What's It All About?

Sunday Dinners, “Super Troupers” and ABBA

Haven’t written a brand new post for over a fortnight now so here is something slightly different for me – “Tipsy blogging”!

I did feel after 91 posts and 100 featured songs that I had perhaps neglected my “real world” family and friends this year but it turns out that in order to cope with the real world, a dip into the “virtual world” of blogging is sometimes just what is needed – Who knew when we were teenagers that once we reached 50-something, we would end up being what is classed nowadays as the sandwich generation. For the first time in years I had wine with the Sunday dinner I had cooked (shock horror), and everyone is having opoplexy. I am always the sensible one who picks up Granny and Grandad and then takes them home, but tonight I decided that it was my turn to unwind on a Sunday night. It doesn’t take much nowadays so after a couple of wines I felt really quite tiddly and you know what, I think it is just what was needed after a weekend of chores, paperwork and playing taxi service to our daughter and her friends.

So, looking through my iTunes library tonight what jumps out as being just what I want to listen to? Too tiddly to get very far so good that right at the top of Songs listed alphabetically by Artist, is Super Trouper by ABBA. Why? – Because I think we ladies of a certain age are the unsung “Super Troupers” of the new millenium and are often unwittingly taken forgranted. Most of us now still have full-time jobs, look after the house and garden, support adult children still living at home and take care of our “old-folk”. Not complaining, just sayin’….

Super Trouper by ABBA:

There can be no-one over a certain age (on the planet) who will not have heard of ABBA, that Swedish supergroup who burst onto the scene after their Eurovision triumph in a little theatre in Brighton in 1974. The song they won with that year was Waterloo and when watching that particular show I still remember being mighty impressed with those bright blue, satin knicker-bockers that Agnetha wore on the night. Those on-trend trousers with a pair of silver platform boots would have been heaven to own at age 14 but of course they were not deemed suitable by my parents – “You could fall over and break a leg in those!”

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Despite being one of the most commercially successful bands ever, with around 500 million records sold, there was always something a bit “uncool” about ABBA. Maybe it was the outfits or maybe just by being Scandinavian and a bit different, they couldn’t be pigeon-holed like so many other bands from that era. Whatever it was I think the passage of time has rendered that judgement obsolete and the jukebox musical Mama Mia! is one of the most successful stage shows ever, so I imagine they no longer care.

Super Trouper was Abba’s ninth and final No 1 in the UK Singles Chart hitting the top spot in November 1980. By this time of course the marriages between the two couples in the band had fallen apart so it was increasingly difficult to keep working together. Their last single to make the top 10 in the UK was One Of Us in December 1981 and as one of their less-familiar songs, now one of my favourites I think.

One Of Us by ABBA:

There was of course news this week that Simon Fuller (erstwhile manager of The Spice Girls) is masterminding an ABBA reunion where the power of hollograms and large screens will bring the Swedish Fab Four back together again “virtually” in concert. Not sure about this at all as I think I prefer to remember these great bands as they were in their heyday and not as they are now – Septuagenarians all of them (bar Agnetha who is a mere 66). We’ll see what happens but if it does come off we’ll no doubt need a second mortgage to pay for a ticket, therefore it’s a no from me I’m afraid.

So, “What’s It All About?” – It turns out that tipsy blogging is a thing, so I might try it out again sometime (I may b mistken but I dn’t think my speling and gramar has suffered unjulie). I have missed writing new posts over the last fortnight so will try and pick up the pace again now that I have realised that the real world is hard work sometimes and the virtual world can be a very nice diversion for a short portion of the day. Key word here is “short” as I think most of us can find ourselves spending way more time than is healthy in this fascinating place. Until next time…..

Super Trouper Lyrics
(Song by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus)

Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me
But I won’t feel blue
Like I always do
‘Cause somewhere in the crowd there’s you

I was sick and tired of everything
When I called you last night from Glasgow
All I do is eat and sleep and sing
Wishing every show was the last show
(Wishing every show was the last show)
So imagine I was glad to hear you’re coming
(Glad to hear you’re coming)
Suddenly I feel all right
(And suddenly it’s gonna be)
And it’s gonna be so different
When I’m on the stage tonight

Tonight the
Super Trouper lights are gonna find me
Shining like the sun
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Smiling, having fun
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Feeling like a number one
Tonight the
Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me
But I won’t feel blue
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Like I always do
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
‘Cause somewhere in the crowd there’s you

Facing twenty thousand of your friends
How can anyone be so lonely
Part of a success that never ends
Still I’m thinking about you only
(Still I’m thinking about you only)
There are moments when I think I’m going crazy
(Think I’m going crazy)
But it’s gonna be alright
(You’ll soon be changing everything)
Everything will be so different
When I’m on the stage tonight

So I’ll be there when you arrive
The sight of you will prove to me I’m still alive
And when you take me in your arms
And hold me tight
I know it’s gonna mean so much tonight

The Wee Small Hours, Randy Crawford and a “Rainy Night In Georgia”

Having a bit of a break from writing my long (sometimes too long) posts, so here is what I’m listening to in the wee small hours of Sunday morning – Of late, this has become my favourite time of the week. Everyone else has gone to bed so I have the house to myself and can read, write, catalogue (yes really) and listen to whatever takes my fancy. Of course the next morning I suffer for such “night owl-ish” behaviour but still worth it for the feeling of having done something slightly irresponsible, but yet highly enjoyable – Another guilty pleasure which is a phrase that crops up a lot around these parts, but usually in relation to song choices (of an easy-listening persuasion).

