It’s the last day of 2021 and like many of us I’ve just looked back to see what I wrote on this same day last year. As expected it was all about what an awful year it had been, but I did add, “At least there is hope on the horizon, as vaccines are now coming on stream faster than you can say Jack Robinson (god bless the scientists). Hopefully by Spring, life will have started to get a bit easier for all of us.”
Each person’s pandemic experience has been different, but personally I’ve not felt this year has been any easier at all. In fact it’s been a whole load worse in some ways as I’m fairly sure my old life has gone for good, never to return. I am aware some families have had a far worse experience, so not the time to moan about it, but my goodness, lets hope 2022 is indeed a better year. If my old life has gone, I need to set about creating a new one.
In 2020 I was more prolific with my blogging than I’ve been this year – We had this momentous new situation to deal with and there was much to write about. There were rants, posts written purely to entertain, reviews and diary entries (all accompanied by an appropriate song). This year I’m aware my posts have been a bit more downbeat, as I think I’m suffering pandemic fatigue. Apologies for that, but hope you’ve noticed I’ve tried to end the year a bit more joyfully, kickstarted by sharing a few words of wisdom from her Dollyness, Ms Parton.
Revisiting favourite old songs makes me happy, as does finding out so much more about them than was ever possible back in the day. Tears sometimes prick my eyes when I’m out and about battling whatever restrictions are currently in place (visiting my mum in her care home has been a challenge, as has earning my living and meeting up with friends), but making a ‘new’ old song discovery, always raises the spirits. This year, as happened last year, my favourite new discovery was from the late 1960s. What can I say, I was born too late.
Windy by The Association:
Because The Association were never that well-known over here in the UK, when their song Never My Love appeared on the soundtrack to one of the dramas we watched on telly this year, it was new to me, and I was immediately smitten by their sunshine pop sound. Unbelievably, that song turned out to be one of the most listened to of the 20th century, but over in North America and not here. Of course I ended up writing about it and in the comments boxes mention was made of other hit records by The Association. One of those hits was this song, Windy, which I can’t help thinking sounds like the theme tune to a kids telly show from my childhood, but I’m not having much luck finding out if that was actually the case. Maybe someone out there could help? Whatever, maybe because of that perceived association with my childhood, it makes me smile whenever I hear it.
It wasn’t about this Windy
The song was written by Ruthann Friedman about a man, but in the version by The Association they changed the lyrics to make Windy a girl. It’s a long time since anyone called me a girl, but after another shitty year, there is nothing I would love more than to: Trip down the streets of the city, Smilin’ at everybody I see (whilst not wearing a mask). Who knows, maybe in 2022?
Until next time… A very Happy New Year to everyone who drops by this place.
Windy Lyrics (Song by Ruthann Friedman)
Who’s peeking out from under a stairway Calling a name that’s lighter than air? Who’s bending down to give me a rainbow? Everyone knows it’s Windy
Who’s tripping down the streets of the city Smiling at everybody she sees? Who’s reaching out to capture a moment? Everyone knows it’s Windy
And Windy has stormy eyes That flash at the sound of lies And Windy has wings to fly Above the clouds (Above the clouds) Above the clouds (Above the clouds)
And Windy has stormy eyes That flash at the sound of lies And Windy has wings to fly Above the clouds (Above the clouds) Above the clouds (Above the clouds)
Who’s tripping down the streets of the city Smiling at everybody she sees? Who’s reaching out to capture a moment? Everyone knows it’s Windy
Who’s tripping down the streets of the city Smiling at everybody she sees? Who’s reaching out to capture a moment? Everyone knows it’s Windy
Well, I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas festivities. Although I said we would be home alone this year, that didn’t turn out to be the case, as we were actually invited out in the end and didn’t have to do any cooking on the day at all. It was also quite reassuring to see my sister-in-law getting in a bit of a flap over the serving up of the turkey and trimmings, as I thought that only happened to me. Even the best home cooks find it a challenge to coordinate the roasting, heating, boiling and stirring of so many dishes at the same time it seems.
DD had a lovely time at her boyfriend’s parents, but of course we are now teasing them that next year it will be their turn, so we can all be together. Watch this space. Problem is the bar has been raised in terms of what is served up nowadays. Back in the day my granny made Christmas dinner for 15 of us, and it was delicious, but that was before the era of the ‘celebrity chef’ Christmas Cookbook and of: three types of stuffing; red cabbage; sprouts with chestnuts; and gluten-free/vegan options. It’s all got a bit more complicated.
100 years ago many of us could only afford root vegetables for Christmas dinner – Now some of us choose them.
The good thing about eating early-ish elsewhere, is that you still have a fair chunk of evening when you get home and our Christmas presents beckoned. As ever there were a few ‘makes’ in our stockings so I started work on my new jigsaw and Mr WIAA got down to creating the Black Pearl, courtesy of his traditional gift of an Airfix kit. Down at the other end of the country DD was putting together a scene from her latest Lego set (yes, Lego for adults is now a big thing apparently, as well as Airfix kits). Three days later and two of us have finished their ‘make’. One of us still has a fair way to go…
My barely begun jigsawQueer Eye, Lego styleThe Black Pearl, completed by Mr WIAA
But this is a music blog, and although I had no idea what the featured song might be when I started out with this one, as often happens, it has fallen into my lap. Anyone who has watched the Pirates of the Caribbean film series will know the Black Pearl is a ship, and that actor Johnny Depp plays Captain Jack Sparrow, an eccentric pirate characterised by his slightly drunken swagger, slurred speech and flailing hand gestures. Initially Sparrow was just supposed to act a bit cocky, but after researching 18th century pirates, Johnny compared them to modern rock stars and decided to base his performance on Keith Richards.
Keith has even appeared in the film franchise with Johnny, playing his father.
The song that fell into my lap was this one, Paint It Black, by the Rolling Stones. I’m not often quite so literal when it comes to song choice, but Mr WIAA did paint his model black and it was the ship captained by a character inspired by the song’s co-writer, Keith Richards.
