Bloggy Desert Island Discs

I'm joining in with Anne at  Marmalade and Catmint  who has had the wonderful idea of  'Bloggy Desert Island Discs'.  Like the BBC radio programme, which is celebrating being 70  years old this year, you choose eight pieces of music that have meant something to you throughout your life and also choose a book (other than the bible or other religious text or Shakespeare) and you can also choose one luxury item to take with you on to the island.

Here are my music choices.........

Out of Town - Max Bygraves from the film 'Charley Moon' 

I have a recollection of standing in front of the full length mirror in my parent’s bedroom dressed in a blue sun dress with a white bolero jacket over it and holding an open  paper parasol.  I was singing this song and twirling the parasol, and doing the actions of dusting for the words  ‘the sun is a big yellow duster, polishing the blue, blue sky’ – I’d have been about 6 at the time.  I used to listen to Children's Favourites with Uncle Mac and could also have chosen other Max Bygraves songs like 'I'm a blue toothbrush, you're a pink toothbrush' or 'Tulips from Amsterdam'  or one of my other favourites like 'Sparky and the Magic Piano' or the Ronnie Hilton song about little mice with clogs on but I've made my choice based on the fact that I know for whatever reason that I was happy that day with my parasol.

Theme from Stranger on the Shore – Acker Bilk

I remember the whole family used to sit and watch this drama series on the television and we had a record of the tune as well.  I'd have been 10 or 11 when it was first broadcast.

It’s my party – Lesley Gore

The first single or 45rpm record I bought; probably from Woolworth. I was thrilled to have my own record as before I'd had to listen to my parents 78s of  songs like 'The Happy Wanderer', 'I see the Moon' or 'The Dream of Olwen' whistled by Ronnie Ronalde.  I must have been about 13 years old and I  felt so grown up.

The Sun ain’t gona shine anymore – The Walker Brothers

Ah, my first  'heart throb' – the unforgettable voice of the gorgeous Scott Walker.

All along the Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix

I saw him perform live, he played the guitar behind his back and with his teeth, he wore purple velvet, he was incredible, he was larger than life!

Fantasia on a Theme from Thomas Tallis - Ralph Vaughan Williams

An introduction to classical music in my early twenties;  I love Vaughan Williams's music but I'm especially fond of this piece.

Gabriel’s Oboe by Ennio Morricone, from soundtrack of the film The Mission

I’m a great fan of Ennio Morricone’s music and this piece is so heart- wrenchingly beautiful.

Nimrod from the Enigma Variations by Sir Edward Elgar

Such wonderful music;  it would remind me of England and home whilst on the desert island.

My book choice is.....

A Month in the Country by J L Carr - I love this book.  It was hard to chose from several favourites and it is such a small book that I'd have to read it over and over again but that is no hardship!

My luxury item would be...

A vat or other huge container of  the Body Shop's  Vitamin E  cream; thanks!

To Little Moreton

We recently visited Little Moreton Hall,  near Congleton to see the festive, seasonal decorations.  We last visited in the Spring when we sat in the gardens in the warm sunshine with ducks begging for scraps at our feet.  This visit it was very cold and there were no ducks to be seen.

We also went along to listen to Piva a group of musicians who play music of the 16th and 17th centuries.  It was all very festive and jolly and warm inside the main hall.

Piva are always such good fun to watch and very entertaining too as they explain about the origins of the music they are playing and the instruments they are using.

The audience are always encouraged to join in the chorus of some of the songs.  After singing along to 'Gaudete' amongst others, we were warm, full of festive spirit and ready to find our way home in the bitter cold of the late afternoon.