A Snowy Interlude

It was dreich and depressing , then we had snow which was cold but pretty, and now the snow has gone and it's dreich and depressing the day before going back to work. 

Still is always good to try and find something positive and I have been listening to some great music and seen a surprisingly good film "Cold Skin" which sort of reminded me of William Hope Hodgson's "The Night Land" which I have not read for some years , replacing the pyramid with a lighthouse in the Antarctic.

Also have been trying to think of music that is in the same universe as The Moody Blues , and on album that came to mind was "Trespass" by Genesis. While "The Knife" is definitely too aggressive for The Moody Blues but all the preceding songs could almost be a darker Moody Blues.

So I will share "Dusk" with you from "Trespass" , appropriate for this time of year, and still a great song.

I Wanna Wear A T Shirt

We're in the first full week of 2021 , and I posted on New Year's Day, but haven't felt like writing since then. Part of this is the dreich weather we have been having which is not conducive to inspiration. It was Tuesday when I started this and really haven't felt like writing anything.

The thing is I am wrapped up but seriously just want to wear a T Shirt, it's a long time sing I seemed to have the choice.

Oddly I have managed to do a lot of walking although we've finally had snow and that has slowed my walking but increased the steps.

It's a first week back at work and now I am a home worker I think my main problem is not taking a break,

I didn't really want to continue this post and thought about deleting it but then thought I would just continue it.

I have been listening to a lot more music this week , but really need to start making it but am embarrassed to actually play anything too loud. At least with writing you don't make too much noise.

I have started the latest series of "Vikings" with one of the most impressive battles and death scenes I have see, that is sort of difficult to follow.

So what music do we leave you with at eleven o'clock on a frosty Friday night., "America:What Time Is Love" by KLF , seriously what else could I leave you with.

Could A Copper Comprehend?

 Wasn't sure if I was going to post on the first day of 2021 but the song "Fog on the Tyne" by Lindisfarne has been playing through my head and as I remembered the words I was thing what tripe they actually were from a logical position.

But that's not what it's about , they may have made sense to Alan Hull as he quaffed his next bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale but what he came up with was a genius tone poem , the words sound perfect together , and are great to sing, just don't think about what they are actually saying. I have often used the same argument about Abba and Rush , just listen to the music , fall into the song and enjoy it for what it is.

The song is very simple to play and great to sing along to, a fantastic live staple. Lindisfarne also did some complex and difficult to play songs (say the ghostly "Lady Eleanor") .

Today I wanted to have a walk out, the weather is still grey and boring but I managed to hit my step target trying to track down non existent Buck's Fizz (the drink not the Eurovision Song Contest winners).

So I will share the lyrics for you to peruse and of course you can listen to it above.

Enjoy

Fog on the Tyne

"Sittin' in a sleazy snack-bar suckin'

Sickly sausage rolls

Slippin' down slowly

Slippin' down sideways

Think I'll sign off the dole

'Cause the fog on the Tyne is all mine, all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine, all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine

Could a copper catch a crooked coffin maker

Could a copper comprehend

That a crooked coffin maker is just an undertaker who

Undertakes to be a friend

'Cause the fog on the Tyne is all mine, all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine, all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine

Tell the truth tomorrow

Today will take it's time to

Tell you what tonight will bring,

Presently we'll have a pint or two together

Everybody do their thing

We can swing together

We can have a wee wee

We can have a wet on the wall

If someone slips a whisper

That his simple sister slapped them down

And they slavered on their smalls

'Cause the fog on the Tyne is all mine, all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine, all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine

'Cause the fog on the Tyne is all mine, all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine, all mine

The fog on the Tyne is all mine"

20202021

It's the last day of 2020 and 2021 is already going to be worse for 99% of the UK but that's what they voted for. The USA is trying to dislodge it's incompetent leader while the UK and it's media eulogise their idiot.

Weatherwise it's just very cold, at one point hitting -4⁰C , one flurry of snow.

It is hard to keep positive although I saw my granddaughter this week and her parents and that was really nice.

Postal borders reopened so my backlog of Discogs sales are on their way.

I have been working from home , so listening to a lot of great music as usual.