I’ve said around here before that I’ve never really been a fan of the Rolling Stones which will probably come as no surprise to regular visitors to this place, but I can’t help but be impressed by their longevity as a band. I was saddened to hear of the death of Charlie Watts earlier on this year but in true Stones’ fashion, after a short break, their tour carried on without him. I am fond of some of their songs though, and this is one of them. It reached the top of the UK Singles Chart in 1966 and it was the first time they made use of the Indian sitar. Some critics thought they were trying to copy their rivals the Beatles, but Brian Jones had a background with the instrument, after studying with Ravi Shankar, so it was only a matter of time before it happened. As ever with Stones’ songs, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive explanation as to the meaning behind the lyrics, but it does seem to be about grief and loss of sorts.
Paint It Black by the Rolling Stones:
Here we are at the end of 2021 and looking at his DOB, it seems Keith has just turned 78. I’m fairly sure no-one back in 1966 would have thought the Stones would still be going strong over 55 years later. Like the 18th century pirate however, they are other-worldly. They are the stuff of legend, and certainly don’t look like any of the grandads (great-grandads?) I know. We’re entering totally new territory where some of the ‘pop stars’ of the 1960s might well keep going as energetic octogenarians. Whatever their secret is, I wish they would share it.
Until next time.
Paint It Black Lyrics (Song by Mick Jagger/Keith Richards)
I see a red door and I want it painted black No colours anymore, I want them to turn black I see the girls walk by, dressed in their summer clothes I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
I see a line of cars and they’re all painted black With flowers and my love both never to come back I see people turn their heads and quickly look away Like a newborn baby, it just happens every day
I look inside myself and see my heart is black I see my red door, I must have it painted black Maybe then I’ll fade away and not have to face the facts It’s not easy facing up when your whole world is black
No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue I could not foresee this thing happening to you If I look hard enough into the setting sun My love will laugh with me before the morning comes
I see a red door and I want it painted black No colours anymore, I want them to turn black I see the girls walk by, dressed in their summer clothes I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
Hmm, hmm, hmm…
I wanna see it painted, painted black Black as night, black as coal I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black
Yeah!
Hmm, hmm, hmm…
Postscript:
For the record, I did complete my jigsaw a few days later and here is my Christmas 2021 effort.
ALYSON: Hi WIAA, I am here, it’s just that I’m feeling a bit discombobulated by all the uncertainly that’s crept in over the last week so don’t know where to go with this one. Last year I wrote a (hopefully humorous) blog post about the planned five day Christmas Bubbles, but then at the 11th hour, the rules all changed. It’s looking like that might happen again, and for the second year in a row, many of us will find ourselves…
WIAA: Do you have any Christmas songs to share with your lovely followers?
ALYSON: To be honest WIAA, as this is my fifth Christmas as a music blogger I fear I may have revisited all my favourites already (link here), and despite the fact many well-known artists have recorded something new this year, none of their songs have really resonated with me. Here’s something to kick off with though – I mentioned at the end of 2020 that my favourite ‘new song discovery’ of that year was José Feliciano‘s version of California Dreamin’. As the whole world still seems to be going through a topsy-turvey time, it doesn’t feel that unusual for a music blogger from the Highlands of Scotland to be drawn to a Christmas song by a Puerto Rican singer/songwriter from 1970. I give you Feliz Navidad (don’t think you’ll need a translation).
Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano:
WIAA: Good one Alyson. What have you been doing in the build up to Christmas this year?
ALYSON: Well, it’s a bit of a weird one, as we’re now having to lie low to keep ourselves virus-free in advance of guests arriving at the holiday hideaway. Personally I think both sets will now cancel, which will be a bit of a blow, but before the whole lying low thing happened, I had tentatively returned to my regular cinema-going ways.
WIAA: What have you been to see?
ALYSON: It didn’t occur to me until now but maybe the reason I thought of José’s song is that I went to see Stephen Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story last week, all about the rivalry between two New York gangs, the Jets, and the Puerto Rican Sharks.
WIAA: Did you enjoy it?
ALYSON: I think I’m still processing it. The 1961 film won 10 Academy Awards, and when I first watched it as a teenager, I was blown away by it – Although some of the musical numbers were outstanding in the new film, as were the two female leads, there was something about it that felt a bit ‘silly’ for 2021. Our viewing habits have become a lot more sophisticated and I don’t think the younger generation would see it as a period drama. The clothes and themes could almost be contemporary, but the language used by the gangs and their balletic style of dance is most definitely not contemporary. Again, I was discombobulated and wondered if it really needed to be remade.
WIAA: Did you cry at the end?
ALYSON: Oh WIAA, you know me well. I did indeed despite knowing how it ended having watched the original many times. The love story was inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but a story that never dates it seems, and just as relevant today. Stephen Sondheim, the musical’s lyricist, died aged 91 at the end of November, just at the time of the film’s release. As a bit of a tribute to him, here is the Tonight Quintet from the original film, an incredible piece of ‘opera’ based on the duet between Maria and Tony from earlier on in the musical. The five parts of the quintet are sung by the Jets, the Sharks, Tony, Maria, and Anita.
Tonight Quintet by the West Side Story Cast:
WIAA: Well, you really got into your stride there despite me feeling a bit unloved earlier on – A blank page sitting on a blogging platform with only five days to go until Christmas.
ALYSON: Yes I can always rely on you to get me back on track. Can you believe that when I press the publish button on this one, we’ll have racked up a total of 400 blog posts together. It’s been a journey, and we’re not finished yet are we? I think I can fly solo now WIAA, so happy to let you head off and do whatever blogs have to do behind the scenes, fixing broken links and the like. Merry Christmas to you.
WIAA: Merry Christmas Alyson.
Five years ago, in my first year of blogging, I bemoaned the fact I was one of the sandwich generation, someone who worked full-time but also had adult offspring still living at home and an elderly parent to look out for. As regulars around here will know, none of these things now apply – I waved goodbye to my old workplace four years ago, my mum moved into her care home three years ago and DD headed out into the world two years ago. It’s happened gradually, but it turns out you kinda miss being the squished filler in a sandwich, especially around Christmastime.
It’s become traditional at this time of year that I share some songs relevant to each generation of my family, and Mr WIAA and I have had some fun this week watching old clips on YouTube when we probably should have been engaged in something more productive, by hey, I’m a loose filler who has lost her bread, so it’s allowed.
