For Cliffe!

 

“It Don’t Mean A Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)  – Chuck Brown

 

Sole Fan Meets Golf Legend Cliffe Jones

Chic Murray

Chic Murray turned the Celtic tradition of story-telling into an art form. His oblique, often perverse look at life was underpinned by an original sense of timing which likely originated from his accomplished but little known musicianship. A talented actor as well as a groundbreaking comedian, he appeared in various roles on British television and film notably Casino Royale, Gregory s Girl and memorably portrayed Liverpool Football Club manager Bill Shankly in You ll Never Walk Alone, receiving rave reviews. In 2005, Chic was named in The Comedian’s Comedian, a poll where comedians chose their own favourite or most influential comedian.

Fans of the great Chic Murray could be in for a treat this Christmas with the release of several DVD’s and books.

“Just Daft” arrives in both DVD and Book formats

The term alternative humour had not been heard of when Chic Murray first bestrode the stage. He was unique, a one-off, a comedic pioneer ranked in the highest echelons of his art in the last century. Chic s comic genius was all too rarely captured on film. This DVD includes rare footage of Chic s classic routines recorded whilst he was at the peak of his career as well as e specially recorded feature with Maidie Murray, Chic s wife and stage partner of many years. Just Daft: The Comic Genius of Chic Murray gathers together the off-beat comic genius s finest sketches and clips onto one hilarious DVD compendium.

My boss is so narrow minded that when he has an idea, it comes out folded.

 I use to write her love letters in the sand, but it was an incredible hassle trying to get sand into the pillar box

 ’Do you know the piano’s resting on my foot?’. ‘No, but hum it and I’ll play it’.

Chic Murray is a cult figure of alternative humour, a comedic pioneer ranked in the highest echelons of his art in the last century and admired around the world. “Funnyosities” features a huge number of Chic’s funniest one-liners – some well known and others taken from material newly found by the great man’s family. This collection is the perfect distillation of Chic’s gloriously off-beat humour.

For the first time on DVD Alba home vision present ‘The Best Of Chic Murray’. Described as the originator of Scottish standup comedy, his influence has been enormous north of the border. Billy Connolly is a huge fan and was drawn towards stand up because of Chic.

This programme features rare and unseen footage including a live show from the early 70’s, a full length documentary on his life, with contributions from stars of Scottish stage and screen.

 

To buy Chic Murray goodies click HERE

 

The Ultimate Video Mash Up?

The jam band Phish came up with a list of 99 classic albums, one of which (“Exile on Main Street”) they surprised an audience by covering in its entirety at a Halloween concert in Indio, California. As an intro for the Phish performance, London-based A/V remixers Eclectic Method took audio and video bits from each of those 99 albums and collaged them together into a superb cut-up. “Eclectic Method Goes Phish“

 

New Music – El Perro del Mar

Although sounding like an Italian International football striker El Perro del Mar (literaly “The Dog from the Sea” in Spanish) is a musical project that was founded in December 2003 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The sole member of El Perro del Mar, Sarah Assbring, initially started as a DIY MP3/CD-R artist and released her first songs through Hybris Records. Her music could be described as melancholic lo-fi twee dance/pop.

From 2004 to late 2005, her records had only been released by the Swedish label, Hybris, but in 2006, Sarah experienced a host of new found success when her self-titled album El Perro del Mar was picked up by UK-based label, Memphis Industries, under which Dungen and The Go! Team also release. Prior to the self-titled album, Sarah had recorded and released Look! It’s El Perro del Mar! and the EP You Gotta Give to Get, in Spring 2005 and November 2005 respectively.

In early 2007, El Perro del Mar ended her relationship with Scandinavian label Hybris and began a new relationship with The Concretes label Licking Fingers. Her second full-length album titled From the Valley to the Stars was released in Spring 2008.

Now this year we have “Love Is Not Pop” from which this track is taken.

“Change Of Heart” – El Perro del Mar

 

To buy the music of El Perro  del Mar click HERE

San Diego

I have family in San Diego and have had the privelage of visiting there on more than one occassion, it is without doubt one of my my favourite places.

The San Diego-Coronado Bridge, as pictured above, locally referred to as the Coronado Bridge, is a “prestressed concrete/steel” girder bridge, crossing over San Diego Bay in the United States, linking San Diego, California with Coronado, California. The bridge is signed as part of State Route 75.

The Hotel del Coronado (also known as the The Del to local residents) is a beachfront luxury hotel in the city of Coronado, just across the San Diego Bay from San Diego, California. It is one of the few surviving examples of an American architectural genre: the wooden Victorian beach resort. It is one of the oldest and largest all-wooden buildings in California and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

When it opened in 1888, it was the largest resort hotel in the world and the first to use electrical lighting. It has hosted presidents, royalty, and celebrities throughout the years. The hotel has been featured in numerous movies and books.

The hotel first was featured in a film during 1927 when it was used as a backdrop for the film The Flying Fleet. Since then, it has been featured in at least twelve other films, including: Some Like It Hot (which starred Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis), The Stunt Man (which starred Peter O’Toole), the 1973 film Wicked, Wicked (which was completely filmed on location there), and the 1990 version of My Blue Heaven (which starred Steve Martin).

I have experienced the famous Sunday Lunch served up in the room below.

Anyway back to the bridge!

The 11,179-foot-long (3,407 m or 2.1 mi) bridge ascends from Coronado at a 4.67 percent grade before curving 80 degrees toward San Diego.

The span reaches a maximum height of 200 feet (61m), allowing the U.S. Navy ships which operate out of the nearby Naval Station San Diego to pass underneath it. The five-lane bridge featured the longest box girder in the world until it was surpassed by a bridge in Chonqing, China in 2008.

