As long as there are stars above you

Everybody else is talking about it.

Why shouldn't I?

It's the BBC's new "promo-cum-charity-fundraiser" (seventeen years after the excellent Perfect Day), featuring every "shimmering, glowing star in the firm-a-ment."

How did they get them all to this? God Only Knows...

BBC Music - God Only Knows

In order of appearance: Pharrell Williams, Emeli Sandé, Elton John, Lorde, Coldplay, Brian Wilson, Florence + the Machine, Kylie Minogue, Stevie Wonder, Eliza Carthy, Nicola Benedetti, Jools Holland, Brian May, Jake Bugg, Lauren Laverne, Gareth Malone, Alison Balsom, One Direction, Zane Lowe, Jaz Dhami, Paloma Faith, Chrissie Hynde, Jamie Cullum, Baaba Maal, Danielle de Niese, Dave Grohl, Sam Smith, The Beach Boys, Tees Valley Youth Choir, Martin James Bartlett and the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Phew!

Even Alexis Petridis, waspish Guardian columnist, liked it. It must be A Good Thing.

Gonna find out how many tears ten dollars can buy

This weekend, BBC4 has been paying a very welcome tribute to possibly the greatest British female vocalist ever, Miss Dusty Springfield.

Here is the great lady's final TV appearance (on Jools Holland's show) - with none other than Alison Moyet and Sinead O'Connor as her backing vocalists, to remind us of what an immense loss she was to music.

It's a brilliant performance - Where's A Woman To Go?:

Dusty Springfield - Where Is A Woman To Go?

Maybe he was wrong, maybe I wasn't right
Whatever the reason I'm on my own tonight
He's gone his way and I've gone mine
Well I bet you hear that story all the time

Well, sometimes your friends ain't always available
To pick you up when you're feelin' down, down, down, oh
My daddy would die if he knew his baby
Was seekin' refuge in a little ol' bar across town

So tell me where is a woman to go?
When she's feelin' low and all she wants to do
Is feel a little better
Tell me where is a woman to go?
When she's feelin' low and all she wants to do
Is feel a little better

Hey, bartender, honey gimme change for a ten-dollar bill
Bring it back as a stack of quarters, if you will
'Cause I'm gonna play every song on your jukebox that makes me cry
Gonna find out how many tears ten dollars can buy, oh
Gonna find out how many tears ten dollars can buy

Tell me where is a woman to go?
When she's feelin' low and all she wants to do
Is feel a little better
Tell me where is a woman to go?
When she's feelin' low and all she wants to do
Is feel a little better.

RIP Dusty (16th April 1939 – 2nd March 1999)

Read my previous tributes to Dusty Springfield

In my imagination, there is no hesitation

The "bit in the middle" between Xmas and New Year continues, and all that is left is... shopping. While we wait for the next round of debauchery tomorrow night, here's a little Kylie (with a twist!) to soothe our furrowed brows. Enjoy!

Kylie Minogue - I Should Be So Lucky (Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny 2007)

Kylie Minogue & Adam Garcia - Better The Devil You Know (An Audience with Kylie Minogue 2001)

We love Kylie.