Radio Songs #73: Reunion

The Hiss - Back On The Radio

On Saturday night, I attended the 50th anniversary reunion of the radio station I spent 21 years of my working life at. Although the station itself no longer exists (don't start me on the sad state of the UK radio industry), it originally turned on its transmitters in 1975... although I didn't start working there till I was 16 in 1988. 

Agnetha Fältskog - Back On Your Radio 

It was a very emotional evening, seeing so many old friends. I wouldn't go anywhere near a school reunion, and I hardly remember anyone from my university days, but I knew so many good people during my years in radio, I couldn't resist the opportunity to catch up with them. (I knew quite a few arseholes too, but thankfully, none of them attended. Which says a lot, really.)

James Banbury & Sleep Club - Reunion Radio

The night was a blur. I couldn't stay late as Sam had a football match early the next morning, and the event was an hour's drive from home, so it all felt a bit of a rush. Looking back, I know I didn't get the chance to see everyone I wanted to, while those I did get to talk to, I would have liked to have much more time with. But it was wonderful, how easy it was to fall back into the old banter once we'd got past the "what are you doing now?" bit. It's at least 16 years since I've seen most of these people, but it might as well have been last week.

Simon & Garfunkel - Old Friends

A lot of organisation went into the event, tracking down many different people who'd worked in all the different departments over the years. Sadly, it's unlikely there will be another reunion in the future, but I hope to stay in touch with some of the old friends I saw again on Saturday. 

Morrissey - Hold On To Your Friends

Working in radio had its highs and lows, and the lows took over towards the end, but it was a very special time in my life. We had a laugh, but we got the job done too. That's the best you can say about any workplace, I reckon.

 

Celebrity Jukebox #55: Robert Redford

Distophia - Robert Redford

"He's a regular Robert Redford..."

You've certainly made your mark on the world when your name becomes an idiom, synonymous with charm, charisma and roguish good looks. And when songwriters want a short-cut metaphor for all of the above... Robert Redford is an obvious name-drop.

You're just a Coca Cola cowboy

You got an Eastwood smile and a Robert Redford hair

But you walked across my heart like it was Texas

You taught me how to say I just don't care

Mel Tillis - Coca Cola Cowboy

I don't mean to criticize the girls at all

'Cause I'm no Robert Redford even overhauled

But we all picture in our minds a girl that looks just right

Now ain't it funny, ain't it strange the way a man's opinions change

When he starts to face that lonely night

Mickey Gilley - Don't The Girls All Get Prettier At Closing Time

I could get myself a nose job, I could diet for a year

But I'll never be Robert Redford 'cause I'm much to fond of beer

Please don't misunderstand me, it's not love I'm trying to buy

It's just I got all this here money and I'm a pretty ordinary guy

Dr. Hook - The Millionaire

Now Lord knows you ain't a saint, and Robert Redford you ain't

But you got a heart of gold through and through

And when it comes to lovin', that old, ooh, kissin' and a-huggin'

Ain't nobody else ever gonna do

Reba McEntyre - I Don't Need Nothin' You Ain't Got

That's all right but I wish they'd confuse me 

With somebody like Burt Reynolds or Robert Redford, 

All them guys that really look like me

Red Simpson - My Name Is Simpson

Jean-Paul Belmondo?

Alain Delon? No!

Clint Eastwood? J'ai dit no!

Paul Newman?

Robert Redford? J'ai dit no!

