How to celebrate in one's special anniversary pants ! (from 'It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World')
The multiple-perspective collective has come together to celebrate the Webcore’s Ruby wedding anniversary with this playlist, intermingled with some snippets and signposts (with special thanks to The Guardian for its community content and search facilty).
I never thought I’d miss you, half as much as I do
(Labi Siffre, It Must Be Love)
It is 1971, and a young man from Liverpool has spent the summer in London. Some may think him a ‘Jim Dandy’ character, well-suited to life in a great capital city. But there is a young woman back home who is always in his thoughts, looks a little like Catherine Deneuve and a little like Anita Ekberg, only better, and scores ten out of ten on the dancefloor. Our young hero was not foolish, and so headed home with marriage on his mind.
The wedding took place on 25th September 1971, and coincided with a Traffic gig at the Liverpool Stadium, which the happy couple fitted in to the evening celebrations. This first set of tunes are vintage 1971, except for some fine Motown and rock’n'roll (which is having to be neighbourly with Steve Winwood for reasons of narrative):
Labi Siffre – It Must Be Love (Spotted Richard)
Pink Floyd (feat. the Kop) – Fearless (DarceysDad)
CCS – Walkin’ (Zalamanda)
David Bowie – Fill Your Heart (Bethnoir)
Niney – Blood and Fire (DaddyPig)
Marvin Gaye – Too Busy Thinking ‘Bout My Baby (fintan28)
Lavern Baker – Jim Dandy Got Married (Rocking Mitch)
Traffic – Hidden Treasure (DaddyPig)
Camaron de la Isla – Alegrias de Cadiz live in 1971 (Mr and Mrs Makinavaja)
Now for songs about finding love: Wondering when it might happen, getting together with someone, having an inkling, becoming sure. For Angelique Kidjo, it’s wondering when you might scrape enough money together. Miwa is walking by the Meguro River alone, but with her beloved on her mind. Sweet Charles learned guitar from Curtis Mayfield and played bass with James Brown, so he certainly knew something.
The Impressions – It’s All Right (severin)
Jens Lekman – If You Ever Need A Stranger (Mnemonic)
Luka Bloom – Throw Your Arms Around Me
Jimmy Radcliffe – Long After Tonight Is All Over (bishbosh)
BIM – Me and My Baby (Tincanman)
Brian Eno – I’ll Come Running (Exodus)
Miwa – Megurogawa (HoshinoSakura)
Sweet Charles – Yes It’s You (May1366)
Magnetic Fields – The Book Of Love (barbryn)
Toots and the Maytals – It Must Be True Love (DaddyPig)
Elbow – The Everthere (Shoegazer)
Tom Paxton – I Give You The Morning (AliMunday)
Angelique Kidjo – Malaika (lambretinha)
Even a blind man knows when the sun is shining
(Rudy Clark / Arthur Resnick – Good Lovin’)
Anyone with a feeling for a long song or an extended live version, knows that once you’re right there in the music, time is altered, and passes differently. Possibly that tells us Something About Life ? Here are:
Roy Harper – Me and My Woman (live) – (CaroleBristol)
The Grateful Dead – Good Lovin’ (live) (Chris)
I’ve been married 36 years, but I could do that on my head; I’ve slept for twelve years. Ow ! Mrs Webcore just clouted me.
(webcorewebcore, RR, 25th July 2008)
Going to the newsagent at 6am so she can have fresh milk in her coffee; fighting over the lemon ones in the box of French Fancies; waiting 45 minutes for one's date because she doesn't want to miss James Shatner in a Star Trek episode (we didn’t know back in the 70s just how many repeats there were to be). Here are some more thoughts on long relationships (warning: may contain downs as well as ups…)
Bob Marley and the Wailers – The Ten Commandments of Love (Steenbeck)
Mogwai – RU Still Into It ? (Abahachi)
Fats Domino – Honest Papas Love Their Mamas Better (ShivSidecar)
Angel Brothers with Ian MacMillan – Captain Beefheart and Mr Neal (ShivSidecar)
Sandy Denny – Who Knows Where The Time Goes (Live) (GlassHalfEmpty)
Django Reinhardt and Hubert Rostaing – Anniversary Song (BeltwayBandit)
…we live in moments that vanish like snowflakes; but that’s all that we have, that’s all we take with us..
