Looking at that lyrics above, Connie Francis has done pretty well to outlive most of her contemporaries. And if you read the obits, and find out a little about her life story, she was clearly one tough lady.
Not only that, but back in the late 50s and early 60s, she was the biggest selling female artist in the world. And given that this was a time when people really bought a lot of records, that makes her one of the all-time best-sellers.
There have already been some strong contenders for my favourite album of 2025, and Pulp were obviously leading the field... until James McMurtry played his hand.
Now it's anybody's game...
South Texas lawman, he brings 'em back alive
He hunts quail from horseback and he cheats on both his wives
One in Rio Bravo, one in Raymondville
He's never been to Houston, and he doubts he ever will
South Texas lawman, old time in his ways
He wore the cinco peso, and it dogged him through his days
The hours were long and lonesome, the paperwork's a bitch
His years are empty bottles now, tossed off in the ditch
A quick shout out to the great Tom Lehrer who died a week or so ago at the grand old age of 97. Famous for his satirical songs with a sharp and cynical wit, like this...
I couldn't find any lyrical mentions, although Randy Newman was obviously a fan, once saying, "He's one of the great American songwriters without a doubt, right up there with everybody, the top guys. As a lyricist, as good as there's been in the last half of the 20th century." Weird Al Yankovic and Donald Fagen were also appreciative of his work.
Tom Lehrer also, following on from last week's Snapshots, had at least three songs banned by the BBC... including this one.
Whichever heaven he's gone to, Tom Lehrer will be giving the person in charge hell!
Feil means error in Norwegian. No idea what an error finger is.
THE ALARM #4
Earlier this year, we said goodbye to Mike Peters, frontman of the most famous Alarm, the Welsh band who formed in 1981. Here they are in 1983 with their biggest hit...
Contemporary Swedish band of the loud variety who describe themselves as "75% VICTIMS, 50% OUTLAST, 125% HARDCORE!" I'll let our Maths teacher handle that one.
Sam and I spent a few days in Lincoln last week, on our annual Boys Only Summer Break (All U Can Eat breakfast included). Before we went, there were a few raised eyebrows... "Lincoln? What is there to do in Lincoln?" Apart from the obvious...
Well, we found plenty, thank you very much, starting with the above, the most impressive cathedral I've ever seen... we didn't go inside, but the view from outside was pretty awe inspiring. And it's right next to the castle, which we did go into... though we had to be careful to avoid the dragons.
Inside the castle, we also saw the Magna Carter... though even if with glasses on, I couldn't read a word of it. And we took a tour of the prison which, rather incongruously, had an exhibition about album cover art on the bottom floor...
Both the castle and the cathedral are at the top of a road called "Steep Hill". Considering how flat the rest of Lincolnshire is (particularly compared to where we come from), we expected this to be about a high as a molehill... BUT... it is actually a bloody steep climb. We needed a rest when we got to the top... fortunately, there was a lovely pie shop on the way up to provide sustenance.
A quick look back on the blog revealed that I did once compile a Top Ten Lincoln Songs, though most of them were about American presidents, cars and that place in Nebraska. Thank heavens for Dave Davies...
9. "Right! Well, don't say I haven't warned you! I've laid it on the line for you time and time again! Right! So, this is it! I'm gonna give you a damn good thrashing!"
Banned by the BBC because of the repeated line "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me". Bruno Brookes then "accidentally" played the whole thing on the chart show. And in November 2008, it was "accidentally" played to shoppers in an Asda supermarket in Preston. Asda apologised.
8. Hooligan deflowers Tokyo... that's very disturbed!
Welcomes, Goodfellas, to the Mean Streets of Saturday Snapshots. Unfortunately, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, but we do have fifteen other residents awaiting a positive identification.
Who are they and how are their songs linked?
15. Hello In There old lady.
14. Person Wanted: apply within.
13. Clio: Papa?
12. Six topless fools. (What do you mean there's only four?)
11. Cyclone, Oblivion, Steel Vengeance.
10. Former egg yob goes straight.
9. "Right! Well, don't say I haven't warned you! I've laid it on the line for you time and time again! Right! So, this is it! I'm gonna give you a damn good thrashing!"
