November 1, 2015

 

 

Into Angel’s arms

so many flew,

with a sense of duty

only they knew.

 

And a sense of hope

over-riding fear.

The cost of life,

so very dear.

 

 

 

 

I lived with your heartache,

witnessing your every hidden tear.

Imagine how I felt when you told me,

that but for me, you wouldn’t be here?

 

I saw you distraught

and half out of your mind,

juggling with past demons

that wartime love left behind.

 

I saw you courageous

and putting on a show

worthy of an ‘Oscar’,

whilst thinking, ‘Why did I let him go?’

 

I felt part of a conspiracy,

not of my own doing,

and unable to get help, turned to

a lifetime of nail chewing.

 

Then good times would appear,

( I prayed him gone from your inner sight)

and the real trio we were part of,

at last, seemingly happy and bright.

 

But the pattern always the same,

as your temporary highs became lows.

The choice you made not the right one?

Something God alone only knows.

 

And so the years went by,

until I finally left,

hoping you two might get closer,

but you felt even more bereft.

 

Now I was far away,

but never guilt free,

as knowing you weren’t coping

was still getting to me.

 

By now your wartime love,

you had decided, must be DEAD!

And the urge, to live near me,

just wouldn’t leave your head.

 

So after pressure, I surrendered;

your idea having merit I could see,

and the most satisfactory conclusion,

I had to agree, that there could be.

 

And so we happily co-existed,

though your new life a far cry,

from familiar friends and faces, that with

heavy heart, you’d both waved goodbye.

 

But the shadow hanging over you

now gone, so life worth another try:

One totally oblivious, One no longer living a lie,

and the One they created – the glue in the pie!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘I could have loved him,

I really could’, she said to me

when the funeral over;

too late to turn back the clock.

 

‘It could have been so different,

it really could’, she said to me;

though the words meant for herself,

as if to berate – her anger to unlock.

 

‘I was a fool to myself,

I really was’, she said to me;

as if I didn’t know, her first love,

she’d mentally never let go.

 

‘I’ve seen your heart breaking,

I really have’, I said to her;

knowing that private part of her mind,

that still filled her with woe.

 

‘I really loved him,

I really did’, she said to me

now it mattered not;

the one in the way, in that bond of three.

 

‘I could have had him,

I really could’, she said to me,

‘but he wasn’t free, and the guilt too much,

so I declined his plea’.

 

I often think I’ll find him,

I really do, I say to myself,

when curiosity calls;

I feel I already know him, after all.

 

I wonder if he’s still alive,

I really do, I muse to myself.

That guy who wrecked our lives;

his presence an irritant, a shadow tall.

 

‘You shouldn’t have told me,

you really shouldn’t’, I said to her’

‘I love you both equally;

it just wasn’t fair’.

 

‘It made me think you’d wished

I wasn’t here’, I said to her,

‘and like the one you chose,

we both lived in despair’.

 

‘I know you told him,

I really do’, she said to me.

Aghast, I denied it; ‘I would never hurt

the one who loved you, so true,

 

who scratched his head

but stuck by you,

through good times and bad,

never having a clue’.

 

Then ten years passed with no mention,

of her war-time soldier at all !

Happy times in her marriage,

instead she chose to recall !

 

It seems a lifetime away

now I sit here and recall.

One forever oblivious: One a shadow tall;

and the one we all loved – our very own screwball.

 

By Harriet Blackbury.

 

 

 

 

What a waste of emotion,

a life of regret.

What an indulgent fantasy,

a love, one cannot forget.

 

 

 

 

Forgive. Forget.

Move on.

Life is but a whistle-stop tour.

 

 

October 27, 2015

 

 

Tune into

Tonys Time Machine 

on Wednesday 28th October

to hear Harriet’s poem

‘For The Love Of The Unknown  (Halloween)’

along with the ‘Play-list’

of songs taken from the poem.

Tony will also be in conversation

with Zak and possibly Charly too.

So have a real spooky time Folks

 

(See the poem in full below)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cream satisfied our thirst,

in 67, with their ‘Strange Brew’,

and in this year, The Beatles took us,

on a ‘Magical Mystery Tour’, they knew.

 

63 saw the King, Elvis Presley,

at number one with ‘Devil in Disguise’

and making number two in 69,

‘Suspicious Minds’ came as no surprise.

 

In 74, one of our fave U.S. Rockers,

at number one, did arrive:

Following her ‘Daytona Demons’,

Suzi Quattro took us to ‘Devil Gate Drive’.

 

A ‘Specials’ 81 hit –‘Ghost Town’,

in June made number one

‘Too much too young’, from their AKA live EP,

so poignant, now beloved Rico has gone.

 

‘Black Magic Woman’, an early classic,

from Fleetwood Mac, in style.

Two years later, Jimi Hendrix Experience

introduced us to their ‘Voodoo Chile’.

 

Alive and kicking came ‘Simple Minds’

insisting ‘Don’t you (forget about me).

Jim Kerr, at the helm showing us,

how cool ’Ghost Dancing’ could be.

 

Never ones for a ‘Quiet life’,

Japan, in 82, brought us ‘Ghosts’,

and with the help of a ‘Night Porter’,

ensured ‘All tomorrows Parties’ – the most.

 

‘The Devil went down to Georgia’

to link up with The Charlie Daniels Band.

And ‘Ghostbusters’ had us on the run

when Ray Parker Jnr made his stand.

 

 So whether you believe in demons,

and hauntingly spooky apparitions,

or in a devil who enters a body,

without any consenting permission.

