The Life Of Riley - Ah, Saturday nights in early 1990's: Arriving home from the pub slightly the worse for wear, making a cup of tea and a cheese sarnie and joining dad to watch the end of 'Match of the Day'*, hoping my impersonation of a sober person is working and he hasn't realised just how pissed I actually am.

Apparently, it wasn't. And he did.

*(For those too young to remember, this song was used in the background of the 'Goal of the Month' competition back then. It was the best tune they ever used).

Best.

Night.

Ever.

Recently elsewhere on the Wibbly Wobbly Web, I was tagged to do a music meme. As it was about music, I thought I'd reproduce it here.

Basically, I'm supposed to list five songs I'm really enjoying listening to at the moment. I'm glad this wasn't a list of my favourite songs, because that would be impossible for me to do, I love so many songs for so many different reasons. But this one wasn't so bad, once I got into the habit of a) listening to the radio and b) listening to iTunes again. So here are my five, which…

Would I Lie To You? - Sometime in the mid 1980's. The 18th birthday party of a boy from school. The Leiston Community Centre - you know the kind of place. Or maybe you don't. Typical 1970's built community centre in the middle of a council house estate, the roughest in the neighbourhood as it happens. The hall is full of a mixture of family, friends and miscreants like us who vaguely know the Birthday Boy from school and got invited because we worked with his girlfriend on Saturdays in Sainsburys. We've raided the buffet, drunk about as much Peach…

Lonely Boy
I love this song to bits, but I often find myself pondering the fact that, if I ever met the eponymous hero of it in real life, I wouldn't half want to give him a good slap. Spoilt, selfish little git!

(I do hope it's not autobiographical!)

…The Beautiful South

For a brief period during the early 1990's, The Beautiful South were something of an obsession for me. They were the first band whose CD's I would race out to buy on the day of release. They were the first (and only) band whose CD singles I would buy because I wanted the bonus tracks from them. They were the band who indirectly introduced me to several people I would never have met otherwise, thanks to a fledgling Internet mailing list. They were the first band I went to see live on my own. Twice. Actually,…

Build Me Up Buttercup - One of quite a few songs that will always remind me of my parents' New Years Eve parties in the mid 1970's. As I was only a little 'un, I'd be packed off early to bed on NYE, only to usually be awoken a few hours later by the sounds of loud music, clinking glasses, and grown-ups shouting and laughing and singing along to the music. Ah, the music, of course. All of mum and dad's favourite LP's would have been lined up by the 'gram' to be played through the night - great tunes…

50 Ways To Leave Your Lover- So, according to Paul Simon's mysterious lady friend, there are 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover. Only, she doesn't actually tell him what they are, does she? By my reckoning, she only actually tells him four ways. So either she just cheated and misled him, or Paul got bored of the shit-stirring bitch and didn't listen beyond the first few she mentioned. Which, given the title of the song, I feel is a bit of a swizz. So, here are the ways she describes:

1. Slip out the back, Jack.
2. Make a…

Heart & Soul - I've never understood why 'China In Your Hand' was a bigger hit than this far more superior tune. This song really deserved to be No. 1, even if the lyrics get a bit silly at times.

Sparks - This Town Aint Big Enough For The Both Of Us - September 1999. Brother-in-law's 40th birthday party. It's fancy dress. This song comes on and every single person in the room gets up to dance. I'm dressed as Frida from Abba, dancing with my 8 year old niece who's dressed as a 'hippy chick'. Surrounding us are - amongst others - 'Agnetha' a couple of Pink Ladies, 'John Lennon', 'John Travolta' a Hell's Angel, a Flapper and various teddy boys. All are dancing with huge grins on their faces. As the song reaches its climax, everyone joins in…