August 27, 2018

 

 

Tune in to 

Tony’s Time Machine.

at Noon on Tuesday  28th August 2018

for another fast moving show

of great music and conversation

and also

forthcoming Tour dates and

Tony’s Interview with  

Otis Williams of  The Temptations.

 

Tony’s Guest this week will be

Sher Khan

 

The show will include a reading of the poem –

‘For The Love Of The Temptations’

written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

 

August 22, 2018

 

 

In 84, on the Sire label, arrived ‘Holiday’ –

a UK gold seller, giving Madonna a No.6 slot.

‘Lucky Star’ and ‘Borderline’ followed,

then ‘Like A Virgin’, a US No.1,  also gained a UK Top 3 spot.

 

In 85 came seven consecutive Top Tens –

the first two being ‘Material Girl’ and ‘Crazy For You’,

then ‘Into The Groove’ for four weeks at No.1,

with ‘Holiday’ and ‘Angel’ next in the queue.

 

‘Gambler’ came next on the Geffen label

(as was ‘Crazy For You’)

Then gold-seller – ‘Dress You Up’ -(back on Sire),

and in 86, ‘Borderline’ returning at No.2.

 

Next, at No.2, came ‘Live To Tell’, (also a US No.1),

and ‘Papa Don’t Preach’ – for 3 weeks – a UK No.1

followed by ‘True Blue’ and ‘Open Your Heart’,

and in 87, ‘La Isla Bonita’, for 2 weeks – a UK No.1.

 

‘Who’s That Girl’ – the next US & UK No.1,

followed by ‘Causing A Commotion’ at No.4,

and ‘The Look Of Love’ closing this year,

but 89 had 4 UK Top Tens in store.

 

At No.1 for 3 weeks was ‘Like A Prayer’,

then ‘Express Yourself’ at No.5 and ‘Cherish’ at No.3,

before ‘Dear Jessie’ closed the decade, and in 90 –

US No.1 -‘Vogue’ – for 4 weeks a UK No.1, was to be.

 

‘Hanky Panky’ and ‘Justify My Love’,

in 90, both made the UK No.2,

and in 91, now on the Sire label,

also making No.2 was ‘Crazy For You’.

 

‘Rescue Me’ and ‘Holiday’ – the last Top Tens of 91,

and in 92, ‘This Used To Be My Playground’ –

a US No.1, reached the UK Top 3,

and on Maverick, came ‘Erotica’ –  also a Top 3 sound.

 

‘Deeper and Deeper’ ended this year,

with ‘Bad Girl’, the first Top Ten of 93,

then ‘Fever’ and ‘Rain’, and in 94 – ‘I’ll Remember’,

before ‘Secret’, and then US No.1 – ‘Take A Bow’, we see.

 

‘Bedtime Story’ and ‘Human Nature’,

two more Top Tens to arrive,

and ‘You’ll See’  also included,

in Madonnas’ UK hits of 95.

 

Opening 96 came ‘Oh Father’,  followed by

‘One More Chance’ and ‘You Must Love Me’,

and closing this year ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’,

on Warner Brothers, reached No.3.

 

Also on Warner Brothers (as was ‘You Must Love Me’),

next came ‘Another Suitcase In Another Hall’,

and in 98 at No.1 on Maverick was ‘Frozen’,

and ‘Ray Of Light’ had a UK No.2 call.

 

Then came ‘Drowned World’ (Substitute For Love),

and ‘The Power Of Goodbye’/’Little Star’, also a Top 10.

and ‘Nothing Really Matters’ and ‘Beautiful Stranger’ –

two Top Tens of 99,  to follow on then.

 

‘American Pie’ and ‘Music’ – two Millennium number ones,

and included in this year -‘Don’t Tell Me’ – at No.4 in the UK,

and at No.7 in 01 – ‘What It Feels Like For A Girl’,

and in 02, on Warner Brothers came ‘Die Another Day’.

