January 6, 2016

 

 

R- Roxette, Rose Royce and Rainbow.

Todd Rundgren, Demis Roussos and Lou Reed.

And with ‘2-4-6-8 Motorway’ and ‘War Baby’,

Tom Robinson included, indeed.

 

S – Buffy Sainte-Marie, Sam and Dave, and Sade.

The Small Faces, The Smiths, and Soft Cell.

Frank and Nancy Sinatra, and Shakespear’s Sister.

The Shadows, Shalamar, and Sinitta, as well.

 

S – contd. Boz Scaggs gave us ‘ What Can I Say’,

and ‘Warm and Tender Love’ came from Percy Sledge.

‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’ sang Jimmy Summerville,

and Bob Seger’s ‘Hollywood Nights’ also had the edge.

 

S – contd.  The Stylistics, Supertramp and The Supremes

Dusty Springfield, Joe South and Squeeze.

Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart and Donna Summer.

Soul II Soul, Spandau Ballet and Sparks, also did please.

 

S – contd.  ‘Sad Sweet Dreamer’ came from Sweet Sensation,

and ‘The Arms of Mary’ by The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver.

‘Breakout’ sang  Swing out Sister.

 And Al Stewart with ‘Year Of The Cat’,  did deliver.

 

T – ‘Barbados’, a No.1 for Typically Tropical,

And ‘Happy Together’ were The Turtles with ‘Elenore’.

Also, Judy Tzuke, Bonnie Tyler, and Twinkle,

and Andrea True Connection with ‘More, More, More’

 

T – contd.  Toyah, Texas, The Tams and 10cc.

Thin Lizzy, Tavares, The Troggs and T Rex.

Tina Turner, Traffic, The Trammps and Topol,

and with ‘Living On Video’, one hit wonder -Trans-X

 

U – On his own, Midge Ure No.1 with ‘If I Was’.

Also making No.1, UB40 with ‘Red, Red Wine’.

And USA For Africa at No.1 with ‘We are the World’.

Unit Four Plus Two’s ‘Concrete And Clay’, also a hit so fine.

 

V – ‘YMCA’  No.1  for The Village People,

long after 60’s singers Bobby Vinton and Bobby Vee.

Then ‘Turning Japanese’ were The Vapors.

But Frankie Valli, Luther Vandros and Vangelis top of this tree.

 

W – ‘Missing You’ came from John Waite.

‘It’s The Same Old Song’ sang The Weathermen.

Scott Walker gave us ‘Jackie’ and ‘Joanna’ .

Marti Webb sang ‘Take That Look off Your Face’ and ‘Ben’.

 

W – contd. Johnny Wakelin gave us ‘In Zaire’.

Dinah Washington sang ‘September In The Rain’.

‘Walk On By’ and ‘Heartbreaker’, two from Dionne Warwick.

And The Walker Brothers’  ‘No Regrets’, a favourite refrain.

 

Y – The Young Rascals in the Top Ten with ‘Groovin’,

long before Neil Young- ‘Heart Of Gold’ ever sung.

Then came ‘Wonderous Stories’  from Yes,  and

‘Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)’ by Paul Young.

 

Z – ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’ sang ZZ Top.

‘Let’s All Chant’ demanded The Michael Zager Band.

‘She’s Not There’, the highest hit for The Zombies.

Zager And Evans with ‘In The Year 2525, making a stand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 5, 2016

 

 

Tune in to the first

Tonys Time Machine

of the year

on

Wednesday 6th January 2016.

(with repeats throughout the week.)

Tony’s special guest

will be ‘Nutty Professor’ –

Michael Johnson (training dept)

The Show will also include

live chat, great music, fun and science.

along with 

This day in history.

and the poem –

For The Love Of Street Life

written by

Harriet Blackbury.

 

December 31, 2015

 

 

I – Billy Idol brought us ‘White Wedding’

and ‘Need You Tonight’ sang INXS.

‘Running Free’ were Iron Maiden,

‘Body Talk’ by Imagination, a huge success.

 

J – From Jimmy Justice to Tom Jones.

From Quincey Jones to Elton John.

From Billy Joel to Jethro Tull, along with,

Japan and The Jam, the J’s carry on.

 

J – contd.  From Janet to Jermaine to Michael,

and with ‘ABC’, together, The Jackson Five.

But unrelated was Joe Jackson, with,

‘It’s Different For Girls, and ‘Jumping Jive’.

 

K – Making No.2 ‘Rock Me Gently’ sang Andy Kim.

But at No.1, Ben E King with ‘Stand By Me’.

Chaka Khan, The Kinks, and Kajagoogoo,

and Eden Kane and Kraftwerk, also top of the tree.

 

L – From John Lennon to Lulu and Cyndi Lauper,

and The Lemon Pipers and Peggy Lee.

Lieutenant Pigeon, Lindisfarne, and Annie Lennox

and also Level 42 and Leapy Lee.

 

M – Men at Work, Meatloaf, Madonna and Madness,

and Bob Marley, Marillion and Medicine Head.

Freddie Mercury, Bette Midler and George Michael,

and God Bless Lemmy from Hawkwind and Motorhead.

 

N – Gary Numan, New Order and Nilsson.

Stevie Nicks and New Kids On the Block.

