Namesakes #191: The Cardigans

Perhaps it's not the most sexy or exciting item of clothing in your wardrobe, but the humble cardigan deserves our love for making us feel warm and cosy in winter days.

Will any of the Cardigans below have the same effect?

THE CARDIGANS #1

From Chattanooga in the late 50s came the choo-choo Cardigans, four young sloppy-doo-woppy dudes who hit the charts twice with their single Your Graduation Means Goodbye. I chose the b-side, which was a lot more fun.

The Cardigans - Boll Weevil On The Mountain Top

THE CARDIGANS #2

More doo-wop, probably from around the same time, but with extra Dave, because we can all do with extra Dave. A youtube commenter reveals that the Cardigans were his mother and aunt, Marie and Terry Belanger. This track was recorded before the commenter was born - it must be lovely to hear his mum singing in her younger days.

Dave & The Cardigans - My Falling Star

CARDIGAN #3

A singular Cardigan, this one from Denmark in 1986. It has a video with 33,190 views on the tube of you, so it must have done something back in the day...

Cardigan - Without You

THE CARDIGANS #4

The Cardigans most of us are familiar with originated in Sweden in 1992, led by the very best Persson in rock: Nina. They took their name from a line in The Sundays' song Skin And Bones...

Oh, you see me in a cardigan

In a dress, dress, dress that I've been sick on

The Cardigans named their debut album Emmerdale - I'm presuming the show is big in Sweden? Their breakthru record came in 1996 when the infectious single below was featured in the soundtrack of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. 

The Cardigans - Lovefool

Not a great deal of choice in the Cardigans aisle... are any of them a good fit?

Snapshots #450: Invisible Songs

Introducing C's guest post yesterday, we had David MacCallum, a one-time Invisible Man. Today, C sent me a lovely photo of Pauline Murray, without her Invisible Girls. And here they are reunited...

Pauline Murray & The Invisible Girls - Dream Sequence

Here are some more songs you probably won't be able to see. Hopefully you can hear them all fine.

15. Atmospheric noblemen make a spelling mistake.

Dukes of (a misspelt) stratosphere.

The Dukes of Stratosphear - Vanishing Girl

14.  Wireless CEO.

Head of radio…

Radiohead - How To Disappear Completely

13. Fruity Hindu deity.

Rama is a Hindu deity.

Bananarama - Outta Sight

12. They left a mark.

Scars - Vanishing

11.  Confused guests win riots.

Anagram!

Swing Out Sister - I Can Hear You But I Can’t See You

10. Leggy syndrome?

Restless legs syndrome, a neurological condition.

Restless - Vanish Without A Trace

9. Sci fi villain loses final letters.

Durand Durand is a character from the film ‘Barbarella’

Duran Duran - Invisible

8. Indiana, Extra Small

IN being the state code for Indiana and XS Extra Small.

INXS - Disappear

7. Nightclub make-up.

Heaven was a London nightclub, ‘17’ a cosmetic brand.

Heaven 17 - Unseen

6. Ian or Tony might catch the ball.

Ian Curtis / Tony Curtis may field.

Curtis Mayfield - To Be Invisible

5. You just won’t get this clue.

The Misunderstood - I Unseen

4. Dusky sorrow.

The Twilight Sad - That Summer, At Home, I Had Become The Invisible Boy

3.  Get in a muddle, lick my tube.

Anagram!

Tim Buckley - I Can’t See You

2. I demand that you hit Mr Dawson!

Beat Les!

The Beatles - You Won’t See Me

1. Massive Attack song blows up.

‘Teardrop’ explodes…

Teardrop Explodes: You Disappear From View

Many thanks to C for an excellent edition of Snapshots.

Sadly, you'll be back to dealing with my nonsense again next Saturday...

Saturday Snapshots #450 - Special Guest Post Edition

How better to celebrate the 450th edition of Saturday Snapshots than by giving your host a week off?

Step forward the wonderful C from Sun Dried Sparrows with fifteen songs about... what?