2 Become 1 by the Spice Girls:
Can you believe it’s 25 years since Girl Power became ‘a thing’ courtesy of those larger than life Spice Girls. Back then I was a busy mum with a baby and a responsible job so they really weren’t aimed at my demographic, but you couldn’t fail to get caught up in all their Zig-a-Zig-ah-ing back in 1996. They’d already had two No. 1 hits that year and at Christmastime they did it again with this one, 2 Become 1. I just loved the video for it set in New York, and it reminded me that Mr WIAA and I had become an item just before Christmas a few years earlier – A great time of year to be all loved up. I was shocked therefore to learn it was all filmed in a studio on Old Compton Street, London, using a ‘green screen’. Anyway, this one’s for DD, as although I know what the song is really all about, the romantic in me just wants to acknowledge the fact it’s also about two individuals forming a relationship and perhaps welcoming a new little person into the world one day.
Yesterday I went to visit my mum at the care home. I had to wear full PPE and the visit was heavily supervised as her care home has yet again been forced into lockdown and all their Christmas activites were cancelled. I did however manage to play her a few Christmas songs on my phone from the only festive album that resided in our house when I was growing up. Yes, yet again it’s going to be that Texan Jim Reeves, with one of the songs from his best-selling album, Twelve Songs of Christmas. My mum was my age 25 years ago when the Spice Girls were at No.1 with their song, and a big help to me when I was a busy mum myself. How things change with the passage of time, and food for thought indeed. Think she enjoyed hearing Jim though, and hopefully it did bring back memories from the distant past.
As for us, I’m going to defer to Mr WIAA who seems to find good clips to watch. Another person we lost from the world of music recently was John Miles. As 1976 seems to have been my favourite year to revisit these last 12 months, here is an epic 2001 Proms performance of his song, Music, which reached the No. 3 spot on our UK Singles Chart back in ’76. It’s not a Christmas song, but the audience certainly make it look festive with all those lights. He was only aged 72 when he died. RIP John.
Music by John Miles:
One final indulgence, and yet again not a Christmas song, but one that is set to clips from the Emma Thompson film Last Christmas. In terms of plot, if you are using the lyrics from the song Last Christmas as inspiration, it really can’t get any more literal than this, and a bit ridiculous really. If however you are a fan of the songs of GeorgeMichael, as I am, it was a no-brainer you would go and see it at the cinema when it came out two years ago.
Five years ago George Michael died on Christmas Day, and his passing affected me more than any other person we’ve lost since I started this blog. My sidebar has a couple of categories dedicated to him. The song used is Praying for Time from 1990, and it still gives me goose-bumps when I listen to it. The song deals with, “the many social injustices faced by so many, and questions the conditioning society has created and why it can be so hard to be kind to one another.” He was a good egg George, and many of his random acts of kindness were only discovered after his death. Around this time of year we should all try and take a leaf out of his book, as over 30 years on, those social injustices are still around and have become compounded by the pandemic.
Praying for Time by George Michael:
Another final, final, indulgence (nearly done now I promise) – If you scroll forward to 0:22 in the clip above you’ll find the logo for an established London restaurant. Mr WIAA is commissioned by third parties to make miniature sculptures for their various clients. Sometimes we have samples left over, and I liked this chap, so he sits on my desk. Watching that video clip, we just found out who he was for!
Anyway, it’s a very wordy one this, but as it’s my 400th post and my 5th Christmas as a music blogger I really did want to get something published before the big day. Thankfully, with my blog’s encouragement, I got there in the end.
If you celebrate it, hope you have a lovely Christmas Day with no last minute changes to your plans. Unlike 25 years ago, or indeed 5 years ago, we’ll be having a very quiet time indeed but that’s just how life rolls. As ever I’ll raise a glass to George on the day – He is missed, but never forgotten.
Until next time…
Praying For Time Lyrics (Song by George Michael)
These are the days of the open hand They will not be the last Look around now These are the days of the beggars and the choosers
This is the year of the hungry man Whose place is in the past Hand in hand with ignorance And legitimate excuses
The rich declare themselves poor And most of us are not sure If we have too much But we’ll take our chances ‘Cause God’s stopped keeping score
I guess somewhere along the way He must have let us all out to play Turned his back and all God’s children Crept out the back door
And it’s hard to love, there’s so much to hate Hanging on to hope When there is no hope to speak of And the wounded skies above say it’s much much too late Well maybe we should all be praying for time
These are the days of the empty hand Oh, you hold on to what you can And charity is a coat you wear twice a year
This is the year of the guilty man Your television takes a stand And you find that what was over there is over here
So you scream from behind your door Say, “What’s mine is mine and not yours” I may have too much but I’ll take my chances ‘Cause God’s stopped keeping score
And you cling to the things they sold you Did you cover your eyes when they told you That he can’t come back ‘Cause he has no children to come back for
It’s hard to love, there’s so much to hate Hanging on to hope when there is no hope to speak of And the wounded skies above say it’s much too late So maybe we should all be praying for time
That was to be the theme of today’s post as it’s something many of us feel acutely at this time of year. When I started this retrospective music blog nearly six years ago, I hadn’t yet realised that writing about old Christmas songs can really pull at the heart strings. You remember happy Christmases with your family as a child, you remember happy Christmases with your friends as a young adult, and then happy Christmases with your own children when they came along. (Link to previous festive posts here.)
From this end of the conveyor belt of life it’s all a bit different – Many of the people in those memories are no longer with us and this year DD will be with her boyfriend’s parents on the big day, which seems only fair after having bagsied them for two years in a row because of last year’s sudden change in ‘the rules’. I am still hopeful we might have grandchildren some day, which would really perk things up around here, but of course a grandchild is not just for Christmas so I’ll have to be patient on that front.
But back to nostalgia, defined as, “thepleasure and sadness that is caused by remembering something from the past and wishing that you could experience it again”. Looking at various examples of its use in a sentence, nostalgia can be either a good thing or be somewhat crippling, as in reality we can’t go back in time. Best to just remember it all as it was and enjoy the memories.
It soon became apparent that my first musical memories were from 1966 when I was aged six. I was already aware of the Beatles, and of many of the singers who appeared on the prime time shows my parents watched, but when the Monkees television show (also called The Monkees) hit our screens that year, I was immediately smitten. Their scheduled slot in the UK was teatime on a Saturday, so perfect for family viewing. I was therefore saddened to hear of the death of Mike Nesmith last night before going to bed, the third Monkee to leave us.
