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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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Also Tony missed out the classic 'Strange Kind of Woman' in favour of a virtually unknown Sinatra track - how could he
Generally speaking a pretty good show today despite that _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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ColinB Guest
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Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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ruddlescat wrote: | Also Tony missed out the classic 'Strange Kind of Woman' in favour of a virtually unknown Sinatra track - how could he |
Yes, I thought exactly that. I was telling my wife that I saw Deep Purple play in the week that single was released and that he would be playing it immediately after mentioning it, and then he skipped past to Sinatra. Although I love Sinatra's classic 1950s stuff I thought his 70s material was nowhere near as good. Oh well.... |
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Schizoidman
Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex
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Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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Strange Kind Of Woman.....my favourite Purple track! What a classic. I guess it's not Tony Blackburn's sort of music. He openly admits to not liking hard rock.
Becky, yes Another Day was a good song but I guess it was going down the charts this week.
Generally I thought that the chart of April 1971 was pretty awful, I'm afraid. |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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Schizoidman wrote: |
Generally I thought that the chart of April 1971 was pretty awful, I'm afraid. |
It was full of stuff very much of its day - CCS, Waldo de los Rios (which Robert Robinson described as "Mozart with Custard"), Sweet, the willowy Olivia Newton-John, before she met JT and got Physical, Mungo Jerry and Ray Stevens' Bridget. I enjoyed it, cos I hadn't heard most of them for some time - I didn't get to hear the second half of the show. _________________ Ron
Last edited by RockitRon on Sun Apr 17, 2011 8:45 am; edited 1 time in total |
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ColinB Guest
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Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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Schizoidman wrote: | Generally I thought that the chart of April 1971 was pretty awful, I'm afraid. |
Pretty much what was discussed in another recent thread. It proves that TOTPs simply was in no way representative of what was actually happening out on the road - so many great touring bands, fabulous venues, crap chart acts, awful cheesy TOTPs, The OGWT our only source of really good music on TV! |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 9:00 am Post subject: |
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Yes, we and a few hundred thousand others loved OGWT, bought albums, got the T-shirts, while several millions loved TOTP, bought singles with twee lyrics and tunes they could sing along to (some of us did both if we're honest).
It's called pop music, pop culture for a reason - it's popular. You may sneer at and question the intelligence of the people who like it but it has ever been thus. _________________ Ron |
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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19385 Location: Cheshire
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 9:23 am Post subject: |
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Schizoidman wrote: | Generally I thought that the chart of April 1971 was pretty awful, I'm afraid. |
I agree, not a good one.
H _________________ 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 |
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ColinB Guest
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 12:07 pm Post subject: |
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RockitRon wrote: | Yes, we and a few hundred thousand others loved OGWT, bought albums, got the T-shirts, while several millions loved TOTP, bought singles with twee lyrics and tunes they could sing along to (some of us did both if we're honest).