(A line from a lyric by sonofwebcore, posted Sept 2008, RR songs about marriage)
And to finish, a cluster of Recommenders’ Rubies…
Warren Smith – Rock’n'Roll Ruby (Zalamanda)
Dick Gaughn – Ruby Tuesday (AliMunday)
Dion – Ruby Baby (debbym)
Davy Graham – The Ruby and the Pearl (Zalamanda)
Ruby and the Romantics – When You’re Young and In Love (treefrogdemon)
Thanks to all for contributions, I’ll leave it for everyone to say more about them and add good wishes below. Please say if your nomination is there without your name and I’ll edit accordingly. My apologies to anyone who didn’t get the memo and has a song in mind; any links below will be our ‘bonus tracks’ ?
Happy Anniversary to you George and Linda, with love from everyone at RR and the ‘Spill !
Bonus Track!
Dereck Harriot – 18 With A Bullet (Goneforeign)
Everything in one player:
Woo hoo! Happy anniversary, Mr and Mrs webcore! Cheers!
Thank you, Treefrogdemon.
DaddyPig, you are such a romantic!
Congrats to the webcores!
Thanks Tinny.
Damn! I knew there was something I was supposed to do last week …
Congratulations to Mrs & Mrs Webcore on your amazing achievement. ToffeeGirl and I will be celebrating our 30th next year so we’re but a blink of the eye in comparison.
Here’s a song which my brother and sister-in-law chose for their wedding. Here’s to the next forty!
Toffeeboy, great choice, and thanks.
I didn’t get the memo, but i’d still like to add a bonus tune for the Webcores. As they met at a Traffic concert, this might be appropriate – Happy Anniversary, congrats, and many more!
Sorry about that amylee, but thanks for that. What a singer !
I was thinking when listening to it how good his voice really was. I seem to have posted a clip where the best part got cut off at the end, when Steve was singing “You should be dancing” while dancing with Chaka Khan.
Amylee, thanks for a great tune. Winwood is so over-talented! We sneaked away from our wedding reception to go to a Traffic concert. Actually, we met in The Cavern Club. After Beatlemania subsided the basement morphed into a rock cum hippy club, which was where live bands played. On the ground floor there was a disco, whose dance floor we had to diagonally cross to reach the stairs to the basement. The floor was always packed tight but no-one ever complained about us passing between the suits and the cocktail dresses. I knew Linda as a friend, so when we started going out together there was no “getting to know you” phase, we already knew we liked each other.
“Winwood is so over-talented!”
That he is. If his solo stuff lacks some of the heaviness and depth of a lot of stuff from his Traffic days – it, and he, sure seem to be pretty happy!
I’ve realised a slight faux-pas in the post, the parenthesis regarding Mitch’s tune having to be neighbourly with Traffic. Mitch’s least favourite groups include The Small Faces, which of course was Steve Marriott ! Dear oh dear, middle age eh ?
Steve Winwood was Traffic, Steve Marriott was Humble Pie and Small Faces.
Not forgetting the Winwoods in The Spencer Davis group ! I think Stevie was about 15 when he sang on their first album – this is My Babe ; I believe it’s him singing the “Love the way she walks…” bit, he certainly looks younger than his voice sounds.
I actually don’t think i could name a single song from the Spencer Davis Group. I’ll give that one a listen.
Well, the song wasn’t quite my cup of tea, but not only could he sing, he was quite the little guitar shredder back then too!
And i did indeed remember one of their songs, which still sounds good -
Yes indeed ! Keep On Running is great too, and still gets on mainstream radio (excellent foresight to anticipate the phenomenon of sponsored running, to guarantee it would be chosen for dedications).
All happiness to you, George and Linda. Congratulations and massive hugs from Andrew and Conchita.
Thanks Andrew and Conchita.
Oh man, you all made me and Linda cry (but in a good way). What great friends. I need to think before I reply, George.
So sorry, I forgot !
Happy Anniversary and may there be many more.
Thanks Ubu! Can’t remember the last time I listened to ‘I’m Glad’. It was a great choice, but I’ll tell you what, that doesn’t sound like The Magic Band, it sounds suspiciously like The Mothers Of Invention! Hmm, they did provide the backing track for The Blimp on the later Trout Mask Replica.
