You'd better push the button and let me know

You wait for ages for a Doctor, and two come along in one year...

Another timeslip moment, dear reader.

Our Jedi friends and their Venator-class Star Destroyer have dropped us off in another galaxy, far, far away...

...well, 2005 actually - the year of the revival of Doctor Who after a 16-year hiatus, the London tube and bus terrorist bombings, the Royal Wedding of Charles and "Horse-Face" Camilla, Hurricane Katrina, Jerry Springer - The Opera, Ellen MacArthur, civil partnerships for gay couples (including that of Elton John and David Furnish), Batman Begins, the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, the murder of "Dirty Den" in Eastenders, the final end of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, Kinky Boots, the Taliban, Joseph Ratzinger, Jean Charles de Menezes, George Galloway, digital downloads overtaking sales of physical singles, David Cameron, The Thick of It, a third general election victory for Blair's New Labour, the Tsunami Relief concert, Madagascar, the devastating Kashmir earthquake, Mrs Henderson Presents, the award of the Olympics 2012 to London, Eurovision winner Helena Paparizou, the trial of Saddam Hussein, Chip and PIN payments, David Attenborough’s Life in the Undergrowth, Desperate Housewives, John Sentamu, and the ban on hunting with dogs; the births of YouTube, Primark, Google Maps, the Roboraptor and Etsy; and the year that Anne Bancroft, Ronnie Barker, Sir John Mills, former PM Lord James Callaghan, Robin Cook, Mo Mowlam, Johnny Carson, Victoria de los Ángeles, Gretchen Franklin, Luther Vandross, Barbara Bel Geddes, Birgit Nilsson, Patsy Rowlands, Pope John Paul II, Rosa Parks, Prince Rainier, Littlewoods, Cyril Fletcher, Richard Whiteley, MG Rover and Arthur Miller all died.

Making the news headlines in November twenty years ago? 24-hour licences for pubs in England and Wales arrived, Angela Merkel became the first female Chancellor of Germany, Charles and Camilla were on a state visit to the USA, the memorial service for former PM Sir Edward Heath was held in Westminster Abbey, it was goodbye Safeway and hello to Morrisons supermarkets, a Scottish man Andrew Stimpson was reportedly the first man "cured" of HIV, and we bade a fond farewell to footballing hero and playboy George Best. In our cinemas: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Nanny McPhee, The Legend of Zorro. On telly: I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, Little Britain moved to BBC1 from BBC3, Comic Relief (featuring Catherine Tate in EastEnders, BBC Newsreaders performing Bohemian Rhapsody, and a brand new Doctor Who adventure with David Tennant).

And in our charts this week in November 2005? Westlife (yawn) held the top slot, and also present and correct were Arctic Monkeys, Pussycat Dolls, Pharrell ft Gwen Stefani, Craig David, Robbie Williams, Goldfrapp, Hilary Duff and Kate Bush. This classic, however (a recent Number 1) was still holding its own...

Sugababes - Push The Button

Two decades ago? How did that happen???!!!

Diggin(s) the choons!

Pioneering DJ Ron Diggins and his "Diggola" booth

After the excitement and spectacle of seeing Fantastic Four: First Steps in Leicester Square last night - an utterly brilliant movie, I cannot recommend it enough! - today's been a little more down-to-earth. The weather was warm, and the rain held off, so I took the opportunity to tackle a job that was well overdue [flowering finished back in June!] - cutting-back and training our splendid Rosa Veilchenblau (a rambler, albeit a usually well-behaved one, it was making "a bit of a break for it" with branches heading into next door's garden), and doing a bit of dead-heading and general tidying-up of other plants that have gone over.

Time, methinks, for another little selection of some of the "newer" choons that have caught my ear of late...

As is my wont, of course, first up is a song that isn't new at all - but since I heard it for the first time on the radio a few weeks ago, became a bit of an earworm:

Frances Madden - The Tango Never Lies

Not one, but two legends on one record? Yes, please!