(Theme From) The Monkees by the Monkees:
I have written about both Davy Jonesand Peter Torkaround here before, and now it’s going to be Mike Nesmith. Let’s hope it’s a while before Micky Dolenz puts in an appearance.
Anyone who remembers those days will know that Mike was the tall Monkee with the woolly hat and the Texan drawl (although at age six I wouldn’t have known what a drawl was). He was one of the older Monkees and was primarily a musician rather than an actor. The show ran for two seasons, between 1966 and 1968, and followed the adventures of four young men trying to make a name for themselves as a band. Ironically, because of the success of the show, they became one of the most popular bands of the 1960s, but got increasingly frustrated at the control exerted over them by the show’s creator. They were acting out their roles and were never expected to actually play their own instruments or write their own songs. In time that changed however and some of their own songs, many written by Mike Nesmith, proved to be the most popular of all.
Mike Nesmith 1942 – 2021
It sounds as if Mike hadn’t been well for some time but he had been well enough to head out on one last Farewell Tour which ended only last month. He was no longer the young man in the woolly hat, and had to stay seated for the first few shows of the tour, but made it through to the bitter end. A fitting conclusion perhaps to his life.
My favourite fun fact about Mike Nesmith is that his mother invented Liquid Paper (known to others perhaps as Tippex or correction fluid). She went from being a ‘single mom’ to being the owner of a multi-million dollar company. As someone who went through a lot of Liquid Paper working in offices over the years, I thank her for helping us keep our paperwork looking tidy. I’m guessing in these days of paperless offices, it is no longer needed.
Since starting this blog I’ve made a lot of new song discoveries and one of my favourites is Different Drum by Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys. It was written by Mike Nesmith back in 1964, long before his years with the Monkees so thank you Mike for that amazing song. Time to hear what it sounded like in your hands.
Different Drum by Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys:
So, ‘What’s It All About?’ – I suppose it was inevitable that if I started to revisit the music of my youth, there was a fair chance many of the associated artists would already be no longer be with us, and many more tributes have been written around here over the last few years. The upside however is that you get a chance to revisit their back catalogue of songs and enjoy listening to them all over again. Keeping nostalgia in check is a tough ask at this time of year for those of us no longer in the first flush of youth, but there is definitely a pleasurable side to it too.
Until next time… RIP Mike Nesmith
Different Drum Lyrics (Song by Mike Nesmith)
You and I travel to the beat of a diff’rent drum Oh, can’t you tell by the way I run Every time you make eyes at me Wo oh You cry and you moan and say it will work out But honey child I’ve got my doubts You can’t see the forest for the trees
So, don’t get me wrong it’s not that I’m knockin’ It’s just that I’m not in the market For a boy who wants to love only me Yes, and I ain’t sayin’ you ain’t pretty All I’m sayin’s I’m not ready for any person Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me So Goodbye, I’ll be leavin’ I see no sense in the cryin’ and grievin’ We’ll both live a lot longer if you live without me
Oh, don’t get me wrong it’s not that I’m knockin’ It’s just that I’m not in the market For a boy who wants to love only me Yes, and I ain’t sayin’ you ain’t pretty All I’m sayin’s I’m not ready for any person Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me So Goodbye, I’ll be leavin’ I see no sense in the cryin’ and grievin’ We’ll both live a lot longer if you live without me
Another Saturday and another blog post from me. I’ve suddenly become quite prolific after a bit of a fallow period. We’ve all had our ups and downs over the last couple of years but thankfully my downs seem to be temporary. I feel for those whose mental health has really been affected however, as there just doesn’t seem to be enough help out there for the increased demand. This week’s news headlines won’t have helped – Could Christmas be cancelled yet again?
Something Mr WIAA and I have actively tried to cut back on over the last fortnight, is rolling news. Being home-based, we never wanted to fall into the trap of watching daytime telly, so always kept the screen in the kitchen tuned to a news channel. Problem is, in 2021 the stories have been bleak indeed, and not just down to the pandemic. Best to simply catch the radio news first thing in the morning then stay well away from it all for the rest of the day – Turns out a bit of property porn, or touching base with the heir-hunters when having a break, is far less depressing.
Kay Burley from the world of rolling news
Forgive me this indulgence, but over the years, whenever something quite big happened in our family, we didn’t just rush home to tell each other. Oh no, we also burst into song, the first lines from this song to be specific. One of DD’s favourite films as a young child was Summer Holiday and it was watched many, many times. Near the end of the film, Don (Cliff Richard) puts the world’s press right, via the medium of song. Here he is singing Big News from 1963. (Starts at 0:33.)
Big News by Cliff Richard:
Sticking with a 1960s theme, my Saturday morning starts well nowadays. Not just because of Rol’sSaturday Snapshots, but also because of the radio show Sounds of the Sixties. The current presenter Tony Blackburn is now aged 78, but his enthusiasm for the songs he plays is infectious, and in a 15 minute period he can fit in around five classic songs, punctuated with his short and snappy, so bad they’re good, dad jokes.
Couldn’t get to sleep so went to buya new mattress – Salesman said if you lie near the edge you’ll soon drop off.
Tony started out in pirate radio and of course was the first DJ to be heard on BBC Radio 1 when it launched in 1967. The first record he played was The Move’sFlowers in the Rain, a useful fact for pop quizzes. He’s had a long career and even provided the inspiration for many a comedy sketch about aging, ‘not-so-cool’ DJs. Think Tony has had the last laugh though, as here he is still doing a job he adores all these years later – How many of us can say that nowadays. His first love was soul music and he always includes a floor-filler from the days of Northern Soul on his show. This morning’s pick was this gem from 1968, What by Judy Street.
What by Judy Street:
I’ve become fascinated by Northern Soul over the last few years and have written a fair few posts about the phenomenon that hit the North of England in the mid 1970s. I love to watch those dancers in action and live in hope I’ll master their moves whilst still fit enough to do so. The music usually drives the dance style, but because I wasn’t there at the time, tricky to pick it up in later life it seems. Maybe I’ll have to get one of those big circular skirts and put some talc on my laminate floor.
