And me in a suit - well, it just wasn't me

Another bizarrely mismatched selection of notables were born on this day, not least David Hockney, Tom Hanks, Dame Barbara Cartland, Mervyn Peake, Jim Kerr of Simple Minds, Sir Edward Heath, Paul Merton, Courtney Love, Richard Roundtree, Brian Dennehy, Dame Judi's late husband Michael Williams, OJ Simpson, Bon Scott of AC/DC, Kelly McGillis, Lee Hazlewood...

...and our beloved Patron Saint Marc Almond!

Here, by way of a celebration, is one of his more recent (and sadly overlooked by the ungrateful buying public) numbers, the lyrics for which I think are most appropriate:

Marc Almond - Life In My Own Way

I've got a redwood heart
Searching for love
I'm not so different to you
I yearn for another
But it's always a stolen romance
But a quick game of chance
A fly by night dance
Or a fling with a criminal lover
So you can give me your red roses
They'll all go straight in the trash can

I live my own life
I'll go my own way
And nothing you say will make me change my mind
I'll sing my own song
I'll bang my own drum
And everyday I'll leave all my worries behind
Leave your name on the door and say goodbye

I've learned how to dance alone
Not to answer the phone
I always make sure I'm just out of reach
Friends ask me to clubs, to parties, to bars
But I'm never around
I just like a nice cup of tea or a walk on the beach
So you can give me your phone number
But be sure I'll never call you

I live my own life
I'll go my own way
And nothing you say will make me change my mind
I'll sing my own song
I'll bang my own drum
And every day I'll leave all my worries behind
Leave your name on the door and say goodbye

...and, of course, another little something from - gulp - 38 years ago!
[I don't even need to post the lyrics to this one - anyone worth their salt knows this song word-for-word already...]

Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Happy birthday, dear Marc!

Peter Mark Sinclair "Marc" Almond, OBE (born 9th July 1957)