Guitar, Drum and Bass on BBC 4 - Series 1.3. On Guitar ... Lenny Kaye!

No, I hadn't heard of Lenny Kaye. He is Patti Smith's long time collaborator and guitarist and did a fine job describing the evolution of the electric guitar. I was very interested in all the old stuff, starting with Les Paul. He was an innovator who wanted something better than electrifying an acoustic guitar and developed the first Gibson solid body instrument.

We were soon hearing Bo Diddley transforming blues into rock and roll, Duane Eddy ( I hadn't heard "Because They're Young" for years - I would always remember it as the theme music for DJ Johnnie Walker.) There was a short section about early sixties instrumental records from The Ventures ("Walk Don't Run") to those from The Shadows.

A piece about the 12 string guitar included clips of George Harrison's playing on Beatles records like "A Hard Day's Night" ad The Byrds with "Mr Tambourine Man". More innovations came with The Kinks and the fuzz-box on "You Really Got Me", and then , of course, The Rolling Stones and Keef.

It couldn't miss The Who and Pete Townsend on "Can't Explain" and their increasingly anarchic live performances. However, when we reached Jimmy Hendrix and heavy metal, I was lost. But up till then I was entranced.

Mamma Mia - Here We Go Again - The Songs and Instrumentals in Order

Ever since I first published my post of 15th August 2018, I have wanted to produce a definitive list of all the songs and instrumentals for Mamma Mia - Here we Go Again, in the order in which they are played in the film. It was so clever to use ABBA songs for all the incidental music and it was these that were, on occasions, so difficult to pin down. Sometimes just a few bars with a different orchestration, but always beautifully interpreted for the score by Anne Dudley.

So when Sky offered the movie for "buy and keep" for the amazing price of £2.99, I have been able to access the download on my laptop and, with my trusty headphones, trawled through the film to identify the music. No cheating with song recognition software for me, so if I have made a mistake, it's all down to my ears. Some of the songs have instrumental openings and these are not included if part of the track. So, here we go ................ again.

Thank You For The Music - Instrumental

Thank You For The Music - Sophie

Honey, Honey - Instrumental

When I Kissed The Teacher - Young Donna, Young Tanya, Young Rosie, Vice Chancellor

Chiquitita - Instrumental

One Of Us - Sophie and Sky

Does Your Mother Know - Instrumental

Let The Music Speak - Instrumental

Our Last Summer - Instrumental (Benny on piano)

Waterloo - Young Harry, Young Donna

SOS - Instrumental

SOS - Sam

Why Did It Have To Be Me - Instrumental

Why Did It Have To Be Me - Young Bill, Young Donna and Young Harry

Take A Chance On Me - Instrumental

I Have A Dream - Young Donna

One Of Us - Instrumental

Angel Eyes - Instrumental

Kisses Of Fire - Lazaros

Andante, Andante - Young Donna

The Name Of The Game - Instrumental

The Name of the Game - Young Donna

Knowing Me, Knowing You - Young Donna, Young Sam

Does Your Mother Know - Instrumental

Honey, Honey - Instrumental

Mamma Mia - Young Donna, Young Tanya, Young Rosie

Angel Eyes - Tanya, Rosie, Sophie

Chiquitita - Instrumental

Knowing Me, Knowing You - Instrumental

Angel Eyes - Instrumental

Take A Chance On Me - Instrumental

Dancing Queen - Tanya, Rosie, Sophie, Sam, Harry, Bill

Chiquitita - Instrumental

Slipping Through My Fingers - Instrumental

Money, Money, Money - Instrumental

Hasta Manana - Helen Sjoholm

Hole In Your Soul - Lazaros

The Day Before You Came - Instrumental

I've Been Waiting For You - Sophie, Tanya, Rosie

Fernando - Ruby and Cienfuegos

Slipping Through My Fingers - Instrumental

My Love, My Life - Young Donna, Donna, Sophie

Super Trouper - Whole Cast

END CREDITS INSTRUMENTAL MEDLEY

Hole In Your Soul

Dancing Queen

The Name of the Game

Mamma Mia

Does Your Mother Know

SOS

lay All Your Love On Me

The Winner Takes It All

Lay All Your Love On Me

SOS

Under Attack

When All Is said And Done

Mamma Mia

AFTER END CREDITS

Take A Chance On Me - Passport Officer

I need here to give credit to the website www.abbaomnibus.net/mammamia/2/songs.htm.
Whilst I have defined nearly all the songs and instrumentals by listening, sometimes many times over (and not using music recognition software), the final medley was, in parts, quite complicated and here I have been guided by the above website.

