Julie London’s Louie Louie was a real head f…. that is, rather interesting considering she eschewed the groove – the very essence that made the Kingsmen’s single a million-seller. A bit like recording Jumping Jack Flash as a slow ballad without the bass riff. A superb re-imagining. I loved the tin whistle, too.
Mark Steyn said Sinatra hated Strangers In the Night and it shows. A drab arrangement, perfunctory change of key and Sinatra kills it stone dead with that ghastly ‘dooby-dooby-do’ claptrap at the fade. Honestly, why bother? Such a pity as I love both the melody and the lyric. There must be a more respectful version of the song out there. Dick Haymes, perhaps?

Three lovely songs from Clifford T Ward on Johnny Mac show this morning. Great to hear The Impressions singing People Get Ready. Fabulous song. Many thanks Johnny 🙂👍

Listened for the first time to Andy Marriots television and sound not clear at all – very echoy

Thank you Paul for a wonderful programme, “Songs of Spring” All our favourites !!
Looking forward to your show on Friday.

Just listened to Songs for the season of spring, It was so uplifting thank Paul for such a lovely programme. Can’t wait for your summer one ha!

Dear Roger Williams, The Lost Traders and Stem were both impressive and Dan Walsh reminded me of the bluegrass blasts a Rounder Records fan and friend used to play me. The performance and back story to Jack Merritt’s Boots was very affecting and any occasion that results in Curtis Mayfield being played is a blessed event. May I make a request? One of the greatest songs ever written could be classed as ‘folk’ – Richard Thompson’s Beeswing. A recording so perfect it could not be improved upon in any way. I would love others to hear its transcendental beauty. Thank you.

Steve James: It’s not often I can say I have a recording of something I hear on Late Night Extra, let alone one on old and dusty vinyl; however, last night my ears pricked up at the opening strains of ‘Beautiful Daughter’ by The Move. I can’t remember ever hearing this played on the radio. The Move had a several musical phases but instrumentation on ‘Beautiful Daughter’ is a clear precursor to the original Electric Light Orchestra sound and, later, Roy Wood’s Wizzard.

Line-ups changed a fair bit over the years and Rick Price was a member of the group at this time. In the late 1990s I was doing some contract work at a company where one of the managers, knowing I was something of a Move fan and especially of this period, invited me for a few moments into a room to meet a suitably suited and booted Rick Price, there on behalf of a supplier providing a service the details of which I have long forgotten, and having a meeting with another of the managers. A brief chat about halcyon days ensued, compliments were paid and received graciously, and then it was back to work!

Soft Folkus – Clifford T Ward: I have had to catch up on a couple of programmes by using my sneaky recording software and so was pleased to hear Clifford T Ward finally make an appearance. In my long ago college years a couple of fellow students had been pupils at the school in Bromsgrove where he had been their teacher.

Unfortunately, Roger spoke over the intro of ‘The Best is Yet to Come’ which meant I was unable to hear the little bit of taxi radio breakthrough that occurs, and for which I always listen! Back when the recording was made, it would be reckoned that this would never show up on AM radio, and perhaps not on the average Dansette either! I find the song very poignant as it was around this time that CTW was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and that in reality his best was, sadly, in the past.

When embarking on his solo work, CTW wanted Robert Kirby, who had done arrangements for Nick Drake, to do his arrangements but, unfortunately, Kirby wasn’t available so Richard Hewson, who did the first arrangements for Nick Drake but Nick subsequently rejected, was brought in.

It has been many years since I have been in Pensax in Worcestershire where Clifford spent many of his later years but the last time I was in The Bell (where he was often a visitor) I raised a glass.

Back in the saddle -Vic Groves with an hour of some of the finest vintage Country and Western music Thank you Vic for a lovely start to your new series

Two super shows from Sean Usher and Johnny Mac this morning. Great music and banter for the early hours. Fabulous!! Many thanks to you both 👍👍

I’m relatively new to Serenade and so I’m dipping in and out of shows to see what appeals to me. It was such a delightful surprise just now to hear Pete Atkin’s Girl On the Train being played! I first heard that track as a gobby, punked-up teen half a century ago… The lyric describes a young man instantly besotted with a girl reading Verlaine on the train. My musical mentor at the time noted dryly, “Just as well she wasn’t reading Dostoevsky.” Such a pity Serenade doesn’t have a catch-up facility so I can hear the rest of today’s show but I’ll be tuning in next week from the get-go, Mr Williams!