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This soulful song, Rainy Night In Georgia, was written by Tony Joe White who had moved from Louisiana to Marietta, Georgia after leaving high school, to live with his sister. He wrote this song based on his experiences of driving a truck for the highway department. When it rained he didn’t have to go to work so he stayed home, played his guitar and simply “hungout”, all night. The song is an ode to loneliness, as it finds the narrator outside in the rain with nowhere to go and with no-one to love them.

Rainy Night In Georgia by Randy Crawford:

This song was of course first popularised by Brook Benton in 1970 but my favourite version is by Randy Crawford – It reminds me of a time in the mid ’80s when all my friends’ relationships were crumbling, never to recover. Long evenings were spent listening to Randy’s dulcet tones on her 1981 Secret Combination album, this song being my favourite. Thirty years on and the same thing seems to be happening at the moment amongst my daughter’s friendship groups. A lot of relationships that have survived since schooldays are crumbling, and there has been a flurry of activity tonight with cars coming and going trying to work out how best to support the latest “victim”. They will survive, but not in that triumphant Gloria Gaynor way, but because they are young and time is a great healer.

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As for me, I’ll stay up for a while yet in case I am needed. I probably won’t share this song with them but boy does it remind me of what they are going through. Not too keen on this getting older malarkey, but being young isn’t always easy either, on this ironically, very rainy night… in the Scottish Highlands.

Rainy Night In Georgia Lyrics
(Song by Tony Joe White)

Hovering by my suitcase
Trying to find a warm place
To spend the night
Heavy rains are falling
Seems I hear your voice calling
Alright

A rainy night in georgia
A rainy night in georgia
I believe that it’s raining all over the world
I feel that it’s raining all over the world

Neon signs are flashing
Taxis, cabs and buses passing
Through the night
A distant moment of the train
Seems to play a sad refrain
To the night

A rainy night in Georgia
Such a rainy night in Georgia
I believe that it’s raining all over the world
I feel like it’s raining all over the world

How many times I’ve wondered
It still comes out the same
No matter how you look at it often
It’s life and we’ve just got to play the game

I shake the rain from my sweater
Take out your letters to pass some time
Late at night when its hard to rest
I hold your pictures to my breast
And I feel fine, fine

It’s a rainy night in Georgia
Such a rainy night in Georgia
I feel that it’s raining all over the world
Lord I feel like it’s raining all over the world

Rainy night
Such a rainy night

It still comes out the same

Alessi, “Oh Lori” and The Summer of 1977

There has been a lot of talk in my little corner of the blogosphere about what is, and what is not, a guilty pleasure when it comes to songs. Well, to quote my Canadian blogging friend Marie, “PAH to guilty pleasures” and this being the case I am going to share the soft rock, mid ’70s delight that is Oh Lori.

Identical twins Billy and Bobby (you couldn’t make it up) Alessi must have been aged 24 when Oh Lori made it to Number 8 in the UK Singles Chart in June 1977. I on the other hand was just 17 and still at school, but smitten. They had the good looks and more importantly the haircuts of those times, and I will always associate this song with wide denim flares, cheesecloth shirts and that last summer of long school holidays, before life started getting that little bit more serious. We’d had all the festivities relating to the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, our Scottish Higher Grade exams were over and the SS Uganda was waiting to whisk myself and my friends off on a very educational (well maybe not so much) school cruise – Anyone else of my generation spend time on that stalwart vessel?

Of course those were pre-YouTube days and I don’t really think I ever saw Alessi perform the song on television back in 1977, it just always popped on the radio that summer – With this in mind I am now realising that the dreamboat Billy (or was it Bobby) who did the singing, was actually a bit effete and “uncool”. Nothing wrong with that at all, but it seems that my rose-coloured spectacles are yet again flawed when it comes to my memories of those days. Despite his uncool demeanour in this clip however, and his slight lisp, the song is still a firm favourite with most people of my generation – whether they admit it or not!

Oh Lori by Alessi:

Sadly I have discovered that the clip originally included in this post no longer exists and has had to be replaced – The original however had one of my favourite ever scenes from a movie.

I’d like to ride my bicycle with you
On the handlebars
You’d laugh and run away
And I’d chase you through the meadow

Yes, Paul Newman and Katharine Ross made an appearance, ridin’ along in the dappled sunlight on that bicycle in Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. Totally appropriate for the lyrics to the song and just makes me love it that little bit more.

So, “What’s It All About?” – For me, maybe it’s about getting on my bike (as per Paul and Katherine) out into the real world a bit more, and spending less time in front of a computer. Think I’ve perhaps got my balance a bit out of kilter of late. Until next time however, don’t even think about feeling guilty about enjoying this song – I know I won’t.

