25 Songs, 25 Days - Day Nine

DAY NINE - A SONG THAT MAKES YOU HOPEFUL

Ever the optimist me! Life can be pretty shit, most of the time, but I listen to this, and it does make me feel that things will improve. One day they will...

25 Songs, 25 Days - Day Eight

DAY EIGHT - A SONG THAT REMINDS YOU OF YOUR FIRST LOVE

When I went to Junior School, I had to get on a coach to take me there every morning and return me home every afternoon. On that coach was a little blonde haired girl called Alison Bagley. She was my first 'love' and my friends and I made up a love song to sing to her, on the way to school, which made no sense whatsoever to us, or anyone else for that matter. It just sounded funny at the time. The tune was the Herman's Hermits hit 'Sunshine Girl', the re-worked lyrics are listed below. Please don't judge me... Sorry Alison, wherever you are!



Sunshine Girl I'm looking down your bra
I see two round things
I wonder what they are.
Can you invite me
To squeeze them tightly?
"Not bloody likely!" - said Sunshine Girl!!!!

25 Songs, 25 Days - Day Seven

DAY SEVEN - A SONG THAT REMINDS YOU OF THE PAST SUMMER

I know this song came out a few years back, but last summer there was a documentary on the BBC "How to be a Bohemian" that used this song as the Theme Tune. It stuck in my head, so I tracked it down a bought it on CD. Kept playing it throughout the summer months last year.

25 Songs, 25 Days - Day Six

DAY SIX - A SONG THAT REMINDS YOU OF A BEST FRIEND

To those halcyon days (and nights) down the Malt & Hops, playing this on the Jukebox over and over again with Mr Creaghan & Mr Hill. It was this or 'Recipe For Love' by Harry Connick Jr.

25 Songs, 25 Days - Day Five

DAY FIVE - A SONG THAT IS STUCK IN YOUR HEAD

Every morning I wake up with a different song in my head. Normally one that I heard a few days earlier, or just any random song that relates very loosely to whatever's on my mind. One that often gets stuck though is this one.

25 Songs, 25 Days - Day Four

DAY FOUR - A SONG THAT CALMS YOU DOWN

There are many songs that can calm me down, but I suppose the one that does it most for me is this track that appeared at the end of side one of Vangelis' 'Heaven & Hell' album. Vocalised by Yes stalwart Jon Anderson.



And relax....

25 Songs, 25 days - Day Three

DAY THREE - A SONG THAT REMINDS YOU OF ONE/BOTH OF YOUR PARENTS

Both Mum and Dad had a huge influence over my musical tastes, but this one always reminds me of Dad.

 Dad passed away from a heart attack in 1990, and this song was one he used to play in the car whenever we were going to visit family, or going on holiday, or just going anywhere. Played on a 'dodgy' eight track cartridge that had definitely been illegally copied, I always expect the 'clunk' as the cartridge changes track, halfway through the song.

25 Songs, 25 Days - Day Two

DAY TWO - A SONG THAT REMINDS YOU OF YOUR MOST RECENT EX-GIRLFRIEND

As I reach 33 years of marriage in a couple of months time, I think I'll 'cop-out' of this one and instead read it as, "a song that reminds you of your most recent ex-girl that was a friend". Not that she's an 'ex', just that Facebook contact doesn't exactly count as a current 'friend' in any literal sense.



Without naming or embarrassing her, anyone who knows her will know who this is. A good friend and drinking partner for many years, life sometimes just conspires against you and forces a distance between friends that becomes difficult to overcome. Many fond memories though, and I do miss the alcohol!

 

25 Songs, 25 Days - Day One

DAY ONE - A SONG FROM MY CHILDHOOD

One of those list thingies came my way the other day, so I thought I'd share my own answers to the titles suggested above and display my complete lack of taste in music for the world to see.



Here's one of the first records I remember owning. It was passed to me on an old shellac 10", along with several others. 
Lonnie Donegan's 'Cumberland Gap' was to influence my life for many years to come, and when I actually met Mr Donegan himself, at his London flat in December 2000, it was a huge honour to be able to chat with him. He had just appeared on Van Morrison's album with Chris Barber, received a MBE, and was enjoying a ressurrection of his career, that once again put him on the road. For a man in his early seventies, it was all a bit too much for him, and after a series of heart attacks, he passed away in November 2002.
The disc itself was smashed to smithereens, among with loads of others, when my teenage self found pleasure in throwing darts at spinning 78's on a nail on my bedroom door, and watching them shatter across the floor.... I thought it was funny at the time!