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Posted: 17-08-2013 22:23 Post subject:

The People's Songs - The Ying Tong Song - Comedy and Popular Music

Stuart Maconie on the history of modern Britain in 50 records. The Goons's two-chord classic epitomises the British love-hate relationship with novelty hits.

Britain has always loved a good comedy song. And even a bad one from time to time. As a large part of British musical entertainment had its roots in the nudge-nudge wink-wink of the Music Hall, the risqué songs of Noel Coward or the clever but daft Flanders And Swann, it's no surprise that comedy songs keep rearing their ugly heads. During the Second World War, while Vera Lynn kept the boys in touch with home, it was George Formby who kept them laughing through those dark days. And laughter would prove to be a much needed tonic during the hard task of re-building our country during the austere 1950s. Thus, the Goons: Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe - a comedy trio who were just as influential on The Beatles as Chuck Berry (just watch any Beatles' films or press conferences for proof). And it was the 'fifth Beatle', George Martin, who had honed his skills recording comedy songs with the likes of Sellers and Milligan, as well as Rolf Harris and later Bernard Cribbins (Cribbins' "Digging A Hole" was discussed earlier in the series in the "Part of The Union" episode).

The Goons' comedy offspring like Dudley Moore and Peter Cooke as well as The Pythons also had pop hits; the former with "Goodbye-ee" and the latter with "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life". Other comics like The Goodies, Bennie Hill, Jasper Carrot, Alexei Sayle, The Comic Strip or Spitting Image have had hits. The latter's "The Chicken Song" was almost inescapable for a large part of 1986. Then we've had groups like The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band who did comedy material or The Barron Knights who specialised in comic parodies.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01pkrcq/The_Peoples_Songs_The_Ying_Tong_Song_Comedy_and_Popular_Music/

Duration
57 minutes

Available until
12:00AM Thu, 1 Jan 2099

Posted: 18-08-2013 04:07 Post subject:

I was watching George Formby's last gig this evening - a much-copied video from a 1960 tv show. Touching, since he died a few weeks later. I learned those songs on my Grandad's knee . . .

Only mucky-minded persons will think that filling a woman's loving cup and her scuttle too could possibly be an innuendo. Down the Old Coal Hole was just about mining!

But he sung it on telly in 1960! Good Old George! Smile

Posted: 18-08-2013 12:42 Post subject:

Some pretty awesome cello work here from 2 mad Croatians:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx0xCI1jaUM

Posted: 29-08-2013 23:15 Post subject:

The AOR in the puns thread reminded me of this 80s supergroup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDpPoytXVvo

Only got to number 46 in its native Britain, Wiki tells me! OK, it's no Shakin' Stevens, but tell me that's not catchy.

Posted: 22-09-2013 18:15 Post subject:

'Fineshrine' by Purity Ring:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xqw4wo8vdY8

I found this track by seeing a Very.co.uk ad. Thinking that the Cocteau Twins had reformed, I looked it up. Their sound is very like the Cocteau Twins.

There is a slightly Fortean element to the video, I think. A young woman appears to be caring for a young man who is apparently in a coma or sleeping; both of them having been injured in a light plane accident (this is what is suggested).
However, the young man turns into a broken statue, suggesting that she is in a dream. She wakes up to realise that it was she who was in the coma and the young man was caring for her.

Edit: Oh yes, and as with the Cocteau Twins, the lyrics are complete nonsense. Smile

Posted: 22-09-2013 21:59 Post subject:

good to see the cocteaus getting a check on the ftmb ... a more otherworldly band i couldnt name ... always loved them ... treasure was the high water mark for me ...

anyway i called here just to remark that the fourth mazzy star record is out tomorrow after about 20 years ! i was able to pick up a vinyl copy at piccadilly records this afternoon ... for those who dig the mazzy you wont be let down ...

Posted: 23-09-2013 10:16 Post subject:

An interesting but longish read for those who experienced the Sixties (or who would have liked to):

The Beatles: the Sixties Start Here
As part of our exclusive coverage of Mark Lewisohn's new Beatles biography, the author shares an extract about how the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan kicked off the Sixties on the same day, 5 October 1962.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/10323120/The-Beatles-the-Sixties-Start-Here.html

Posted: 12-10-2013 21:21 Post subject:

A fascinating and amusing account of a musical prodigy. (And another facet of the musical background of my life.)

Tubular Bells: The Mike Oldfield Story

In 1973, an album was released that against all odds and expectations went to the top of the UK charts. The fact the album launched a record label that became one of the most recognisable brand names in the world (Virgin), formed the soundtrack to one of the biggest movies of the decade (The Exorcist), became the biggest selling instrumental album of all time, would eventually go on to sell over 16 million copies and was performed almost single-handedly by a 19-year-old makes the story all the more incredible. That album was Tubular Bells, and the young and painfully shy musician was Mike Oldfield.

This documentary features contributions from Sir Richard Branson, Danny Boyle, Mike's family and the original engineers of the Tubular Bells album among others. The spine of the film is an extended interview with Mike himself, where he takes us through the events that led to him writing Tubular Bells - growing up with a mother with severe mental health problems; the refuge he sought in music as a child, with talent that led to him playing in folk clubs aged 12 and signing with his sister's folk group at only 15; his frightening experience of taking LSD at 16; and finally arriving at the Manor Recording Studios as a young session musician where he gave a demo tape to a recording engineer who passed it along to young entrepreneur Richard Branson. After the album's huge success, Mike retreated to a Hereford hilltop, shunned public life and became a recluse until he took part in a controversial therapy which changed his life. In 2012 Mike captured the public's imagination once again when he was asked to perform at the London Olympic Opening Ceremony, where Tubular Bells was the soundtrack to 20 minutes of the one-hour ceremony.

Filmed on location at his home recording studio in Nassau, Mike also plays the multiple instruments of Tubular Bells and shows how the groundbreaking piece of music was put together.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03cw8g0/Tubular_Bells_The_Mike_Oldfield_Story/

Available until 2:54AM Mon, 21 Oct 2013

Enjoy!

Posted: 12-10-2013 23:37 Post subject:

I watched an old BBC2 prog last night featuring Oldfield and some musicians playing the title track. I remember listening to Tubular Bells on a Philips cassette player, one of the old mono piano key ones, back in 1975. What a great piece of work. I like the version with Viv Stanshall doing the voice bit.