Oh Lori Lyrics
(Song by Billy Alessi/Bobby Alessi)

I’d like to stay in love with you
All summer and after fall
I’ll keep you warm through the winter
Because I’ve noticed one thing
This ain’t no summer fling

I’d like to ride my bicycle with you
On the handlebars
You’d laugh and run away
And I’d chase you through the meadow
Without you I’d die
Let’s never say good-bye

Oh, Lori
You bring the spring, the summer, fall
Ooo and winter
By the season
Oh, Lori (oh, Lori)
You make me feel as though I’ve been born again
Born again

You danced for me in your bare feet
That mellow afternoon
When we made love to each other
And I’m loving you
That’s all I want to do

Dusty Springfield, “The Look of Love” and Late ’60s Movies

I’ve decided that I might as well rename this blog A Nostalgic Journey Through the Works of Burt Bacharach, January to December 1967, as yet again I have found myself troubled by a pesky earworm from that year. All day yesterday I had the first few lines of The Look of Love by Dusty Springfield going round and round in my head but wasn’t sure where it had come from. I was pretty sure I hadn’t heard it on the radio or on television but here I was yet again revisiting my seemingly favourite year and favourite composer.

The Look of Love, by Burt Bacharach and Hal David featured in the 1967 spoof James Bond film Casino Royale. Here is the scene in the movie where it appears and between Dusty’s husky vocals, the slow motion filming and the saxophone playing, Peter Sellers looks as if he is in for quite a time with Ursula Andress (the original Bond girl – Honey Ryder).

The Look of Love by Dusty Springfield:

Of all the songs featured in this blog, 1967 is the year I seem to keep coming back to and after thinking about it a bit more I have come up with a few reasons as to why that might be happening.

First of all I was only six at the start of ’67, so most of my personal musical memories are from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s (post turn-of-the-millennium is still classed as “new” music for me). My point is, there are many songs from the ’60s that are still fresh for me, as I haven’t yet reached the tipping point of having heard them just once too often. (Sadly the exception to that rule is now the song Alfie – After undertaking this project I hope I never, ever, have to listen to it again.)

Secondly, when you are six (just like in the world of A.A. Milne) you have no exam, work, money or relationship worries, so none of the songs from that era conjure up any unpleasant memories. If you were lucky like me and came from a stable family where you were loved and taken care of, life was sweet – The days of teenage angst were far off in the future.

Thirdly (is that even a word), the radio stations I now listen to (briefly in the morning when I get up, and when in the car) generally play older music so I am much more likely to hear something by Burt Bacharach than by Tame Impala in the course of the day, setting off one of those pesky earworms (although to be fair not pesky in the case of this song, more pleasurable).

Fourth, I am truly amazed at the sheer number of musical sub-genres, and in the last couple of weeks alone I have covered songs from the sunshine pop, baroque pop and champagne soul camps. Burt’s music was apparently from the orchestral pop camp and of the many sub-genres out there, I think this is the one I warm to most. In the late ’60s plenty of other arrangers and producers were championing this style of music such as George Martin, Brian Wilson and John Barry (of Bond theme fame) so lots of great stuff to listen to.

And finally, the big one, in my youth I absolutely loved old ’60s movies like Casino Royale shown in the clip. There is a delay of a few years before films made for the big screen can be shown on television and I am guessing that this one, and the non-spoof Cubby Broccoli Bond movie You Only Live Twice, first made an appearance on British television in the early ’70s. Perhaps all was hunky dory where you lived but my memory of early ’70s Britain is that things were a bit grim and depressing. We had economic and political unrest, three-day weeks and power cuts. The clothes were all droopy (midi/maxi skirts and flared trousers) and came in a variety of shades of brown and beige. Compare all that to the brilliant colours and exotic locations shown in those comedic, technicolor movies from the ’60s and I know which era I wanted to live in, albeit vicariously.

It is no coincidence that Peter Sellers popped up in the clip for The Look of Love – His output was prolific around that time and he had already starred in What’s New Pussycat? in 1965 and After The Fox in 1966, both films having title songs written by Bacharach and David. There can’t be many people who wouldn’t recognise Tom Jones’ version of What’s New Pussycat? but despite the fact that After The Fox by The Hollies (featuring Peter Sellers) is lesser known, it has now become one of my favourite Burt songs from that period. Again, when you listen to it, you just remember all those great films that usually had very funny cartoonised opening sequences and colourful movie posters designed by Frank Frazetta.

After The Fox by The Hollies (featuring Peter Sellers):

So, “What’s It All About?” – After writing this post, I worked out how the song The Look Of Love became an earworm yesterday. It turns out that it is being used in a new advert for tinned soup! That’s another song ruined then, as from now on it won’t be associated with the husky sounds of Dusty Springfield, it will be associated with tinned tomato.

I wrote a while back about how advertising companies have worked out that if they use music from the era their target market turned 16, they will be putty in their hands and mindlessly buy anything on offer. In the case of this song, it looks as if all those recent retirees aged around 65 who eschew spending a fortune on designer soup in cartons, are about to have a purchasing frenzy, buying up all their favourite tinned soups from their youth. (Oxtail anyone? No me neither.)

Very clever marketing The Heinz Corporation, but for me, they have just ruined another classic song from the ’60s…, for all of us.

The Look of Love Lyrics
(Song by Burt Bacharach/Hal David)

The look of love
Is in your eyes
The look your smile can’t disguise
The look of love
Is saying so much more
Than just words could ever say
And what my heart has heard
Well it takes my breath away

I can hardly wait to hold you
Feel my arms around you
How long I have waited
Waited just to love you
Now that I have found you

You’ve got the look of love
It’s on your face
A look that time can’t erase
Be mine tonight
Let this be just the start
Of so many nights like this
Let’s take a lover’s vow
And then seal it with a kiss

I can hardly wait to hold you
Feel my arms around you
How long I have waited
Waited just to love you
Now that I have found you
Don’t ever go

I can hardly wait to hold you
Feel my arms around you
How long I have waited
Waited just to love you
Now that I have found you
Don’t ever go
Don’t ever go
I love you so

The Eagles, Relationship Trouble and “I Can’t Tell You Why”

I always wondered how I would fit this song into the blog but today seems to be the day. Without giving too much away, someone very close to us is going through heavy duty relationship stuff at the moment and of course it ends up affecting us all.

