It’s the first Sunday of a new month, so this week’s task is to feature something by an artiste born in May. As ever, the choice is extensive, but I decided to focus my attention on those born on May 6th, for no other reason than that it happens to be my birthday too.
Bingo. Born on that very day in 1943 was Mike Ratledge, keyboard player with Soft Machine, a band with which I was very familiar in the early seventies as they were based in Canterbury, where I was at university. They used to practice in one of the college music rooms and performed there several times.
Aficionados will know that Soft Machine was principally an instrumental group, so you need to hunt around for a piece with any significant lyrics. However, I found this on their second studio album, released in 1969. Written by bassist Hugh Hopper and delivered by drummer Robert Wyatt in his characteristic high-pitched quavery voice, it’s err…..a bit weird. Which was nice.
Famous parabolic versions
Songs that promise beauty
Sleep, love, sadness
Do I dream that something’s missing?
Hungry, thirsty
Open off-peak mind
Give me the truth, give me the truth
Give me the truth, tell me
Songs and verses, handy captions
Photographs of real-life action
Horror, madness
Can it be that something’s happening?
Wash me, paint me
But please don’t taint me
Give me a chance, give me a chance
Give me a chance
When I was young, the sky was blue
And everyone knew what to do
But now it’s gone, the telly’s here
Mass media, the sewer too
Universal maximillion
Eight rare cases
Chickenpox and crawling gladness
Seemingly it’s nothing happening
Cure my doctor, don’t swallow him down
Give me the cure, give me the cure
Give me the cure…
The night was cool, the moon was bright
The air was clear with oxygen
The stars were there, and in my eyes
Were thousands of chrysanthemums
Don’t use magnets, geophysics
Carry you back
Wholesome, health food, home pride, satisfied
Something outside gives out hunger
Face my mirror
Electricity
Written by Hugh Hopper
the only deadhead in the hameau 
I think you’ve definitely won the ‘weird song of the day’ award with this!
I’m from Kent – Dover/Folkestone way – and went to uni in 1972. But our paths wouldn’t have crossed, as I went to UEA 😊
New group and song to me. Dallas got a soft machine; Houston too close to New Orleans.