 

Or, if you think the whole concept nonsense;

preferring to keep your grip on reality tight.

Just for the hell of it, drop your guard,

and enjoy ‘Halloween’ tonight.

 

Written By Harriet Blackbury

 

 

 

 

 

October 25, 2015

 

 

Neil Diamond’s ‘Cracklin Rose’

bloomed in 70, reaching No.3,

and also arriving at No.3, Vanessa Paradis

in 88, came along with Joe Le Taxi.

 

‘Marlene on the Wall’ from Suzanne Vega,

in 86, climbed up the charts to 21,

and with ‘Luka’ she was back in 87,

and another Top 40 spot was won.

 

Also in 87, solo, she recorded ‘Tom’s Diner’,

but the re-mix in 90, made No. 2 for DNA,

(this also featuring Suzanne Vega),

and was in the charts for a 10 week stay.

 

In 71, on Tamla Motown, The Supremes

got to No. 5 with ‘Nathan Jones’,

and then Bananarama, in 88, reached 15,

after successfully resurrecting his bones.

 

Sam the Sham and the Pharaoh’s,

with their ‘Wooly Bully’ song,

were in the charts at No.11, in 65,

and had us all singing along.

 

‘Enola Gay’ arrived in 80,

and in 81, came ‘Joan of Arc’.

Both Top Ten hits of quality,

from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.

 

‘You can call me Al’, at 4 in 86,

saw Paul Simon relax his guard,

and 72 also found him in a playful mood, with

‘Me and Julio down by the Schoolyard’.

 

Three years after taking ‘Daniel’ to 4 in 73,

76, saw ‘Benny and the Jets’, in the Top 40 chart.

So in 85, when ‘Nikita’ climbed to No.3,

it was no secret that Elton, had won every heart.  

 

No list of names complete without ‘Alfie’,

from our beloved Cilla Black, at her best.

This Bacharach song from 66,

will live on forever, now she’s laid to rest.

 

And finally, everyone’s favourite; ‘Fernando’,

in 76, gave Abba their third No.1.

In a career with 25 Top 40 hits, we say

‘Thank you for the music’, so very well done.

 

Written by Harriet Blackbury

 

 

 

October 20, 2015

 

 

This weeks theme

on

Tonys Time Machine

Wednesday 21st October

11am – 1pm

is

‘Back To The Future and Solitude’.

 

Siobhan and Carolyn

will be reading

 ‘For The Love Of Solitude’

by

Harriet Blackbury

 

and Tony will be chatting

about Wishbone Ash and 

their current tour. 

 

Hope you have fun singing along.

( Repeats throughout the week at the usual times.)

 

 

 

 

 

October 16, 2015

 

 

‘Going out of my head’, a top 40 hit,

making the charts in 65.

This powerful Dodie West song,

came with so much feeling and vibe.

 

Leroy Van Dyke, with ‘Walk on by’ 

in 62, was on display.

And Unit Four Plus Two, in 65, 

secured No.1  with ‘Concrete and Clay’.

 

‘Make it easy on yourself’ in 65, and,

‘The sun ain’t gonna shine anymore’ in 66 –

(Both number one for The Walker Brothers),

had every girl in the country transfixed.

 

Then ‘Jackie’ saw Scott Walker,

finally going solo in 67,

and his love-torn song ‘Joanna’,  

in 68, found him singing of past heaven.

 

In 66, ‘Walking my cat named dog’,

was Norma Tanega’s only hit, 

‘I feel love comin on, by Felice Taylor,

another one – hit wonder, nicely did fit.

 

‘Green Tambourine’ by the Lemon Pipers,

this 68 hit, reaching the top ten pot.

Whilst in the same year, with the same song,

Sundragon, only getting as far as the fifty slot.

 

Len Barry proved we could count on him,

by giving us, in 65, his ‘1 – 2 – 3’

and in 69, Blue Mink, with ‘Melting Pot’,

told us what a great world this could be.

 

Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg,

gave us a tune with a seductive feel.

Their ‘Je T’aime’ reaching two in 69;

this love song, so moving and so real.

 

That’s impossible! – we replied to The Bee Gees

when they asked ’Don’t forget to remember’, in 69.

After their third hit – ‘Massachusetts’, (No.1 in 67)

had begun the Legend’s unforgettable pipeline?

 

‘When a man loves a woman’ by Percy Sledge –

A huge hit, in the World Cup year of 66.

Graham Bonney with his song ‘Supergirl’, and

The Chiffons ‘Sweet Talkin’ Guy,  also in this mix.

 

‘She’s about a mover’ by Sir Douglas Quintet, and

‘Big Time Operator’ by Zoot Money and the Big Roll Band.

were both sixties one-hit wonders,

but they nevertheless, made their stand.

 

‘Jackson’ by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood,

came after Nancy, solo, hit ‘Sugar Town’,

proving ‘These boots are made for walking’,

still had some mileage, after the number one crown.

 

‘Paper Sun’ saw Traffic heading up the queue,

and with ‘Hole in my shoe’, continuing the rush.

Their final top ten of 67, being,

‘Here we go round the Mulberry Bush’

 

‘Daydream’ by Loving Spoonful and

‘Summer in the city’, both hits from 66.

‘If I ruled the world’ and ‘This is my song’,

finds lovely Harry Secombe, in this final mix.

 

What can be said about the Sixties,

that hasn’t already been said?

If you were there and you missed it,

then you certainly were off your head!

 

written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

 

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