Sparks - Je M'Appelle Russell

Frank Sinatra and a Rolls Royce

A great set of wheels and a golden voice

Robert Redford is the shiniest star on the silver screen

And don't forget about Michelangelo and New York

The biggest apple and the greatest art

They're the very best I've ever seen

Charley Pride - The Best There Is

I get no pleasure when I'm going through the motions of my mediocre day-to-day

I'm just an actor, just like Robert fucking Redford

When I say those stupid words that they expect me to say

Everclear - Misery Whip

She likes me for me

Not because I look like Tyson Beckford

With the charm of Robert Redford

Oozing out my ears

But what she sees

Are my faults and indecisions

My insecure conditions

And the tears upon the pillow that I shed

Blessid Union of Souls - Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me for Me)

You think that love's

What's on that silver screen

Raquel and Redford are the tops

You've been misled

By all those movies you've seen

Al Jarreau - Love Is Real

I'm Redford, you're Newman on the take

You're a 7.6 earthquake

The Donkeys - Don't Know Who We Are

None of those really compare with the greatest ever lyrical reference to Bobby Redford, courtesy of... Lee Majors?!?

I might fall from a tall building

I might roll a brand-new car

'Cause I'm the unknown stuntman

That made Redford such a star

Strangely though, that wasn't the first song which popped into my mind when I heard about the passing of Robert Redford. Although some might argue this is more of a Paul Newman song... still, for me it marks a sunset for Sundance...

Namesakes #155: The Hawks

In case you're wondering if this feature is ever at risk of running dry... I currently have a list of Namesakes that will easily take me up to Christmas 2026. This week though, I went right to the bottom of that list and chose a name that's been in draft form since 2023... 

What took me so long?

THE HAWKS #1

We start with an early 50s super-group from New Orleans combining the talents of Allen "Fats" Matthews with The Humming Four (aka the New Orleans Harmonizing Four). 

The Hawks - Good News

THE HAWKS #2

Next, a nice twangy instrumental from Arizona in 1958, featuring Don Cole on lead guitar...

The Hawks - A Little More Wine, My Dear?

THE HAWKS #3

Some fun doo wop from New York in 1959. My money's on this one being George's favourite... but I've been wrong before.

The Hawks - Lupp!

THE HAWKS #4

Billed originally as Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks when they started out in the late 50s, this band had a bit of a revolving door policy when it came to membership.  Originally from Arkansas, Hawkins would find more fame after a move to Canada in the late 50s. 

Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks - Need Your Lovin'

To be continued...

THE HAWKS #5

Eventually, a bunch of Ronnie's backing group (including Rik Danko, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson and Levon Helm) went off on their own as Levon & The Hawks. They were then briefly known as Bob Dylan & The Hawks, before changing their name entirely to... The Band.  

Levon & The Hawks - Honky Tonk

THE HAWKS #6

From Malaysia in 1967, supporting lead singer Bakar Hamid... who looks about 12 on the record sleeve. Policemen are getting younger too.

Bakar Hamid & The Hawks - Di-Kau Tetap Ku Kenang

THE HAWKS #7

Obscure roots reggae track from 1975... although Ernie might tell me otherwise.

The Hawks - Nowhere To Hide

THE HAWKS #8

Iowa band whose name was an acronym of its members' surnames: Hearn, Adams, Wiewel, Kaufman, Steen. Rejected by many record companies in the late 70s for being "too ahead of their time", finally given a contract by CBS in '81, but their biggest reached #63 on the Billboard chart. Can't say this sounds particularly ahead of its time for 1981, but... well, it's all right. It's OK. 

To their credit, these guys were the top result for "Hawks" on discogs.

Hawks - It's All Right, It's OK

THE HAWKS #9

From 1981, some British post-punk Hawks who sound like the band were recording in one room and the singer was down the hall in the loo... or maybe they'd made him go outside to play in the rain?

The Hawks - Don't Want To Play In The Rain

THE HAWKS #10

Stephen Duffy has had a pretty interesting career, walking away from Duran Duran before they shot to fame to enjoy solo success as Stephen Tin Tin Duffy in the mid-80s, then going on to form the excellent Lilac Time. In between all that, he also found time to sing lead vocals for Obviously Five Believers, aka The Subterranean Hawks, aka The Hawks. Here's their sole single from 1980. It's only 4 minutes long, but whoever put the track on youtube just left the tape running...

The Hawks - Words Of Hope 

THE HAWKS #11

I never cease to amazed by how many Oi! bands there are in Japan. These Hawks were going Oi! in the mid 90s.

