplies of certain fruits and vegetables. All to do with climate change and politics though. Compared with what the people of Ukraine have been through over the last year I think we can forego our raspberries and cucumbers this month without too much complaint.
Next month is definitely a Spring month (if you live in the Northern Hemisphere) and it also means we are now half way through this series. If you have any March songs you would like to see included, please add them to the comments boxes. I couldn’t do this one without you.
Until next time…
Xmas In February Lyrics (Song by Lou Reed)
Xmas in February Sam was lyin’ in the jungle Agent orange spread against the sky like marmalade Hendrix played on some foreign jukebox They were praying to be saved Those gooks were fierce and fearless That’s the price you pay when you invade Xmas in February
Sam lost his arm in some border town His fingers are mixed with someone’s crop If he didn’t have that opium to smoke The pain would never ever stop Half his friends are stuffed into black body bags With their names printed at the top Xmas in February
Sammy was a short order cook In a short order black and blue collar town Everybody worked the steel mill But the steel mill got closed down He thought if he joined the army He’d have a future that was sound Like no xmas in February
Sam’s staring at the vietnam wall It’s been a while now that he’s home His wife and kid have left, he’s unemployed He’s a reminder of the war that wasn’t won He’s the guy on the street with the sign that reads “Please help send this vet home” But he is home And there’s no xmas in February No matter how much he saves
Something that we music bloggers never want to happen is for our blogging output to become a bit of a chore, yet…, we can get ourselves into a cycle of writing about things we kind of have to write about as opposed to what we want to write about, and that’s not a good position to find yourself in.
I don’t know about everyone else but this blog is starting to feel like an obituary column, but all down to that old chestnut age– if we are getting older then our musical heroes are getting even older, and we are starting to lose them at an alarming rate. The option not to write about Burt Bacharach was never there for me, as this blog’s name came from the opening line to one of his songs, but going forward I think I’m going to have to limit the number I write.
What’s It All About, Alfie?
Then there’s the series. Over the years I’ve really enjoyed some of the ones I’ve published (the Full Moon Calendar In Song being my favourite) but some of the others have petered out early on, especially if they’ve been particularly epic like my American Odyssey in Song (it was all Delaware’s fault). At the moment I have a series about songs relating to months of the year, but I always seem to be up against a deadline, just managing to fit the latest edition in before we move into the next month – it’s not turned out to be as much fun as I thought.
Perry, it was all your fault!
As for my 50 year retrospective series, where I intended to revisit my folder of pop star pinups from 1973, that has hit a bump in the road. Some of the artists that populated the Top Ten back then, and the pages of magazines aimed at 12-14 year old girls, were later found to have been predators of the worst kind, and it now makes for uncomfortable reading. No, Mr Paul Gadd, I never did want to “touch you, there, where, there”, but the editors of our mags obviously thought differently and his hairy chest and grinning face appeared in every copy in 1973. I do think teenage girls are a good judge of character but back then we were often let down by adults who should have known better, but who inexplicably missed all the signals. Different times indeed.
Last but not least, I always watch the Brit Awards and usually write about them afterwards (or as Jez said in the comments boxes last year, “Alyson, she watches the Brits so we don’t have to”). So far, despite the show airing a week ago now, I’ve not yet come up with anything for this year’s extravaganza. There always used to be a standout performance, or shocking moment, but the main takeaway for me this year is that music has become very corporate indeed with the artists sitting at tables surrounded by “their team” – the money men, the label bosses, the songwriters – all looking very smug. It’s nigh impossible to become really successful by just plugging away at your craft as per the old days, and the big winner of the night, Harry Styles, was someone who started out in a boy band put together by Simon Cowell for a prime time television show. It seems that Sam Smith’sdemonic performance with Kim Petras did however ruffle a few feathers and, wait for it, Ofcom received the grand total of 109 complaints about it. Considering the show was aired live on ITV on Saturday night and was watched by 4 million people, if they had set out to cause outrage, they failed miserably.
Harry Styles, the big winner of the night
One big bonus for me this year is that I now understand why so much fuss has been made about Isle of Wight band Wet Leg. They have been mentioned often amongst the other “cooler” blogs, whose hosts have their finger on the pulse, and it seems those bloggers were on the button as they came away with two big awards, one for being Best Newcomer and the other for Best Group. Straight to the top in their first year so a bit of a stratospheric rise considering their debut album only came out last year. Here is their performance of debut single Chaise Longue which is delivered in deadpan style by lead singer Rhian Teasdale. She apparently wrote the song in only a day whilst sitting on bandmate Hester’s grandfather’s chaise longue. The lyric, “Is your muffin buttered?/Would you like us to assign someone to butter your muffin?” is supposedly a direct quote from the 2004 teen comedy Mean Girls. Having watched that film with DD many years ago, I can believe that, but yet again I’m probably being naïve.
It was all happening on the Wet Leg stage – Morris dancers, pastoral scenes, bonnets and cows.
So, “What’s It All About?” – I hate feeling under the cosh around here and with four time sensitive posts to be written this month (more if anyone else passes away), it’s all got a bit too much. I really need to get back to what I do best – simply picking a timely song from the tracks of my years, finding out so much more about it than was ever possible back in the day, and sharing a few memories. Maybe next month.
In the meantime, and before I sign off for today, here’s an idea. Instead of a 50 year retrospective where I concentrate on those artists who featured in the Smash Hits equivalent of the day and who made it to the Top Ten of the UK Singles Chart, how about I revisit those songs which only made it to the lower reaches of the charts but which have since become classics. Billy Paul recorded Me and Mrs. Jones in Philadelphia in 1972 but it peaked on our British charts in the February of 1973. It’s such a lush song, and one I have always loved, although at the age of 12 I probably wouldn’t have picked up on quite how heart-breaking the lyrics are. Glad I’ve never found myself in such a position as the subterfuge would cripple me. I would crack early on and tell Mr WIAA exactly what I’d been up to at 6.30pm every day (if indeed it is pm and not am). A beautiful song though.
Me and Mrs. Jones by Billy Paul:
A strange one this but I still managed to touch on the Brits and revisit a favourite song from 50 years ago. Quite something considering I sat down today to say I wasn’t going to do any of those things!
Until next time, to our our elder statesmen of rock and pop, please keep well until next month, as at the moment I can’t keep up.
Me and Mrs. Jones Lyrics (Song by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, Cary Gilbert)
Me and Mrs Jones We got a thing going on We both know that it’s wrong But it’s much too strong To let it go now
We meet every day at the same cafe 6:30 I know, I know she’ll be there Holding hands, making all kinds of plans While the jukebox plays our favorite song
Me and Mrs, Mrs. Jones Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones We got a thing going on We both know that it’s wrong But it’s much too strong To let it go now
We gotta be extra careful That we don’t build our hopes up too high Cause she’s got her own obligations And so, and so do I
Me and Mrs, Mrs. Jones Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones We got a thing going on We both know that it’s wrong But it’s much too strong To let it go now
Well, it’s time for us to be leaving It hurts so much, it hurts so much inside Now she’ll go her way And I’ll go mine But tomorrow we’ll meet the same place The same time
Me and Mrs, Mrs. Jones Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones We got a thing going on
We gotta be extra careful We can’t afford to build our hopes up too high I wanna meet and talk to you At the same place, the same cafe, the same time And we’re gonna hold hands like we used to We gonna talk it over, talk it over We know, they know And you know and I know it was wrong But I’m thinking strong We gotta let ’em know now That we got a thing going on, a thing going on
What's It All About? 