R2OK!

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Just glanced at the playlists for the last 2 weeks of SOTS and both are good ones so will listen back soon.

Appropriately for today Tony ended this morning's show with Heatwave from Martha and The Vandellas. That was the first Motown song I heard and it still remains one of my all time favourites.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

The heatwave was short lived here,Helen - it's quite cool this morning.

I'm finding the playlists are to my tastes most, if not every, weeks.

One of the Magic Moments on Saturday - Might As Well Rain Until September by Carole King - is one of my all time favourite records.

Tony was saying that his Friday programme this week will be a 50's special.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Thanks for the heads up for this Friday's show Becky!

It's positively freezing here today. We are having a new window fitted in our bedroom. I remember the time it was first done (20+ years ago), it was lashing down with rain and blowing a gale and it was in the summer. At least we have no rain as yet..........

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

You're welcome,Helen.

Hope you got your window fitted alright - something I'm going to have to be thinking about before long - they don't, unfortunately, last forever.

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

So much to enjoy (for me) in Tony's programme today including nearly two helpings of Scott Walker's mellifluous voice. Very Happy

I loved hearing the full version of Soul Coaxing by the Raymond Lefèvre orchestra.

Have heard it so often as the theme music to radio stations but never knew what it was called, or who it was by for that matter.

Ironing was quite a pleasant chore as I listened...some time was spent dancing also. Smile

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Thanks for the heads up Becky, I've not had time to even glance at the playlist today!

Sounds like it will be a good one though.

I too always loved Soul Coaxin and Mum had it on an LP of all kinds of stuff, mostly instrumental I think, not sure if I still have it. I remember Love Is Blue was one of the other tracks.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

You're welcome,Helen.

With one thing and another I've missed a couple of weeks of Tony's programmes so will try and catch up as I always enjoy them.

Love Is Blue is a lovely tune - there were versions of that with lyrics too I seem to remember. Not sure which came first.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

I think it was the lyrical version Becky. I seem to think it was an entry sung in French for the Eurovision Song Contest. Maybe 1968?

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

Nice tribute to Kenny Lynch on the programme. I knew he had written some hits for other people but don't think I knew he had composed Sha-La-La-La-Lee, with Mort Shuman, for the Small Faces.

I was hoping Tony would choose my favourite Kenny record and he did - You Can Never Stop Me Loving You.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/dec/18/kenny-lynch-obituary

Tony ended the programme with two of the best from that era - Dusty with Some of Your Lovin' and Dionne with Walk On By. Cool

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Been catching up on a few recent SOTS.

They haven't been live shows but 4th Apr was a very good one for me. Still time to catch it if you want to.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

On the Northern Souls classics slot Tony mentioned the Mecca ballroom in Blackpool.
Spent many a happy time there dancing the night away - sadly no longer there. Another casualty of the bulldozer.
Lots of goodies again (imo) on today's programme. Among others I enjoyed hearing African Waltz from Johnny Dankworth - a good while since I've heard that.

Fog on the Tyne · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 1090

I've got to admit that I'm finding Tony's SOTS so much more enjoyable than the latter Brian Matthew years, the songs played might not always be to my taste but at least I recognise most of them which was something I was having difficulty with in Brian's last year or so. Yes Tony can be a little bit bland at times and there are too many songs which are his "all time favourite" but I do find the time to listen to the show now whether it be live or on catch up.
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The wheel keeps on turning...
This fool made it round.

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1175 Location: London

He's helped to keep me sane these past weeks. I'm immune to his shortcomings now. Long may be continue to play his all time favourtes. Is it me, or are the jokes getting better? Maybe I should seek a vaccine.
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life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

SOTS has been the best show on R2 in the recent weeks, like you it has help keep me sane. I've reminisced over the songs and what I was doing at the time and they were lovely memories. Maybe I'm getting old or it's these strange and horrible times we are living through.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

Caught up with last week's programme today to find Martha Reeves had taken Tony's place with her SOTS, from her home in Detroit.No explanation of where he was,unless I missed it.

She was a natural and her choices made for a great programme.

Have downloaded to listen again at some future date.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

It was part of the 'I have a dream' thing to coincide with Martin Luther King's speech Becky. I heard Tony mention it during the previous week's show. I haven't listened to that one yet.

He was back today and I've checked the playlist which looks to be a good one!

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

Oh right,thanks Helen.

I did hear her mention the I Have a Dream speech.