The song What was originally recorded by Melinda Marx, daughter of Groucho, and released in 1965. Judy recorded it in 1968 as the B-side to her single You Turn Me On. After being exported to England, it was picked up by DJs at Wigan Casino and became a big hit on the Northern Soul circuit.
So, ‘What’s It All About?’ – I used to be shocked when people I worked with said they didn’t really watch the news, as I always like to be well-informed about what’s going on in the world. It does start to wear you down however, when everything is negative, worrying and doesn’t give you much hope for the future. I will no doubt return to my old ways in due course, but for the moment, nice to have a bit of a break from it all.
It was a real delight to listen to back to back songs from the 1960s earlier on this morning – In a short space of time we were treated to Oh, Happy Day, Waterloo Sunset, Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing, Do You Know The Way To San Jose and I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love, as well as the song written about above. As for Tony Blackburn, just like Kay Burley in the world of television news, he’s not for everyone, but when interviewed he’s like the cat that got the cream, as he still can’t quite believe he gets paid for playing all these songs he loves. He is apolitical and never offers up his opinions, so his show makes for a nice relaxed start to the weekend. His predecessor Brian Matthews was more a connoisseur of ’60s music I think, often playing lesser known tracks, but Tony is a people pleaser and sticks to the ones we all know and love.
Right, time to dust off my plimsoles and get working on my spins and shuffles. If you want to find out more about Northern Soul, this episode of The Culture Show does well in explaining it all.
Until next time…
What Lyrics (Song by H.B. Barnum)
Do you want me to get down on my knees Beg you baby please cry a million tears Do you want me to call you on the phone Beg you to come home think of all the years
When I once lived in paradise When the love light showed in your eyes
Oh tell me what What (what) can I do when I still love you What (what) can I say when I still want you What can I do what can I say You’ll never know this way
Do you want me to follow you around everywhere in town do you want a clown Why do you treat me mean and cruel breaking every rule can’t I be your fool We could make this a happy home So come back where you belong
Oh tell me what (what) can I do when I still love you What (what) can I say when I still want you What can I do what can I say You’ll never know this way
Please forgive me come back and then We can fall in love Over and over and over and over again
Oh tell me what (what) can I do What (what) can I say Say you’ll come back don’t stay away What (what) can I do now baby
Postscript:
After pressing the publish button I made a bit of an interesting discovery. At the start of last week, my first post back after a break of a few weeks featured a song by Soft Cell. I of course mentioned that their first big hit in 1981 was a cover of Tainted Love, a Northern Soul favourite originally recorded by Gloria Jones.
In 1982 they also recorded What, and it got to the No. 3 spot on the UK Singles Chart. For some bizarre reason I don’t remember it at all, so can only put that down to the fact my life as a student had just come to an end and the world of paid work had begun – Different priorities. Anyway, here are Soft Cell with a very different version of today’s featured song. They obviously had an affinity for Northern Soul.
Last time I wrote a bit of a frivolous post about people in the music business with very ‘big’ hair, inspired by the fact my own locks are currently proving troublesome (damp winter weather I think). It didn’t take long for me to get to Dolly Parton, as although in today’s world her look could almost be seen as understated, back in the 1970s her blousy, blonde wigs did raise a few eyebrows.
Dolly then and Dolly now
I was probably also drawn to Dolly because last week I had my first time back in our local theatre since before the pandemic. If you live in the far north of Scotland, the opportunities to see a West End show are limited indeed, so if a production comes to us, it feels only right we should support it.
My friend and I had bought tickets for Dolly’s stage musical 9 to 5 nearly two years ago, but after having been postponed twice, this time the show actually went ahead. Sadly the friend I should have been going with has not been well for some time, another victim not of the virus, but of one of the many side-effects of the pandemic itself. I wish her well and hope she is back to her old self soon, but in the meantime she very magnanimously said I could give her ticket to another. In the end it wasn’t easy, as some of us are still nervous about attending mass gatherings and no-one relished the prospect of wearing a mask throughout the show, but quite appropriately an old colleague from my days of working in offices said she’d love to come.
I went to see the film 9 to 5 when it first came out back in 1980. It was the first time Dolly had appeared on the big screen and just as with everything else she turns her hand to, she rose to the challenge beautifully, and ended up winning several awards, both for her acting and for the title song. The film was the brainchild of fellow 9 to 5 actor Jane Fonda, and she wanted it to be a comedy rather than a preachy, feminist drama, in order to get the message across more subtly. If you’ve never seen it, the basic premise is that three very capable women live out their fantasies of getting even with, and overthrowing, the company’s ‘autocratic, sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot’ boss (the full gamut). They show you can run an office without a boss, but you can’t run an office without the secretaries.
9 to 5 by Dolly Parton:
To be honest I think I just took it at comedic face value first time around and I hadn’t yet stepped foot in a working office to know how things were anyway. Watching the stage show last week, in 2021, I was blown away by how much things have changed over the decades. Just possibly, the empowerment given to female office workers back in 1980 via the film, kickstarted the revolution that led to equal pay for equal work, flexible working, job-share schemes and so on. I know it was well underway by the time I joined the workforce, and by the time I had DD, the opportunity to work part-time or flexibly was firmly in place.
It’s not lost on me that since the pandemic, most people now seem to work from home, and a return to the 9 to 5-style office will probably never happen again, but I really appreciate that I entered (and left) the workplace at probably just the right time. Coincidentally, C over at Sun Dried Sparrows recently shared some job adverts from 1975 which were a real eye-opener. As I say, we’ve come a long way.
An unexpected surprise for me at last week’s show was that Dolly herself appeared on stage, albeit via a big screen. She wrote all the songs for the musical but is also the narrator. In her inimitable style, she gives us many ‘Dollyisms’ and also sings 9 to 5. It was a fun way to break myself back into theatre-going. If you listen carefully to the song’s intro, the clacking typewriter rhythm was devised by running her acrylic fingernails back and forth against one another.