Until we uploaded all our CDs onto the computer a few years ago I don’t think I would have remembered this song by The Eagles from their 1979 album “The Long Run”, but after rediscovering it, I think it has become the one I gravitate to most from their vast back catalogue – I Can’t Tell You Why is about a broken relationship, and what is to be done about it. Those opening few bars of music followed by the first few lines of lyric, still sends shivers up my spine every time I hear it.

Look at us baby
Up all night
Tearin’ our love apart
Aren’t we the same two people
Who lived through years in the dark
Every time I try to walk away
Somethin’ makes me turn and stay
I can’t tell you why

I Can’t Tell You Why by The Eagles:

Unless you have been really lucky in love you will no doubt recognise what the couple in the song are going through. When all is not going well in a relationship, and the two of you have reached breaking point, there can be these emotional “all-nighters” of discussion and argument which invariably never lead to a satisfactory conclusion. Of course staying up all night to “tear your love apart” is not the wisest choice – As Mama Cass sang, “The darkest hour is just before dawn” and not the time to make life-changing decisions.

The song itself ends up having no real conclusion and leaves the listener with an intentional melancholy (it certainly has that effect on me). The couple in the song are neither reconciled nor torn apart, and the song fades out on this point of uncertainty.

As someone who shared a flat with five other girls as a student, then with three other girls in my twenties, we had our fair share of “relationship-trouble” and there were many emotional all-night sessions like the one in the song. Wouldn’t change any of it however as I think it is a necessary part of the journey to finding “the one” (as per Bridget Jones). Doesn’t mean to say it makes it any easier however to watch your young people suffer as you did in your younger days – Cross fingers all will sort itself out soon as I don’t have the constitution for all this any more, even vicariously.

I have written about The Eagles before and of how their albums were a staple of my high school years, often listened to whilst hanging out at friends’ houses. Their line-up changed several times over the years but in 1977 bass player Timothy B. Schmit replaced Randy Meisner. When he joined the band, he brought a portion of the song I Can’t Tell You Why with him (loosely based on his own experiences). He then worked on it with Don Henley and Glenn Frey who were credited as co-writers. Timothy, he of the enviably long, dark locks, performed lead vocals on it and Glenn Frey (RIP) was once quoted as saying that “I Can’t Tell You Why” and “One Of These Nights” were the two Eagles songs he would put into a time capsule to represent their best work. Sounds fair to me.

So, “What’s It All About?” – This love stuff ain’t always easy and even at my age, I still can’t tell you why…..

I Can’t Tell You Why Lyrics
(Song by Don Henley/Timothy B Schmit/Glenn Frey)

Look at us baby
Up all night
Tearin’ our love apart
Aren’t we the same two people
Who lived through years in the dark

Every time I try to walk away
Somethin’ makes me turn and stay

I can’t tell you why

When we get crazy
It just ain’t right
(Try to keep your head on, girl)
‘Cause girl I get lonely too
You don’t have to worry
Just hold on tight
(Don’t get caught in your little world)
‘Cause I love you

Nothin’s wrong as far as I can see
We make it harder than it has to be

I can’t tell you why
No, baby, I can’t tell you why
I can’t tell you why

Every time I try to walk away
Somethin’ makes me turn around and stay

I can’t tell you why
No, baby, I can’t tell you why
I can’t tell you why
I can’t tell you why, yeah

No, baby
Ooooh, I can’t tell you why

The 5th Dimension, “Wedding Bell Blues” and Embarrassing Dances

Always a lot of talk in my little corner of the blogosphere relating to what constitutes a guilty pleasure – In song terms of course. After a fair bit of discussion, the upshot always is that there really should be no guilty pleasure tag, as some songs were specifically written to be short-lived bursts of pure bubble-gum pop. Of course we do all get a bit fed up when there is such a plethora of these songs around that they distract and detract from all the other good stuff (e.g. the machine that was SAW in the late ‘80s) but it happens from time to time, always has, and always will.

I feel as if the song I am going to feature today should come under the guilty pleasure tag, but as we are no longer going to use that term I will instead just explain how it came to mind. First of all, we had a wedding to attend yesterday and much of the week was spent preparing for it. When the song Wedding Bell Blues by The 5^th Dimension came on the radio one afternoon, I was therefore already tuned into all things “wedding-y”. Secondly, as explained in my last post, of late I seem to have found myself continually gravitating towards songs from the late ‘60s, which I find bizarre as from a time when I was still a little kid. Finally, just as my fellow bloggers felt a tad uneasy about their appreciation of Jason Donovan, I felt a little uneasy at my appreciation of The 5^th Dimension but in no time at all I was dancing around the room and made a sneaky little purchase on iTunes.