It's called pop music, pop culture for a reason - it's popular. You may sneer at and question the intelligence of the people who like it but it has ever been thus. |
Doesn't stop a lot of what Blackburn played in the 1971 slot from being crap, though! |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 12:21 pm Post subject: |
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I think that one cannot simply base an opinion in respect of POTP purely on the actual quality of the music in any given year
A lot of what might be considered 'mediocre' music brings to mind many memories both happy and sad in our lives and it's probably those memories which we cherish rather than the actual music itself
For example when Tony played 'Hot Love' yesterday I could not help recalling the day when I met my first girlfriend at a disco night run by the St John's Ambulance Brigade back in St Helens in 1971
As I recall the relationship lasted for about a month but that track will always remind me of those happy days - and it was actually not a bad track either _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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Lord Evan Elpuss
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 3417 Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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Very true ruddlescat. One such track for me is 'Good Vibrations' by The Beach Boys. This is always associated with my first ever flight way back in 1973. I remember hearing it that morning before I left the house. If you like a spooky story, then fast forward to July 2005 and my first flight across the channel in a light aircraft, what did I hear on my car radio as I was driving to the airfield? Yes 'Good Vibrations' by The Beach Boys!! _________________ Lord Evan Elpuss, Your ideal job is a Lumberjack. |
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ColinB Guest
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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ruddlescat wrote: | As I recall the relationship lasted for about a month but that track will always remind me of those happy days - and it was actually not a bad track either |
Yes, I have similar feelings. I used to go to an under-18s disco on a Friday night down in Plymouth and the DJ was a club-DJ who used to do the major clubs later in the night in the city centre. He used to play Atlantic/Stax/Soul Classics back-to-back for a half an hour and I can't help hearing Marth & The Vandellas' "Dancing In The Street" or Freda Payne's "Band of Gold" without think of my first ever grope. Thanks to Tina Brown for the opportunity! |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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Quite a few 85 songs were overlooked, and the usual suspects played.. |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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The show should return to it's Live version next week. It just dosn't sound the same... |
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ColinB Guest
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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mark occomore wrote: | The show should return to it's Live version next week. It just dosn't sound the same... |
When was it mentioned that it wasn't live? Perhaps I missed that bit but it sounded OK to me. |
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Rob
Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Posts: 163 Location: Leicester
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:09 am Post subject: |
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I'm afraid I get annoyed when the drop anything, but the higher up the chart it was the more annoyed I get. Surely the point of POTP is to play the chart music of the day? To drop a top five record for any reason other than major taste issues (unacceptable lyrics, for example) just goes against the grain.
I'm less worried below number ten; the sales numbers for 11 to 20 in any week were always a lot closer than those for the top ten. But I certainly agree that every opportunity should be taken to get out the records that get little airplay and give 'em a spin. (Yex, I know they're played from a digital format and not from vinyl, but that's getting picky).
Rob. |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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ColinB wrote: | mark occomore wrote: | The show should return to it's Live version next week. It just dosn't sound the same... |
When was it mentioned that it wasn't live? Perhaps I missed that bit but it sounded OK to me. |
The show hasn't been live for 2 weeks, Colin. You can tell as he usually reads out people emails, and also talks to the news and traffic people. |
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ColinB Guest
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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mark occomore wrote: | ColinB wrote: | mark occomore wrote: | The show should return to it's Live version next week. It just dosn't sound the same... |
When was it mentioned that it wasn't live? Perhaps I missed that bit but it sounded OK to me. |
The show hasn't been live for 2 weeks, Colin. You can tell as he usually reads out people emails, and also talks to the news and traffic people. |
Just goes to show how good a DJ old Tone is then because I didn't notice. It doesn't matter. |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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I know it doesn't matter.... |
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ColinB Guest
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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mark occomore wrote: | I know it doesn't matter.... |
So do I, Mark. Really, it doesn't matter. I think. |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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Just listening to POTP now and I was rather surprised to hear that TB (or possibly his producer who should know better) apparently thinks that the Simon and Garfunkel track 'Homeward Bound' was written on Brentford railway station
I thought it was fairly well known that the track is supposed to have been written on Widnes railway station in Cheshire
However I have heard a theory that in fact Paul Simon got confused and actually wrote the song on Runcorn station also in Cheshire the latter station being on the Liverpool to Euston main line whereas Widnes station about 3 miles away is situate on a local branch line running from Liverpool to Warrington
Either way he was apparently returning from a tour of northern clubs so I think the 'Brentford' theory is a little far fetched _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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nod
Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry Nod, I'm having a problem in reading the Wikipedia link you posted because on my computer the writing is just too small
However I have just checked the site Answers.com and it clearly states that the song 'Homeward Bound' was written on the platform of Widnes railway station after Simon had completed a small tour of the UK in the late 60s
It also states that apparently there is a small sign on the rail house wall to mark this fact
As I am a follower of St Helens Rugby League Club who are currently playing their home games at Widnes whilst their new stadium is under construction I go there about once a fortnight and next time I am there I will make a point of calling in at the station to verify the existence of the sign on the wall _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19385 Location: Cheshire
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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Glad you picked up on that Ruddles! I heard the remark as I switched on the car. I've heard it said for many years that it was Widnes station and as I've seen the station it sticks in my mind.
