A compendium of musical delights by Alan and Margaret Ashworth
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
By 1976 most pop had got too serious for me, but this could have come from the 60s. It was written and sung by the group’s bass player Peter Cetera … Continue readingChicago: If You Leave Me Now
I can’t find out who wrote this. It was released in 1965 as the follow-up to the group’s No 1 hit Concrete and Clay the same year. https://am-records.com/2021/09/09/unit-4-2-concrete-and-clay/ It got to No 14 in … Continue readingUnit 4 + 2: (You’ve) Never Been in Love Like This Before