Nazareth, Johnny Nash and Jimmy Nail,

and Phyllis Nelson and Nena, in this flock.

 

O – The O’jays, Billy Ocean and Mike Oldfield.

Des, Hazel, and Sinead O’Connor.

Odyssey, OMD and Gilbert O’Sullivan, but,

The Osmonds, and Roy Orbison, taking this honour.

 

P – Robert Plant, Tom Petty, and Pickettywitch.

The Pointer Sisters, Procol Harum and Pink Floyd.

Elvis Presley, The Police, Prince, and The Pretenders.

Gene Pitney and The Pet Shop Boys, all filled a void.

 

Q – ‘The Lone Ranger’ came from Quantum Jump.

and Suzi Quattro at No’1 with ‘Can The Can’.

‘There she goes again’ sang The Quireboys.

And Queen, with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody, just ran and ran.

 

Written by Harriet Blackbury. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 26, 2015

 

 

Oh knee that will not bend.

Oh agony that will not end.

A high tackle to defend!

To the ground I now descend.

 

Oh whistle that should have blown.

Oh hope that now has flown.

No sign of sympathy shown,

as I lie here and groan.

 

Oh red card that never came.

Oh yellow card, the same.

He got off without blame,

and left me bloody lame!

 

 

 

 

I would walk miles with my father,

when as a tot, reaching his thigh.

He would ruffle my hair in fondness,

as I grew to waist high.

 

We would clown about and play-fight,

and arm wrestle and compete,

when twelve became thirteen,

and teenage years came to greet.

 

I grew bolshi and arrogant,

and anything but shy,

when him I could stand next to,

almost shoulder high.

 

But as time passed, we buried

the misunderstandings of my youth.

Becoming close buddies again,

now me, less uncouth.

 

And for a short time we were able

to stand eye to eye,

before he, in a wheelchair,

now reached to my thigh.

 

We were pals to the end.

I had at last made him proud.

And the day that I lost him,

I unashamedly cried out loud.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bench, my own

just for tonight.

Warm wooded slats,

the soul, to excite.

 

Free from the draught

of winter’s bite,

and wind blown leaves,

and doggy shite.

 

 

The bench, my own

til morning light.

The sky my ceiling,

twinkling bright.

 

No mortgage plan.

No rent arrears.

My shower – rain water,

hiding tears.

 

 

The bench, my own;

I slept well last night.

And awoke with new hope;

the aroma right.

 

Near my arm, a Big Mac:

I knew there was a god.

And a can of beer tied with tinsel

left by some kindly sod.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My luck’s in today,

a dandelion said ‘Hi’.

The first of the Spring, or maybe,

the last of the Summer to die?

 

 

 

 

Sugar stealers,

still out in force.

Their looming presence,

‘par’  for the course.

 

Oh, yes, yes, yes,

they readily agreed,

When the question posed,

planting the first seed.

 

Honeycomb centres,

sweetness deliver.

But the original source,

the purest giver.

 

Can I have it in writing,

with indelible ink, I plead.

So there can be no confusion,

causing hearts to bleed. 

 

 

 

 

It’s all gone in a moment;

quick as a lightening flash.

In the blink of an eye,

a generation crash.

 

 

December 21, 2015

 

 

A – gives us the Queen of soul:

Aretha delivered a song so well.

Then came Agnetha and Anni-frid from Abba,

right up to the present Queen of song, Adele.

 

B – ‘Thank you for the music’ from Bjorn & Benny,

and Barry Biggs with ‘Sideshow’ in 76.

And ‘The Crying Game’ from Dave Berry,

and also The Byrds and Blondie in this mix.

 

C – ‘On Top Of The World’ were The Carpenters,

and also Belinda Carlisle and Mariah Carey.

And Cher and Chic and Eric Clapton,

and The Commodores and Neneh Cherry.

 

D – From Bob Dylan to The Doobie Brothers.

From The Drifters to The Doors.

From The Detroit Spinners to Dr Hook;

For sure, the U.S. sound, had hit our shores.

 

E – The Eagles topping this next pile,

along with the dynamic Earth, Wind and Fire.

And ELO, Enya and Erasure,

and Gloria Estefan & Eurythmics, our desire.

 

F- Fleetwood Mac and Foreigner.

The Four Seasons and The Four Tops.

Billy Fury through to Fun Boy Three,

and with ‘Relax’, Frankie( GTH )– Top of the Pops.

 

G – Peter Gabriel, and Gallagher & Lyle,

and Gloria Gaynor and Marvin Gaye.

And Robin Gibb and Andrew Gold,

and Guns n Roses, the mainstay.

 

H – ‘I Thought It Was You’ from Herbie Hancock,

and Don Hartman’s ‘Instant Replay’.

And Hawkwind’s  ‘Silver Machine’,

making sure another ‘H’ verse I’ll say.

 

H – contd. ‘So you Win Again’ by Hot Chocolate,

and I’ll ‘Rave On’ about Buddy Holly.

and Manchester’s Happy Mondays, and The Hollies,

who stood at that ‘Bus Stop’ sharing a brolly.

 

And for his world-wide fan base, to finish,

I give you Cliff with ‘Mistletoe and Wine’.

Here endeth this part of my ‘Christmas Alphabet’,

which was No. I in 55, for Dickie Valentine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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