April 13, 2018

 

 

In 76, this US male group,

had us up on the dance floor,

when ‘Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel’

exploded into the UK charts at No.4.

 

‘Don’t Take Away The Music’,

they so convincingly did implore,

as their second UK hit,

once again climbed to No.4.

 

77  brought 3 more hits –

these guys could do no wrong!

The ‘Mighty Power Of Love’,

being their next song to come along.

 

Then, Whodunnit’ made the Top Ten,

and ‘One Step Away’ reached  No.16  –

All their hits on the Capitol label,

and loved by every Disco teen.

 

In 78, ‘The Ghost Of Love’

got as high as No.29,

then ‘More Than A Woman’, at No 7 –

another Top Ten we thought divine.

 

Their last single of 78,

was ‘Slow Train To Paradise’, at 62,

and then a gap of 8 years,

before two hits, long overdue.

 

‘Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel’,

peaked at No 12, in 86,

and ‘It Only Takes A Minute’ –

the last hit, in this great ‘Tavares’ mix.

 

Written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

 

 

 

April 10, 2018

 

 

‘I Can’t Help Myself’ hit the charts in 65,

followed by ‘It’s The Same Old Song’.

In 66 ‘Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever’ arrived,

and ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There’, a No.1 song.

 

‘Standing In The Shadows Of Love’ came in 67  –

one of 5 hits – the next being ‘Bernadette’.

And ‘Seven Rooms Of Gloom’ followed on,

but this year wasn’t finished yet.

 

The Four Tops then gave us 

‘You Keep Running Away’

and everyone’s favourite, ‘making the Top 3,  

was ‘Walk Away Renee’.

 

In 68, If I Were A Carpenter’ made No.7 ,

and ‘Yesterday’s Dream’s’  followed on.

‘I’m In A Different World’, their last hit of this year,

proving this Group second to none..

 

In 69 came two Top Twenty hits –

‘What Is A Man’ and ‘Do What You Gotta Do’.

‘I Can’t Help Myself’, their first Top Ten of 70,

and also ‘It’s All In the Game’ – a song we loved too.

 

Their final  hit of 70 –  ‘Still Water (Love)’ ,

also peaked at No.10,

and ‘Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life)’

the first hit of 71,  for these Motown Men.

 

Next, with The Supremes, came ‘River Deep Mountain High’.

followed at No.3 by ‘Simple Game’. 

Then, ‘You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart’ –

again with The Supremes, making the the Top 30 frame.

 

In 72, Bernadette re-appeared,  then,

‘Walk With Me Talk With Me Darling’, at No 32,

and lastly ‘ Keeper Of The Castle’,

at No. 18, appeared into view.

 

In 73, ‘Sweet Understanding Love’ – a Top 30 –

their 2nd hit on the Probe Label,

before switching to Casablanca in 81,

which brought two Top 20 hits to the table.

 

The first being  ‘When She Was My Girl’,

which reached up to No.3,

followed by  ‘Don’t Walk Away’,

which also filled fans with glee.

 

‘Tonight I’m Gonna Love You All Over’ –

their next hit, making 43,

and ‘Back To School Again’ –

their last hit of 82, proved to be.

 

In 88, on Motown, ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There’

was back in the charts at No. 11.

‘Indestructible’ with Smokey Robinson came next,

and ‘Loco In Acapulco’  hit No. 7.

 

In 89, Indestructible, featuring Smokey Robinson,

at No.30, re-appeared in the charts,

being the last UK hit for  The Four Tops –

A Motown Group, forever in our hearts.

 

 

R I P

Levi Stubbs   2008

Renaldo Benson   2005

Lawrence Payton   1997

 

 

 

 

April 8, 2018

 

Forget the April showers –

Spring has arrived with a flourish,

so dance yourself dizzy,

to this fab hour of music to cherish.

 

Enjoy

Tony’s Time Machine

on Tuesday, 10th April 2018

at Noon

 

This week Tony will be

featuring music from

The Four Tops and The Temptations,

along with other great Artists & guests.

 

Tony will also be reading the Poem –

For The Love Of Albums – Part 1

written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

April 5, 2018

 

 

From his ‘Freewheelin’ Album of 63

and ‘The Times they are a-changing’ of 64,

From those early days to the present time,

Bob Dylan couldn’t have been loved more.

