Five Things I Saw & Heard This Week

Transcripts from the everyday world of music by Martin Colyer

Monday, August 30th

August 30, 2021 by martin colyer 9 Comments

Share this:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
Like Loading...
Filed Under: Weekly Roundup Tagged With: @jonimitchell, Ajax FC, Bob Dylan, Bob Lefsetz, Feel Flows, Flagging Down the Double E’s, Jim Keltner, Laura Nyro, Rocksbackpages, Shadow Kingdom, The Beach Boys, The Village Trip

THE LATEST PROJECT: SUPER HITS [!] OF THE SIXTIES!

“SEALED WITH A KISS”

I’d heard the song for the first time in years on one of the last episodes of the TV series, Mad Men. Brian Hyland’s 1962 puppy-love pop classic (#3 on both US and UK charts) has a naggingly dark/slightly hysterical melody that stuck in my head for days after watching the programme. On one hand it’s an over-ripe teen anthem, on the other a singular melody that doesn’t sound like a “pop” tune at all. It’s the first track from a new project covering songs from the 60s.

Follow Five Things on Instagram

Two sets of thanks: my friend David sends me something for my Ken Collection, an early Skiffle group EP (extended play, four tracks rather than the two of a single 45rpm). And then, this beautiful program from a tour that New Orleans clarinettist George Lewis did in the 50s that my aunt Mirry and her husband, my uncle Dave, went to see. I love the note saying that you should fill in the titles as their repertoire was too large to predict… Mirry filled in the support act (Uncle Ken) but then obviously surrendered to the music and left the rest blank… Those were the days — live music with no hard drives, kids! Mirry was a delight, too good for this world, and her wonderful daughter Julia gave me this at Mirry’s funeral late this summer. The last photo is a piece from the programme mentioning the legendary New Orleans musician, William Russell, with a mailing label from a shipment of records that he sent to my father, Bill ¶ “All of the heavies were light as a feather“ | “I Had a Dream” was sung at Woodstock by John Sebastian. It’s the second of five songs from a new project, Super Hits (!) of the Sixties! I’m aided and abetted here by the estimable Mark Pringle on guitar. I’ve just posted my memories of working with the wonderful illustrator and painter Paul Slater on my Adventures in Commissioning blog [Google adventures | commissioning | colyer]. Paul was an amazing painter and illustrator, and it was a privilege to work with him. I’ve put some of the pieces we did together here, and a selection of details from one in particular, a map for tourists that could have been bland and pretty, but was elevated by Paul’s brilliance. I just found this, a clipping from The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, of Paul Slater parodying Grant Wood’s American Gothic, with Maggie and Denis Thatcher replacing the farming couple. I can’t find that, but here’s Paul’s version of the same painting for The Listener. Bordeaux Brocante Buys | Two for €6 | The music is wonderful — the type, too… I came home to this beauty. Thank you, Mr Ben! I’m really hoping that this tone-deaf offering from the Marks & Spencer Christmas catalogue is the harbinger of the end of this “Gilded Age” that we seem to be enduring. It has a Use By date of January 2nd, so absolutely perfect for those End of the Wor… sorry, Year, parties. Very cute small exhibition of Paul McCartney’s photos from inside the Beatles looking out in 1964, at the Gagosian in Mayfair. First is John backstage at the London Palladium. I think this may be the night that our great friend Lennie Bush, fabulous jazz bassist (Sinatra always asked for him when recording in London) took my autograph book with him to his Sunday Night gig with the Jack Parnell Orchestra there for “Sunday Night at the London Palladium”. There are some nice candid shots of Brian Epstein (often reading a newspaper), and John Lennon looks different from photo to photo. I think my favourites were a shot of the Paris paparazzi, and a lovely calm, centred portrait of Ringo. Every month I get to work with fantastic artists on the magazine, and here’s a look at the October issue @thecritic — so thanks go to…
Follow Five Things I Saw & Heard This Week on WordPress.com

Aimee Mann Amanda Petrusich Aretha Franklin Barney Hoskyns Bill Colyer Bob Dylan Bruce Springsteen David Bowie Desert Island Discs Every Record Tells a Story Hot House Inside Llewyn Davis Janis Joplin JazzWax John Cuneo Joni MItchell Jonny Trunk Ken Colyer Leonard Cohen Levon Helm Liam Noble likeahammerinthesink London Jazz Collector Marc Myers Mark Pringle Martin Colyer Mavis Staples Michael Gray Mick Gold Miles Davis music Music Documentaries New Yorker Richard Williams Robbie Robertson rocksbackpages.com Ry Cooder Sam Charters Steely Dan Studio 51 The Band thebluemoment.com The Guardian US Esquire Van Morrison

On the Music Player: The Latest Project

SUPER HITS [!] OF THE SIXTIES! | ONE | “SEALED WITH A KISS”

I’d heard the song for the first time in years on one of the last episodes of the TV series, Mad Men. Brian Hyland’s 1962 puppy-love pop classic (#3 on both US and UK charts) has a naggingly dark/slightly hysterical melody that stuck in my head for days after watching the programme. On one hand it’s an over-ripe teen anthem, on the other a singular melody that doesn’t sound like a “pop” tune at all. Here‘s my version, part of a five song project covering songs from the 60s.

FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM

Two sets of thanks: my friend David sends me something for my Ken Collection, an early Skiffle group EP (extended play, four tracks rather than the two of a single 45rpm). And then, this beautiful program from a tour that New Orleans clarinettist George Lewis did in the 50s that my aunt Mirry and her husband, my uncle Dave, went to see. I love the note saying that you should fill in the titles as their repertoire was too large to predict… Mirry filled in the support act (Uncle Ken) but then obviously surrendered to the music and left the rest blank… Those were the days — live music with no hard drives, kids! Mirry was a delight, too good for this world, and her wonderful daughter Julia gave me this at Mirry’s funeral late this summer. The last photo is a piece from the programme mentioning the legendary New Orleans musician, William Russell, with a mailing label from a shipment of records that he sent to my father, Bill ¶ “All of the heavies were light as a feather“ | “I Had a Dream” was sung at Woodstock by John Sebastian. It’s the second of five songs from a new project, Super Hits (!) of the Sixties! I’m aided and abetted here by the estimable Mark Pringle on guitar. I’ve just posted my memories of working with the wonderful illustrator and painter Paul Slater on my Adventures in Commissioning blog [Google adventures | commissioning | colyer]. Paul was an amazing painter and illustrator, and it was a privilege to work with him. I’ve put some of the pieces we did together here, and a selection of details from one in particular, a map for tourists that could have been bland and pretty, but was elevated by Paul’s brilliance. I just found this, a clipping from The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, of Paul Slater parodying Grant Wood’s American Gothic, with Maggie and Denis Thatcher replacing the farming couple. I can’t find that, but here’s Paul’s version of the same painting for The Listener. Bordeaux Brocante Buys | Two for €6 | The music is wonderful — the type, too… I came home to this beauty. Thank you, Mr Ben! I’m really hoping that this tone-deaf offering from the Marks & Spencer Christmas catalogue is the harbinger of the end of this “Gilded Age” that we seem to be enduring. It has a Use By date of January 2nd, so absolutely perfect for those End of the Wor… sorry, Year, parties. Very cute small exhibition of Paul McCartney’s photos from inside the Beatles looking out in 1964, at the Gagosian in Mayfair. First is John backstage at the London Palladium. I think this may be the night that our great friend Lennie Bush, fabulous jazz bassist (Sinatra always asked for him when recording in London) took my autograph book with him to his Sunday Night gig with the Jack Parnell Orchestra there for “Sunday Night at the London Palladium”. There are some nice candid shots of Brian Epstein (often reading a newspaper), and John Lennon looks different from photo to photo. I think my favourites were a shot of the Paris paparazzi, and a lovely calm, centred portrait of Ringo. Every month I get to work with fantastic artists on the magazine, and here’s a look at the October issue @thecritic — so thanks go to…

BUY THE BOOK OF FIVE THINGS

HERE’S A TAG CLOUD…

Aimee Mann Amanda Petrusich Aretha Franklin Barney Hoskyns Bill Colyer Bob Dylan Bruce Springsteen David Bowie Desert Island Discs Every Record Tells a Story Hot House Inside Llewyn Davis Janis Joplin JazzWax John Cuneo Joni MItchell Jonny Trunk Ken Colyer Leonard Cohen Levon Helm Liam Noble likeahammerinthesink London Jazz Collector Marc Myers Mark Pringle Martin Colyer Mavis Staples Michael Gray Mick Gold Miles Davis music Music Documentaries New Yorker Richard Williams Robbie Robertson rocksbackpages.com Ry Cooder Sam Charters Steely Dan Studio 51 The Band thebluemoment.com The Guardian US Esquire Van Morrison

AND HERE’S THE ARCHIVE…

  • November 2025
  • September 2025
  • December 2024
  • August 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • December 2023
  • August 2023
  • June 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • August 2022
  • December 2021
  • August 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012

Return to top of page

Website Powered by WordPress.com.

  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Five Things I Saw & Heard This Week
    • Join 246 other subscribers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Five Things I Saw & Heard This Week
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d