So, ‘What’s It All About?’ – I’m not sure if this is a temporary blip or what, but when I returned to blogging this time last week I was a bit down and admitted to not feeling myself. Turns out she doesn’t even have to bottle it, all you have to do is immerse yourself in Dolly World (as opposed to Dollywood) for 48 hours and your spirits are raised no end. The feedback to my first Dolly post was very positive which shows just how much she is loved and admired. She seems to be a genuinely ‘good’ person who is now putting all her energies into making life better for others, whether it be through scholarships, her Imagination Library, creating local job opportunities, or simply through her music.
There are many, many famous quotes from her out there but I think most of us know them already, so to finish off I’m going to share the address she delivered to students at the University of Tennessee when she received her honorary degree. I think she won over a great many of the sceptical academics that day, and quite rightly so (we’ll ignore Prof Grumpy to her right) – She may be blonde but Dolly is most definitely not dumb. If you scroll through to 3:55 you will get to the point where she passes on some of the wisdom she has used to great effect in her own journey through life. I really hope the graduating students took heed, as they have one helluva fairy godmother in Dolly.
Until next time…
9 to 5 Lyrics (Song by Dolly Parton)
Tumble out of bed And stumble to the kitchen Pour myself a cup of ambition And yawn and stretch and try to come to life
Jump in the shower And the blood starts pumpin’ Out on the streets, the traffic starts jumpin’ For folks like me on the job from 9 to 5
Workin’ 9 to 5 What a way to make a livin’ Barely gettin’ by It’s all takin’ and no givin’
They just use your mind And they never give you credit It’s enough to drive you Crazy if you let it
9 to 5 For service and devotion You would think that I Would deserve a fat promotion
Want to move ahead But the boss won’t seem to let me I swear sometimes that man is Out to get me, hmmm
They let you dream Just a watch ’em shatter You’re just a step on the boss man’s ladder But you got dreams he’ll never take away
In the same boat with a lot of your friends Waitin’ for the day your ship’ll come in And the tide’s gonna turn And it’s all gonna roll you away
Workin’ 9 to 5 What a way to make livin’ Barely gettin’ by It’s all takin’ and no givin’
They just use your mind And you never get the credit It’s enough to drive you Crazy if you let it
9 to 5 Yeah, they got you were they want you There’s a better life And you think about it, don’t you?
It’s a rich man’s game No matter what they call it And you spend your life Putting money in his wallet
9 to 5 Oh, what a way to make a livin’ Barely gettin’ by It’s all takin’ and no givin’
They just use your mind And they never give you credit It’s enough to drive you Crazy if you let it
Really enjoyed my foray back into blogging earlier on this week, but I’m conscious of the fact it’s been a fair while since I posted anything jolly or upbeat around here. Someone who never fails to bring a bit of sunshine and positivity into the world is the lady shown below, and by a quirk of fate, she came into my life twice this week.
Dolly Parton with her signature ‘big hair’ in the 1970s
I don’t think this is something my male readership will understand, but my female readership definitely will. When your hair is proving troublesome and you can’t do a thing with it, your confidence takes a bit of a hit, and you feel a bit blah. Mr WIAA now has very little hair left on the top of his head at all, but a short crop is perfectly normal for a man of his age and I think it suits him. Unbeknownst to me until recently, a woman’s hair changes texture as they age – It can go grey and coarse, or become fine and baby soft. I seem to have fallen into the latter camp and it’s driving me mad. At times I just want to shave it all off and go down the Dolly route, and have a big blousy wig cantilevered onto the top of my head – It didn’t take long to find a fair few pictures of her many looks from over the years.
The picture above was from that era in the early 1970s when we first got to know about her over here in the UK. Her song Jolene did really well on our Singles Chart reaching the No. 7 spot in 1973. Back then, country music and big hair seemed to go hand in hand, and as the genre grew in popularity, we were treated to many other highly coiffed ladies of the country persuasion peppering our charts. Sadly, for mere mortals like us, the big, blousy, blonde wig is a non-starter – There would be ‘looks’ in the supermarket, it would blow off when out on a hill walk and I imagine your cranium would get very hot indeed.
The Judds, Tammy Wynette and Reba McEntire(not how we spell it around here!)
I don’t have much country in my digital library, but here is a song recorded by Dolly and two of her pals in 1993, Silver Threads and Golden Needles. Big hair had kind of had it’s day by the early nineties but it seems Dolly, Tammy and Loretta didn’t get that memo. The song, written by Dick Reynolds and Jack Rhodes, was first recorded by Wanda Jackson in 1956. It has since been recorded by just about everyone, but one of the better known versions came from Linda Ronstadt who included it on her debut album (back when the Eagles were her backing band).
Silver Threads and Golden Needles by Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn:
Not being an expert in country music, I didn’t quite get the significance of all the visitors the Honky Tonk Angels had to their dressing room in this clip, but some of the names certainly were familiar. I hope this list is accurate and complete (please put me right if it’s not), but it seems the following stars of country were all more than happy to put in a cameo appearance on the day of filming. Just shows the power and influence those three queens of country had. They are: Chet Atkins, Carl Perkins, Little Jimmy Dickens, Confederate Railroad, Ricky Skaggs, Tom Wopat, Bill Anderson, Grandpa Jones, Ronnie Milsap, Marty Stuart, Doug Stone, Rodney Crowell, Diamond Rio, Sammy Kershaw, Bill Monroe, George Lindsey, Charlie Chase, and Ralph Emery.
I did say that Dolly had come into my life twice this week but I now realise this will have to be a two-parter (a two-Parton) as I’ve already reached my wordcount. Having read a fair bit about her over the last few days I have an even greater admiration for her than I already had. She’s not for everyone, but I love how she always pokes fun at her looks, and doesn’t take herself too seriously. As a musician she has won just about every award going but she is also an incredibly successful businesswoman and humanitarian. The day she came into the world certainly was a good one for the employment prospects of those living in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Before I go, here is a little montage of some of the other big-haired musicians I found when bemoaning the current state of my own locks. Who have I missed? Feel free to visit the comments boxes with your own favourite lions and lionesses of music.