Wedding Bell Blues by The 5th Dimension:

What I find fascinating about the ‘60s is that during that decade, in the wink of an eye, we moved from boy and girl bands, dressed very smartly in identical matching outfits and very rigid hairstyles to the wild abandon that constituted the hippy counterculture. The 5^th Dimension were probably best-known for the song medley Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In, from the stage musical Hair. Hard to believe now that full-scale nudity even came to Scotland in the form of a touring production of the show in 1969 – I clearly remember my parents discussing it, and unbelievably they didn’t even seem that shocked by the concept, but then again they had lived through a war (and not the Vietnam one so integral to the plotline of the show) so perhaps they could adapt to change in a fast-moving world more quickly than we perhaps do now?

But back to Wedding Bell Blues, it is a song that was written and originally recorded by Laura Nyro in 1966 but only really became a big hit when covered by The 5^th Dimension in 1969. The song is written from the perspective of a woman whose boyfriend has not yet proposed to her, and she wonders, “Am I ever gonna see my wedding day?” The woman obviously adores her man but there is definitely a theme of frustration going on there as well.

As it happens, other than the word “wedding” being in the title, the theme of this song was not relevant to yesterday’s event at all as the couple getting married have been together for quite some time and were both equally as excited about tying the knot. For the second time in two months we were invited because we are friends of the parents – Yes we have now been to all our own friends’ weddings and there have been quite a few “second marriage” weddings. In these cases the couple in question are usually a bit more mature, so can spend a fair bit of money on their big day and it becomes quite a lavish and extravagant affair. Now we are seeing our friends’ children getting married and these are turning out to be the most enjoyable. There is something really pure and satisfying about seeing two local youngsters, you have known since they were kids, set out on that journey.

21412576207d2912089a185870eb1f8e — A Scottish wedding in Richard Curtis world – The cast of Four Weddings

I have mentioned before in this blog that part of the reason I seem to have omitted listening to song lyrics in my youth, was because my relationship with music was often more about how it made me feel, and if it made me want to dance I most definitely did. There is a bit of a problem with dancing however in that once you reach a certain age, the chances to indulge your passion are severely limited. No-one wants to be the oldest swinger in town so it is only at events like weddings that the dancing shoes get an airing.

As it turns out, because it was quite a simple, local wedding with a DJ playing songs requested by the guests, there was a definite joie de vivre in the air last night and unlike with some of the very grand weddings we have attended (think the Andie MacDowell one from Four Weddings) where you really need your wits about you in order to remember all the complex steps for certain obscure Scottish Country dances, last night was all about having fun. We had party dances, a few golden oldies and even a bit of Shang-a-Lang by The Bay City Rollers (always a crowd pleaser here in Scotland so not even a hint of the guilty pleasure tag there).

hqdefault — What we really dance to at weddings in Scotland!

Now as you may have guessed, hubby and I have been known to put on a bit of a show at such affairs, and last night was no exception. You can kind of read the crowd at certain points in the course of the evening and sometimes a record comes on where you can just “flick the switch” and turn in a bit of a performance – We are not talking Strictly Come Dancing level here but it does usually clear the floor and we are given the space to “do our thing”. Because we were a bit of an unknown entity to most of the guests who had not seen this happen before, it was not really seen as showboating at all, and they really did seem to enjoy it – And there was my downfall! One woman in particular (a Miranda Hart lookalike) raved about how great we were to such an extent I got a bit big-headed, and when the very unlikely choice of Bohemian Rhapsody came on I decided to embark on the full six minute “re-enactment of the lyrics” dance, with hubby in tow. Despite the fact I have had my longish hair cut quite short of late, and hubby is now on the number 2 hair clippers, we even did the head-banging scene as last seen in Garth’s car in Wayne’s World. Again the crowd were entertained but today I am suffering both a slight hangover and the worst sort of cringe moment, as I replay the horror in my head of my good self lying on the floor in my best wedding frock, right at the song’s denouement.

So, “What’s It All About?” – I think it’s about being true to yourself and not feeling guilty about enjoying certain types of music just in case your cool friends might disown you. It’s also about getting out there and doing your thing on the dancefloor for as long as physically possible – My knees may be suffering today but the adrenaline rush made it all worthwhile. Note to self however, the days of Bohemian Rhapsody showdances should probably be behind me now, although my daughter, who had to be escorted home in tears last time she witnessed us perform aforementioned showdance, is now a bit older and was actually quite proud of us when we recounted the tale – And in my book, that must stand for something.

As for me I’m off to tend to my aching, but hopefully soon to recover, limbs. Until next time – Keep on dancing!

Wedding Bell Blues Lyrics
(Song by Laura Nyro)

Bill I love you so
I always will
I look at you and see
the passion eyes of May
Oh but am I ever gonna see
my wedding day?
Oh I was on your side Bill
when you were losin’
I’d never scheme or lie Bill
There’s been no foolin’
but kisses and love won’t carry me
till you marry me Bill

Bill I love you so
I always will
and in your voice I hear
a choir of carousels
Oh but am I ever gonna hear
my wedding bells?
I was the one came runnin’
when you were lonely
I haven’t lived one day
not loving you only
but kisses and love won’t carry me
till you marry me Bill

Bill I love you so
I always will
and though devotion rules my heart
I take no bows
Oh but Bill you know
I wanna take my wedding vows
Come on Bill
Come on Bill
I got the wedding bell blues

The Kinks, “Autumn Almanac” and The Music of 1967

Three different reasons for this post about the 1967 song Autumn Almanac by The Kinks, and here is the first one – Last time I wrote about the song California Dreamin’ but also of how I had gone for a walk, on the day of the autumnal equinox, in the forest that backs onto the street where I live. Of course we take the forest for granted but it did cause a bit of envy when I mentioned it, and I just wanted to share a few autumnal pictures. So here it is, my forest, and one we can take a walk in every day if we feel like it (but sadly often don’t).

