A compendium of musical delights by Alan and Margaret Ashworth
Orbison specialised in songs which developed from beginning to end instead of the usual verse/chorus/middle 8 format. He wrote In Dreams and released it as a single in January 1963. It got … Continue readingRoy Orbison: In Dreams
When Alan and I were in Mallorca a few years ago we started singing this and amazed ourselves that we could remember every word, fifty-odd years later. It was written … Continue readingThe Merseybeats: I Think of You
This is one of the many two-part songs that my friend Helen and I used to sing at school. The Caravelles, a British duo, comprised Lois Wilkinson and Andrea Simpson. … Continue readingThe Caravelles: You Don’t have to be a Baby to Cry
This is one of the most beautiful pieces of music that I know. I was fortunate enough to sing it in my school choir, and I have asked for it … Continue readingMozart: Ave Verum Corpus K618
I was given the Live at Leeds album for my 21st birthday. About a year earlier I saw The Who at my university, when they mainly did stuff from Tommy. Extraordinary, but I’m afraid … Continue readingThe Who: Magic Bus (Live at Leeds)
IN the days before television, many hotels and restaurants offered live performances of light music by trios, quartets or slightly larger ensembles. Usually the room would be adorned with palms … Continue readingGrand Hotel
The Marbles were cousins Graham Bonnet and Trevor Gordon, born in Skegness but Gordon grew up in Australia. Only One Woman,notable for Bonnet’s powerful vocals, was written for them by Barry, … Continue readingThe Marbles: Only One Woman
I studied the first movement of this for music O-level in 1965. Beethoven wrote it in 1812, when he was 42. He dedicated it to his patron Archduke Rudolph Johannes Joseph … Continue readingBeethoven: Violin Sonata No 10 in G major, Op 96
Losing You, written by Jean Renard and Carl Sigman, was Brenda Lee’s last Top Ten pop hit in America, reaching No 6 in 1963. It got to No 10 in Britain. … Continue readingBrenda Lee: Losing You
I didn’t realise till now that this song was written in 1926, by Roy Turk and Lou Handman. Here is a lovely old version by Charles Hart, released in 1927. … Continue readingElvis: Are you Lonesome Tonight?