But life still goes on

Timeslip moment again, folks - as we hop into our Tardis for another trip back to the heady days of 1984.

Thirty years ago this week, Freddie and the boys caused a sensation when they threw on the drag and camped it up hilariously in the video for their massive hit I Want To Break Free. And it remains a classic to this day...

Queen - I Want To Break Free

I want to break free
I want to break free
I want to break free from your lies
You're so self satisfied I don't need you
I've got to break free
God knows, God knows I want to break free.

I've fallen in love
I've fallen in love for the first time

And this time I know it's for real
I've fallen in love, yeah
God knows, God knows I've fallen in love.

It's strange but it's true
I can't get over the way you love me like you do
But I have to be sure
When I walk out that door
Oh how I want to be free, baby
Oh how I want to be free,
Oh how I want to break free.

But life still goes on
I can't get used to, living without, living without,
Living without you by my side
I don't want to live alone, hey
God knows, got to make it on my own
So baby can't you see
I've got to break free.

I've got to break free
I want to break free, yeah
I want, I want, I want, I want to break free.

Time flies, etc., etc.

RIP, Freddie.

Queen official website

That's right

Another weekend hoves into view, thank goodness - a chance to forget the tensions of work for a moment [I have to be interviewed for a position in the new departmental restructure next week, and I really don't want to think about that...].

What better way to let our hair down than to head back 38 years to this week in 1976, fling on an eminently practical white jumpsuit with marabou trim, and throw some (odd) shapes - in a set that looks like a pile of chitterlings?

...just like the eternally cheesy Silver Convention!

Silver Convention - Get Up And Boogie

Thank Disco It's Friday!

Have a good one...

A surfeit of xylophones

This is rapidly turning into "Retro-Cocktail-Exotica Week" here at Dolores Delargo Towers, as we celebrate the birthday of one of the masters of the genre, Mr Martin Denny, born 103 years ago today.

Here he is, as ever performing in the tropical paradise of Hawaii, with a bizarre version of "a traditional French lullaby" - accompanied in this film by two clearly stoned youngsters and their lei. It's fab:

Martin Denny - Dite Moi [Exotica]

Martin Denny at WeirdoMusic.com

La Primavera

Yesterday's Perez Prado outing prompted the lovely "Ayem8y" from Mean Dirty Pirate blog to point us in the direction of a Lounge radio show The Retro Cocktail Housr in the States.

Needless to say, this was already a firm fave here at Dolores Delargo Towers - as is the ever-wonderful Soft Tempo Lounge, from whence this rather lovely musical interlude originates:

Soft Tempo Lounge - Primavera

Ah. That's better.

[Music: Bruno Nicolai and Primavera]

Meanwhile, in the gardens of Dolores Delargo Towers...

...the pear blossom is giving us the joys of Spring!

Here's an appropriate number from Pérez Prado to celebrate:

Perez Prado - Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White

Cha, cha, cha, indeed!

Pérez Prado on Wikipedia

A little bit more

A "coming-of-age" today.

Eighteen years ago this week, my late partner Garry and I took what was to be our last holiday together - to the garden island of Madeira, an idyllic place. It was in the market of Funchal that I purchased a single bulb of a Cymbidium orchid. It thrived, and grew, and it multiplied, but only ever produced a profusion of leaves.

Until now!

So, on its eighteenth birthday, we (finally) have the most gloriously OTT show of exotic lime and crimson flowers at Dolores Delargo Towers.

And, to lift our spirits on this Tacky Music Monday, here is a magnificent song that entered the UK chart this very week in 1996 - it's Gina G and Ooh, Aah... Just A Little Bit!

Gina G - Ooh, Aah... Just A Little Bit

I still love that song.

Gina G on the Eurovision Song Contest website

About Cymbidium orchids

Forty years of satin and spandex

"In my honest opinion we looked like nuts in those years. Nobody can have been as badly dressed on stage as we were." - Björn Ulvaeus.

Today marks 40 years [how scary!] since Abba stormed the previously stuffy old Eurovision Song Contest (held in 1974 in the UK's gayest city, Brighton, aptly enough), and embarked on a world-conquering musical journey in the process. Suffice to say, nothing quite like them or their song Waterloo had ever been seen before...

I did do a tribute to Abba around the time of the 35th anniversary, so let us just play the music:

Abba - Waterloo

My, my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender
Oh yeah, and I have met my destiny in quite a similar way
The history book on the shelf
Is always repeating itself

Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo - Promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo - Finally facing my Waterloo

My, my, I tried to hold you back but you were stronger
Oh yeah, and now it seems my only chance is giving up the fight
And how could I ever refuse
I feel like I win when I lose

Waterloo - I was defeated, you won the war
Waterloo - Promise to love you for ever more
Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo - Finally facing my Waterloo

So how could I ever refuse
I feel like I win when I lose -

Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to
Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you
Waterloo - Finally facing my Waterloo

Read more on the BBC

Abba official website