Until next time…
Silver Threads And Golden Needles Lyrics (Song by Dick Reynolds/Jack Rhodes)
I don’t want your lonely mansion with a tear in every room All I want’s the love you promised beneath the haloed moon But you think I should be happy with your money and your name And hide myself in sorrow while you play your cheating game
Silver threads and golden needles cannot mend this heart of mine And I dare not drown my sorrows in the warm glow of your wine You can’t buy my love with money cause I never was that kind Silver threads and golden needles cannot mend this heart of mine
Silver threads and golden needles cannot mend this heart of mine And I dare not drown my sorrows in the warm glow of your wine You can’t buy my love with money cause I never was that kind Silver threads and golden needles cannot mend this heart of mine
Silver threads and golden needles cannot mend this heart of mine
It’s a fair while since I posted anything new around here and I can’t help but compare my current blogging output to that of the same month last year. Back then I had very ambitiously decided to come out in support of my college chums, who were embarking on NaNoWriMo, and decided to attempt 30 posts in 30 days. I was never going to write a novel so this was my blogging equivalent. Amazingly I got to day 18 before calling time on my challenge, more down to the worsening ache in my neck and shoulders rather than any lack of inspiration, and I actually outdid some of the wannabe novel writers in the class in terms of word count.
But here we are a year on, and suffice to say I’m not myself at the moment. I don’t know about you, but I’ve not been a fan of 2021, which is ironic considering what hit us last year. My old life has gone and isn’t coming back any time soon. Considering I use this place as my web diary, as well as a place to share music from my past, probably best that I’ve stayed away for a while.
My college course has all been online again this year, but no mention of NaNoWriMo this time around and few now drop by for the ‘live’ lectures. We seem to be just going through the motions to get the grades, and the institution appears to prefer it that way, so this will now be the future of higher education in my neck of the woods. Lectures are now finished for the semester and only one assessment still to submit but I haven’t got to know a single person from the new class this year and only know what three of them look like (ironically the other more mature students). I fear the younger ones who would have been excited about ‘going to Uni’ back in September, will have been disappointed.
At times like this I often hark back to when I last was a student, around 40 years ago. Back then the idea of gaining a degree without ever leaving your room would have been unthinkable. It was probably a really inefficient use of our time, but many happy hours were spent in the library sourcing material and copying it out in longhand before decanting to the refectory for food, or to the student bar for a very sociable drink. Wherever we went there were hundreds of people and you got to know a great many of them during that first term. Now, not so much.
I think many of us of a certain age have kind of lost the plot when it comes to new music and what young people are listening to at the moment. 40 years ago however I was in my final year of completing a really enjoyable degree in geography and was pretty familiar with everything that remotely made it near the charts. Looking at the chart from this same week all those years ago, here is something that jumps out at me, Bedsitter by Soft Cell. This was only their second single release after the massive success of Tainted Love earlier on in 1981. This time however it was self-penned and it reached No. 4 in the UK Singles Chart.
Bedsitter by Soft Cell:
I look at the lyrics in this song and think of some of today’s students holed up in their rooms for most of the day, rarely venturing out. We had to write a piece in the early weeks of this semester about a typical day in our lives, and some of the submissions shocked me. Other than popping to the supermarket for a pizza, most students now spend all day in front of a screen, as when the studying ends, gaming and the watching of YouTube clips takes over. Unlike Marc Almond who just seemed to spend his time in bedsitter land in between going out clubbing, I don’t think our town’s nightlife has really got started again yet after the pandemic. With covid restrictions still in place and the mandatory wearing of facemasks, perhaps a life lived online is still preferable, and more than Marc had in 1981.
Sorry I’m not on my best form at the moment, but decided to not hold off any longer before sharing something new. I’ve had quite a lot on this month and have more stories to tell so will return with them in due course. It’s been a crazy couple of years and we’ve all had our ups and downs. Hopefully I’ll pull myself out of this down sooner rather than later. In the meantime I have that last assessment to finish – Onward and upward.
Until next time…
Bedsitter Lyrics (Song by David Ball/Marc Almond)
Sunday morning going slow I’m talking to the radio Clothes and records on the floor Memories of the night before Out in club-land having fun And now I´m hiding from the sun Waiting for a visitor Though no-one knows I’m here for sure
Dancing laughing Drinking loving And now I’m all alone In bedsit land My only home
I think it’s time to cook a meal To fill the emptiness I feel Spent my money going out I’ve nothing I’m left without Clean my teeth and comb my hair Look for something new to wear Start the nightlife over again Kid myself I’m having fun
Look out from my window view I’ve really nothing else to do Read a book and write a letter Mother, things are getting better Watch the mirror count the lines The battle scars of all the good times Look around and I can see A thousand people just like me
Dancing laughing Drinking loving And now I’m all alone In bedsit land My only home
Last week I wrote about how our neighbours, who were also good friends, had moved on to pastures new. I was sad, as they will largely now be lost to us.
This week we lost Peanut, the hamster DD bought as a pandemic pick-me-up last year. I didn’t think we’d ever have another small rodent in the house (by choice), but he came along at just the right time, when things were still looking pretty grim. Of late we’ve just been needed for pet-sitting duties, so we didn’t see him as often, but his health had deteriorated fast over the last few weeks. Mercifully he went to sleep on Monday night and just didn’t wake up, thus avoiding that distressing final trip to the vet’s.
Peanut the hamster in his heyday
Another big change this week came about when I went to see my mum at the care home. I am allowed in once a week but our visits are still heavily policed in order to keep the residents safe. Far from ideal, but she seems content which is about as good as it gets. When the carer who supervises visits came to collect me, my mum told her I was an “old friend”. Once your mum no longer recognises you as her daughter, do you still have a mum, or is she now lost to you? It’s all very weird and distressing but we’re on an Alzheimer’s journey with her and have no idea how it will end.
Something I can no longer do, as the 2m rule is still firmly in place
Finally (long-term followers will probably remember my trilogy of posts), this was the weekend two years ago that my best friend lost her daughter to suicide, so a really tough one for her and her family. She not only lost her daughter, who is missed more with each year that passes, but she also lost her way of life, which now bears no resemblance to how it used to be. I miss my friend and all the fun times we used to have together.
Holly’s memorial bench
A bit of a sad post this, for several reasons, and for once I don’t think it would be appropriate to balance it out with some jokey happening from the week. Instead, here is Nothing Compares 2U, a very sad song that has been shared around here before, but one that still wins the prize for featuring in my least visited post, a full five years on from when it was written. I have always found this unusual as the song, written by the genius that was Prince, was a massive world-wide hit in 1990 for Sinéad O’Connor. The lyrics are not particularly appropriate to any of the sad situations mentioned above but they do evoke that feeling of loss we experience, when things we take for granted are no longer in our lives. Here is that iconic video clip of Sinéad singing the song and an audio clip of the song performed by the man himself, Prince, this time featuring Rosie Gaines.