Ian Robinson · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2020 7:32 pm Post subject:

^ Yes, last weekend was a 'black music takeover' with all the music on Friday 28th August by black artists, and then Nile Rodgers presenting Sound of the Seventies, as if he's the only black man in pop.

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1175 Location: London

Lenny Henry probably wasn't available. Nile Rodgers comes across as a nice guy. Loves his Mum, who has dementia, so he's okay by me. I'll give that a listen this week, along with other JW progs I've yet to hear.

Trying to catch up with all the SOTS I've missed, yesterday and today. Three down and just starting the Martha Reeves one.
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life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans

Ian Robinson · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 12:48 pm Post subject:

Nothing against Rodgers apart from his ubiquity and that he plays his own tracks over and over.

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1175 Location: London

Can't argue with any of that, Ian.
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life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

Fog on the Tyne · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 1090

I was delighted to hear Tony play The Association's "Time For Living" yesterday - a song I hadn't heard in years.

Recently ,thanks to the wonders of You Tube, I've rediscovered what is now loosely called "Sunshine Music" which is basically wonderful American harmony groups from the mid-late 60s; groups such as The Association, The Cowsills, Spanky and Our Gang, The Turtles and 5th Dimension.
It's quite bizarre looking at the footage of these rather geeky looking groups realising that they were around at the same time as the hippy Summer of Love.
Most of them look sweet as apple pie co-eds but they produced some lovely songs with fabulous harmonies
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The wheel keeps on turning...
This fool made it round.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

That's one of my favourites too Foggy! I also like the other groups that you mention, having heard them very infrequently back in the day but found them on US radio via the internet. Great music!

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

I've yet to catch up with Saturday's programme,Foggy, so look forward to hearing The Association and other delights from Tony.

As you say there are some lovely harmonies from the groups you have mentioned.

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Just listening to yesterday's SOTS, it's a really great one and I'm only halfway through! I could right a bit of a story about most of the tracks but would bore you all to death.

Feel like I could do with a CD of all of the tracks...... actually with it being prerecorded Tony isn't talking over bits and most of the tracks are full length I could edit out Tony! A bit like recording Pick Of The Pops back in the 60s.......

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Fog on the Tyne · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 1090

I enjoyed yesterday's show as well Helen, a really good mix.
SOTs is an oasis of normality at the minute and I do think the overall selection of music is much better now than in the latter days of Brian.
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The wheel keeps on turning...
This fool made it round.

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

Number Six · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 438 Location: In the village

I'm the same. Tony keeps on about going back to live shows and I keep thinking "Don't bother on my account. I don't want to hear about someone driving around or otherwise boring me senseless. If the great Brian Matthew didn't need to do live shows then neither do you"
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I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

If there was a 'like' button I'd like your bit about the show being recorded all the time Number Six!

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Number Six · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 438 Location: In the village

Thank you ma'am
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I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered.

Fog on the Tyne · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 1090

I agree too, Tony's level of chat with just a smattering of corny jokes is just about right at the minute.
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The wheel keeps on turning...
This fool made it round.

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

Pouring down outside - Tier 3 restrictions has hit our area but listening to Tony's programme, from a couple of weeks ago, has really lifted my spirits this morning. Very Happy

Song after song had me singing along, with the odd dance thrown in. Laughing

Music really does have magical powers. Cool

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

That's the one I could have made a CD from Becky! It was a good one.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

I'm going to download it,Helen,and keep it!

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Today's edition may be another that you'd like to download to keep Becky! I've just checked the playlist and I can hardly see a bad one on it so I'll be making a recording and listening later on.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6812

Download completed,Helen - thanks!

I took Tony and his programme on a morning walk - the gloomy November morning didn't seem as gloomy while I walked and listened.

Particular enjoyed the first Magic Moment - Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks - and the story attached to it.

The version of Best Part Of Breaking Up by The Symbols, that Tony played, isn't a patch on the version by The Ronettes. Made me want to listen to the original! Phil Spector is a wrong 'un - no doubt about that but he made some glorious sounds. Cool

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1175 Location: London

As most of you are probably aware, Tony does various shows on other stations. I've never checked them out before, but saw a Tweet from Sion McCoy from BBC News - he was a guest on Tony's Radio Solent programme yesterday evening. So though I'd click on the link and see what it was like.

It's very good. 1968 so far. This is the first hour. Whether it continues for the rest of the show, I don't know. But so far, it's great.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08yqpkb
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life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans