Totty of the Day

Happy 50th birthday today to Olympic hurdler and fellow Welshman Colin Jackson. Who could not love a man who "always could get his legs up higher - and wider - than anyone else"?



And indeed, rumours persist that the never-married Mr Jackson is in fact in a long-term relationship with fellow Olympian, swimmer Mark Foster, despite his denial in an interview several years ago that he was gay...

I leave it to the Three Degrees to have the last word on that one, methinks.

Three Degrees - The Runner

The taste of his skin, the gentle touch of his hand
Is worth waiting for, so I must understand
Yes you run, you just won't show love
That's the thing you're frightened of

He's a runner, he's a runner

Indeed.

Colin Ray Jackson, CBE (born 18th February 1967)

Following the river of death downstream

Thirty years ago this week, the charts were dominated by one song - Bright Eyes by Art Garfunkel. Everyone was sick to death of it, as I recall. I don't know anyone who actually bought it. But there it was, in the words of Phil Oakey "the black hit of space, sucking in the human race."

Evidence - if any were needed - of the eclecticism of music at the time were the "ones that got away"; those that hit the Top 5 in March 1979 but couldn't shift the big 'un.

These included The Jacksons - Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground), Racey - Some Girls, Sex Pistols - Something Else / Friggin' In The Riggin', Sister Sledge - He's The Greatest Dancer , Supertramp - The Logical Song, and this one (amongst my favourites):

Three Degrees - The Runner