 

From his double Album – Blonde on Blonde,

which arrived back in 66,

to ‘Shadows in the night’  in 2015,

Bob Dylan still gives fans their fix.

 

‘The man who sold the world’ came in 70,

followed in 71 by ‘Hunky Dory’,

and by now, every devotee of David Bowie,

loved each album that told a new story.

 

In 65, ‘Help’ and ‘Rubber Soul’

were the 5th and 6th Albums  The Beatles released,

and in 69, their top selling ‘Abbey Road ‘LP

showed fans loyalty hadn’t decreased.

 

‘Exodus’ by Bob Marley and The Wailers,

in 77,  had us spellbound,

proving,  this Jamaican singer/songwriter

was  king of the reggae sound.

 

Coming through the airways of 73,

was a sound one couldn’t avoid.

Their latest offering of excellence was –

‘The Dark Side of The Moon’ by Pink Floyd.

 

A moving Album in 68,

always stood out from the rest.

‘Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison’

found this singer/songwriter at his best.

 

In 68, a certain Motown Album –

was winning all our hearts.

‘The Four Tops Greatest Hits’,

 reaching No.1 in the British Charts.

 

‘The Temptations Greatest Hits’ Album

contained ‘Get Ready’ and ‘My Girl’.

These two groups at the top of their game

had audiences in a whirl.

 

A teenage life lived through Albums,

helped with the insanity of youth.

Our bedrooms a refuge from a restricted hell,

in a search to find our own personal truth.

 

And our need to find escapism

from the life we had lead to date,

through Albums, we found a reason to live,

and a new image were able to create.

 

by Harriet Blackbury

 

March 30, 2018

 

Enjoy another music packed hour from

Tony’s Time Machine

on Tuesday, 3rd April 2018 at Noon.

 

Tony’s theme this week is

MANCHESTER & LIVERPOOL.

with music from

 Manchester Bands – Gorilla Riot, Elbow,

Happy Mondays and Liam Barry. 

and

Merseyside Bands – Lines, Sheep Stealers, 

Mona Lisa and ‘Fab 4.

 

Tony will also be reading the poems  –

‘For The Love Of Manchester’

and 

‘For The Love Of Cilla’

–  both poems written by

Harriet Blackbury.

 

 

 

 

March 26, 2018

 

 

Get set for Tony’s Time Machine

on Tuesday  27th March  2018

at NOON

 

You’d be crazy to miss

this wonderful hour

of musical celebration

in tribute to 

SIR KEN  DODD.

 

The Show will include musicians/singers

from Liverpool,

and a special dedication from

Ken’s friend, John Salton.

 

The Show will also feature the poem

‘For The Love Of Ken Dodd.

written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

Enjoy the fun Folks

( This will be Tony at his very best –

squeezing every last second out of

a very busy, fast moving hour.)

 

March 12, 2018

 

 

His first Top Ten came in 1960

spending 18 weeks in the chart.

With ‘Love Is Like A Violin’

this singer/comedian won every heart.

 

In 61, followed ‘Once In Every Lifetime’,

and in 62, ‘Pianissimo’ continued to thrill.

and changing from Decca to Columbia,

in 63, his next hit was ‘Still’.

 

‘Happiness’ and ‘So Deep’Is The Night’ –

two more hits coming in 64,

and in 65 his first No.1, ‘Tears’

sold 1.5 million copies  and more.

 

‘The River (Le Colline Sono In Fioro)’ –

his last hit of 65, reached No.3.

And as his popularity soared,

this Liverpudlian filled us with glee.

 

With ‘Promises’ – his Top Ten of 66,

and ‘More Than Love’,  a Top Twenty.

His final hit of this year –

‘It’s Love’,  made a Top 40 entry.

 

‘Let Me Cry On Your Shoulder’

in 67 reached No.11,

and ‘Tears Won’t Wash Away These Heartaches’,

in 69, another ballard,  fans thought just heaven!

 

‘Broken Hearted’  came next in 70 –

our love for him going on and on.

‘When Love Comes Round Again (L’arca Di Noe)’ –

his next Top Twenty in 71.