You can always find positives in any situation and I am going to share one of my favourite ever songs which I was sort of shocked by when it came out. The melody and sound is just so off kilter but it is great and it surprised me because "Cold Blue Excursion" was by Ray Dorset , mutton chopped leader of Mungo Jerry. I found a decent Youtube video for you to enjoy , not to everyone's taste but I like it

So now it's time for work , and this is my final post this year , which has averaged about four posts a week. We shall see what happens in 2021

The Finest Song About Liverpool

A recent "reply" from Ian Prowse on Twitter has made me think about this. I've always considered Pete Wylie's anthemic "Heart as Big as Liverpool" because the fact that it's anthemic . It is a truly great song regardless of it's connections to Liverpool in it's subject and composer. It should be in everyone's music collection and I think has become ingrained in my Liverpool associations (I worked there on and off for for years). I also love the video and wish there was some way of having a video rotation at the top of this post.

"Does This Train Stop On Merseyside" does take it up a notch. First of all it is a great song, and very simple to play, with a great chorus, but it is also a wonderful four minute history of Liverpool , with references to slavery , locations , the Maryland Pyramid , Hillsborough and much more. It triggers questions in your mind about the city in an excellent way , so much that Ian Prowse and his band Amsterdam actually did a documentary about it.

My favourite rendition is Ian's solo performance in Liverpool cathedral though it was originally released by his band Amsterdam (who , when I first saw them I went and bought their two available albums they were that good) . I am going to share those lyrics here , as well as the documentary and links to buy the music. I think overall Ian Prowse wins this one but you are talking a 9.9 versus a ten, both superb songs.

"Mckenzie's soul lies above the ground

In that pyramid near Maryland

Easyjet is hanging in the air

Taking everyone to everywhere

...Whoa

See slave ships sailing into port

The blood of Africa's on every wall

Now there's a layline runs down Mathew Street

It's giving energy to all it meets

...Whoa

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside

Whoa

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside

Whoa

Alan Williams in the Marlboro Arms

Giving his story out to everyone

Famine boats are anchored in the bay

Bringing the poor and deperate

...Whoa

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside

Whoa

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside

Boston babies bouncing on the ground

The riggers beaming out to every town

Whoa... Yeh... Yeh

Why don't you remember

Whoa... Yeh... Yeh

Why don't you remember

Can't concieve what those children done

Guess theres a meaness in the soul of man

Yorkshire policemen chat with folded arms

While people try and save their fellow fans

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside

Whoa

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside"

 

 

Remember

In my last post I was saying that my most played record this week had been "Remember" by Shambeko! Say Wah! and yesterday in my Youtube wandering I found and explanation for the many band names of Pete Wylie. Although this is nowhere near complete here are some that I have found by perusing the track listing of "The Handy Wah! Whole" and other sources:

• Pete Wylie
• Wah! Heat
• Wah!
• Shambeko! Say Wah!
• J.F. Wah!
• The Mighty Wah!
• Pete Wylie and The Oedipus Wrecks
• Pete Wylie and The Mongrel
• .. and many more

This morning I woke up and "Remember" was playing in my head , it is that great a record. If you watch the live take above you will see Pete giving his explanation with examples including Pink Floyd , Fleetwood Mac , Ultravox! (who also have an exclamation mark appended to their name like Wah!) and The Labour Party.

Pete is responsible for the greatest song about Liverpool ever which is "Heart as Big As Liverpool" and that is closely followed by "Does This Train Stop On Merseyside" by Ian Prowse (it's worth checking the documentary on this) but I found a great front room live version with Damien Dempsey of this which you can watch below.

So this is my start to Boxing Day , hpe yours is good to

Feeling Like Scrooge

 .. after the ghosts has been.

Today has been a very relaxing Christmas Day, and I went out for a couple of walks , and was disappointe dto see the local Spar open , but it is a shop that I would only use as a last resort during the year. I wouldn't use it today as there are few Asian owned stores that are open.

On my walking I wished people "Merry Christmas" and got smiles and "Merry Christmas" in return , which was pleasant and uplifting.

A Whatsapp call with my youngest daughter meant I could see my granddaughter Alexis Leia as well as my son in law and their dog Molly.

Christmas films have been "A Muppets Christmas Carol" and "The Man Who Invented Christmas" both closely knit with Dicken's "A Christmas Carol".

I also spent a lot of time watching videos of Pete Wylie and Ian Prowse on Youtube , composers of the two greatest songs about Liverpool ever , "Heart As Big As Liverpool" and "Does This Train Stop On Merseyside". Either follow the blog tags below or search them out on Youtube.

This week my most played song has been "Remember by Shambeko Wah! (Pete Wylie) and the most played album "This Time It's Personal" by Dr John Cooper Clarke and Hugh Cornwell, that has been this weeks biggest hit on my  Instagram Channel here.

So I will go with a live take of "Spanish Harlem" by John Cooper Clarke and Hugh Cornwell , not exactly seasonal but a great frun record to end the day on.