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03 February 2014

Twinkle: ♫Terry ♫Golden Lights ... retirement

Actor Fay Ripley (Cold Feet) mentioned her Auntie Twinkle (Lynn Ripley) during an interview.

In the mid-60s, Twinkle released a couple of singles: Terry and Golden Lights, songs that she wrote herself. Appearing on Top of the Pops as a teenage mod in fashionable clingy striped top,  mini-skirt and long boots, with her long blonde hair, full fringe and pale lipstick, she was the envy and idol of every teenage school-girl. Twinkle's time in the spotlight was less than two years and she retired from her pop singing career at the ripe old age of 18.

I heard one of the songs on the radio at the weekend and decided to share these with you:

♪ ♫ Terry by Twinkle (unfortunately, the link no longer works)


♪ ♫ Golden Lights by Twinkle



 
Recommended Music Blog: soundsandvision
Beebopalula

29 January 2014

Passion vs Perfection in music

Quite often, my favourite songs from an artist or a band are their early ones where the enthusiasm and excitement comes across. As an example, listen to '5 colours' from McFly and compare it with their later recordings which are very good but less exciting.



Going way back, other examples include Cliff Richard and David Essex. An exception to this is Queen whose synergy grew to the heights of unparalleled entertainment, both visually and musically. Many 'entertainers' have tried, including Elton John and Robbie Williams, but none have come close (in my opinion) to those four talented people in a harmonious direction.

Except, perhaps, The Beatles with their song-writing talents and harmonies, who exempted themselves by shifting their style (and possibly the LSD was a factor in that). But, unlike Queen, The Beatles were talented people with ambitions in different musical directions.

And the other exception: the constantly shape-shifting David Bowie.

This theory is more difficult to prove for 'mentored' artists but if we think back to the X-factor final between Joe McElderry with a perfect voice that won him the competition and Olly Murs whose voice was good and gave him in second place - who really won? Olly Murs had the energy and obvious enjoyment of performing for his audience and is as popular as Joe McElderry is obscure - thus illustrating that passion beats perfection.
Beebopalula

20 January 2014

Doctor Who's Birthdays

A truly random post. Here is a list of Doctor Who's birthdays - well, the birthdays of all the actors who have been Doctor Who. Might be handy in some sort of weird quiz!

  • 8 January 1908 - William Hartnell (Capricorn)
  • 20 January 1934 - Tom Baker (Capricorn)
  • 22 January 1940 - John Hurt (Aquarius)
  • 16 February 1964 - Christopher Eccleston (Aquarius)
  • 25 March 1920 - Patrick Troughton (Aries)
  • 13 April 1951 - Peter Davison (Aries)
  • 14 April 1958 - Peter Capaldi (Aries)
  • 18 April 1971 - David Tennant (Aries)
  • 26 May 1913 - Peter Cushing (Gemini)
  • 8 June 1943 - Colin Baker (Gemini)
  • 7 July 1919 - Jon Pertwee (Cancer)
  • 20 August 1943 - Sylvester McCoy (Leo)
  • 28 October 1982 - Matt Smith (Scorpio)
  • 14 November 1959 - Paul McGann (Scorpio)

Additional Comic Relief Doctors* not included!
*Rowan Atkinson, Richard E Grant, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant & Joanna Lumley.
3BPs

19 January 2014

How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live?

I've just discovered this song from 1929 - link to info and lyrics

Written by Blind Alfred Reed, here is the original:



There have been several covers, including from Ry Cooder and my personal favourite, at a live performance in London in 2006, a powerful rendition by Bruce Springsteen. 

 

Comments welcome :-) 

Recommended Music Blog: soundsandvision

Beebopalula...


♪ ♫ I think It's Going To Work Out Fine.

Everyone I've spoken to lately is stressed or depressed. Maybe the weather, their health, their job or the cost of living is the underlying cause - I can do nothing about that but if you close your eyes and listen to "I think it's going to work out fine" by Ry Cooder, really listen, it is calming and then uplifting. Enjoy.



Recommended Music Blog: soundsandvision 
Beebopalula...

16 January 2014

School = Prison

I heard a news report about a high number of teenagers being depressed and it doesn't take a genius to understand why. Parents are forced to send their children to school to complete a minimum of 13 years in an institution where parents and kids have very little say.

School is just like an open prison where children have to follow rules without question. There is often bullying by teachers and other inmates -er, pupils- and sentences are not commuted for good behaviour. These kids have done nothing wrong and not even had a trial - so much for living in a 'free' country.

Here's the shocker... some teenagers hate school and this leads to depression and aggression. Earlier generations could leave school at 14, 15 or 16 but now it's 18 and the reasons for this are not improved education but political convenience. No wonder that some teenagers feel that the only control they have over their lives is the power to end it.

Flexing yet more power, authorities are now punishing parents with hefty fines for deciding that two weeks of quality family time is important. This is not about the child's education, it's a spiteful reaction to stop people stepping out of line.

During a discussion regarding discretionary term-time holidays, a councillor from Leeds on Breakfast TV nullified her argument by asking What if 20 people wanted to take their child out of a class in the same week? Reverting to discussions between parents and head-teacher would ensure that such occasions are managed properly and work can be made up, as it has to be if a child is off sick or suspended.

And, oh joy, we are exporting our education system to third world countries in the same way our ancestors exported religion. I think we need a re-think.
Mum
(who never took a child out of school)

14 January 2014

Celebrating Celts

The Scots seems to condense all their celebrations to an eight week window each winter.
  • St Andrew's Day - 30th November
  • Hogmanay - 31st December
  • Burns Night - 25th January
On these three dates, the kilts get an airing and glorious tartans be-deck the globe across all continents. Andy Stewart can be heard asking "Donald, Where's Your Troosers?" and bag-pipes are allowed in public for a few refrains of Scotland the Brave and Amazing Grace. (To be fair, they are also heard at other events north of the border, such as the Edinburgh Tattoo.)

There is a structure to Burns Night with the piping in of Haggis, a spicy savoury dish of mutton and oatmeal and reading of some of Burns' works. By contrast to formal events, there are parties in pubs and restaurants where 'Jimmy' hats and Scotch whisky are more in abundance!



Moving on to the Irish... It's warmed up a bit by 17th March when everything is beginning to turn green, not just the shamrock-coloured revellers' attire and their St Patrick's Day after-party pallor from Guinness and Irish whiskey, but the leaves on the trees as we approach the vernal equinox.

TV should be good that evening, possibly re-runs of Father Ted, My Hero and Mrs Brown's Boys. The next day, Paddy McGinty's Goat will graze on the luscious spring grass, digesting accompaniments of left-over party hats, banners and green balloons as Danny Boy can be heard endlessly in the distance.

That's addressed my Scottish & Irish relatives - now to squeeze in something for the Welsh ones: St David's Day is on March 1st but all we do is wear a daffodil or, worse, a leek! And finally, the English - St George's Day is on April 23rd but English patriotism creates bad feeling unless we're playing football. Mad world.
Bee