A quick “Here’s to forty more!” from me, Gordon, DaddyPig and AliM before we go into the Wilko gig.
Cheers!
Thanks again, hope it was great gig.
This just in from Goneforeign!
Webby; This is where we came in, if we hadn’t had that disagreement re. ‘Bullet’ we might never have connected, I always think of you when I hear it now. Congrats on the 40th. keep it up! Goneforeign
Tony, I’d forgotten that. We’ve been pals ever since. George,
When I thought we were also supplying words for this, I wrote:
“I have no doubt that Good Lovin’ has been an essential ingredient in the webcore marriage and it seems a fair bet that webby has uttered these immortal lines, or something similar, to the missus on some occasion in the past 40 years:
‘So come on baby, well squeeze me tight
Don’t you want your daddy to feel alright?
Well I said now baby
Well it’s for sure
I got the fever
And you got the cure’
This Grateful Dead performance of The Olympics’ song is a few months younger than the Mr & Mrs W show but is one for our happy pair to sing and dance to. Given that it’s 15 minutes long, however, they may feel like doing some of that dancing horizontally rather than vertically.”
Have a wonderful day, George and Linda. And remember: Play it Loud!
Oh, if you’ve only got time for a quickie, G&L, here are The Olympics performing the original song. Look who’s on the organ! (ooh, er, missus….)
Thanks (previously omitted) to DaddyP for getting all this together.
And in case you’re not cheerful enough yet:
The cast of St Elsewhere with Young Rascals frontman Felix Cavaliere
Steady on old chap… I’m just setting my sights on the 1’54″ Grateful Dead download I noticed on Amazon…
Thanks Chris. What a brill video! Loved The Olympics and their pompadours. Pity poor Billy Preston couldn’t get a pompadour wig, that processed Alfred E. Neuman job didn’t do him any favours. Being in the closet was pretty tough for a rock ‘n’ souler like Billy, but his being follically challenged compounded matters; Jeez, that Afro-wig he used to wear. Love his music though.
Treefrogdemon, thanks for the Young Rascals video, I really enjoyed it. Not long ago a rather large, wealthy-looking Texan in vaguely western attire interrupted my rendition of ‘Groovin” to inform me that Felix Cavaliere was his next-door neighbour. Then he whipped out his phone, saying, “Wait a minute, just wait, I’ll show you.”
“Oh no,” I thought, ” he’s going to phone him and say, ‘Felix, I’m in Liverpool, England. Listen to this!’”
I was wondering what the time might be in Texas, when he held out his phone to prove to me that Felix’s number was on it. I was so relieved, until he insisted upon singing along with me.
Happy anniversary to you, have a good one!
Bethnoir, thank you. We’ve had a great day and the night is young.
Happy Anniversary from the sane clan too – (I did hope to design a graphic for you – but I’m in a work nightmare at the moment) so you two had better make it to 50 years…. then I can really put my heart into it… as you obviously married each other as 3 year olds to make it this far, another decade should be pain sailing.
Continue to take care of one another and have a brilliant 40th Anniversary .. love and hugs.
shane.
Saneshane, I love your artwork, but the video will do thanks. Those guys can play!
slip of the typing finger when I typed ‘pain’ sailing – that should have read ‘PLAIN’- whoops!
Brilliant, thanks Shane !
Happy anniversary and best wishes – and many thanks to DaddyPig for proposing the playlist and doing such a superb job of it.
But I do have to ask – perhaps showing my age – who the hell is James Shatner?
He must have had the names mixed up, surely? James T. Kirk / William Shatner….
Oh, and congratulations to all the anniversary-celebrating couples out there!
Well, that would be the prosaic explanation; I was hoping for something more along the lines of James being William’s younger and slimmer brother, who played bass in a briefly trendy garage band but also made a guest appearance in one unmissable episode.
I think he played William T Kirk… but the younger brother in the garage band ought to be true !
Aba you’re cracking me up!
Thanks Abahachi, Captain Kirk’s corset has been a standing joke in our house for as long as I can remember.