If I have made any mistakes, I hope to be corrected. Again I wish to express my congratulations to Anne Dudley for such a brilliant score.

PS 11th April 2022

For some reason I decided to check the songs on Tunefind. What I found was a song called I Wonder (Departure). This turns out to be part of a deleted scene and probably only available on the DVD extras. As were two other songs: I do, I do, I do, I do, I do and Lay all your love on me.  

Guitar, Drum and Bass on BBC4 - Series 1:2. On Bass... Tina Weymouth!

The episode "On Bass" in the BBC4 Series "Guitar, Drum and Bass" was presented by Tina Weymouth, bass guitarist of Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club. She was a brilliant presenter of the story of how the stand up double bass was transformed into that electric instrument fundamental to rock in all it's forms.

She starts by describing the walking bass rhythms of the double bass to the slapped bass that made up for no drummer, and the vocal bass used in do-wop. With the introduction of the electric bass guitar in the early sixties, we were suddenly hearing those innovative riffs and bass lines  created by the new bands. From Paul McCartney's bass line in "Day Tripper" to his earlier ground breaking (and my all time favourite) playing in "I saw her standing there".

Tina's explanations of new techniques was excellent. She describes one of the greatest bass players ever. James Jamerson was an uncredited and invisible studio bass player on Motown records. But his bass lines on tracks like My Girl" gave these records the iconic status they have today.

I had never heard of Jamerson nor Carol Kaye who played, and invented more iconic bass lines on "The Beat Goes On" and many, many other hit records.

Nor had I heard of Herbie Flowers. (Where have I been all these years). Herbie was a jazz double bass player who also played in the orchestra of many musicals in the West End. Starting out his career in pop music with David Bowie, he gets paid £12 for the session with Lou Reed where his bass line on "Walk on the Wild Side" is one of the most famous of all. I learnt about portamento, one note going up and the other down. But he got no composing credits.

However, just after half way in the programme, I lost interest in the more modern sounds. Not my era I'm afraid, but what an education about the early electric bass.

Marry Poppins Returns, The Favourite and Stan and Ollie

The 

Whenever I think of the Mary Poppins story, I cannot help but picture Tom Hanks (as Walt Disney) when he suddenly realises in "Saving Mr Banks" that P J Travers has written about her father:
"So it's not the children she comes to save, it's their father; it's your father". 
In the new movie "Mary Poppins Returns", it is the new father, played by Ben Wishaw, that is desperately in need of help. In danger of losing his house to an abominable Colin Firth. So in flies you know who. 

I have to say that some of the set pieces are outstanding, even if the accompanying songs are less than satisfactory.  The lamps on the chimney sweeps bicycles in the semi dark and the cartoon sequence are superb. Most of the cast are fine: Emily Blunt, Ben Wishaw, Emily Mortimer and Julie Walters are on top form. I was less than convinced by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The story was quite hammy and the dialogue pretty ordinary but why worry about the cut, just feel the cloth.

I knew very little about the 18th century court of Queen Anne, all wigs, intrigue and candles in the dark. There has been no attempt to lighten the darkness and that works really well. All the plaudits rightly go to Olivia Colman as the Queen, sometimes enjoying, sometimes despising the battle for her favour between the incumbent (Rachel Weisz) and the upstart (Emma Stone). This three way tussle is absorbing and brilliantly acted. The often rude but clever script is by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara and director Yorgos Lanthimos has done a fine job.

Equally good, if not better, is Stan and Ollie. Steve Coogan and John C Reilly have career highs as the elderly double act struggling around the UK on tour. They are fortunate to have Jeff Pope to write the screenplay, although I felt the imput of Coogan would have been important, mirroring Stan Laurel for ever writing new stuff for their act. Along with director John S Baird, they have perfected the line between impersonation and impression. So good, you totally believe they are Stan and Ollie. Their bickering wives who join the tour later in London are a double act in their own right. The contrast between the early tour empty theatres and horrible boarding house with the successful later shows and the plush London Adelphi Hotel is a little heavy handed, but this is nothing compared to an overall brilliant movie.

The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth, Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont and What a Carve Up!

Nine short stories, seven of which are very short, another of 50 pages and the longest approaching that of a novella. All quite interesting, all written with the usual Boyd wit and panache, but none outstanding. One is written with a backwards timeline, and one as extracts from different character's diaries about the same event. This seems to be Boyd experimenting.

