Another Day #14: National Beverage Day

I'm not telling my students this, but today is No Homework Day.

Johnnie Taylor - Take Care Of Your Homework

Actually, in my current job, I don't give homework. So every day is No Homework Day. 

Today is also World Carnivorous Plant Day, which gives us all an excuse to watch this again...

That's Levi Stubbs from The Four Tops as the voice of Audrey II, in case you didn't know.

And it's Tourist Appreciation Day too. Which might make you appreciate these guys a little more...

The Tourists - So Good to Be Back Home Again 

Lonely Tourist - Four Phone Calls

Furthermore, it's also National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. In the words of Terry Hall... try wearing a cap!

The Specials - Too Much Too Young

Instead of any of that funny business, I'd advise teenagers to enjoy a nice Crepe Suzette today. Because, yes, hard as it may be to believe, it's also National Crepe Suzette Day.

The Descendents - Crepe Suzette

I was shocked by how many songs there were featuring Crepe Suzettes in the title... including offerings from Danny Kaye, Kenneth Williams and Cyril Watters with The New Century Orchestra. Thank God for The Descendents.

You may choose to wash your crepe suzette down with a nice beverage. Which is good because it's also National Beverage Day. The word "beverage" always reminds me of The Dude...

And what is The Dude's Beverage of choice, that he really doesn't want to spill?

A White Russian, of course... that's vodka, kahlúa and double cream (milk powder will apparently suffice if you don't have any cream) over ice.

Marillion - White Russian

Sad Lovers & Giants - White Russians

Please drink your White Russians responsibly. You can do what you like with your crepe suzettes.

Namesakes #23: The Tourists

Last week, you had to choose from three bands called Linoleum... though your biggest disappointment was that none of them came from former Lino Capital, Kirkcaldy.

Above is the cover to 10cc's album Bloody Tourists, home of cod-reggae smash Dreadlock Holiday, a Number One that has probably been consigned to the "never play this again for fear of offending someone who wasn't offended by it in 1978" pile by Radio 2. 

Here are three more bloody Tourists...

THE TOURISTS #1

New Jersey - birthplace of Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, FM radio, the electric lightbulb and... in 1977, proto-metal / stoner-rock outfit The Tourists, led by one Bob Solberg. This was their only single... 

THE TOURISTS #2

Annie Lennox. Dave Stewart. Long before the world-conquering hi-jinks of the Eurythmics, they were The Tourists... although the band really belonged to lead guitarist and principal songwriter Peet Coombes, the man behind their biggest hit that wasn't a Dust Springfield cover.

TOURISTS #3

Eschewing the definite article, and all the way from sunny Torquay, home of Sydney Opera House, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon and herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plain... here's a bunch of contemporary Tourists who "combine elements of shoegaze and synth-pop with deeper-rooted post-punk influences, crafting their own identifiable brand of dark, melodic dream-pop". Whatever happened to just writing catchy tunes, eh?

As usual, discogs sent me down a couple of rabbit holes which didn't lead to any actual tunes, though I was most disappointed to not find audio from Las Tentadoras... I mean, clearly this one would have been a winner.

Special mention goes to country rock pioneers Wynn Stewart & The Tourists, who were disqualified by the VAR. I'd have let you in, guys, I really would. And if it were up to me, the wonderful Lonely Tourist would also be shoe-horned into this week's post.

Which Tourists would you welcome in your record collection... and which ones just need to go back where they came from?

Saturday Snapshots #45 - The Answers

I hope you had the time of your life playing Saturday Snapshots yesterday. And that none of you ended up a Basket Case...

A Saturday night powercut means I'm setting this to post via my phone so can't add my usual commentary congratulating the winners. Just hoping this will still post on Sunday morning as planned. I'll try to add comments later on Sunday but thanks for playing as always.

10. Je t'aime a tiny city full of serial killers.

Je t'aime is French for 'I love you'.

A tiny city full of serial killers would be a mini Ripper-town.

Minnie Riperton - Loving You

9. High ranking (southern) British martial artist and fishy western director request the pleasure of your company this evening.

The ranking system in many forms of martial arts is the Dan. Southern Britain would be England.

John Ford was a great director of Westerns. Coley is a fish.

Phew. Convoluted way to get to an undisputed easy listening classic.

England Dan & John Ford Coley - I'd Really Love To See You Tonight

8. My girl in Portugal is a honey.

"My girl" translated into Portuguese is "a minha menina".

Honey comes from bees.

The Bees - A Minha Menina

7. After a couple of weeks sightseeing, kick off your shoes and hit the sofa.

Explains itself.

The Tourists - So Good To Be Back Home Again

6. Half a gross of Cale hunting a red mermaid.

Half a gross is 72.

J.J. Cale.

The Hunt For Red October.

Mermaids swim.

JJ72 - October Swimmer

5. Bet you felt a proper one before that fall. Smooch one of your crimefighting ladies to help you feel better.

Pride goes before a fall.

If you're embarrassed, you might feel a proper Charley.

Charlie's Angels were crimefighters.

Charley Pride - Kiss An Angel Good Morning

4. Heroic cop loses his G-string across the channel.

Heroic is daring, minus a g = Darin. A cop is a Bobby.

Across the Channel is...

Bobby Darin - Beyond The Sea

3. Win a designer scullery!

A designer scullery would be a kitchen of distinction.

You win prizes.

Kitchens of Distinction - Prize

2. Take pride in your centrefolds with pierced bellybuttons.

Taking pride in yourself is self respect.

Centrefolds are often pierced through their bellybuttons by staples.

The Staple Singers - Respect Yourself

1. Part time docker and grainmaker has a laugh.

A docker is a stevedore. Part time would make him merely Steve.

A grainmaker would be a Miller.

Laughing is for Jokers.


Saturday Snapshots will be back next week. American Idiots and Geek Stink Breaths need not apply.