The second reason for the post is the obvious one – Yes I think we can all agree now, that however you define it, autumn is now with us and just to confirm the central heating is now back on and the summer clothes are being packed away for another year.

The third reason is a bizarre one but yesterday I did a bit of a review of the songs I have written about for the blog to date and it turns out, statistically speaking, that the modal class (getting all “mathsy” here) is the 1960s – Yes, although I was only a little kid then, it seems to be the decade I have gravitated towards most often when “nostalgically revisiting the tracks of my years”. I am still trying to work out why that is the case and there are probably lots of different reasons, but after looking into it further, the most written about year for songs has been 1967, that mythical year that gave us The Summer of Love. I have of course mentioned before in this blog that the Swinging Sixties, the Hippy Era and Flower Power didn’t ever make an appearance in my small Scottish village and if they had, my dad and his fellow civic-minded friends would probably have had something to say about it, but hey, always nice to dream about what could have been.

summer-of-love

Having made this discovery that I seem to have a fascination for the music of 1967, I took it upon myself to look at an alphabetical list of the most popular songs from that year – This was interesting indeed as at the top of the list was Alfie, but not the version by Cilla Black I usually mention here but a version by Dionne Warwick. Working my way down the list, the next familiar song I came to was Autumn Almanac which sounded just perfect for this time of year.

Autumn Almanac by The Kinks:

Autumn Almanac was written by The Kinks frontman Ray Davies CBE who is one of Britain’s most respected songwriters and has received many awards in the course of his long career. The Kinks most commercially successful period was 1964-1967 but it was towards the end of this time that Ray started to change his songwriting style. He became a bit of a social commentator, first writing about the brave new world that was Swinging London (Dedicated Follower of Fashion), but also about his urban environment (Waterloo Sunset) and the traditional working class lifestyles he was familiar with (Autumn Almanac). These songs really are in a different league to much of what was around at that time, and have truly stood the test of time.

As Waterloo Sunset is also such a wonderful song I will end by including a clip of it as well. With this song Ray has adopted the role of bystander, where he paints a picture of two lovers meeting at Waterloo Station from the perspective of someone looking on from a nearby window. He actually performed this song at the (very musically inclined) closing ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics, describing it as his love letter to the city.

Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks:

One last thing before I go however – I did say there were only three reasons why I wanted to feature Autumn Almanac, but here is another. I love the sound of certain words and Almanac is a great onomatopoeic one. For me, it conjures up an image of a sturdy leather-bound book with possibly a locking device that makes a satisfactory clunking sound when closed. Books like this are sadly missed nowadays and from a bygone age. Next time I have a walk in the forest however, I will think back to days gone by and will mentally record what might have been recorded, in my leather-bound autumn almanac!

Autumn Almanac Lyrics
(Song by Ray Davies)

From the dew-soaked hedge creeps a crawly caterpillar
When the dawn begins to crack, it’s all part of my autumn almanac
Breeze blows leaves of a musty-coloured yellow
So I sweep them in my sack, yes, yes, yes, it’s my autumn almanac

Friday evenings, people get together
Hiding from the weather, tea and toasted
Buttered currant buns, can’t compensate
For lack of sun because the summer’s all gone

La la la la, oh my poor rheumatic back
Yes, yes, yes, it’s my autumn almanac
La la la la, oh my autumn almanac
Yes, yes, yes, it’s my autumn almanac

I like my football on a Saturday
Roast beef on Sundays, all right
I go to Blackpool for my holidays
Sit in the open sunlight

This is my street and I’m never gonna to leave it
And I’m always gonna to stay here if I live to be ninety-nine
‘Cause all the people I meet, seem to come from my street
And I can’t get away because it’s calling me, come on home
Hear it calling me, come on home

La la la la, oh my autumn almanac
Yes, yes, yes, it’s my autumn almanac
La la la la, oh my autumn almanac
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes

Bop bop bop bop bop, whoa
Bop bop bop bop bop, whoa

Autumn, “California Dreaming” and The Mamas & the Papas

Having totally accepted now that autumn is well and truly with us, it’s possible to start enjoying all the things it brings. It was interesting this week to discover that the Pagan name for the autumnal equinox is actually “Mabon”, and that it really is a celebration of the fact the harvests are in and we can count our proverbial blessings for another year. Not that I’ve suddenly gone all new-age or anything but I decided to head out for a walk on Thursday (the day of the equinox) to gather some of nature’s riches in a basket. Hubby decided to humour me and tagged along. Living right on the edge of a forest we didn’t have to go far to find all sorts of interesting bits and pieces. The basket idea was ditched however in favour of a bag (too Little Red Riding Hood-like otherwise) but when I asked hubby to retrieve the bag from his pocket it turned out he’d taken a giant plastic one from a well-known sporting goods store. This was not the rustic, rural idyll I was trying to recreate so he very kindly headed back for something in cloth or hessian.

It was a beautiful afternoon and the walk in itself would have been enough but I was really pleased to be able to gather so many interesting berries, leaves and seedpods. Once back home, my items were placed in a bowl on the hearth but when darling daughter arrived home and questioned why there was indeed a bowl of “stuff” in the living room, I explained we were celebrating the start of autumn and the fact the harvests were in for another year. “But we go to the supermarket” she said, seemingly nonplussed – Missing the point there I think!