Nothing Compares 2 U by Prince and The New Power Generation (feat. Rosie Gaines)
I’m hoping to get back on track by next time but just not the week for a jaunty upbeat post. The COP26 conference on climate change starts in Glasgow today so young people around the world will be hoping for a firm commitment from world leaders that their futures are not being jeopardised. I hope to return with positive news on that front. Early days yet but we might even have a new hamster in the family by then too. Amazing how a small desert rodent originating from Syria can bring such joy to both children and adults, but he did. RIP Peanut.
Until next time…
Nothing Compares 2 U Lyrics (Song by Nelson Prince Rogers)
It’s been seven hours and fifteen days Since you took your love away I go out every night and sleep all day Since you took your love away
Since you’ve been gone I can do whatever I want I can see whomever I choose I can eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant But nothing I said nothing can take away these blues
‘Cause nothing compares Nothing compares to you
It’s been so lonely without you here Like a bird without a song Nothing can stop these lonely tears from falling Tell me, baby, where did I go wrong
I could put my arms around every boy I see But they’d only remind me of you I went to the doctor and guess what he told me? Guess what he told me? He said, “Girl, you better try to have fun no matter what you do,” But he’s a fool
‘Cause nothing compares Nothing compares to you
All the flowers that you planted, mama, in the back yard All died when you went away I know that living with you, baby, was sometimes hard But I’m willing to give it another try
Nothing compares Nothing compares to you Nothing compares Nothing compares to you Nothing compares Nothing compares to you
I don’t know if this applies to everyone, but because life hasn’t been ‘normal’ for such a long time now, I’ve almost forgotten what it used to be like. I do know that I miss it however, and what has replaced it just doesn’t cut the mustard for me, for all sorts of reasons. Compared with many, I have been spared some of the worst outcomes of the pandemic, and of our departure from the EU, but I can’t seem to curb that continual feeling of anxiety about what is potentially coming round the corner next. I was horrified to hear this week, that worries about climate change are really affecting children, even young ones – How sad is that. Lets hope COP26 in Glasgow goes some way to allaying their fears, but I’m not holding my breath.
WIAA: Whoa Alyson, you’re being a bit miserable in this one. Can we raise the mood a bit please?
ALYSON: Sorry WIAA. Of course, but sometimes we just get a bit overwhelmed by everything negative going on in the news and closer to home. I seem to have lost a lot of people from my life of late and last week our neighbours of 18 years, who were also close friends, moved away from the area.
WIAA: That’s a shame.
ALYSON: It’s good for them of course, as they have a whole new life planned for where they are going, but there have been many, many get-togethers over the years, and we’ll miss that. They specialised in Murder Mystery Parties when we all dressed up in costume, and coming out of lockdown last year when we were still only allowed two people in our gardens, they joined me for a (very pared down) 60th birthday bash.
WIAA: What can I say Alyson? Things change, but I’m sure you’ll keep in touch and your new neighbours might also become friends. Any songs you associate with them?
ALYSON: Many, but here’s one that became very relevant a few years ago after they booked a trip to Morocco. Whenever they mentioned their holiday destination, I had to give a few bursts of this gem of a song, Marrakesh Express by Crosby, Stills and Nash.
Marrakesh Express by Crosby, Stills and Nash:
Yet again I am revisiting artists who set up camp in late ’60s Laurel Canyon but I have a great affinity for the music of those days, despite having been a bit too young for it at the time. The song came about after Graham Nash journeyed from Casablanca to Marrakesh on the ‘Express’. He soon realised there was little to interest him in his first-class compartment so moved down the train and experienced all the sights and sounds written about in the lyrics of the song. When he got back to England, his band The Hollies rejected the song for not being commercial enough, which precipitated him parting company with them and he headed to LA. Once there, he got together with Stephen Stills and David Crosby to form Crosby, Stills and Nash. The song became the first single from their debut album.
I love the story behind this album cover. The band had been driving around with their photographer friend Henry Diltz when they saw an abandoned house with a sofa outside. They took the iconic picture and then went home. After finalising the name of the band, they realised they should change the seating order. Sadly when they returned to the same spot, the house had been reduced to a pile of timber, so the original picture stood.
So, ‘What’s It All About?’ – Things change over time and it saddens me that we will never have the same experiences with new neighbours as we did with the ones who have moved. We’re just not in that age demographic any more. Fortunately they have not moved to Morocco, so we will hopefully be able to arrange a few visits over the coming months and years, but it’s not the same as living next door.
Life in late ’60s Laurel Canyon, where Crosby, Stills and Nash set up camp, really sounded idyllic. All these musicians and artists living in close proximity to each other, in those rustic houses overlooking downtown Los Angeles, formed a hotbed of creativity which has had a long-lasting impact. It too came to an end however, as all things must.
ALYSON: Hope I’ve redeemed myself, WIAA, by sharing a classic song?
WIAA: You have indeed. Chin up. The world leaders at COP26 will sort out all our problems in one fell swoop, I’m sure of it.
ALYSON: Let’s hope so, otherwise the North of Scotland might end up looking like Marrakesh. Strange times, as I often say around here.
Until next time…
Marrakesh Express Lyrics (Song by Graham Nash)
Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes Traveling the train through clear Moroccan skies Ducks and pigs and chickens call Animal carpet wall to wall American ladies five-foot tall in blue
Sweeping cobwebs from the edges of my mind Had to get away to see what we could find Hope the days that lie ahead Bring us back to where they’ve led Listen not to what’s been said to you
Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express They’re taking me to Marrakesh All aboard the train, all aboard the train
I’ve been saving all my money just to take you there I smell the garden in your hair
Take the train from Casablanca going south Blowing smoke rings from the corners of my mouth Colored cottons hang in the air Charming cobras in the square Striped djellebas we can wear at home Well, let me hear you now
Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express They’re taking me to Marrakesh
Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express They’re taking me to Marrakesh All on board the train, all on board the train All on board
What's It All About? 