Forever fascinating

Speaking of "survivors" - it's the 86th birthday today of the most important broadcaster of the 20th and 21st centuries, Sir David Attenborough!

At an age when many people might prefer to put their feet up, potter in their garden and perhaps write their memoirs, Sir David just keeps on going - producing some of the most captivating, enchanting insights into little-known aspects of nature, in his uniquely intelligent, measured way.

Thankfully, rumours of his retirement were unfounded, and in just the last year his series on Madagascar continued to enthral us - long may he continue!

David Attenborough - Close Encounter With Wild Indri - Attenborough and The Giant Egg

David Attenborough - Small Spider Lifts Snail Shell Up Tree - Madagascar

More Attenborough moments here and here.

Attenborough website

Je Survivrai

Its a Bank Holiday, but it's still Tacky Music Monday pour moi!

And despite being busy today cleaning the inch of nicotine off our windows in preparation for some semblance of Spring sunshine (we live in hope), I have still found time to find a little suitable music to make the day seem better!

Here's one of our favourite entertainers, the Gallic icon (and "Patron saint" here at Dolores Delargo Towers) Régine - society hostess extraordinaire, singer, bon vivant and inventor (in 1957) of the modern discotheque (at 82, she still rules her worldwide nightclub empire with a rod of iron) - with her version of I Will Survive...

Régine - Je Survivrai

A survivor, indeed! Just last year, she appeared on stage in the Broadway revival of Sondheim's Follies - which is something I would love to have seen...

Read my previous blog on Régine

Régine on Wikipedia

Ny popmusikk

It's cold, it's grey, it's depressing - it has to be a Bank Holiday weekend! Time to cheer ourselves up by playing some of my more recent musical divertissements...

When divas collide, #486 in a series... With a nod to Barbra and Donna here, and to the "funky happy house" sounds of the 90s there, the singer-turned-UK TV regular Michelle Williams (of Destiny's Child fame) has teamed up with one of our fave dance divas here at Dolores Delargo Towers, the powerhouse that is Ultra Naté! The result? The rather fabulous Waiting On You:

Michelle Williams & Ultra Naté - Waiting On You

On the last miserable Bank Holiday weekend (Easter), I recommended the Laidback Luke remix of the ever-wonderful Dragonette's new single Let it Go. Now it has an official release, here is the excellent video:

Dragonette - Let It Go

The peculiarly-named Mr Little Jeans (actually a Norwegian girl by the name of Monica Birkenes) has a corker of an electro-retro new single out, and I love it. Here's Runaway:

Mr Little Jeans - Runaway

Speaking of electropop - with its thumping Human League/Goldfrapp sound, strident Goth vocals and a healthy slab of Divine decadence, the new single Love Machine by Mollyhaus has a little bit of just about everything I love thrown together! The accompanying video featuring vintage smut is just perfect...

Mollyhaus - Love Machine

Just because I love it, here's the Offer Nissim remix of Queen Madge's brilliant current single Girl Gone Wild [Thanks, Henry!]:

Madonna - Girl Gone Wild (Offer Nissim mix)

And finally, eternal thanks to Mike over at Pop Trash Addicts, who introduced me to the supremely talented Valerio Pino - most famous for fucking Ricky Martin - and his brilliantly trashy new single GogoStar! I'm impressed (even if Mike is not):

Valerio Pino - GogoStar

As ever, enjoy - and let me know your thoughts...

Oh, ma honey

I am reminded by the lovely Muscato at the world of wonders that is Cafe Muscato, that yesterday would have been the 97th birthday of the glittering and feisty Alice Faye.

The great man's tribute to Miss Faye is far more erudite than anything I would care to add, so without further ado, let us just enjoy a small sample of her talent and chutzpah, accompanied here by her husband Phil Harris and the arch-crooner Bing Crosby...

Bing Crosby, Alice Faye, Phil Harris - K-K-K-Katy/Hello Frisco Hello/Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?/Grizzly Bear/Alexander's Ragtime Band (Hollywood Palace)

As I recounted over at Muscato's place, one of my earliest musical treats was discovering my grandparent's surviving 78rpm records, among which were such gems as Les Compagnons de la Chanson Trois Cloches and Alice Faye's Alexander's Ragtime Band. I adored her voice, even as a small child. And here is the original...

