'Cellos

As I did on my previous blog, I’m killing two birds with one stone by including Nick Drake’s ‘Cello Song’. When I was at secondary school (as it was called in those days) I was fortunate enough to have ‘cello lessons. I really loved playing the ‘cello and took part in several evenings at school, performing to the parents in the school orchestra. One year we performed in the area school orchestra: All of the school orchestras got together for a morning. It is a most incredible sensation to be playing as part of a big orchestra. As ‘o’ levels approached I gave up playing, something I really, really regret. When we win the lotto I’m going to buy a cello and look for a teacher…

I rediscovered Nick Drake in recent years, thanks to having access to more music on the internet. When I Googled his name to find out what he had become I was really upset to discover that he died from an overdose of amitriptyline back in 1974. Like many brilliant people, he paid the price with depression. Like many other brilliant people from the past he wasn’t really appreciated during his lifetime as he should have been.

the documentary of his life is on YouTube

Discover Nick Drake!

Catch a Falling Star...

First off for my Desert Island Discs choice is a song that I especially loved as a child “Catch a falling Star” recorded by Perry Como in 1957, it was his first gold record. The idea of catching a star and keeping it for a special occasion caught my imagination – it still does!

Lyrics to Catch A Falling Star :

catch a falling star
and put it in your pocket
never let it fade away

catch a falling star
and put it in your pocket
save it for a rainy day

for love may come
and tap you on the shoulder
some starless night

just in case you feel
you wanna hold her
you'll have a pocket full of starlight

catch a falling star
and put it in your pocket
never let it fade away

catch a falling star
and put it in your pocket
save it for a rainy day

for love may come
and tap you on the shoulder
some starless night

just in case you feel
you wanna hold her
you'll have a pocket full of starlight
(mmmmm hmmm)

catch a falling star
and put it in your pocket
never let it fade away

catch a falling star
and put it in your pocket
save it for a rainy day

for when your troubles
start multipling
and they just might

its easy to forget them
without trying
with just a pocket full of starlight


catch a falling star
and put it in your pocket
never let it fade away

catch a falling star
and put it in your pocket
save it for a rainy day
save it for a rainy day
[ Catch A Falling Star Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

Now you can listen to it too, I’ve discovered how to do that kind of thing…

Discover Perry Como!

Or have I?

Desert Island Discs revisited

Just before the BlogCharm plug was pulled out, I wrote a series of posts on my ‘Learn Something New Everyday’ blog about a radio programme called Desert Island Discs. A guest is asked to imagine that they have been shipwrecked on a desert island. They must take 8 pieces of music with them. They also have the Bible (or other religious work), the Complete Works of Shakespeare, a book of their choice and a luxury item. This is a novel way to encourage famous and distinguished people to talk about their lives. Nearly everyone associates music with special moments in their life.

I’d finished my Desert Island Discs and deleted all of the notes I’d made, so my posts were lost for ever. I thought that it would be fun to do them again. Some I know will be the same and others – we shall see. The BBC have kept records on who has been on over the last few years and their choices too. Jeremy Irons, back in 2006 is the celebrity whose musical choices I identified with the most.

Which 8 pieces of music would you choose?