15. Atmospheric noblemen make a spelling mistake.

14.  Wireless CEO.

13. Fruity Hindu deity.

12. They left a mark.

11.  Confused guests win riots.

10. Leggy syndrome?

9. Sci fi villain loses final letters.

8. Indiana, Extra Small

7. Nightclub make-up.

6. Ian or Tony might catch the ball.

5. You just won’t get this clue.

4. Dusky sorrow.

3.  Get in a muddle, lick my tube.

 I'm glad C came up with that clue - I wouldn't have dared!

2. I demand that you hit Mr Dawson!

1. Massive Attack song blows up.

I hope you had fun Kuryakin those clues.

Many thanks to C for giving me a lie in!

Answers tomorrow.

Fun Fact Friday #8: Bird Brains

Hello bird brains! Another Fun Friday quiz for you. Test your knowledge of all things feathery...

Lene Lovich - Bird Song

1.  Which Flamingo Fact is true?

A) Flamingos can only stand on one leg at a time.

B) Flamingos can only eat when their heads are upside down.

C) Flamingos can only fly if their wings are completely dry.

Manfred Mann - Pretty Flamingo

2. Which Albatross Fact is true?

A) An Albatross can swallow a fish bigger than itself.

B) Albatrosses can sleep while they are flying.

C) Albatrosses like to ride on sharks’ fins.

Fleetwood Mac - Albatross

3. Australian Musk Ducks can mimic human speech. One duck made headlines in 1987 because it learned to say…

A) ”Strewth, mate!”

B)  “Throw another shrimp on the barbie!”

C)  “You bloody fool!”

Jackie Lee - The Duck

4. What do Bassian Thrushes do to help them find food?

A) Sing a “Worm Song”.

B) Sneeze.

C) Break wind.

LYR - The Song Thrush & The Mountain Ash

5. Which Blue Tit Fact is true?

A) A Blue Tit weighs the same as a chicken egg.

B) A Blue Tit weighs the same as a pound coin.

C) A Blue Tit weighs the same as a satsuma.

Scissor Sisters - Tits On The Radio

6. Which Blue Jay Fact is true?

A) Blue Jays aren’t actually blue.

B) Blue Jays can only eat blue insects.

C) Blue Jays can only fly on windy days.

The Beatles - Blue Jay Way

7. Which Pigeon Fact is True?

A) Pigeons are good at spelling.

B) Pigeons are good at multiplication.

C) Pigeons are good at punctuation.

Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Stool Pigeon

8. Which Woodpecker fact is True?

A) A woodpecker wraps its tongue round its brain when hitting wood.

B) A woodpecker can drill a hole in a tree faster than a power drill.

C) A woodpecker laughs whenever it sees a worm or grub.

Tony Joe White - Woodpecker

9. Which Owl Fact is True?

A) Owls cannot move their eyes.

B) Owls can be taught to play chess.

C) Owls will sometimes keep mice as pets.

Gerry Rafferty - Night Owl

10. Which Crow fact is True?

A) Crows can pick locks using their beaks and claws.

B) Crows can tell other crows about specific humans they don’t like. 

C) Crows can redirect lightning bolts during thunderstorms so that they hit buildings.

The Mountain Goats - Crows

Tweet me your guesses in the comments.

Celebrity Jukebox #76: Dennis Locorriere

It's pushing 30° as I write this so I don't have much enthusiasm for a long post - fortunately Alyson has done all the hard work for me. I was sad to learn from her blog that Dr. Hook frontman Dennis Locorriere has joined the heavenly choir last week - there he is, pictured above with the good Doctor himself.

Alyson's tribute was far better than anything I could have written, but I was reminded of two old posts from this blog which might do in lieu of anything fresh...

One Track Mind #3: When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman

Sequel Songs #9: Mrs. Avery

Mid-Life Crisis Songs #6: Remember when 37 was middle-aged?

Rest in peace, Dennis.