Mamas and Papas: Creeque Alley

This is absolutely classic 1960s over-coloured tv... dunno why but American stuff from this era of telly survives far better, is far more watchable than British. American TV at this era had more lines (the current 525/whatever in non-HD) whereas British was the old 425 lines (it's now 625 and HD is 1080. wow you really wanted to know all that yeah I know the numbers are out but I'm not a TV technician am i?... right here goes. Full Technicolor!

Mamas and the Papas: Creeque Alley Matt Mix

This is quite a good renewed version (original vocals). Sorry nothing to watch however...

Scott McKenzie: San Fransisco

I really used to believe all this crap with all my heart. Peace and love and chemical dreams. If you've ever tripped out high upon higher and sublime upon sublime there is no way of bringing the beauty of the experience back with you... I once had a friend down who brought some cocaine. I did some lines and was soon stuck to the ceiling. I had tickets for a rave in south London. He was too wasted to go. So I had to negotiate an hour and a half nightbus ride all the way down. By Trafalgar Square I was eeing out on 2 pills as well and my eyes such massive discs I couldn't read the bus time tables and had to tell passers-by I'd "forgotten my reading glasses" (how embarrassing)... then I arrived around 3pm. Security let me straight in I'd obviously taken all my drugs (indeed I had: felt like I was flying by this point)... first person I encountered was a middle-aged woman in a ball gown swaying back and forth in the foyer (Brixton Academy: a venue for 5000) I told her: "you are so cool". We subsequently made friends. Watching this video and seeing how stuck in the neverending moment of bliss some "flower kids" are I remember this lady having to tell me: "there's the party. Then the party's over. You have to accept that." But I never could. I wanted happiness to last for ever...

Mamas and the Papas: California Dreaming

Not sure who first released the tune but this is the best version in my opinion. Also massive Mama Cass is well funky

Taffy: I Love My Radio...

She wasn't Welsh, as far as I know, but an Italian model who'd always wanted to put out a record. And this was her first and only attempt and a top five hit. Radio Luxembourg played it regularly, but the BBC's Radio 1, which, in the 1980s was the single most powerful force in British pop, refused to playlist it unless she rerecorded, altering the line "my midnight radio" to "my DJ's radio". Why? Because Radio One switched off at midnight! Those were the days! When people listened on AM (Radio Luxembourg had the most powerful transmitter in the world: a million kilowatts of power blasting music all over Europe, but most specifically to the United Kingdom)... yes and Radio One used to shut down at 00:00 hrs!

The Specials: Ghost Town...

This is another absolute classic of the 1980s... utterly no idea what chart position it got to, but this was around for ages and ages...

Robbie Neville: C'est La Vie

Anyone else remember this from the late 80s? Robbie Neville was a record producer; this was the one single he released (just for the heck of it, so the story goes...) it got to number 2 in the UK...

Madonna: White Heat

Best unreleased track by far from 1986's True Blue album...

Madonna: Who's That Girl?

There's a saying, that most people have forgotten more about Madonna's life than is worth remembering of their own ("yeah: speak for yourself, mate," I can hear you retort)... well who remembers this? From 1987... soundtrack from her flop movie of the same title... (I always thought when she writes her autobiography (I'll ghostwrite for her! For a 60% cut...) she should call it I'M THAT GIRL ...

Dolly Parton: Jolene

This is absolute classic. Not only the song but the "patter" before it... most amusing... if this was part of a TV special she did over here in the 1980s I'm sure I saw it all 1st time round...

Gabriella Cilmi: Sweet About Me

EXCELLENT STUFF! This has been wafting out everywhere... from kebab shops, sandwich stalls, grocers, laundrettes etc etc... Sweet About Me... if you're reading this on foreign shores and it's not come your way yet, take my word: it will!

Captain Sensible: Glad It's All Over

This one I remember from the time I used to see my Mum every other weekend and go driving back on Sunday night with the Bruno Brookes Top 40 (surely the top-rated radio show in British history... you could wander about and everybody'd have it on, late Sunday afternoons)... I presumed this song was about the aftermath of nuclear war. Seems to have been filmed in Camden Town (or does anyone know any better..?) It's a really good tune ...

Hedwig and the Angry Inch: Origin of Love

Purloined from Wat's blog...