 

‘Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)’,

his only chart hit of 72.

And in 75  – ‘(Think Of Me) Wherever You Are’ –

so apt today – as we surely will do.

 

His final chart entry in 81

also fittingly was  ‘Hold My Hand’.

Thank You Ken Dodd for the love and laughter –

the best Act ever, a stage, to command.

 

written by

Harriet Blackbury 

 

March 10, 2018

 

 

Tune in to

Tony’s Time Machine

at Noon on Tuesday

13th March 2018

 

for another super-charged hour of

great music, memories and lively chat.

 

This week Tony’s lovely guest will be 

Andrea – direct from Sherwood Forest.

They will be discussing

‘Life after death – in a positive way.

 

Tony will also be reading the poems-

‘For The Love Of The Real Thing’

and 

For The Love Of Ken Dodd

written by

Harriet Blackbury.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Hello Dolly’ a hit for Louis Armstrong

on London, in 1964.

This song also well covered,

by Frankie Vaughan, Kenny Ball and more.

 

In 63 ‘Hello Little Girl’, on Parlophone,

for The Fourmost, reached No.9.

And in 03, The Super Furry Animals, on Epic,

had a No. 31, with ‘Hello Sunshine’.

 

In 69, ‘Hello Suzie’, on Immediate,

gave Amen Corner, a Top 4 sell.

And in 76, ‘Hello Happiness’, reached No.12,

for The Drifters, on Bell.

 

In 77, ‘Hello Stranger’, peaked at No.26,

for Yvonne Elliman, on RSO.

And in 80, ‘Hello America’, made No.45,

for Def Leppard, on Vertigo.

 

In 84 ‘Hello’, on Motown,

for Lionel Richie, a US & UK No.1.

And in 92, ‘Shakespear’s Sister, on London,

reached No.14, with ‘Hello (Turn Your Radio On).

 

In 67, ‘Hello, Goodbye’, on Parlophone,

for The Beatles, a US & UK No.1 claim

And in 68, ‘Hello I Love You’,

found The Doors in the Top 20 frame.

 

In 60, ‘Hello Young Lovers’, on Columbia,

saw Paul Anka with a No.44 won.

And in 81, ‘Hello Again’, on Capitol,

for Neil Diamond, reached No.51.

 

In 68, ‘Hello How Are You’, on United Artists,

for The Easybeats peaked at No.20.

And in 90, ‘Hello’ on WEA,

gave Beloved a No 19 entry.

 

In 74, ‘Tell Him’, a Top 6,

for UK male group -Hello, on Bell

And in 86, ‘Hello Darling’, on UK Bubblers,

gave Tippa Irie, a No 22 spell

 

In 2015 arrived ‘Hello’,

on the record label XL,

and rightly ending this mix,

is UK singer, Adele.

 

 

 

 

Each answer snappy

with growling overtones,

 

that changed the timing

of the household beat,

 

and constant knotting

of pillowcase strings,

 

as angry voices rang out

down below.

 

And unsightly fingernails

chewed to the quick;

 

the dog seeking refuge

underneath the bed.

 

And the hell of knowing

worse was yet to come.

 

The physical sickness

stomach nerves brought forth.

 

The thumping loud

on table’s hardwood top.

 

as trembles forcing

a urine flow.

 

The stress of loyalty

seemingly misplaced;

 

to want to love,

but feelings not embraced,

 

for fear of harsh words

after all was done.

 

No need to have 

it all spelt out,

 

the pattern so familiar

had become,

 

the outcome obvious

set in cold cement. –

 

Grandma’s yearly visit

was now imminent !

 

_______

 

And come, she did,

and settled in,

 

as peace and calm

replaced the din.

 

The dog so sweetly

by her leg,

 

wagged it’s tail

and sat to beg,

 

as the household slowly

did uncoil –

 

the kettle, the only thing

now on the boil.

 

She played Board games,

and made us laugh and squeal,

 

and taught us how

to do cart wheels.

 

She learned about

the things we do,

 

and listened to 

our point of view.

 

Then all too soon

her visit through,

 

and no-one dead –

we all said ‘phew’.

 

Now twelve months had we,

with older eyes,

 

before another

love-torn compromise.

 

 

 

 

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