Namesakes #24: The Avons

We had a load of bloody Tourists to deal with last week. As I write this, I'm not sure which of them came out on top, but they left a right mess when they were gone. 

Ding Dong! Avons calling! Hence the picture above, the mighty Paul Darrow: everyone's main reason for watching Blake's 7 back in the day.

Here are some bands named after the river, former English county, cosmetics company and dastardly second captain of the Liberator.

THE AVONS #1

Let's start, as we so often do on this feature, with some doo wop. 1957, Englewood, New Jersey, brothers Bob, Bill and Wendel Lea (and their mates) were originally known as The Robins... but... well, you can guess the rest. They settled on The Avons after Bill read about the river Avon while doing his Shakespeare homework. 

THE AVONS #2

Valerie and Elaine Murtagh were the English / Irish siblings (one was born in London, the other in County Cork) who recorded as The Avon Sisters before dragging in Elaine's husband, Ray Adams, at rechristening themselves The Avons.

Their biggest hit came with this little classic - originally recorded in the States by Paul "Hello, This Is Joanie" Evans - which will no doubt make the moral guardians of today flip their collective lids. Seven little girls all "kissing and a hugging with Fred"?!? Where's Mary Whitehouse when you need her?

Altogether now, 1,2,3...

THE AVONS #3

From 1963, this Nashville soul trio would enjoy a second blast of glory in the Northern Soul scene with this, their biggest "hit"...

THE AVONS #4

A joyful rush of 80's indie from East Anglia, and a band made up of former members of The Farmers Boys...

THE AVONS #5

"The Avons are a collective of music-minded people from central Illinois who try to shape music after their own tastes, whether good or bad." 

Fair enough.

No video, just this...

The Avons - Hardscrabble

Five Avons to choose from... but which one rings your bell?

Saturday Snapshots #153 - The Answers

RIP, Dame Diana.

Here are this week's answers...



10. Song about writing about songs, written by a songwriter who sounds like a songwriter who writes the songs... with a bit missing.

Let's start from the back.

Barry Manilow sang I Write The Songs. (Although, rather ironically, he didn't write it. It was written by Beach Boy Bruce Johnson.)

Take a bit off and you're left with Barry Mann, one half of the Mann/Weil songwriting duo (with his wife, Cynthia Weil). Before that though, he sang some of his own songs... including this one, which is all about writing songs.

Barry Mann - Who Put The Bomp?

9. Stealing Liz or Andy is a puzzle.

Stealing is nicking (where I come from, anyway).

Liz and Andy were both Kershaws.

Nik Kershaw - The Riddle

8. Santana Samba gets an A in winter sports... fortunate lass!

Bruce will be disappointed you didn't get this one, Charity Chic.

Top work from Mrs. Brian though.

Santana recorded Samba Pa Ti.

An A in winter sports would be a Ski... Alpha.

Patti Scialfa - Lucky Girl

7. Prestige, dropped by Joan.

Joan Armatrading dropped the pilot.

A prestige is the grand finale of a magic trick.

Pilot - Magic

6. World Eater at the tiller, like The Godfather said.

Jimmy Eat World.

The tiller is the Helm.

The Godfather made you an offer you can't refuse.

Jimmy Helms - Gonna Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse

5. A horse or a gun for Dear Madonna... is that what you meant?

A colt is a horse or a gun.

Madonna sang Dear Jessie.

Jessi Colter - You Mean To Say

4. Sons of ageing MacDonald go bucolic.

Old MacDonald had a farm.

Bucolic means "relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life."

The Farmers Boys - In The Country

Great dancing in that video.

3. Shorter cave dwellers and crazy item.

Cave dwellers are troglodytes.

The Troggs - Wild Thing

2. Dog saint and manservant get together.

A Saint Bernard & a Butler.

Bernard Butler - Not Alone

That's a top song. Not heard it in years.

1. Mr. Jawbones... isn't it a bit early for that, first thing on a Saturday morning?

"Mr. Jawbones" was an anagram.

I think we're all getting too old for the rest on a Saturday morning.

(Sunday, on the other hand... I mean, don't let me interrupt you.)



We'll take it to the bridge again next Saturday...