8. Hooligan deflowers Tokyo... that's very disturbed!
7. Quartz has an annoying Paddy.
6. Everybody's favourites.
5. Atticus's client.
4. Bond musician meets Sugartime Sisters.
3. Don't wink, Leila... keep it inside!
2. Boots beauty products - made for angels!
1. Whiz kids.
If you need help finding an answer, as a Taxi Driver. Or return here tomorrow morning when the Casino will pay out with all the answers...
I'm a big fan of the cartoonist Stephen Collins who does a regular strip in the Saturday Guardian and also wrote the excellent graphic novel The Giant Beard That Was Evil. Above is one of his more recent strips, which I figured might draw some nods of existential approval. I'm hoping you can click on the image to see a larger, readable version. But I'm sure you'll let me know if you can't.
And here's another song from Bowling For Soup, in a similar vein...
We used run wild in the streets now we complain When cars drive to fast and the music is insanely loud All the movies are cartoons and remakes of shit That was better when we played our music too loud Now our memories are fading away
Aware that my summer holidays are here, George offered to take up some of the slack with a few Namesakes Guest Posts. This will help me reach the end of August without spending every day in front of a computer. Thank you, George.
More bletherings and bobbins from me, and this week it’s about bands called The Blue Notes, or Blue Notes. The Bloo Noates are of course excluded.
(Shame, I was a fan of their 1984 white label.)
THE BLUE NOTES #1
The obvious group first, with Harold Melvin as a member. Known as the Blue Notes from 1954 until ca. 1972. Harold has been described as starting the group, but maybe Bernard Williams disagreed with that and stormed out, forming his own group, The Original Blue Notes (see the post-script to this article). This probably dates from the late 1960s (before Harold added his name to the group title).
Lacking Harold and Teddy, the remaining Blue Notes carried on, but that Continuity Blue Notes is not your next group. Instead, these soulful Blue Notes from the Bahamas...
Enough soul, let’s have some jazz (said no-one, ever). South Africa now, and unlike other writers, I am not inflicting a 12 minute noodling-nonsense piece on you, just this sax-heavy sub-5 minute piece (I would struggle to call it a tune). I’m not really encouraging you to play this one, am I?
Now for a “German pop cover band from the 1970s”. One of the songs they destroy is the Wabash Cannonball, but I’m giving you a passable version of a Brenda Holloway song (famously covered by Blood, Sweat and Tears, not so famously by these Blue Notes).
(They definitely have today's coolest band photo.)
Fellow cat-owners: I would not advise you to get what seems to be an inflatable seat like the one Helga is sitting on, or indeed any inflatable seat.
(If we're talking about rules, George, I should point out the one about playing Christmas songs in July! Particularly ones that start with acapella "bells".)
Finally, some more jazz to brighten up your day (and this is not a cover that splendid ABC song*). And you can get the entire album legally for nothing!
(*No, it's a cover of the old Burt Bacharach standard.)
Some of the above songs have made it on to vol. 234 of my Downloads series.
So that’s twelve Blue Notes to tune your ears to. And twelve is now the number of our tribe with the arrival of Freckles the chicken.
(I'd love to see a chicken with freckles.)
Shoehorn-in-a-tune time: Original Blue Notes singer Bernie Williams released a belting single with his Original Blue Notes, an absolutely toptastic piece of northern soul...
Many thanks to Rol for posting this, and thanks to anyone who reads it.
And thank you to George for his excellent service as always... although I did find a couple of Blue Notes he missed / chose to ignore because they didn't fit his Maths-teachery obsession with rules...
Actually, there were loads more Blue Notes acting as backing groups for lead singers - and if it wasn't the summer holidays, I'd probably wade through them too in search of nuggets... but George has done a good enough job filtering the wheat from the chaff, I think, this week. If you want to investigate further, put "Blue Notes" into the artists section of discogs and fill your boots!
Thanks again, George.
Which blue notes are worthy of note... and which just leave you blue?