Andy Bell featuring Debbie Harry - Heart's a Liar

Filmed on the viewing platform on the 87th floor of London's massive Shard tower, here's a contender for "dance choon of the summer":

Jax Jones ft. Emei - Stereo

Speaking of "anthemic", this is a fantabulosa slice of tongue-in-cheek brilliance - I love it!

Jeangu Macrooy - Independent Girls & Nasty Evil Gays

Here's an "independent girl" after our own heart - she knows how to keep her "safety gays" in order!

Chloe Jane - Oopsie Daisy

I always love something a bit retro-sounding:

Robert DeLong feat DEANE - Somebody Watching Me

Changing the mood ever so slightly - here's an utterly irresistible number:

Laufey - Lover Girl

And, saving the best for last - the 'Babes!

Sugababes - Shook

As ever, dear reader, let me know your thoughts...

Another pop potpurri

It's been a busy time here at Dolores Delargo Towers! Instead of, as one might have expected after a fun-packed holiday in Spain burning the candle at both ends (as is our wont), taking a bit of a breather and a wind-down - with the combination of a garden rocketing away before our eyes and needing to be sorted-out and the "party of the year" for Eurovision pending this weekend, there's been loads of work to do.

Today alone, while cleaning, I tackled an unwanted infestation of moths and their grubs that I found have half-eaten the carpet behind chairs in the bedroom and I built a new set of garden shelving that we hope will make a big difference in accommodating our rapidly-expanding collection of plants (all Spring I have been splitting and dividing overgrown specimens, which inevitably increases the volume, and (obviously) shopping for more - especially on my Easter jaunt to Essex). The Madam's been back at work, but still embarked on scrubbing-down the front room in anticipation of guests. Phew!

Time, methinks for a bit of a musical interlude, with some of the "newer" choons that have caught my ear of late [thanks, Mr DeVice for spurring me into actually finishing a draft blog idea I have had pootling around for ages]...

Let's open with a pleasant surprise! I have always had a soft spot for Dame Elton John, but when I found out that his newest choice of collaborator was a country'n'western artiste, I dreaded the outcome. I was entirely wrong - I love this! A real nod to his heyday:

Elton John & Brandi Carlile – Who Believes In Angels?

A singer who never disappoints is Our Sophie - here's her brand new (and rather good) single:

Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Taste

The engimatic Ms Goldfrapp's new one's pretty catchy, too:

Alison Goldfrapp - Find Xanadu

It's been a bit of a cavalcade of "welcome returns" in the past few months - not least for none other than the Mael brothers!

Sparks - Do Things My Own Way

...and here's another:

Andy Bell - Don't Cha Know

At last! The hoo-ha about the reformation and return of the original trio of Sugababes has so far been a bit of a "damp squib" - however, this one has their full signature hit-making sound, so let's hope it becomes one:

Sugababes - Jungle

Here's an oddity that I have been hanging on to for too long without sharing it here - it's an absolute work of genius!

Franz Ferdinand - Toxic (Britney Spears cover) in the Radio 2 Piano Room

And finally - saving the best for last, it's Our Princess!

Alok & Kylie Minogue - Last Night I Dreamt I Fell In Love

Enjoy! And, as ever dear reader, let me know your thoughts...

---

PS

My post about the posthumous premiere of Stephen Sondheim's Here We Are, that we went to see the night before we flew to Spain, is over at the Dolores Delargo Towers Museum of Camp...

But how obvious should a girl be?

