The countdown begins...

As the Madam and I do the final whizz around cleaning in preparation for receiving visitors, and I turn my attention to preparing the buffet - I think some musical highlights from 2023 are in order, to get the juices flowing for a party!

Blam! - Wake Me Up Before You Go Go to the Grave [Wham! vs Black Sabbath Bill McClintock mash-up]

Jessie Ware - Pearls

Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha [Finland; Eurovision Song Contest 2023]

Adam Lambert - Holding Out for a Hero

Troye Sivan - Rush

And the "Song of the Year":

Kylie Minogue - Padam Padam

However, as my 60th year passes into the ether, let's have another outing for my song from my birthday post - this:

Shirley Bassey - If I Never Sing Another Song

Happy New Year, dear reader!

Arise...

...Companion of Honour Dame Mary Quant, Sir Brian May, Sir Grayson Perry and Dame Virginia McKenna!

Also knighted were politicians Sir Alok Sharma, Sir Chris Bryant and Sir Julian Lewis; and also made a Dame, Olympian Denise Lewis.

Fellow celebrants include:

• Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - composer George Fenton, foorballer Pat Jennings.
• Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) - broadcasters John Suchet, YolanDa Brown and Anne Diamond, "Beano" cartoonist David Sutherland, England women's football captain Leah Williamson, actors Stephen Graham and David Harewood.
• Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) - comedian Frank Skinner, broadcaster and campaigner Rachel Riley, Silly Games singer Janet Kay, journalist Catherine Belton, actress Cleo Sylvestre and "Horrid Henry" author Francesca Simon.

Congratulations, all!!

New Year's Honours List 2023