Of course the producer is Phil Swern who regularly gets things about the 60s wrong ............
H _________________ 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 |
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ColinB Guest
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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ruddlescat wrote: | However I have just checked the site Answers.com and it clearly states that the song 'Homeward Bound' was written on the platform of Widnes railway station after Simon had completed a small tour of the UK in the late 60s
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You're right. Paul Simon has told this story himself in various documentaries. |
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becky sharp
Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6855
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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ruddlescat wrote: |
I thought it was fairly well known that the track is supposed to have been written on Widnes railway station in Cheshire
| Blimey,Tony...even I knew that... |
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nod
Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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The summary from Wikipedia...
"Homeward Bound" is an American folk song written by Simon and Garfunkel, produced by Bob Johnston and recorded on December 14, 1965. Paul Simon is said to have written the song at Farnworth railway station (Widnes North) in the town of Widnes, in the north-west of England, while stranded overnight waiting for a train, a plaque was displayed in the station to commemorate this, although memorabilia hunters have stolen it many times.[citation needed] Simon has said that he is unclear on which station he was at when it was written, and it may have been Warrington Bank Quay Station in Warrington.[citation needed] The song describes his longing to return home, both to his then girlfriend, Kathy Chitty in Brentwood, Essex, England, and to return to the United States. ..........Simon lived in Brentwood, Essex, England when he wrote the song and traveling back from Wigan, where he was playing, he got stuck on the station and wrote it. The song has a double meaning: literally, wanting for a ticket home to Brentwood, but on the other hand, yearning to go to his home in the US
Simon talked about this song in a 1990 interview with SongTalk magazine: "That was written in Liverpool when I was traveling. What I like about that is that it has a very clear memory of Liverpool station and the streets of Liverpool and the club I played at and me at age 22. |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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Nod the Wikipedia explanation does not make any sense to me
If Simon was performing in Wigan and wanted to get back to Essex he would catch a train from Wigan North Western to London Euston and this route goes through Warrington Bank Quay but he would have no reason to leave the train there as there are no local trains between Wigan and Warrington(or at least not in the sixties) and all trains are main line which carry on either to London or Birmingham southbound or to Preston, Carlisle and Glasgow northbound
I find Wikipedia fairly unreliable as a source of perfect information and I think it far more likely that the writer was in Widnes for whatever reason and wrote the song there which is the true version of events as far as I know- of course if he talks about playing in Wigan and ending up in Liverpool with clear memories of the streets there then the chances are he would have had to pass through Widnes on that journey which is consistent with what most people believe and he could have then caught a train from Liverpool to London Euston
After all since both Helen and I live in Cheshire and in my case only about 20 miles from Widnes and I worked in Widnes for 3 years in the late 70s I think my information with all due respect is more likely to be accurate as I distinctly recall locals in Widnes telling the story over 30 years ago _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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nod
Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not saying it's right, I just pointed it out
Anyway did he 'borrow' the rhythms of the area like he did in subsequent decades ? |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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Fair enough Nod - actually I once consulted Wikipedia to check the age of a certain person and it told me the person concerned was dead
Rather embarrassingly I saw the person on a live TV show about six months later
It turned out that someone inputting information had got their wires crossed
Whilst it's a useful site I don't totally trust everything on there and it has its shortfalls so it's fine for people to use it so long as they are aware of them _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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nod
Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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at least it showed where Brentford (mistaken for Brentwood ?) came into it (assuming that bits right!)