The longest story, that is used as the book's title, follows a year in the life of a muddled 24 year old as she embarks upon job after job, boyfriend after boyfriend. Enjoyable if not rewarding. The final story is a potted thriller, the ultimate UK road trip. "How many Stellas was I going to meet on this journey".
Again, the author is having fun, sometimes at our expense. I know the short story game means that it has an open ended or unexpected finish, and we have to make up our own minds about what happens next. But please, Mr Boyd, gives us more clues! 

A poignant novel about being old. Laura Palfrey ponders about why time goes so much slower now she is in her eighties. She struggles to find things to fill her day. (Fortunately, in my seventies, I don't have this problem). "The walk had taken her out of herself, as well as out". This is typical of Taylor's sweet prose. Laura talks about the life she had with her husband: "If I had known at the time how happy I was, she decoded now, it would only have spoiled it. I took it for granted. That was much better. I don't regret that".

The Claremont Hotel, on Cromwell Road, where Mrs Palfrey now resides, has just a few long term residents, all ancient and all with their annoying habits. The manager would rather do without their custom. I was going to say that this was a sad little book, but getting old is not sad, it's just getting old. As a meditation on old age, this is a classic. 

What an extraordinary book. Michael Owen is a writer and his first person narration alternates with (perhaps) the chapters he has written about each member of the terrible Winshaw family. He has been commissioned by one of them to delve into the family's recent history. I realise now that you need a good memory to remember events that are important later (e.g. the smell of jasmine) but more importantly certain characters who make a brief appearance but also appear much later. It would have been good to make notes!

This is therefore quite a complex novel, masquerading as a black comedy. The title of the book is taken from that of a 1961 comedy horror film starring Sid James, Kenneth Connor and Shirley Eaton. I have never seen it, but Michael did see part as a child until his mother realised it was not appropriate. However it made a huge impression on our narrator and events from that movie have a habit of encroaching into his life.

"I was more like Kenneth Connor - and always would be - forcing myself not to look in the mirror at a gorgeous, terrifying reality disclosing itself only a few inches behind my back". (Shirley Eaton changing clothes).

There is one particular character who was superb. Phoebe (then an artist) first appears in the chapter about Roddy Winshaw and in fact upstages the man who should have taken Michael's attention. Why, I have now only realised writing this piece. The book is also a political commentary on the 1980's. The NHS comes under fire, so no change there then.

The first half of the book is especially good, I just thought it sagged a little two third through. Saddam Hussein's Iraq bubbles to the surface with lots of boring detail about arms deals etc. But then there is the final section written with short chapters, each with their own title and Michael now in the third person. Absolutely worth waiting for. Remember this is a black comedy or, in this case, more a farcical horror. 

Tring Book Club - The Cleaner of Chartres by Sally Vickers

My first reading of a Sally Vickers novel, and only because a book club choice. I enjoyed the story of Agnes Morel told in real time and in flashback. The author has connected both in subtle and clever ways.  A simple construction but effective. At the point when Agnes arrives at the cathedral on page 63, I was hooked. I warmed to the various characters in Chartres and those from before Agnes arrived in the town. However, there were probably too many as each was only thinly drawn.

Although this is often a mostly an uplifting novel, there are dark passages that counterweight the lightness. However, I found the long passages describing in detail every corner of the cathedral, to be too distracting, and the ending a little too contrived. However I shall search out another book by Sally Vickers to add to my reading list.

Songs from Call the Midwife - Series 8

Series 8 starts at the beginning of 1964. The breakthrough year for many British bands.

Episode 1

Only one song this week: I  Like It by Gerry and the Pacemakers. A second single and a second number 1 for the Liverpool band. Written by Mitch Murray, it reached the top of the charts in June 1963.

There was an instrumental early on: Fly me to the Moon. This was a composition from 1954 by Bart Howard. A big hit for Frank Sinatra in 1964, but this instrumental is more likely to be that by Joe Harnell from 1962.

Episode 2

Two songs this week. First up The Hippy Hippy Shake by The Swinging Blue Jeans. Written in 1959 by the seventeen year old Chan Romero, it was a hit for him in the USA. The Swinging Blue Jeans covered the song in their 1964 recording that went on to be a Number 2 hit in the UK. And  yes, we all danced to this at Poly and Uni concerts that year.

I have the recording The Beatles made in 1963 on the album "Live at the BBC" They played this song at all of their early gigs. Try the audio recording at the Star Club in Hamburg in 1962 on YouTube.