Our newly-resurrected TARDIS (with incumbent Christopher Eccleston) has materialised not that far into the past; in 2005, to be precise - the year of the Royal Wedding of Charles and "Horse-Face" Camilla, the London tube and bus terrorist bombings, Hurricane Katrina, Jerry Springer - The Opera, Angela Merkel, Ellen MacArthur, civil partnerships for gay couples, Batman Begins, memorials for those killed in the Indian Ocean Tsunami, the murder of "Dirty Den" in Eastenders, the final end of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, Kinky Boots, layered polo shirts, Joseph Ratzinger, George Galloway, David Cameron, The Thick of It, a third general election victory for Blair's New Labour, Live 8, Madagascar, Mrs Henderson Presents, the award of the Olympics 2012 to London, Eurovision winner Helena Paparizou, David Attenborough’s Life in the Undergrowth, Desperate Housewives, and the ban on hunting with dogs; the births of YouTube, Primark, Google Maps, the Roboraptor and Etsy; and the year that Anne Bancroft, Ronnie Barker, Sir John Mills, former Prime Ministers James Callaghan and Sir Edward Heath, Robin Cook, Mo Mowlam, Johnny Carson, Victoria de los Ángeles, Luther Vandross, Barbara Bel Geddes, Birgit Nilsson, Patsy Rowlands, Pope John Paul II, Prince Rainier, Littlewoods, Cyril Fletcher, George Best, Safeway, Richard Whiteley and Arthur Miller all died.

In the news headlines in October 2005: a massive earthquake that killed 86,000 people in Kashmir, the trial of Saddam Hussein began, three men were extradited from Pakistan to Scotland to face trial for the racially-motivated murder of a 15-year-old white boy, the contest began to elect a new leader of the Tories after the resignation of Michael Howard, and the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth (the UK's tallest building outside London) opened. In our cinemas: Wallace and Gromit - The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, Nanny McPhee. On telly: Bleak House, Deal Or No Deal, and the 500th episode of Casualty.

And what of our charts this week fifteen years ago? It was a proper mixed bag of the good (Pussycat Dolls, Robbie Williams, Depeche Mode and Liberty X), the bad (Bloc Party, Kanye West ft Jamie Foxx, Sean "the mumbler" Paul and Mariah-fucking-Carey) and the "whoooo?" (Daniel Powter? anyone?) - but deservedly topping the bill was a most underrated girl-band, whose back-catalogue is more memorable than most of 'em...

Sugababes - Push The Button

I'm busy throwing hints that he keeps missing
Don't have to think about it
I wanna kiss and
Everything around it but he's too distant
I wanna feel his body
I can't resist it

I know my hidden looks can be deceiving
But how obvious should a girl be?
I was taken by the early conversation piece
And I really like the way that he respect me

I've been waiting patiently for him to come and get it
I wonder if he knows that he can say it and I'm with it
I knew I had my mind made up from the very beginning
Catch this opportunity so you and me could feel it 'cos

If you're ready for me boy
You'd better push the button and let me know
Before I get the wrong idea and go
You're gonna miss the freak that I control

I'm busy showing him what he's been missing
I'm kind of showing off for his full attention
My sexy ass has got him in the new dimension
I'm ready to do something to relieve this mission

After waiting patiently for him to come and get it
He came on through and asked me if I wanted to get with him
I knew I had my mind made up from the very beginning
Won't miss this opportunity so you and me could feel it 'cos

If you're ready for me boy
You'd better push the button and let me know
Before I get the wrong idea and go
You're gonna miss the freak that I control

If you're ready for me boy
You'd better push the button and let me know
Before I get the wrong idea and go
You're gonna miss the freak that I control

I've been dropping so many hints
You’re still not getting it
Now that you’ve heard everything I have to say
Where we gonna go from here?

After waiting patiently for him to come and get it
He came over and asked me if I wanted to get with him
I knew I had my mind made up from the very beginning
Won't miss this opportunity so you and me could feel it 'cos

If you're ready for me boy
You'd better push the button and let me know
Before I get the wrong idea and go
You're gonna miss the freak that I control

Love it!

Happy New Wawa!

>

At our riotous singalong and dressing-up New Years Eve party, the "Wawa" remix of the latest single by the Sugababes turned out to be just about the only modern song we played - it is definitely the song of the moment.

Sugababes - No Can Do (Wawa remix)

Happy New Year!!