 

In 03, ‘American Life (Import) at No.57,

followed by ‘American Life’ at No.2.

and also at No.2 came ‘Hollywood’,

from this Goddess of Invention, so true.

 

Also in 03, ‘Me Against The Music’  on Jive,

by Britney Spears featuring Madonna – a UK No.2

then came ‘Nothing Falls’/’Love Profusion’,

making No.11, as 03 was through.

 

In 05, ‘Hung Up’ and in o6 ‘Sorry’

both UK number ones,  with Madonna at her best.

‘Get Together’ and ‘Jump’ ending the year,

both UK Top Tens to add to the rest.

 

In 08,  ‘4 Minutes’  featuring Justin Timberlake –

a UK No.1 for 4 weeks in the charts.

Also in this year ‘Give It 2 Me’ and ‘Miles Away’,

and in 09 ‘Celebration’ – a No.3 for this Queen of Hearts.

 

written by

Harriet Blackbury

August 20, 2018

 

Tune in to 

Tony’s Time Machine

at Noon on Tuesday  21st August

for another whirlwind hour of music and chat

including Head For The Hills

& Autumn Concert Previews.

 

Tony will also be reading the poem

For The Love Of Aretha Franklin

written by 

Harriet Blackbury

 

August 18, 2018

 

 

Joyously Uplifting –  

the best thing ever to have come out of a Wheelie Bin !

 

 

Harriet Blackbury

 

 

 

August 17, 2018

 

They both arrived on cue,

each one wagging their tail –

though that’s not strictly true,

for they’d come by British Rail,

 

as no Virgin trains on the platform

to be mounted for the ride,

they had taken the escalator

to the other side.

 

and waited for an ‘Inter City’

recommended by their cat,

who had now become a home-bird,

because of this and that,

 

and who’s travelling days were over

and who wisely took the view,

to step aside and let the youngsters

do  what youngster do !

 

The next train at the platform

they decided wouldn’t do,

as their cat had strictly told them

that all journeys end at Crewe.

 

So with tails between their legs –

though that’s not strictly true,

they went down another escalator,

wondering what to do.

 

No Porter on this platform,

though one across the track,

who just completely ‘blanked’ them,

as he loaded a mail sack,

 

so with frustration building,

they sat down for a while,

and decided to ring their cat,

who, of course, was on speed-dial.

 

But their cat by now had settled,

and was in the land of nod,

so back up the steps they trundled,

and said  ‘ain’t life a sod ?’

 

But just then, to the rescue,

came magically into view –

the delayed train they had wanted,

and their excitement grew,

 

and then with both tails wagging –

if only that was true!

they took their waiting seats

and then the whistle blew.

 

August 16, 2018

 

 

‘Respect’ on the Atlantic label

gave Aretha Franklin a UK Top 10 in 67.

This song also making the US No.1 slot

for this singer who’s voice was just heaven.

 

‘Baby I Love You’ came next

and then ‘Chain Of Fools’ and ‘Satisfaction’.

‘Since You’ve Been Gone’  followed on,

and ‘Think’ got a Top 30 re-action.

 

‘I Say A Little Prayer For You’,

also in 68, made a UK No.4.

‘Don’t Play That Song’ and ‘Spanish Harlem’

coming next with a Top 20 score.

 

In 73, ‘Angel’ made the UK Top 40,

and ‘Until You Come Back To Me

(That’s what I’m Gonna Do)’  –

Aretha’s last hit on Atlantic  – proved to be.

 

Switching to Arista in 80, then came

‘What A Fool Believes’ and ‘Love All The Hurt Away’

followed by ‘Jump to it’ and ‘Get It Right’,

then ‘Freeway Of Love’  the next UK chart stay.

 

‘Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves’

with The Eurythmics in 85 made No.9 on RCA,

then ‘Who’s Zoomin Who’ and ‘Another Night’

before ‘Freeway Of Love’ – another chart visit did pay.

