Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
TO my knowledge, the writer of this hymn is the only one with a species of early man named after him. Joachim Neander (1650-1680) wrote about 60 hymns and provided … Continue readingPraise to the Lord, the Almighty
Author: Margaret Ashworth
Square
Hedgehoppers Anonymous: It’s Good News Week
Four of the five group members were in the RAF, and Hedgehoppers was RAF slang for low flying aircraft. The song, a satire on the media’s obsession with bad news, … Continue readingHedgehoppers Anonymous: It’s Good News Week
Chuck Berry: Sweet Little Sixteen
Berry wrote this song, recorded it in December 1957 and released it in January 1958. It reached No 2 in America and No 16 in Britain. He had already used … Continue readingChuck Berry: Sweet Little Sixteen
It’s an ill wind
WHEN I read Boris Johnson’s crazy announcement that he intends every home in Britain to be run on wind power within ten years, my heart sank. It is the death knell … Continue readingIt’s an ill wind
Elvis Presley: Love Me
This was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller as a country and western parody with lines such as ‘Treat me like a fool/Treat me mean and cruel/But love me’. … Continue readingElvis Presley: Love Me
My Song is Love Unknown
IT IS a great shame that hymns about Eastertide are dusted off only once a year. Perhaps it is because the story is so harrowing that we cannot bear to … Continue readingMy Song is Love Unknown
Gerry and the Pacemakers: You’ll Never Walk Alone
This has been all but ruined by its use as a football anthem but when it came out it was stunning. The song comes from the dark 1945 Rodgers and … Continue readingGerry and the Pacemakers: You’ll Never Walk Alone
Why I threatened to set fire to myself
A DRAWBACK to living in the country is that without the background hum of traffic, noise carries over far greater distances. For example there are a pair of dogs kept … Continue readingWhy I threatened to set fire to myself
The Who: My Generation
This was written by Pete Townshend and released as a single on October 29, 1965. It reached No 2 in Britain, the group’s highest placing in this country, and No … Continue readingThe Who: My Generation
Marianne Faithfull: As Tears Go By
Not my favourite. It is credited to Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham, but according to Jagger biographer Philip Norman it was mainly created by … Continue readingMarianne Faithfull: As Tears Go By