Anyway, having done my bit of new-age celebrating (with a candle no less) it occurred to me that one of my favourite autumnal songs is California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & the Papas. Now this is a really great song (not least because of the harmonies) but can cause real seasonal confusion. It shouldn’t really as the lyrics are quite straightforward – The narrator is basically longing for the warmth of his home in LA during a cold winter’s day in New York. But what with the reference to the autumn leaves, the winter’s day, and the sunshine of California, it kind of encapsulates three seasons in one song.

All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey.
I’ve been for a walk on a winter’s day.
I’d be safe and warm if I was in L.A.,
California dreamin’ on such a winter’s day.

California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & the Papas:

This autumn/winter song was written by John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas. Because it is so closely associated with The Mamas & the Papas however, it confusingly comes under the sub-genre sunshine pop. They, along with other mid-sixties artists such as The Beach Boys and Jan & Dean, were part of a musical aesthetic called The California Sound. To be a teenager in southern California in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it must have felt as if you’d died and gone to heaven, and the songs identified with that culture were full of wide-eyed, sunny optimism. They were all about surfin’, riding around in hotrods and partying at the beach. The California Sound however gradually evolved to reflect a more mature world view, becoming less to do with surfing and cars and more about social consciousness and political awareness. Between 1964 and 1969, it inspired artists to tackle meatier themes such as sexual freedom, black pride, drugs, politics and war.

But for now I will just enjoy the song, whatever musical sub-genre it belongs to. I was too young to enjoy The California Sound first time around but it is a sound we are all familiar with. The offspring of Beach Boy Brian Wilson, and Mama and Papa John and Michelle Phillips, went on to form the late ’80s band Wilson Phillips so one of those second generation things going on there – Sadly I was a bit too old for their kind of sunshine pop by this time so yet again missed the boat. I will however leave you with their biggest hit, Hold On from 1990 (which incidentally had a bit of a starring role in the very funny Kristen Wiig film, Bridesmaids). Enjoy.

California Dreamin’ Lyrics
(Song by John Phillips/Michelle Phillips)

All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey.
I’ve been for a walk on a winter’s day.
I’d be safe and warm if I was in L.A.;
California dreamin’ on such a winter’s day.

Stopped in to a church I passed along the way.
Well I got down on my knees and I pretend to pray.
You know the preacher liked the cold;
He knows I’m gonna stay.
California dreamin’ on such a winter’s day.

All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray.
I’ve been for a walk on a winter’s day.
If I didn’t tell her I could leave today;
California dreamin’ on such a winter’s day.
California dreamin’ on such a winter’s day.
California dreamin’ on such a winter’s day.

Earth, Wind & Fire, “September” and The Autumnal Equinox

A bit of an unusual post last time, so now for something a bit more conventional. What song would have come to mind in the course of today? Why September by Earth, Wind & Fire of course.

Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away…..

ewf

This song tends to make people happy and it certainly has that effect on me. It was actually a hit for them, not in September, but in the December of 1978 and although Maurice White (who sadly died earlier this year) denied that the date had any other significance than it “sang really well” and was “phonetically fantastic” (not a phrase you hear every day), I find that really hard to believe. He was however a man who put great emphasis into the groove and feel of a song so it could have been the case….. but now we’ll never know.

September by Earth, Wind and Fire:

Having read quite a bit about Maurice White after he died (he essentially was EWF as he wrote the songs, sang the songs and produced the songs), I learnt that the name of the band came from his star sign, Sagittarius, which has the elemental quality of Fire and the seasonal qualities of Earth and Air. Earth, Air & Fire quite rightly didn’t sound right, so Air became Wind (no schoolboy jokes please) and the rest as they say, is history. Maurice had a great interest in astrology and Egyptology and their costumes, and album cover designs, certainly bore that out.

Because of Mr White’s strong spiritual nature, it is entirely appropriate therefore that today’s song should relate to the autumnal equinox. I had a really interesting talk today with a woman at work, who every year celebrates these important dates in nature’s calendar with her sisters. This is the time of year when there is an equal amount of day and night and its Pagan name was Mabon – The harvests are now over and the crops have been stored for the coming winter so it is time to give thanks for the things we have, whether it be abundant crops or other blessings. Well I’m afraid I haven’t contributed to bringing in the crops personally but I am mighty glad that there are others out there who have. A lot of dark nights to look forward to now in Scotland, so traditionally a time to get together with friends and give thanks for the grains needed to conjure up a spot of the old “water of life” or “uisge beatha” (whisky to you and I).

pagan-wheel-of-the-year

But back to the song September, it turns out that Barack Obama is a fan of Earth, Wind & Fire and in 2009 the group became one of the first musical acts to play at the White House after he took office. Being probably the “coolest” president there has ever been, I can just imagine him and Michelle “getting down” on the dancefloor to the sounds of EWF after one of those Presidential Dinners. Tricky Dicky or Dubya he ain’t, and come the new year I’m going to really miss some of his cool Obamaisms.

barack-obama-dancing

Until next time – Happy Mabon!