 

At No.1 in 87, on Epic with George Michael –

came ‘I Knew You Were Waiting ( For Me)’,

and also in 87 on Arista –

Aretha gave us the song ‘Jimmy Lee’.

 

‘Through The Storm’ with Elton John came next,

then ‘It Isn’t, It Wasn’t, It Ain’t Never Gonna Be’

with Whitney Houston,  making a UK No.29,

before ‘Think’ made another chart plea.

 

In 91 came ‘Everyday People’,  and then

‘A Deeper Love’ and ‘Willing To  Forgive’  in 94,

and in 98  ‘A Rose Is Still A Rose’ made a UK No.22,

followed by ‘Here We Go Again’,  from this Star we adore.

 

RIP  Aretha Franklin     1942 -2018

(The Queen of Soul & Inspiration)

Thank You For The Music 

 

 

Written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

 

August 15, 2018

 

Cliff Richard & The Shadows on Columbia,

had a No.1 with ‘Summer Holiday’ in 63,

and in 66 ‘Sunny Afternoon’ for The Kinks

on the Pye label – their third No.1 proved to be.

 

At No.4 in 75 was ‘Summertime City’

on Epic for Mike Batt with The New Edition,

and in 78, John Travolta & Olivia Newton John,

with ‘Summer Nights’,  for 7 weeks, held the No.1 position.

 

In 78, ‘Summer Night City’ on Epic

took Abba to No.5,

and in 85, Bryan Adams on A & M

kept ‘Summer of 69’ alive.

 

‘Summertime Of Our Lives’ on Columbia

gave A1 a Top 5 in 99,

and in 74, ‘Summer Breeze’ by The Isley Brothers,

on Epic, another classic so fine.

 

With ‘Paper Sun’ at No.5 and ‘Hole In My Shoe’ at No.2,

in 67, Traffic, simply no wrong could do.

and in 81 on De-lite, Kool & The Gang

brought ‘Summer Madness’ to you.

 

‘Daydream’ & ‘Summer In The City’ 

two Top Tens for Lovin Spoonful in 66,

and from 2004, ‘Summer Sunshine’ by The Corrs,

on Altlantic, included in this mix.

 

 

Written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

 

 

 

August 12, 2018

 

 

Amber, Apricot & Apple Green –

Jersey potatoes nicely scrubbed clean.

 

Crimson, Caramel & Cerise Pink –

Peas from the pod drained in the sink.

 

Marigold, Mauve & Midnight Blue –

A hint of paprika in a rich stew.

 

Lemon, Lilac & Lily White –

Hot milk at bedtime for a restful night.

 

Purple, Peony, Peach & Plum –

Banana fritters laced with rum.

 

Shades of Denim and Army Khaki –

Toasted soldiers in eggs  – what a Malachi !

 

Powder Blue, Navy and Deep Magenta –

Coconuts, Mangoes, and Flying Fish  I sent her.

 

Scarlet, Strawberry & Ruby Red –

Blacksticks cheese, with Sourdough bread.

 

Turquoise, Tangerine, Taupe & Tan – 

catching moon-dust in a dustpan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

!

 

 

August 6, 2018

 

 

Tune in to

Tony’s Time Machine

at Noon on Tuesday  7th August

for another fast moving hour of

summer chat and great music –

including 

Tony’s ever popular

‘This week in History’.

 

Tony will also be reading the poem

For The Love Of Good’

written by

Harriet Blackbury.

 

August 4, 2018

 

and blood was shed

and hearts were broken –

no meaning left

in love’s gold token.

 

one making plans

for future dreams,

the other lost

in a head of screams.

 

and blood was shed

with few words spoken

too late the senses

were awoken –

 

one making plans

and forward thinking,

the other lost

in an eyelid’s blinking.

 

Review —The Duchess Of Malfi – RSC

 

 

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