Snapshots #248: A Top Ten Garden Songs

I'm very sorry to say that I couldn't find a picture of Alan Titchmarsh holding a camera, so this nice lady had to fill in.

Ten songs about gardens. I hope the weather stays nice.

10. The shortest of you replaces PJ. 

When I said the shortest, I meant shortest name, nothing to do with stature. That would be C. 

And if C replaced PJ in PJ & Duncan, we would get...

C Duncan - Garden

9. "Open up and say ahhhhhhh."

The Dentists, obviously.

The Dentists - Strawberries Are Growing In My Garden (And It's Wintertime)

8. He looked at me and then I blushed, Stevie Ray.

"He looked at me and then I blushed," is a line from Frankie.

Add that to Stevie Ray Vaughan and you get...

Frankie Vaughan - Garden of Eden

7. Time is the greatest of them. 

Time may be a great healer, but it is also a great leveller.

The Levellers - This Garden

6. Lennon's randy mix-up.

Mix up the letters in "Lennon's randy" and you get...

Lynn Anderson - (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden

I know I'm not supposed to anymore, but I really like Morrisey's version of that.

5. Wake up, little wailer.

Wake up, little Susie, there's a wailing banshee at the door.

Siouxsie And The Banshees - Hong Kong Garden

4. Puds rising deftly.

Anagram!

This is rather an obscure Dusty song, but it was written by Jimmy Webb, so it's obviously amazing.

Dusty Springfield - Magic Garden

3. So I go and I stand on my own, and I leave on my own...

"So I go and I stand on my own" is what happens to Wallflowers at discos. As Morrissey obviously knows.

The Wallflowers - Who's That Man Walking Round My Garden?

If you missed that the last time I featured it on this blog, give it a spin today.

2. The One With Monica's New Haircut.

Sounds like an episode of Friends in which Courtney Cox has a new barnet...

Courtney Barnett - Avant Gardener

So many great lines in that track, but my favourite is the bit where she gets carted away in an ambulance after quoting All Shook Up...

The paramedic thinks I'm clever 'cause I play guitar
I think she's clever 'cos she stops people dying

1. Office boss with a column. 

The boss in The Office was Ricky Gervais. Add Nelson's Column and you get...

Ricky Nelson - Garden Party

Enjoy your gardens this weekend, if you're lucky enough to have a garden. Snapshots will return next week...

My Top Ten Berry Songs

Fruity berries... because it's harvest time. The internet informs me that strawberries aren't actually berries... but bananas are. I don't believe everything I read on the internet, but for the sake of argument - to make this list, all songs must have the word "berry" in the TITLE. That's the rules for today.

Special mentions go to Strawberry Switchblade, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Strawberry Whiplash, Strawberry Story, The Cranberries, and, of course, Chuck. But not Nick. Never Nick. (That said, isn't it about time some tosspot from the X-Factor did a really bad cover of Every Loser Wins, just to get us all nostalgic for the original?)

10. The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever

I think I'm almost through my Hating The Beatles phase. I'm starting to appreciate them again.

That said, depending on your age and whether or not you're still sorted for Es and Wizz, you may prefer the Candy Flip version.

Me, I'd rather have the Hayseed Dixie version. That's some damned fast finger-pickin'!

9. Everclear - Strawberry

The one you've probably never heard of, and reckon shouldn't even be here. Luckily, it's my blog - and I like Everclear!

8. Ron Sexsmith - Strawberry Blonde

Had a hard day at work? Turn the lights down, put this on and...chill.

7. Super Furry Animals - Cloudberries

A song about hummingbirds. I think.

6. The Dentists - Strawberries Are Growing In My Garden (And It's Wintertime)

Tonight I'm going to party like it's 1985.

5. Ocean Colour Scene - Huckleberry Grove

One of their best songs, and it was only ever a b-side. 

4. The Move - Blackberry Way

The dark night of the summer of love.

3.  Prefab Sprout - Blueberry Pies

We're getting a lot of Prefab Sprout on this blog. There's a very good reason for that: Paddy McAloon is FANTASTIC.

Plus, blueberries are my favourite fruit.Which brings us to...

2. Fats Domino - Blueberry Hill

Where else can you find your thrill?

1. Prince - Raspberry Beret

Untouchable... but don't blame me if the video below doesn't work by the time you hit play. His highness does hate youtube. UPDATE... oops, spoke too soon - he's removed it. Good old Prince. Here's the Hindu Love Gods version instead...


 



Gilbert O'Sullivan's greatest hits album is called 'The Berry Vest of Gilbert O'Sullivan'. (I really need to find a way to shoehorn some Gilbert O'Sullivan into one of these Top Tens.) So, with that in mind, which is your Berry Vest Serry Bong?