Cards on the table: I am 71 years of age. This is the only possible conclusion to draw from looking at my official documents, from birth certificate onward. But do I feel 71? That’s an interesting question, which can only really be answered with another: what is 71 supposed to feel like? Darned if I…
The Moody Blues were at the peak of their popularity – and arguably also their powers – when I was in my late teens (late sixties, early seventies). I wouldn’t say they were my favourite band (probably not even top five in truth), but they produced some good stuff and I clearly remember being awestruck…
‘Change’ is this week’s broad theme for Song Lyric Sunday. David Bowie’s ‘Changes’ is a bit too glaringly obvious, even for me, so instead I’ve gone back to one of the first records I ever bought. I don’t think it needs any further introduction. Your baby doesn’t love you anymoreGolden days before they endWhisper secrets…
The romantic image of rural France is that it’s a haven of quiet peace and tranquility. For the most part it is, but it’s not a vacuum and of course it has its own characteristic sounds. Bizarrely, some people – incomers, obviously – have felt moved to complain that it’s actually too noisy in the…
Last week’s Song Lyric Sunday was about artistes with food-related names, so it’s a logical progression this time to find a song about food (or nutrition generally). As is distressingly common these days, I found that I’d already deployed my first two ‘ideas’: The Beatles’ ‘Honey Pie’ and Led Zeppelin’s ‘The Lemon Song’. So there…
“Oh what it is to be young” This week’s theme for Song Lyric Sunday is to find a track from a band with a food-related name. My immediate thought was Humble Pie, but – much as I liked Humble Pie – I thought that was too obvious. My next thought was The Electric Prunes, but…
Ever been heckled by sheep? Well, I have. Round here is mainly sheep country. It’s pretty much entirely agricultural and although there are arable crops and other livestock, there are more sheep than anything else. That means that the bleating of ovines is part of the soundtrack of daily life. Usually, I find this rather…
While we’re on the subject of la rentrée, it might be worth pointing out that it’s not just the government, schools and social clubs that are starting up again after the summer. The chasse is back in town (well, the countryside hopefully). In case you don’t know, the chasse is the hunt and it’s a…
It’s all over. And that’s official. Summer, that is. In France. At the beginning of September, the summer holidays are officially over. The schools go back, government ministers and civil servants return to their desks, even the social clubs start up again after their two-month hiatus. And there’s currently a heatwave. As I write, the…
“If you get confused just listen to the music play” Jim’s left it to us to choose this week. I thought of quite a few, but when I searched my back catalogue of previous contributions I discovered that I’d already used most of them. Unaccountably though, not this one, which contains probably my most favourite…
the only deadhead in the hameau 