It was all as clear as mud really |
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Schizoidman
Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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There were certainly some classic songs in April 1966: Beach Boys, Kinks, Manfred Mann, Walker Brothers, The Who. And how good to hear The Yardbirds 'Shapes Of Things', psychedelic rock at it's best, courtesy of Jeff Beck. The Stone Roses long before their time. This is the sort of song that SOTS should play, instead of all that Helen Shapiro stuff.
And how nice to hear Bob Lind's 'Elusive Butterfly', a wonderful song. Lynn Parsons played it in the early hours about three months ago so there is hope for Radio 2 yet.
Shame that Tony also had to play Val Doonican's dreadful version too. |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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Yes there were some great tracks from 1966 on yesterday's show and I also enjoyed 1983 especially the track 'Words' by French artist F R David which is rarely heard on British radio these days
I thought Tony was a bit slow on the uptake there though bearing in mind the obvious French connection not to throw in the obvious Easter joke doing the rounds at present
Q Why do the French only ever eat one Easter Egg on Easter Day
A Because one egg is 'Un Oeuf' _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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nod
Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558
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Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think Tony has ever been fast enough on the uptake to tell a joke like that. |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Did any of you spot the obvious mistake on the show today?
In the second hour covering 1987 Tony claimed that the band 'The Alarm' was formed in South Wales
Although that area has over the years produced many fine music artists including my favourite rock band of all time everyone knows that the Alarm were based in Rhyl in North Wales
I've met Mike Peters several times as he often plays at local music festivals - he's a really nice guy totally dedicated to music
Perhaps you should take note Mr Swern and next time please get your facts right _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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Schizoidman
Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex
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Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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I was about to turn off today's POTPs (Dec 70 / Jan 71) when Gilbert O'Sullivan's 'Nothing Rhymed' came on. What a good song, followed by Andy Williams' 'Home Lovin' Man', another great one.
It got even better with The Jackson 5's 'I'll Be There', McGuinness Flints' 'When I'm Dead and Gone', Glen Campbell's 'It's Only Make Believe', Clive Dunn's 'Grandad', and Dave Edmunds' 'I Hear You Knocking'.
What great songs. Why can't Radio 2 play more of these classics that are seldom heard, instead of all the usual 80s drivel.
And was there a better top 7? |
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Schizoidman
Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex
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Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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...not forgetting Neil Diamond's 'Crackling Rosie', so make that the perfect top 8. |
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SantaFefan
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 11258 Location: top of the cliffs in Norfolk
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Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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Schizoidman wrote: | It got even better with..... Clive Dunn's 'Grandad' |
really? _________________ Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! 13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be. |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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He didn't realise where he was on the 31st Dec as he was texting himself... The show wasn't Live... |
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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19385 Location: Cheshire
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Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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Schizoidman wrote: | I was about to turn off today's POTPs (Dec 70 / Jan 71) when Gilbert O'Sullivan's 'Nothing Rhymed' came on. What a good song, followed by Andy Williams' 'Home Lovin' Man', another great one.
It got even better with The Jackson 5's 'I'll Be There', McGuinness Flints' 'When I'm Dead and Gone', Glen Campbell's 'It's Only Make Believe', Clive Dunn's 'Grandad', and Dave Edmunds' 'I Hear You Knocking'.
What great songs. Why can't Radio 2 play more of these classics that are seldom heard, instead of all the usual 80s drivel.
And was there a better top 7? |
I enjoyed the chart as well which in a way was a bit spooky.
Earlier this morning I was thinking about seeing Johnnie Walker live in Warrington last May and of when I'd first listened to him on R1 between 9 and 10am. It was about Nov 1970 and one song I associate with him is 'Cracklin' Rosie' which he played a lot at that time. I got my first cassette recorder about then and had most of this chart on one of the tapes!
H _________________ 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 |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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I thought the 1971 chart had some excellent tracks especially McGuinness Flint and I switched on knowing what was coming as the same chart was covered on the Smooth Double Top Twenty show a couple of weeks ago and I thought then just how superb it was _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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