The President's 50th Birthday 3

Here's the third part of my "50 At 50" podcast mix that can be found at

 

Marilyn Monroe - River Of No Return

Vastly underrated as a singer, Marilyn Monroe had a unique gentleness to her voice that was often overlooked compared to the magnetism of her on-screen presence. I first came across this track (no pun intended) on an import album when I was working at HMV. The sleeve had a picture if Marilyn in the nude from her early modelling days, and was completely unrepresentative of the recordings on the LP, but that's how they sold records then! This track was lifted from the film of the same name that I now have in my complete collection of MM DVDs.

Ned Miller - From A Jack To A King

I had always quite liked this track, and was quite amazed to find it on the jukebox in the pub that I held my stag party in. At lunchtime, when I began drinking I thought it would be hilarious to play it continually, over and over again. By the time we moved onto the next pub, around 7 o'clock, you can imagine how fed up everyone else was with it? When my dear father picked me up from the gutter of a nearby petrol station in the early hours of the morning, I was still slurring my way through my own, tuneless, rendition of the track..."from loneliness to a wedding ring..."!!!

Matt Monro - My Kind Of Girl

The first single, I ever remember owning, for some reason I adored this track. Matt Monro had such an easy voice, and this track is so damned catchy. Many years later, it formed part of a 3CD set of matt Monro material that I created for Reader's Digest, a set that got many plaudits from fans and other customers.

Frank Ifield - Lovesick Blues

Another one of my earliest 7inch singles, this was on an EP along with the classic "She Taught Me To Yodel". They just don't write songs like this anymore!

Sandy Nelson - Let There Be Drums

I previously informed you of my early days as a drummer, and this is the track that inspired me. Sandy Nelson was such a great drummer in the 50s and 60s and I often performed my own version of this great track (although not to such a high standard!). Later I was also to be impressed by the likes of Keith Moon, Cozy Powell and many others, but for me, Sandy Nelson will always be the best.

Marcels - Blue Moon

For many years I believed that this was the number one single on the day I was born. I used to love singing along with the track, being particular proud of being able to keep up with the opening "ba ba ba ba" bit! Then a few years ago, I realised that the charts were listed as "week ending", so that the actual song that was number one the day I was born was 'On The Rebound' by Floyd Cramer. What a shock and disappointment! Not a bad track, but nowhere near as good as the Marcel's hit!

Jimmy Dean - Big Bad John

Another misapprehension that I had, was believing for many years that I had been named after this heroic tale of a mine worker giving his life to save his fellow workers. It was only when I discovered that the track didn't actually chart until five months after I was born, that I questioned my mother on this belief. "Oh no!", she said "you were named after your grandfather because you looked so little and scrawny when you were born!". Well that put me in my place!

Ricky Nelson - Hello Mary Lou

Another huge influence on early musical taste, and for many years it was my favourite track of all time. It's still up there, but I don't think it can hold onto the top place anymore. Ricky Nelson was an American 50s TV star who made it big when he moved into music. Later shortening his name to Rick Nelson, he became a huge artist in American Country music which, of course, killed off any chance he had of any further UK hits.

Hurricane Smith - Don't Let It Die

Memories of my Father's eight-track player spring to mind whenever I hear Hurricane Smith. A triple-hit-wonder, when I was ten, his recordings have been incredibly difficult to find over the years. Such an amazing voice though!

Neil Sedaka - Standing On The Inside

Please read my earlier blog on Stealer's Wheel's 'Stuck In The Middle' to understand why this track holds a place in my heart.

Elvis Costello - My Funny Valentine

When I first heard this recording, I couldn't believe how beautiful the song was. I also couldn't believe how old it was, or how many recordings had been made of it. It became my favourite song, when I realised that whoever performed it, it still remained great. Over the years I have collected any version of the song I could find, although there are many jazz versions, I also have punk, classical and disco versions. Costello's take is still my favourite.

Elvis Presley - My Boy

This is a great song, and I defy anybody not to be moved by the heart-wrenching tale of a father, staying with his wife for the sake of his son. (Nothing personal you understand). A few years back I was lucky enough to meet Bill Martin, who wrote this track, and many other hits for artists like Sandie Shaw (Puppet On A String), Cliff Richard (Congratulations), Slik (Forever And Ever) and the Bay City Rollers (Shang-A-Lang) as well as many others. He was a great guy and had many tales of the people he had met, and the places he had been. Not only that, but he paid for lunch too!

Doris Day - Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)

One of my earliest memories is that of sitting on my grandmother's knee as a child, while she sang this quaint old song, made famous by Doris Day. Slightly adapting the lyrics to "..just a little boy", this song was permanently etched into my consciousness.