The Hawks - Runaway

HAWKS #12

Noisy punks from Atlanta, Georgia from a decade+ ago. The lead singer clearly needs to suck on a Fisherman's Friend.

Hawks - Snag

HAWKS #13

It's only 24 hours to Tulsa, where you can find this guy, Cody Carson, and he is... 

Hawks - Infinite

THE HAWKS #14

From Montréal and Québec in 2021, some Hawks who own a lot of records from the 80s...

The Hawks - First Thing (That Comes To Mind)

THE HAWKS #15

And finally, a blast of Petty-esque rock from Kentucky, just a few years ago...

The Hawks - Truth Will Out

Which Hawks catch your eye... and which would you rather take a walk?

Snapshots #413: Songs Used In Adverts

Yesterday we had a picture of John Lydon at the top of the page because I thought he was surely the best / worst example of a pop star appearing in an advert. And then I discovered Snoop Dogg in the Money Supermarket ad. And John had some competition.

Here is George's choice of the best "pop" "songs" used in adverts... although George would like to qualify that, "I think the link is best described as “songs related to UK adverts”, as some of the songs were not actually used but were the basis for the advert. For example, “Que Será Será”, because I’m 100% sure Doris Day did not sing about mushrooms and fried onion rings."

Did you ad-entify them all?

15. Bohemian Rhapsodist.

Antonin Dvorak - Symphony no. 9 (Hovis)

14. Unforgettable part in the King's Bible.

A small part of "unforgettable" plus King James...

Etta James - I Just Want To Make Love To You (Diet Coke)

13. Hawaii Jack, boogying pig, football squad.

Jack Lord, some Rocking Ham and 11.

Lord Rockingham’s XI - Hoots Mon (Maynard's Wine Gums)

12. Trowel and mortar specialists.

Call them if you need any pointing done.

The Pointer Sisters - I’m So Excited (Crunchie)

11. Sorry, I can't attend. I have another engagement that night.

Sorry, I have a clash in my diary.

The Clash - Should I Stay Or Should I Go (Levis)

10. Erstwhile Isley Brother.

He started out playing with the Isleys.

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Crosstown Traffic (Wrangler)

9. Wounded stag owner, Reed, circa. 

Jacques and the wounded stag. Lou Reed. Ca.

Jacques Loussier - Air on a G String (Hamlet)

8. Johnsons.

Holly Johnsons.

The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (Miller Lite)

7. Mediocre amateurs, lost inside.

MedioCRE AMateurs.

Cream - I Feel Free (Renault 21)

6. A div and (his) duds are often mixed up.

David Dundas - Jeans On (Brutus Jeans)

5. You're the tray of nice things I upset yesterday.

That's a line from Gaye by Clifford T. Ward.

Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Levis 501)

4. It's Sneers Week! In a way.

Anagram!

New Seekers -  I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (Coca-Cola)

3. Sweeter alternative to the gravy train.

Honeybus - I Can't Let Maggie Go (Nimble Bread)

2. Denied starting fires between Harry Truman and Red China.

From the opening lyrics to We Didn't Start The Fire...

Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray.

Doris Day - Que Será, Será (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)

We hope it's chips, it's chips, we hope it's chips...

1. Confused band, ft. Lelah.

"ft. Lelah" was an anagram for one of George's favourite groups...

The Fall - Touch Sensitive (Vauxhall Corsa)

Thanks again to George for suggesting this week's songs. As someone who worked in advertising for far too many years, I couldn't have done this one myself.

Normal service will be resumed next week.

Saturday Snapshots #413 (Special Guest Post Edition)

Never mind the bollocks - here's a first for Snapshots... a guest post!

Well, sort of.

George stepped forward and offered 15 pieces of music with a curious connection. He left me with the hard work of finding all the photos and coming up with clues I haven't used before... but frankly, I don't blame him. That takes a lot of going back over old editions to make sure I don't use something I've used before.

