I watched an interview this morning with Eric Cantona. Eric was, and still is, my footballing hero. He said a lot of interesting things, as is his want, but one thing really intrigued me. He said he had no idea where all his memorabilia was. He was of the opinion that he didn't want to be reminded of his past . . . or in his words "a prisoner of his past . . . I want to be a free bird!" Typical Eric . . . flowery but brilliant.
I mention this because Mark Radcliffe, once compulsory listening for yours truly when he hosted the Breakfast Show on Radio One with Marc Riley aka "Lard" and now keeping me good on BBC 6 Music as I write this with Stuart Maconie, has a new show on Radio 2, where he's inviting listeners to email in with three songs that mean a lot to them. The show is called "The Mark Radcliffe Music Club" - www.bbc.co.uk/radio2 The criteria set out for deciding which songs are picked, with a nod to the "walrus of love" Barry White - famously spoofed on the show back in the '90's as "Fat Harry White" - is "the first, the last, my everything"; the first song you bought, the last one you bought and the song that means the most to you.
Anyhow, in keeping with the ethos of "The Nightclub Featuring The Late English Breakfast", namely being that little Brit different, I'd like to offer my own criteria. My criteria is the song that was number one the day you were born, a song that has romantic associations and a song that has special memories for you.
So - here goes! The song that was number one when I was born was this song . . .
"Hello Goodbye" was of course by The Beatles. It was a song credited, as was the norm, to Lennon and McCartney. However, in actual truth only Paul wrote this. John never liked it, allegedly saying "it smelled a mile away"; he was also unhappy that "I Am The Walrus" was never a single.It became a number one on Saturday 9th December 1967. A day where it was snowing, City played Spurs on Match of The Day and John and Olwen Kennedy had their first child . . .
My next song, the song that has the most romantic meaning for me, was this song . . .
This lovely gorgeous tune, appropriate for my wife Linda ( big smile from me ) is the song we danced to as Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy for the first time at The Elks' Lodge, Florence MA, on Saturday 18th November, 2006. This song, "You Make Me Feel Brand New" now feels more like a Simply Red tune and that the Stylistics covered it in a parallel universe in 1974! They got to number 2 in July 1974. Simply Red got to number 7 in December 2003. This is a song whose lyrics sum up how Linda and I feel about each other. It's that simple. Take a look for yourself at some of the words -
"You Make Me Feel Brand New"
My love I'll never find the words my love
to tell you how I feel my love
mere words can not explain
precious love you held my life within your hands
created everything I am taught me how to live again
Only you cared when I needed a friend (oh)
believed in me through thick and thin (alright, alright)
this song is for you filled with gratitude and love
God bless you (oh, oh)
you make me feel brand new (ohhhh)
for God blessed me with you (God blessed me with you)
you make me feel brand new (alright oh yeah)
I sing this song for you (oh, yeah)
make me feel brand new
my love whenever I was insecure
you built me up and made me sure
you gave my pride back to me
precious friend, with you I will always have a friend
or someone who I can depend to walk the path that sometimes bends
without (without you)
life has no meaning (my life have no meaning)
like notes to a song out of time
how can i repay you for having faith in me.
Beautful words I'm sure you'll agree and very pertinent for Linda and myself.
It was the title track of the album and paints some very evocative memories and is quite pertinent I believe to what it means to be British. You may got lost along the path of life but being British, well we get up and just keep going! I hope you have enjoyed my choices. I'd be interested to see what yours are - email me at kennedyjohn18@gmail.com
Music is very subjective - you may think my choice in music is not that good or you may like my choices - as the Americans say - it is what it is!
The Nightclub Featuring The Late English Breakfast Video Memories
My "Nightclub" memory for this occasion is a singer who Linda got me into in a big way. We saw him perform on the telly recently in his concert in New York City - fabulous place - at the old Shea Stadium. He's one who I wrote about in a recent posting. I refer to Billy Joel. He's what I call an intelligent performer. A songsmith whose words paint vivid images in your mind. The song I've chosen is "An Innocent Man" a top ten hit in Britain in 1983.
My "Late English Breakfast" choice is in keeping with my three song choices, namely it's from an act that hails from the North West. I've gone back to the '60's to pick "The Hollies". I have chosen this band for a specific reason. As you know Graham Nash was in that band back then.
He went on to be in "Crosby Stills Nash and Young" (and various combinbations thereof! ) Now, in the summer of 2005, my sweetie and I saw our first concert together at Look Park in Florence MA. It's a concert that holds special memories for us both, as I'm sure you'll understand. The act we saw? Crosby Stills and Nash - it's all planned to precision this, just like that wonderful radio show we had back then.
It's a shame Valley Free Radio pissed us off - they didn't realise how good we were for that station! Anyhow, my choice of song is in keeping with the fact that the BBC are re-running old Top of The Pops again - I wish BBC America would do this! Here's the band, complete with Graham Nash, appearing on "Top of The Pops" with "Bus Stop" a number 5 hit in 1966, according to the great website http://www.everyhit.com/
Enjoy your music and see you next time!
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