Alice Faye - Alexander's Ragtime Band

An inspiration.

Alice Faye official website

Tammy, stand by the Jam!

Today would have been the 70th birthday of the Queen of over-sentimental kitsch country music Miss Tammy Wynette.

Understandably, her mega-hits such as Stand By Your Man and D.I.V.O.R.C.E. have become much-parodied examples of their genre, and she is as much remembered for her preposterous wigs and rhinestones (in hot competition with contemporaries such as Dolly Parton) as she is for her showbiz talent. Many a drag queen has made a living off the back of Tammy and Dolly!

And so it came to pass that - in a similar vein to that other great band with acute camp sensibilities, Pet Shop Boys - that supremely loopy British combo known as The KLF decided to resurrect the career of a camp diva, and Miss Wynette sparkled her tongue-in-cheek way to the top of the charts again in 1991 with this marvellous number:

The KLF and Tammy Wynette - Justified and Ancient (Stand By The JAMs)

I always wanted to visit the Paradise that is "Mu Mu Land"...

All bound for Mu Mu Land
All bound for Mu Mu Land
(hey)
(hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land
(Bring the beat back!)

They're Justified, and they're Ancient,
And they like to roam the land.
(just roll it from the top)
They're Justified, and they're Ancient,
I hope you understand.
(to the bridge, to the bridge, to the bridge now)
They called me up in Tennessee
They said "Tammy, stand by The Jams"
But if you don't like what they're going to do,
You better not stop them 'cause they're coming through
(bring the beat back)

(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Ancients of Mu Mu)

Mu Mu Land
Mu Mu Land
All bound for Mu Mu Land

They're Justified, and they're Ancient,
And they drive an ice cream van.
(just roll it from the top)
They're Justified and they're Ancient,
With still no master plan.
(to the bridge, to the bridge, to the bridge now)
The last train left an hour ago,
They were singing "All aboard"
All bound for Mu Mu Land,
Then someone starting screaming "Turn up the Strobe"
(bring the beat back)

(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)
(Bring the beat back)

Justified and Ancient, Ancient and a-justified,
Rocking to the rhythm in their ice cream van
with the plan and the key to
enter into Mu Mu
Vibes from the tribes of the Jams

I know where the beat is at,
'cos I know what time it is
Bring home a dime,
Make mine a "99"

New style, meanwhile, always on a mission while
Fishing in the rivers of life
Fishing in the rivers of life (hoi)
Fishing in the rivers of life (hoi)
Fishing in the rivers
Fishing in the rivers
Fishing in the rivers of life (hoi)

Voo-va-voolie
Za-shi-va-zom
Voo-va-voolie
(Bring the beat back)

(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)

Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)
Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)
All bound for Mu Mu Land

Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)
Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)
All bound for Mu Mu Land

Mu Mu Land
Mu Mu Land
All bound for Mu Mu Land

Tammy Wynette official website

I'm gettin' ready

I am knackered after yesterday's long shift at the polls, it's grey and miserable weather outside, yet it remains a day to celebrate - a Bank Holiday weekend is ahead...

So, get your cowboy hat and outsize shades on, grab a cocktail and let's Shake it up Tonight with the diva that is Cheryl Lynn!

Thank Disco It's Friday!

Cheryl Lynn - Shake it up Tonight

Everything you never needed to know about Cheryl Lynn

When two tribes go to war, a point is all that you can score

Having just got in after sixteen hours acting as poll clerk for the London Mayoral election (I was setting-up at 6.15am!), I am completely dead-beat...

Sitting at a desk smiling at the great unwashed, many of whom have no manners - and certainly little clue why they are there at all - gives me great pleasure as you might imagine.

An apt song for this great polling day comes to mind:

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes

Who will win? I don't rightly give a stuff at this juncture.

One more day to go before the Bank Holiday weekend!! Yay!