Of Vikings, knickers, dykes, rocks, illuminations, kinky priests and la, la, la, la, la, la

Not for the first time, a Viking Longship has sailed up the Thames into London; this time it's peaceful

On a grey, mizzly and wet day - it's another snippets post, dear reader:

• Beavers vs dykes news: Reintroduced into the Netherlands in the 1980s, the beaver population is now threatening the flood security of low-lying areas of the country by digging through the defensive dykes. No comment.
• Dodgy knickers salesman news: A self-styled clothing tycoon who sold counterfeit socks and pants while operating an extensive fraud ring will have all his UK assets - £90m worth of property and luxury cars - seized to recover the taxes he owes to HM Revenue and Customs. Of course, he's a tax exile in Dubai so no doubt will get away with the rest of his ill-gotten gains.
• You'd never wear that round your neck news: An approximately 4.5 billion-year-old meteorite, weighing a quarter of a ton, has gone up for auction in the Netherlands for an estimated £860,000. An expensive door-stop!
• Fancy owning one of the Dowager Countess of Grantham's frocks? news: Iconic props and costumes from Downton Abbey are on view to the public until they are auctioned-off at Bonhams in London on 16th September! Anything - even "Martha Levinson" (Shirley MacLaine)'s evening dress would do...

• Not so grim up North news: The annual Blackpool illuminations - designed by the flamboyant Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen - have been switched on by pop muppet Olly Murs. There has to be some reason to go there this late in the season...
• Hallelujah here we come news: An ex-Roman Catholic priest who pleaded guilty to obscenity for being caught having sex with two dominatrices atop a church altar in Louisiana has asked for his phones and cameras back. You couldn't make this stuff up!
• And finally: RIP Señor Manuel de la Calva. Who? I hear you ask. Well, he was founder-member of "Spain's answer to the Beatles" Dúo Dinámico, and co-wrote one of Spain's most famous Eurovision Song Contest winning entries way back in 1968. And here it is!

Massiel - La, la, la (1968)

They just don't write lyrics like that anymore...

Spanish swarm

Grrr. Another untimely wake-up call after a relaxing weekend. However, the joy is - this is my last week of trudging into the office before the holiday!

Continuing our countdown to Spain this Saturday, let's cheer ourselves up this Tacky Music Monday with possibly the weirdest clip I have found for a while - in the company of Señorita Massiel (the singer who famously beat Cliff Richard to win the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest), her bizarrely-clad safety gays (and gals), and, erm, some insecticide???!!!

Massiel - La Cucaracha

Have a good week, dear reader, and don't have nightmares!

Louder*

It's the end of another week, sweeties! Yesterday's scorching heat (the hottest day for ten years) may have turned to thunderstorms again, but we still have to get ourselves into the mood for a party (and it is my sister's birthday tomorrow so there really is no excuse)...

Today, we travel to Spain (I wish! - but we do have Amsterdam to look forward to next weekend), to celebrate the birthday today of the spectacularly talented former Eurovision entrant Massiel. So let's tong our hair-flicks, practice the marvellous choreography of her lovely backing dancers, and shout "¡Olé!"

Thank Disco It's Friday!

Massiel - Mas Fuerte

I am convinced I've heard that track on a vintage porn film.

Anyway, have a great weekend everyone!

[*Mas Fuerte translates as "Louder"]

La lalala lalala lalala...

Continuing this week's countdown to our hols, on this Tacky Music Monday my thoughts wander inevitably towards Eurovision, and the weird world of the creatures who inhabit it. Spain is a country that has no fear of tackiness whatsoever, so it is inevitable that when you combine the two, you can come up with some real corkers! Enjoy...

Massiel - La, la, la (1968)

Salomé - Vivo cantando (1969)

Sergio Dalma - Bailar pegados (1991)

Mocedades - Eres tú (1973)

¡Hala!