Can you identify the faces in George's rogues gallery... and work out what connects their tunes?

15. Bohemian Rhapsodist.

14. Unforgettable part in the King's Bible.

13. Hawaii Jack, boogying pig, football squad.

12. Trowel and mortar specialists.

11. Sorry, I can't attend. I have another engagement that night.

10. Erstwhile Isley Brother.

9. Wounded stag owner, Reed, circa. 

8. Johnsons.

7. Mediocre amateurs, lost inside.

6. A div and (his) duds are often mixed up.

5. You're the tray of nice things I upset yesterday.

4. It's Sneers Week! In a way.

3. Sweeter alternative to the gravy train.

2. Denied starting fires between Harry Truman and Red China.*

(*This is my favourite clue this year.)

1. Confused band, ft. Lelah.

Thank you, George. 

If all this has left your brain feeling Pretty Vacant... don't worry. The answers will be here tomorrow morning.

Emergency Questions #12: Teddy Picker

Huggy Bear's back, and he's giving Richard Herring a week off.

This week's Emergency Questions...

Who was your favourite Teddy Bear as a kid? What were they called? Do you still have them?

Here are some of Huggy's favourite songs to help jog your memory...

Elvis Presley - (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear

Red Sovine - Teddy Bear (Don't knock it till you've tried it... then, feel free to knock it.)

Oh, and if that wasn't bad enough... here's the sequel! (Even Red refused to have anything to do with this.)

Diana Williams - Teddy Bears Last Ride

Arctic Monkeys - Teddy Picker

Barbara Fairchild - Teddy Bear (Tissues at the ready!)

Apocalypse - Teddy

Alice Cooper - Look At You Over There, Ripping The Sawdust From My Teddybear

Jerry Garcia & David Grisman - Teddy Bear's Picnic

Do you still have your old teddy?

Listening Post #38: England... oh, England

Over at The Vinyl Villain, Dirk was singing the praises of the 1982 debut single by The Wild Swans yesterday.

Lately, I've spent a lot of time listening to the band's 2011 "comeback" album, The Coldest Winter For A Hundred Years. ("Comeback might not be the most appropriate word, since with the exception of lead singer / songwriter Paul Simpson, this was a completely new line-up, including Les Pattinson from Echo and the Bunnymen and Ricky Maymi from the Brian JOnestown Massacre).

Lyrically, it's one of the most interesting records I've heard in ages, a tour of provincial England steeped in nostalgic longing, but not the kind of flag-waving nonsense that's currently in vogue. "William Blake in Cash Converters" sums it up perfectly.

In the madness of my 3 a.m.s, I'm lost without a guide

English electric lightning protected
Green unpleasant land infected
Vulcan bombers, cornish habors
Elizabethan costume dramas
Sun reporters, New World Order
Johnny Rotten, Geoffrey Chaucer
Bargain Booze and Robert Wyatt
Happy-slappers, Toxteth riots

All the kingdom's quiet now and I can't stem the tide alone

Positive Songs For Negative Times #86: Bigmouth Strikes Again

Every time Morrissey speaks, I shudder.

You can't have failed to miss the latest desperate plea for attention from the deluded mind of the once great SPM, entitled A SOUL FOR SALE. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Sparks - Lighten Up, Morrissey

Where do you begin?

Any serious investors should make contact:

eaves7760@gmail.com

The Associates - Stephen, You're Really Something

Rol: I'm waiting for Morrissey's reply to my offer. £5.54 and a vegan pastie. Reckon I'm in with a shout.

Ben: I considered throwing a quid at him.

Ben: And a boiled egg sandwich.

Rol: Does a boiled egg sandwich trump a vegan pastie? Damn you for using your insider knowledge!

Ben: That's what they had to eat with him, wasn't it? I think I read an article a few years ago that he made them all eat only boiled egg sandwiches when they were touring the early years in the van. I think it was an interview with Rourke.And he was saying it smelt worse eating the sandwiches than the farts it would make them do.

