Sinead O’Connor as well as being a very talented singer and songwriter is also a qualified medium. She also believes that she is a better Medium than she is a singer-songwriter. If that is true then she must be a truly amazing Medium!
“All the flowers that you planted, mama, in the back yard. All died when you went away” October 15, 2014
“We skipped the light fandango”
Five years ago in 2009 Procol Harum‘s “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” was still the most played song on UK radio. Queen‘s “Bohemian Rhapsody” was at number two in that listing. In a strange coincidence both songs use the word ‘fandango’ in their lyrics. Are their any other songs that use ‘fandango’ in their lyrics?
“Why do I find it hard to write the next line?”
Spandau Ballet‘s 1983 UK number one single “True”, a song which I really do not like, was written about someone who I really do like! It is about the beautiful Clare Grogan off of Altered Images.
“Gotta get my candy free” October 2, 2014
I have just read the news that British singer songwriter Lynsey De Paul has died aged just 64. Whilst I am very open about my eclectic tastes now back in the 70s it wasn’t seen as cool among my circle of friends to like Lynsey’s music. However I must confess that I actually did like quite a few of her songs. Perhaps these are some of my true guilty pleasures. She had quite a few hits in her own right; “Sugar Me”, “Getting A Drag”, “No Honestly”, “Ooh I Do” and “Won’t Somebody Dance With Me”. The latter won her an Ivor Novello award. In 1977 she represented the UK at the Eurovision Song contest with a song that perhaps predicted future UK performances in the contest. It was called “Rock Bottom” which she sang with Mike Moran and it performed really well finishing in second place.
as a co writer perhaps one of her most memorable hits was “Dancing (On A saturday Night)” which she wrote with singer Barry Blue. He took that to number two in the UK charts in 1973. One of my favourite De Paul songs was “Central Park Arrest”. It was written for Thunderthighs who had been backing vocalists to Mott The Hoople. Lynsey’s own version of the song was on the B-Side to “No Honestly”. She has a further link to Thunderthighs and Mott the Hoople. Lynsey De Paul recorded the female vocal part on the album version of Mott The Hoople’s “Roll Away The Stone”. However when the song was released as a single her contribution had been replaced by that of Thunderthighs. In yet another Mott link Lynsey was also responsible for a name change of one of the band. In 1973 when Mick Ralphs left he was replaced by Luther Grosvenor. Mister Grosvenor was for some reason contractually obliged to change his name, so Lynsey suggested Ariel Bender, which stuck.
Lynsey had five UK top twenty hits. “Sugar Me” was her highest UK chart success as a singer reaching number five in 1972. She also had number one singles in Switzerland, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium. My thoughts go to her family, friends and fans. Lynsey De Paul RIP.
“You’ve got a new horizon it’s ephemeral style” August 9, 2014
Damon Albarn is currently the only man to headline Glastonbury two years in a row. With Blur in 2009 and then with Gorillaz the following year. Now this made me wonder how many people have headlined the festival, or indeed any festival, with more than two acts. I guess it’s possible that Damon could also headline as a solo artist in the future too. I’m looking forward to your contributions here dear readers 🙂
” I never really knew that she could dance like this, she makes a man want to speak Spanish” August 7, 2014
Shakira is now the most popular person on Facebook having received 100 million likes. I have now helped her push that figure up to 100,000,001.
Sometimes I just need to fart wherever, whenever
“It’s time for the good times, forget about the bad times, oh yeah” August 6, 2014
Madonna‘s “Holiday” has been in the UK top ten singles chart on three separate occasions; 1984, 1985 and 1991. It’s highest place came in 1985 when the song reached number two. It was also included on Ms. Ciccone’s first album. The song was written by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens. But it was not actually written with Her Royal Madgeness in mind. It had previously been offered to and rejected by Phyllis Hyman and former Supreme Mary Wilson. Madonna’s version of “Holiday” was produced by her boyfriend at the time DJ/ Producer John ‘Jellybean’ Benitez. Does anyone know what happened to him?
“Feet don’t fail me now take me to the finish line” July 11, 2014
Before Lizzy Grant became Lana Del Rey she went through quite a few names. One of the best (and I thank the NME for pointing this out) is probably Sparkle Jump Rope Queen. Under that moniker she launched a few songs onto the internet in 2008. They included “Elvis“, “Blue Ribbon” and “Axl Rose Husband”. Lana was rumoured to have dated Axl Rose a couple of years ago. Personally I think she could do so much better! The question is was it just a rumour? At the height of that rumour she appeared in a Guns ‘N’ Roses t-shirt at the Jazz Cafe in London. Both Lana and Axl have a Scottish lineage and one of the bonus tracks on her current album is called “Guns ‘N’ Roses”. So did she or didn’t she date Axl Rose? You know what I really don’t care. I simply love Lana’s tunes!
“I had to crucify somebody today”
Bez off of the Happy Mondays is a Beekeeper. He says that he finds it ‘a great, soothing, calming, restful thing to do’. I’m sure that you all wondered, as I did, whether the appropriately name Sting keeps bees. Sadly he doesn’t, but he is the patron of the Bees For Development Trust. The organisation helps to establish and promote sustainable beekeeping around the world.
Cover me in honey and throw me to the tantric lesbians
“And I feel to be a cog in something turning”
Joni Mitchell wrote “Woodstock” despite never actually making it to the iconic festival held on Max Yasgur‘s farm in 1969. Joni said that ‘the deprivation of not being able to go’ provided her with ‘an intense angle on Woodstock.
With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 