A compendium of musical delights by Alan and Margaret Ashworth
This was released in 1971 and reached No 31 in Britain. It features drumming by 25 members of the Ingoma people in Burundi recorded in 1967, with a guitar and … Continue readingBurundi Steiphenson Black: Burundi Black
READERS sometimes comment that this column is a welcome relief from the insanity of the modern world, so I apologise in advance that today’s article is not light-hearted. I start … Continue readingJohnson’s McGonagall moment
MY column a couple of weeks ago about climbers and the damage they can do reminded readers of some other pestilential plants. One of them is Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), a relative of the … Continue readingA beautiful beast from the Himalayas
This was written by Jones and Otis Blackwell. It was released in December 1959 and in early 1960 got to No 2 in America and No 3 in Britain. In … Continue readingJimmy Jones: Handy Man
It was a toss-up which to headline between this and the Carl Perkins original, but there is only one King. Perkins (whom I had the privilege of meeting when I … Continue readingElvis Presley: Blue Suede Shoes
This is from 1987, so years too late for my usual range, but I love the voice, and it’s a great tune. It was written by Michael Ward and Rob … Continue readingAlison Moyet: Weak in the Presence of Beauty
LAST Saturday, le tout Clitheroe turned out for the annual Ribble Valley Scooter Rally (cancelled last year). It used to be called the Mod Weekender but they renamed it in … Continue readingA multitude of Mods
This is the original of a song that proved successful for several performers. It was written by Clint Ballard Jr and released in 1963 by Dee Dee Warwick (sister of … Continue readingDee Dee Warwick: You’re No Good
This was written by Fred Tobias and Clint Ballard Jr and released in 1963 as the group’s third single. Like the previous two and the next one, it failed to … Continue readingBrian Poole and the Tremeloes: A Very Good Year for Girls
THERE isn’t much that proclaims ‘country cottage’ more clearly than a foliage-covered frontage. Here are a few pictures I took around our village last week. This is common or garden … Continue readingClimbing the walls