Manic Street Preachers - Dear Stephen

The 'eaves' business email address has been switched off due to the colossal response to Morrissey's announcement of his wish to pass his "Smiths" interests over to an investor. Although Morrisseys' love for the songs of the Smiths era will never waver, he is tired of the disagreeable and vexatious characters involved in "The Smiths" business. After thirty-eight years of insults and abuse, Morrissey has had enough. All (or most) of the 'eaves' emails will be answered in time.

That's good. I await my reply.

In all seriousness though... those songs are priceless. Such a pity that the one man most desperate to tarnish their memory is their co-creator. 

Often, when I'm forced to discuss this subject, I end up quoting the lyrics to Rubber Ring...

The passing of time and all of its crimes

Is making me sad again

The passing of time and all of its sickening crimes

Is making me sad again

But don't forget the songs that made you cry

And the songs that saved your life

Yes, you're older now and you're a clever swine

But they were the only ones who ever stood by you

Today though, this one seems far more appropriate...

Madness in (formerly) great ones must no unwatched go.

 

Namesakes #154: The Teddy Bears

This is Huggy Bear. When I didn't have many friends, he was always my friend. He's a bit of a recluse these days, living up on top of a CD tower, keeping watch. He lost his nose in the great Nip The Dog incident back in the 80s, but other than that he's in pretty good condition for a fifty year old teddy. Anyway, he's here to welcome you all to this week's Namesakes. Bands named after Teddy Bears...

THE TEDDY BEARS #1

Probably the most famous of our Teddy Bears today... or infamous, considering one of their members ended up in prison for murder.

Yes, this is the group that counted among its membership one Harvey Phillip Spector, along with Annette Kleinbard and Marshall Leib. Interesting fact about Annette - who soon after changed her name to Carol Connors: she co-wrote the lyrics to the Rocky theme song Gonna Fly Now. You didn't know it had lyrics? Well, it does. Not too many, but I hope she was sufficiently rewarded for her contribution by Mr. Stallone.

Phil Spector formed the Teddy Bears in 1957 after graduating high school, recorded their huge hit the following year, and disbanded the group at the end of the 50s, choosing to concentrate instead on producing some of the best records of the 60s... as well as being an all-round git. Genius and twattishness so often go hand in hand.

The Teddy Bears - To Know Him Is To Love Him

LOS TEDDY BEARS #2

Mexican Teddy Bears from the early 60s, most famous for recording a whole album of Beatles covers in Spanish. They would arguably achieve greater success once they changed their name to Los Onvis. Which I think is Spanish for The UFOs. Remind me of that when I do a UFO Namesakes.

Los Teddy Bears - La Bruja Loca

THE TEDDY BEARS #3

Florida Teddy Bears, active in the mid-60s. This was their only single...

The Teddy Bears - Miss To Mrs

THE TEDDY BEARS #4

Norwegian Teddy Bears, perhaps more Teddy Boys, from the early 80s. 

The Teddybears - To Tette Badehette

TEDDY BEARS #5

In a similar vein, French rockabilly Teddy Bears from... 1997 (!?)

Teddy Bears - Je Dois des Sous

TEDDYBEARS #6

Swedish punks, active since the early 90s, known for wearing big bear heads on stage. Originally called Skull before changing their name to Teddybears STHLM and then losing the STHLM (no idea). In 2006 they recorded a single with Iggy Pop on lead vocals which was used on the soundtrack of the new Superman movie earlier this year. This is where I first heard them...

Teddybears - Punkrocker (feat. Iggy Pop)

TEDDY BEARS #7

Ramshackle, camera-shy Teddy Bears from Portland, Oregon, found on the camp of bands...

Teddy Bears - I Think This Could Be Love

This was one of those weeks when discogs promised far more bands than I was able to track down music for. So count yourself lucky there are only seven to listen to. Special mention to a band called I Vomit Teddy Bears from the early noughties (they do still appear to have a myspace page if you're interested). 

Which is your Big Ted?