Dear George and Linda
I have been thinking of a special piece of music for you and this is what I have chosen. A night in Granada in the gardens on the other side of the river Darro, looking up at the Alhambra strolling hand in hand listening to this.
Lots of love
Conchita
Dear Mrs Maki!!!
I thought of walking by a river also!!! I think it is so romantic!!! The sea or a river is always the first image to come to my head when I think of anything romantic!!!
I love the song!!!
Thank you Conchita, it’s a beautiful piece of music. We’ve actually taken that walk. I’d love to go back there one day.
That is lovely, thanks for adding that for us. Close your eyes and you’re there…
Have a wonderful anniversary. Lots of love Sue aka SRx
You aced it again Daddypig. x
Hey, you have a real name!
A boy named Sue!
Sue, thank you so much!
I need some time to take all this in . . . I’m overwhelmed.
Night night.
Congratulations, and here’s to a jewel box of days ahead of you.
Barbryn, thanks mate. I still listen to your music.
Did you two meet at a gig? Maybe I should have sent this one then….
Happy annivesary Webcores.
Severin, thanks mate. Great choice of song. We’re both Kevin Ayers fans, though in Mrswebcore’s case I’m not sure it’s all down to the music!
Dear George and Linda!!!
I really and sincerely wish you a happy anniversary and a long and happy time together in the future.
I hope you like the song!!!
The title refers to the Meguro river in Tokyo which is a famous place for
viewing cherry blossom, and romantic walks even if it is quiet an urban river. The girl is walking along the river bank and thinking of the guy she loves.
Although the words are about the start of a love affair you really get the
feeling that it is a strong and tender love that endures and this is what
made me think of it for you both.
Actually my neighbourhood in Tokyo is called Meguro and called after this
river. My apartment is only about 5 mins from the Meguro river and I often
listen to this song when I go for walks along by the river bank. Now I will think of you when I hear this song also!!!
Love
Sakura xx
Sakura, did I like the song? Man, it’s beautiful! I have a Japanese cherry tree in my garden. It’s the culmination of a thousand years of genetic engineering. Every spring I watch its progress until the blossom explodes.
May I take this opportunity to thank you for all the Japanese music you’ve introduced me to; music I’d never have heard if it wasn’t for you.
I am really happy you liked the song!!! I am really getting into Miwa these days I think she will be a really big star actually, and I am looking forward to her second album!
Cherry trees and the blossom is beautiful and I think they really bring a happy feeling when they blossom.
I think it is great the way we share music, I have been introduced to so much new music also by you – so we both benefit!!!
Well, congratulations to you both. Here’s a song from Ian Siegal, who was supporting Wilko Johnson tonight (I went to see him with DsD, Gordonimmel and Daddypig). And guess what? He was born in 1971!
Have a wonderful day.
Alimunday, great song and thanks for that. However, what you did by alerting The Guardian to our anniversary was above and beyond the call of duty. I cannot thank you enough. It was probably the biggest surprise of my life. I’m so glad that I’ve met you.
Aww, shucks. And credit to DsD & DaddyP too.
Congrats, George and Linda (I do feel like some strange Beatles wifeswap has gone on writing that…)! Drunk at the end of a friend’s wedding – hope he and his bride last the distance as you have. Many congrats. And remember, George, those memoirs won’t write themselves… xx
Bishbosh, thanks mate, there used to be a Linda and George strip in one of the awful tabloids, as I recall. They were always naked and about to rock and roll. You know, they sorta resembled us. Though that was back in the day, we’re both knocking sixty now.
George & Linda – Happy 40th from the on the road Fintans – hope it’s a wonderful day. Gary & Diana
Thanks Gary and Diana; don’t suppose we’ll ever meet, but wouldn’t that be fantastic.
George, I’ll dond that sentiment. I always have hope to make it ‘cross the pond again so who knows? For DP & anyone else interested the man in the red shorts is Dick Shawn in Diana’s all time favorite movie & dance scene – It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. She giggled like a school girl when I showed it to her. Here for your pleasure.
Excellent, thanks fintan. It was a few years ago that a clip from that scene featured in a webcore post, I think there was a discussion about dancing, and the difference between music you could dance to if you wanted, and music that has the Red Pants effect. Hence finding the still from the scene to head the post.
How does the lady keep a straight face throughout ?!
