Celebrity Jukebox #95: Dr. Samuel Johnson

Everything I know about Dr. Samuel Johnson, I learned from Blackadder. As an English teacher, I can say with some authority that it's really all you need to know. Except that he once wrote that, "when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life". And if that's the case, I know a hell of a lot of people who are fed up with living.

Over the last year, I have encountered a couple of fine songs that reference the first man in dictionary corner... so I was sure I'd be able to find some more with a little digging. 

Let's start in 1923...

Ernest Hare & Al Bernard - Samuel Johnson (Get Thee Gone From Here)

And if we drop his Christian name, I'm guessing these will also suffice...

Eat that mighty apple
Crawl across the ceiling
Force feed her a bundle
Dr. Johnson's got the feeling

The Fat White Family - Fringe Runner

I am a little beggarman and beggin′ I have been
In Dr. Johnson′s motorcar I′ll take you home Kathleen

Paddy goes to Holyhead - Seldom Sober

Meanwhile, today's finest discovery are called Tankus The Henge. Yes, they are.

Well there's old Dr. Johnson with a hole in his eye
He don't know how to fight, but he knows how to die
There's someone outside in the corridor now
Pulls open the shutter, and takes a bow
The window to the track is rivetted shut
Poor old Dr .Johnson he ain't got much luck
As the ticket inspector come along for the dead
And sees the curves of a girl silhouetted instead

Tankus The Henge - The Deviationist Society

Now, when I extended my search to include Johnson's famous quote about London, all kind of things crawled out of the woodwork. All kinds of Dirty Pretty Things for a start...

How can they be tired of London?
The scents in the air on a warm day
Generation of hope that sees better days
But moving along in the same old ways

Dirty Pretty Things - Tired of England

And then there's this little seafood delight...

Tired of London, tired of life
Tired of London, tired of life
Tired of London, tired of life
Tired of London, tired of life

King Prawn - Gather Round

The two artists I had in mind when I decided to feature Dr. Johnson here both mention him by name and reference his love of the capital... though they do seem to disagree with that quote somewhat.

Dr. Samuel Johnson
You were very nearly right
I was tired of London
But I would never tire of life

That's not the album version, but a lovely live recording featuring Chris T-T on piano.

Jim Bob has a new album out today. I'm waiting for my copy to arrive in the post, but from what I've heard, it could be his best yet.

Frank Turner, meanwhile, mentions Dr. Johnson twice in song. Firstly here...

Wandering Rosebery Avenue

I could only think of you

Facing Samuel Johnson down

A soul to wear down London Town

Frank Turner - The Angel Islington

And, most notably, on this glorious tune from his most recent record...

I got tired of London

Not tired of life

I'm so sorry, my darling

To leave you behind

Product Placement Friday #11: Ready Brek

I honestly thought they'd given up making Ready Brek, so I was surprised to see that it's still being churned out by the Weetabix people. Clearly they've changed the recipe to make it less radioactive, but us kids of the 70s and 80s were happy to down a bowl of nuclear slag if it kept us warm on our way to school. Kids nowadays are too soft by far.

Rapper Example (real name Elliot John Gleave) was born in 1982. His guest on the track below, Doc Brown (not the one with a Delorean, the one who recorded Equality Street with David Brent), was born in the 70s. So they're just about old enough to wax lyrical about the good old days...

I knew Elliot in the days of Ready Brek and Teletext

Never knew where we'd be shellin' next

Nowadays it's a brave new environment

Just for Example, I came out of retirement

Example & Doc Brown - Eye To Eye

Carl Barât from the Libertines was born one year after Doc Brown (1978, for those of you who're trying not to feel too old). Here he is with his other band, the one not fronted by an obnoxious junkie...

I used to have a future 

But now I don't know 

Just dependence and repentance and a Ready Brek glow

Dirty Pretty Things - You Fucking Love It

Next, how do you fancy some Scottish hip hop? You know you do...

I react like a bull to a red rag

'Til I glow around the edges like the Ready Brek man

With the heavyset slang to make many heads bang

And yi can chase yirsel for that bed tax

Stanley Odd - Chase Yirsel 

And then there's this...

The Weathermonger - Ready Brek Kid

Answers on a postcard.

Finally, here's a song from Richard Dawson about working in the civil service. It might ring a few bells for some of you...

Open your eyes, time to wake up

Shit, shower, brush your teeth, drain your cup

Wolf down a bowl of Ready Brek

Fasten a tie around your neck

All over the city we arise, arise

For a job we despise, despise, despise

I don't want to go into work this morning

I don't think I can deal with the wrath of the general public

And I don't have the heart to explain to another poor soul

Why it is their Disability Living Allowance will be stopping shortly

Little bit of politics to enjoy with your Ready Brek. That'll give you a warm glow...