Neverending Top Ten #2.6: Aww!

Aww!

The sound that every parent hears on a regular basis. The sound that means: Life ain't fair, I'm not getting my own way, I hate you!

Can I have some sweets?

No.

Aww!

Can I stay up late and watch Ninja Warrior?

No.

Aww!

Can I borrow the car?

Over my dead body.

Aww!

To be fair, Sam's not a big whinger, he's a long way off trying to borrow the car, we did let him stay up to watch Ninja Warrior (aka It's A Knockout for the 21st Century) and he's not as bothered about sweets as a lot of kids are.

We do still hear a fair amount of aww-ing though, but I've found the perfect response to this... courtesy of Warren Zevon, and a song Sam has taken a particular shine to of late.

Now, whenever he goes "Aww!", I just reply...

"What's her name?"

"I can't tell you."

Saturday Snapshots #92 - The Answers

It's A Beautiful Day. You're at Home. You're Feeling Good. There's a picture of Michael Bublé on your computer screen and you're trying to pretend you're so cool that you don't even know who he is. Stop trying so hard to be cool and embrace the Bublé. You know you want to.

It was a full-on battle between Charity Chic, Lynchie and Walter first thing yesterday morning. Lynchie looked set to take the trophy with 3 points to CC's 2 and a half... until a last second equalizer from CC clinched the draw. Thanks, as always, for playing.


10. Mucking about leads to romance for sprite-like creature and chess piece.

A sprite-like creature would be elvin. (Elfin or elvish?)

Elvin Bishop - Fooled Around And Fell In Love

9. Outdoor Master of Ceremonies: what a weirdo!

OMC - How Bizarre

8. Repetitive soup and shrieking sycamore wish the day away.

The lady is a Campbell.

The gent is a former Screaming Tree.

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Saturday's Gone

7. Outlaw sweethearts find stardom with pudding & pie.

Georgie Peorgie, pudding & pie, kissed the girls and made them cry.

Stardom is fame.

Outlaw sweethearts were...

Georgie Fame - The Ballad of  Bonnie & Clyde

6. Pre-arrival dessert.

Blancmange - The Day Before You Came

Here's a question for you.

Why does it take him and hour and a quarter to get to work, but three hours to get home?

(How long does he spend in the Chinese takeaway?)

5. Hot rumours block authority.

Hot gossip, obviously.

Gossip - Standing In The Way of Control

4. Chess champion leaves Gordon a note.

Grandmaster Flash (Gordon's Alive!) leaves a message.

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message

It's like a jungle sometimes

It makes me wonder

How I keep from going under

3. Fashionable local authority watches Germany unite.

Well done to C for spotting a not-immediately-recognisable Mr. Weller on the left.

The Style Council - Walls Come Tumbling Down 

2. Southern climbers defy death with sad Spanish bum singer.

Jackie was a singer with a Spanish bum.

Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Jackie Blue

1. Prince's house is the Pitts. All things must end.

Prince lived at Paisley Park, but not with Brad Pitt.

Congrats to Chris for getting "the hard one". (Although Mr. Paisley is a favourite of mine.) I'll have a dig around for some Toby Keith in future week, just for Lynchie. Who says I don't do requests?

This video must be watched right until the end... for the full Hoff.

Saturday Snapshots will be back next week. Michael Bublé may not be.

Saturday Snapshots #92

Are you addicted to Saturday Snapshots?

What would you say if I told you you had to go to Rehab?

No, no, no?

Alright then, identify ten top tunes and their performers from the clues below, please. Some of them may be hard, but then... You Know I'm No Good.




10. Mucking about leads to romance for sprite-like creature and chess piece.

9. Outdoor Master of Ceremonies: what a weirdo!

8. Repetitive soup and shrieking sycamore wish the day away.

7. Outlaw sweethearts find stardom with pudding & pie.

6. Pre-arrival dessert.

5. Hot rumours block authority.

4. Chess champion leaves Gordon a note.

3. Fashionable local authority watches Germany unite.

2. Southern climbers defy death with sad Spanish bum singer.

1. Prince's house is the Pitts. All things must end.

Love Is A Losing Game, but Saturday Snapshots is there for the winning. Find out if you're Stronger Than Me tomorrow morning...

Mid-Life Crisis Songs #36: Class of '88

That's my old school photo above, from 1988, our Fifth Form year before many of my fellow students went off to do other things... although I stayed on for the Sixth Form. (Apologies to those kids who were sat on the edges, my scanner wasn't as long as the photo. Luckily, I and most of my best friends are pretty central.)

I don't really keep up with any old school friends any more, except via facebook where I get occasional glimpses into where their lives have taken in the 30+ years since we left high school. I had two really good friends with whom I stayed close into my 30s, but we've lost touch over the last ten years, and I guess that's as much my fault as theirs.

The idea of a school reunion though is something I'd never entertain. I can guarantee it would be full of all the people I didn't want to see again and none of the ones I did.

30+ years before our class of '88, these guys were graduating...

Tommy's selling used cars, Nancy's fixing nails. 

Harvey runs a grocery store and Margaret doesn't care. 

Jerry drives a truck for Sears, Charlotte on the make. 

And Paul sells life insurance and part time real estate.

Helen is a hostess. Frank works at the mill. 

Janet teaches grade school and probably always will. 

Bob works for the city. And Jack's in lab research. 

And Peggy play organ at the Presbyterian Church.

And the class of '57 had its dreams. 

We all thought we'd change the world with our great work & deeds. 

Or maybe we just thought the world would change to fit our needs. 

The class of '57 had its dreams.

Have you ever been / would you ever go to a school reunion?

The United Kingdom of Song #36: Oban

Another picturesque Scottish seaside town today, in the Firth of Lorn. Musically, it's the birthplace of folk singer Aiden O'Rourke and a couple of famous bagpipe players.

It's also the second town in this feature to get name-dropped by Everything But The Girl... although this one wasn't written by Tracey Thorn, but her other half Ben Watt, who also make a rare lead vocal showing here. Tracey provides gorgeous backing vocals, otherwise this song truly would be Everything But The Girl.

The highlands and the lowlands

Are the roots my father knows

The holidays at Oban

And the towns around Montrose

But even as he sleeps

They're loading bombs into the hills

And the waters in the lochs

Can run deep but never still

I've thought of having children

But I've gone and changed my mind

It's hard enough to watch the news

Let alone explain it to a child

To cast your eye 'cross nature

Over fields of rape and corn

And tell him without flinching

Not to fear where he's been born

Then someone sat me down last night

And I heard Caruso sing

He's almost as good as Presley

And if I only do one thing

I'll sing songs to my father

I'll sing songs to my child

It's time to hold your loved ones

While the chains are loosed and the world

Runs wild