Happy Anniversary to the fintans too.
Did I miss a memo?
Is it the Fintans’ anniversary too?
Then congrats from me too, and massive donds for the idea of a transatlantic Social.
Huh. I’m a bit sorry to find your name’s not really Fintan.
George and Linda – it’s a joy and an honour to have some small part in your celebrations. But you should see what we’re lining up for the Golden…I’ll not let any cats out of bags but suffice to say “Echo arena”, “gala concert”, “red pants” as suitable motivation for you two to keep on doing what you do so well.
DaddyPig, this is a masterwork, mate – well done and thanks on all our behalfs.
May1366, thanks, it was a pleasure to meet and sing with you. You is right about Daddypig’s meisterwork. Where will I get the red trunks for the fiftieth? T.J. Hughes has closed down.
Golden trunks for the 50th ?
George, I hope it’s a good day today for the Webcore family. This is a bit like everyone having a whip-round and signing a card; but instead of a few mumbled words there is full-on well-wishing !
Everyone, I had a great time listening to everyone’s contributions and I’m looking forward to listening to the bonus tracks. I had some great technical help from more than one corner as well.
Wilko was brilliant last night and now I’m back I’ll try and find time to post about it. With Norman Watt-Roy from the Blockheads on bass, we were in the presence of greatness.
There’s a clip of Wilko, Lee and co doing Roxette on the OGWT 70s Gold programme that was on BBC4 on Friday, now on the iPlayer (57.18). Also of interest to ‘Spillers: Vinegar Joe, Captain Beefheart, Bob Marley, Patti Smith, some bloke with long blonde hair*.
.
.
.
*Johnny Winters. Fooled you! (But TP&TH are on it too, at 1.11.43.)
Daddypig, this has been fantastic mate! I don’t have the technical skills (yet) to do anything like this for one of my friends, but I do have descriptive skills.
Here I’d like to declare that Daddypig is one of the nicest blokes I’ve ever met. He is very quiet, calm and gentle, but he exudes an aura of Zen-like inner strength that you not only admire, but if you have any sense you know you better not mess with.He is like iron, quiet and immovable.
You’re very welcome, I’m so glad you like it. I’m especially glad to hear about my niceness and my aura !
As for technical skills, there was some help involved. I could’ve managed alone but much swearing would’ve been involved, and this would’ve been completed just in time for your 41st anniversary. Thanks again, Tim x
Dear both – jeepers, 40? Even my own mum and dad didn’t get that far… I’m guessing you may have better things to do than read blogs today, but there’s a small army of us out here who have been enriched by reading about sowc’s lives and times over the last 3 years. Hope you both feel the love coming at you; we’ve definitely benefitted from yours.
Looking forward to the Double Ruby in 2051. Be seeing you.
Chris / Shiv
pp. Geraldine / Mrs S
Shivsidecar, thank you so much. There’s more to come. Love to Chris and Geraldine.
I believe anniversary wishes are due to you too Shiv and Mrs Shiv – here’s to many more !
I’d just like to add my congratulations to your happiness. 40 years is a serious achievement.
I hope that you are both enjoying a wonderful celebration.
Well done to DaddyPig for the great blog and to all the ‘Spillers for such a varied and excellent playlist.
CaroleBristol, thank you. And I’m with you on the playlist.
I have spalshed out on a bottle of something with Ruby in the title to toast you with this evening…
Congratulations from me and the children, too! (The Dion track was from us).
Post duly updated.
DebbyM – Thank you. Was it ruby port? We do like a drop. Love to your children, too.
All the best George & Linda, and well done DaddyPig. Have fun all.
Exodus, thanks mate, what a pleasure to have met you.
I didn’t have time to do this earlier but I would dedicate this song to the both of you. It’s probably my favourite romantic “song” and I hope you both appreciate it. Congrats again !!
Fred Flintstone, great choice. Thanks very much.
Phew back from the woods in time to add my congratulations and best wishes to you both, hope you’ve had a wonderful day and are set up for many joyous years ahead. Here’s Jackie in a dress, very freeing if you’re in a dancing mood x
Tatanka, now that I did not expect! And Mr Leven nailed it. Thanks a lot.
Everybody, thanks for everything. I loved the playlists, too. George.