The only other song this week was the wonderful My Girl by The Temptations. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, this (late) 1964 recording made it to Number 1 in the USA but only to Number 43 in the UK.

Episode 3

First up that huge hit Needles and Pins by The Searchers released in January 1964.  Written by Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono, it reached Number 1 in the UK. They were still playing it on tour last year.

Then a very difficult song to recognise. Played faintly in the background of the girl's bedroom was I Think of You by The Merseybeats that reached Number 5 on the UK charts in May 1964. It was written by Peter Lee Stirling (born Peter Charles Green and later known as Daniel Boone). He also wrote I Belong that Kathy Kirby propelled to runner up in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965.

Next up another classic - Glad All Over by The Dave Clark Five. Written by Dave Clark and Mike Smith, it was the band's first UK Number 1 in January 1964. It also reached the top ten in the USA.

Finally Little Children by Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas. It was written by Leslie McFarland and Mort Shuman. Another big Number 1 hit in the UK in March 1964.

Yes, 1964 was a big year for British bands so this week not a single song from across the pond.

Episode 4

I knew the first song sounded like Manfred Mann, but Sha La La was one of their lesser known hits. Apparently it did reach No 3 in the UK in 1964. It was originally recorded by The Shirelles for whom it was written by Robert Mosley and Robert Taylor.

Next up was the theme music from Doctor Who. Composed by Ron Grainer, it was recorded in 1963 by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop under the control of Delia Darbyshire.

I first thought the jazz music in the gallery was by Dave Brubeck, but it was in fact The Believer by John Coltrane from his 1964 album of the same name.

Last of all came A World Without Love by Peter and Gordon, their first single released in February 1964. It reached No 1 in both the UK and USA. It was composed by Paul McCartney when he was sixteen but was deemed not good enough for The Beatles. Paul shared a room with Peter Asher when he moved into the London home of his girlfriend Jane Asher in 1963.

Episode 5

My Boy Lollipop by Millie Small was written in the 1950's by Robert Spencer. Also credited are Morris Levy and Johnny Roberts of the Cadillacs. It reached No 2 in the UK and USA for Millie in 1964. Apparently it was played at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics.

Wishin' and Hopin' by Dusty Springfield. What a treat to hear this wonderful song again with the incomparable voice of Dusty. Written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, it was first recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1962 but was a big hit for Dusty in the USA in June 1964 reaching No 6 in the charts. However it was never released as a single in the UK due to another of Dusty's songs being in the charts. It was on her LP "A Girl Called Dusty". I had forgotten what a marvellous singer of soul music she was and so just ordered her greatest hits CD. I cannot wait to listen to "I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten". Thanks Vicki.

Miss Jamaica by Jimmy Cliff who also wrote the song, the second ska song of the episode. Released in 1962 in the UK on Island Records, it did not trouble the charts.

Episode 6

Only one song this week. I don't count non recorded songs on my list.

I'm Into Something Good  by Herman's Hermits. A marvellous Gerry Goffin and Carole King composition, it was a Number 1 in the UK in September 1964. That instrumental intro was so familiar, I recognised the song after only a few notes.

Episode 7

Two songs tonight. 

It's For You by Cilla Black. A song written by John Lennon and (mostly) Paul McCartney. It reached a chart high of No 7 in the UK.

You Really Got Me by The Kinks. Written by Ray Davies, it was released in August 1964 and reached No 1 in the UK in September and No 7 in the USA.

Episode 8

The last episode in the series and two songs.

Glad All Over by The Dave Clark Five. Their first big hit was written by Dave Clark and Mike Smith, released towards the end of 1963, it reached Number 1 in the UK in January 1964.

Let Me Tell You by Petula Clark. This single was released in 1963 and was composed by Mark Anthony, a name used by Tony Hatch who also directed the orchestral accompaniment. It failed to reach  the charts, probably why I had never heard it before.

Review of 2018

If I start with running, as I did last year, it is the two races where the weather was too warm to first come to mind. I only run one half marathon a year, and choosing Milton Keynes in early May was maybe a mistake. The sun was beating down in the middle of the day and there was hardly any shade. I have never stopped to walk before on any run, but this time after eight miles I did, alternately jogging and walking to the finish. It was equally sunny for the Great South Run. My time was down on the previous year, but a reasonable run for the conditions.