September Lyrics
(Song by Maurice White/Alee Willis/Al McKay)

Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away

Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing.
As we danced in the night,
Remember how the stars stole the night away

Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day

Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya de ya

My thoughts are with you
Holding hands with your heart to see you
Only blue talk and love,
Remember how we knew love was here to stay

Now December found the love that we shared in September.
Only blue talk and love,
Remember the true love we share today

Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day

Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, golden dreams were shinny days

Love bells was ringing
Our souls were singing
Do you remember, never a cloudy day

Lorne, Geekdom and “It’s Not Easy Being Green”

On Saturday night at around 11pm I decided to alphabetise my CD collection – Odd timing you may think, but not really for me. After having failed big time on trying to use file-sharing sites I have taken to adding the audio file directly to my posts. All very well but not all the songs I think of writing about are stored digitally on my computer and I end up having to buy tracks I know perfectly well are already on a CD, somewhere in the house…….., if only I could find them…….., but where?

Now I know that all you serious music bloggers out there will have carefully catalogued, alphabetised collections but here at “What’s It All About?” the song is usually just the inspiration to go on and write about other things, so not quite as organised. As hubby had just headed off to bed, I had the living room floor to myself so I raided the cupboards, shelves and drawers where all those flat, square-shaped boxes were sneakily hiding, and duly laid them out on the carpet. Not having had an actual workaday CD player for some time now, having moved onto docking stations and bluetooth speakers, there were some interesting and long-forgotten finds.

cdcollection

The first dilemma however was whether to amalgamate everything I found, which included my daughters childhood CDs (Disney, Pop Party 1 to 7, The Jonas Brothers etc), the CDs my 81-year-old mother disposed of when I got her an iPod (although she hasn’t quite cracked how to use it yet so I tend to just leave it on shuffle for her), hubby’s very “cool” collection (what the heck is he doing being married to me) and the three large crates full of classical music CDs left to us by my late father-in-law (if anyone has any practical suggestion on what we could do with them please feel free to let me know).

A dilemma indeed but in the end I went with amalgamating everything except the classical CDs, the freebies that used to come regularly with the Sunday newspapers, and the karaoke CDs. I’m sure anyone who has ever worked in a record shop would know exactly what to do with the compilations (Jack Black in High Fidelity?) but not I job I’ve ever done, so just had to go with what I thought would work for me. And so, I ended up at 1.30am in the morning with a fully alphabetised collection snaking across the room. Sadly, whilst very quietly carrying them back to their disparate homes in sections, I accidentally turned some of the piles upside down and will have to go back and correct the fact that David Gray now comes right before Shawn Mullins and the aforementioned Jonas Brothers come right after Chick Flicks (The Ultimate Soundtrack).

high-fidelity

Whilst happily occupying myself with all of this when most people my age were getting their beauty sleep, it occurred to me that it’s great fun being a geek! You can never, ever be bored as there is always something to catalogue, list or plan. We may walk the earth incognito, as reliable employees and pillars of the local community, but behind that respectable exterior there is a secret life of Eurovision, Buffy Conventions, Pop Quizzes, “Blogging and Cataloguing” (has a nice ring to it). It doesn’t even have to be restricted to music and film, as earlier in the day we specifically had lunch at a restaurant starting with the letter M, all because I decided that it would be fun this year to work our way alphabetically through the restaurants in town – At the moment we know we’re going to get stuck at Q and X but you just never know, something new may open up!

But anyway, whilst working my way through the CDs, I found the Soundtrack to the television show Angel – If like us you became somewhat drawn into the wonderful alternate reality of the Buffyverse, this was the excellent spinoff show starring David Boreanaz. (Anyone who pokes fun at the show, or its premise, obviously hasn’t given it enough attention as it’s creator Joss Whedon received numerous awards and it was lauded for its influential themes and impact on popular culture – Just saying.)

One of my favourite characters from that show was Lorne (played by Andy Hallett), the proprietor of an underground LA karaoke bar. He was a music-loving soul and had arrived from another dimension, specifically Pylea where music didn’t exist, in order to indulge his passion (wouldn’t we all). His name was really Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan and the in-joke of course was that because his “clan” had green-coloured skin, he was Lorne Greene (but you have to be of a certain age to get that one I suspect). One of the songs he sang on the show was very appropriately It’s Not Easy Being Green made famous by that very personable frog puppet, Kermit.

It’s Not Easy Being Green by Andy Hallett :

So, “What’s It All About?” – It may not be that easy being green but although initially lamenting his green colouration, by the end of the song, Lorne remembers all the positive associations with the colour, and ends up accepting and embracing his greenness. Likewise, it may not always be easy being a geek but tonight I have decided to embrace my “geekness” – It is turning out to be a fine life and one which I hope will continue for some time!

patrick-harvey — The lovely Patrick Harvie – It’s not always easy!

It’s Not Easy Being Green Lyrics
(Song by Joe Raposo)

It’s not that easy being green,
Having to spend each day the color of the leaves.
When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow or gold-
or something much more colorful like that.

It’s not easy being green.
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things.
And people tend to pass you over ’cause you’re not standing out
like flashy sparkles in the water-or stars in the sky.

But green’s the color of Spring.
And green can be cool and friendly-like.
And green can be big like the ocean, or important like a mountain, or tall like a tree.
When green is all there is to be

It could make you wonder why,
but why wonder?
Why Wonder, I am green and it’ll do fine, it’s beautiful!
And I think it’s what I want to be.

Postscript:

And in case anyone has forgotten it, here is the original performed by Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog. Unbelievably it was covered by Frank Sinatra the following year, 1971. Strange times and a strange post I now realise, so back to business as usual for next time I think!

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