The Coronado Bridge construction started in February 1967, and the bridge was opened to traffic on August 3, 1969, during the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the founding of San Diego.

Originally, the toll was $0.60 in each direction and the curve was said to have been required to ensure the length of crossing was long enough to be tolled.

Several years later, this was changed to a $1 toll collected for traffic going westbound to Coronado only. Although the bridge was supposed to become “toll-free” once the original bridge bond was paid (which occurred in 1986), the tolls continued for sixteen additional years. In 2002, it became the last toll bridge in Southern California to discontinue tolls. The original toll booths remained intact for a short while, and were temporarily replaced with newer, more modern-looking toll booths for the filming of a car commercial in April 2007.

The islands upon which the toll booths sat, as well as the canopy over the toll plaza area, are still intact, located at the western end of the bridge in the westbound lanes. Though tolls are no longer collected, beginning February 19th, 2009 there was talk of resuming westbound toll collection.

All of which is really just an excuse to post this film of Tom Waits performing “San Diego Serenade”. 

I never saw the morning ’til I stayed up all night
I never saw the sunshine ’til you turned out the light
I never saw my hometown until I stayed away too long
I never heard the melody, until I needed a song.

I never saw the white line, ’til I was leaving you behind
I never knew I needed you ’til I was caught up in a bind
I never spoke ‘I love you’ ’til I cursed you in vain,
I never felt my heartstrings until I nearly went insane.

I never saw the east coast ’til I move to the west
I never saw the moonlight until it shone off your breast
I never saw your heart ’til someone tried to steal,
Tried to steal it away
I never saw your tears until they rolled down your face.

Paddy McGinty’s Goat

“Paddy McGinty’s Goat” – Val Doonican

 

Now Patrick McGinty, an Irishman of note
Fell in for a fortune and he bought himself a goat
Says he, sure of goat’s milk I’m goin’ to have me fill
But when he brought a Nanny home, he found it was a Bill

All the young ladies who live in Killaloo
They’re all wearing bustles like their mothers used to do
They each wear a bolster beneath their petticoat
And leave the rest to Providence and Paddy McGinty’s goat

Mrs Burke to her daughter said, listen Mary Jane
Who was the lad you were cuddlin’ in the lane
He’d long wiry whiskers a-hangin’ from his chin
‘Twas only Pat McGinty’s goat, she answered with a grin

Then she went away from the village in disgrace
She came back with powder and paint upon her face
She’d rings on her fingers, and she wore a sable coat
You bet your life she didn’t get those from Paddy McGinty’s goat

Now Norah McCarthy, the knot was goin’ to tie
She washed out her trousseau and she hung it out to dry
Along came the goat and he saw the bits of white
And chewed up all her falderals, upon her wedding night

Oh turn out the light, quick, she shouted out to Pat
For though I’m your bride, sure I’m not worth lookin’ at
I had two of everything, I told you when I wrote
But now I’ve one of nothin’, all through Paddy McGinty’s goat

Mickey Riley, he went to the races t’other day
He won twenty dollars and he shouted hip hooray
He held up the note, shoutin’ look at what I’ve got
The goat came up and grabbed it and he swallowed up the lot

He’s eaten my banknote, says Mickey with a hump
They went for the doctor and they got a stomach pump
They pumped and they pumped for the twenty dollar note
But all the

 

Can’t believe I’m writing this but……….

to buy the music of Val Doonican click HERE

Elvis and his All Star Band

Here is the lovely Ann-Margret with a cover of an Elvis standard

“Heartbreak Hotel – Ann-Margret

Monkey Man

“Monkey Man” – Toots & The Maytals

Ay ay ay, ay ay ay,
tell you baby,
you huggin’ up the big monkey man (2x)

I’ve seen no sign of you,
I’ve only heard that you
huggin’ up the big monkey man (2x)

Is not lie, is not lie,
them a tell me,
you huggin’ up the big monkey man (2x)

Now I know that, now I understand,
you turnin’ a monkey on me (2x)

(repeat)

 

To buy the music of Toots & The Maytals click HERE

I’m Looking Through You

“I’m Looking Through You” – The Beatles

I’m looking through you, where did you go
I thought I knew you, what did I know
You don’t look different, but you have changed
I’m looking through you, you’re not the same

Your lips are moving, I cannot hear
Your voice is soothing, but the words aren’t clear
You don’t sound different, I’ve learned the game.
I’m looking through you, you’re not the same

Why, tell me why, did you not treat me right?
Love has a nasty habit of disappearing overnight

You’re thinking of me, the same old way
You were above me, but not today
The only difference is you’re down there
I’m looking through you, and you’re nowhere

Why, tell me why, did you not treat me right?
Love has a nasty habit of disappearing overnight

I’m looking through you, where did you go
I thought I knew you, what did I know
You don’t look different, but you have changed
I’m looking through you, you’re not the same

Yeah! Oh baby you changed!
Aah! I’m looking through you!
Yeah! I’m looking through you!
You changed, you changed, you changed!

 

To buy the music of The Beatles click HERE

Friday Fun – The Sequel

Product Features

• Belt out your favorite rock tunes on this t-shirt based real playable electric guitar
• Great real rock sound
• Play all major chords
• Strum by waving the included magnetic pick over the strings
• Mini guitar amp speaker clips to your belt
• Volume goes to 11
• Adjustable tone knob
• Electronic components are easily removed from the shirt for washing
• Includes two magnetic picks
• Picks stick to speaker grill for easy storage
• Requires 4 x AAA Batteries. Not included

“Put Your Cat Clothes On” – Carl Perkins