The year started better with the MK 10K where I came first in my age category and received a nice certificate, and ended with the South Bucks 10K. This time it was a trophy and a small Sainsbury voucher for an age category first. So no guessing my best distance. Seventh out of ten in my age grade for the Half, 12th out of 55 for GSR, 7th out of 14 for the Maidenhead 10 and 4th out of 16 for the Marlow 5 put things in perspective.

The sunny weather throughout 2018 was in evidence during our two main holidays in the Lake District and Cornwall. The fell walks to Calf Crag and Stickle Tarn were amazing in the relentless sunshine, it was good to reach the peaks where it was cooler. The short break for the Hay Festival was memorable, taking in Sudeley Castle on the way, the day at the Festival and at Hereford Cathedral and Mappa Mundi on the final day. Of course, we did enjoy the three days away at Portsmouth, so much that the hotel for next year is already booked.

In April, having received all the necessary permissions from my sources,  I finally published the history of my mother's ancestors (the Askews) on a weebly website: https://thesascoughsofeastfen.weebly.com.

The highlight of my visits to the theatre was Laura Linney's solo performance in My Name is Lucy Barton at the superb new Bridge Theatre. I also thoroughly enjoyed Emma Rice's new company in Wise Children at the Oxford Playhouse, less so the two Pinter plays at The Harold Pinter Theatre, although Janie Dee is always worth seeing. Maria Aberg's The Duchess of Malfi at Stratford was a much darker affair than her usual productions of classic plays. Oxford Playhouse staged excellent touring productions of A Streetcar Named Desire and Duet for One. Milton Keynes Theatre once again hosted the touring English National Ballet, this time with Manon. Absolutely Superb.

My favourite films came early in the year with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Darkest Hour, The Post and A Quiet Place. I also enjoyed Leave No Trace, Hotel Artemis, A Simple Favour,  Widows and of course Mamma Mia HWGA. But later came the quite brilliant  Bad Times at the El Royale. Of the theatre productions shown live in cinemas this year, the highlight for me was Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan. A superbly entertaining performance. 

I continued this year with visits to see new architecture in London. In June it was the new development at Paddington Basin (coupled with the Monet and Architecture exhibition at The National Gallery and The Bridge Theatre in the evening), in September to the Victoria and Albert Museum's new Exhibition Road Quarter and November to see the redevelopment of the Royal Academy.

Only one concert this year, but what a fabulous evening. Nerina Pallot solo at The Stables in Milton Keynes was unforgettable.

Tulip Fever, White Christmas and Bumblebee

What a huge disappointment. Sometimes, when adapting a top novel, it is best to ditch the author and find someone who will distil the essence of the story to something that works on the screen. This was one such time. Deborah Moggach is one of my favourite authors, although I had avoided this particular romantic drama set in Amsterdam. I should have listened to the critics and steered well clear.

There are some very good cameos from Judy Dench and Tom Hollander but the lead roles are badly cast. I have always thought Alicia Vikander to be an excellent actress, but here she fails to portray the rags to riches young woman stuck in a marriage with an older man. Her lover Dane DeHaan is just dreadful and the central romance failed to deliver an ounce of passion.

The directing and editing is all over the place. The tulip market plays a central role, but I was totally bewildered about what was going on. The cuts between the romantic drama and the the mayem in the market just did not work. A real mess.

The Rex Cinema in Berkhamstead was showing a series of old Christmas movies and White Christmas was one of them in a stunning restoration. It was all very familiar and all so predictable. But enormous fun despite the dated feel.

You couldn't get a more different film than White Christmas than Bumblebee. Luckily, the scenes of transformers fighting each other were not too long. Mark Kermode had also remarked that this was the first transformer movie that he had enjoyed, and I agreed that the family drama woven into the script was pretty good. Hailee Steinfeld in the lead role was fine. Unfortunately the rest of the cast were all pretty hammy. But having a terrific screenplay (by Christina Hodson) that had heart made all the difference.

I almost forgot. There is the 1980's soundtrack. Wow! Lots of British artists, it even has Howard Jones!!! 

Songs from "Call the Midwife" - Through the Years

I first listed the songs from  "Call the Midwife" back in 2012. That post of the songs from Series 1 has the highest number of hits for a single article on my blog. Last week this stood at 13, 375. The songs from Series 2 has 6,024 hits, Series 3 has 7,629, Series 4 has 2,086, Series 5 has 1,023, Series 6 has 464 and Series 7 only 55.

Thanks to the use of song recognition software (that I never use) and websites such as Tunefind, my once essential blog has been usurped by modern technology. But my posts are the only ones that record the song's writers, their position in the charts and other interesting facts. Stay here for Series 8.