Power ballads - With Or Without You, U2

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, U2 were a great band. None greater. And in the 80s they made one of my favourite albums of all time, The Joshua Tree. Many may argue with my definition of With Or Without You as a power ballad but I maintain it absolutely is. And there is nothing wrong with being a power ballad.

This is a desert island song for me. I can forgive Bono quite a bit just by listening to this. The terrible sunglasses, the pomposity, the really bad songs that U2 have lazily made, the whole martyr, worthy, listen to me I am God schtick. I can go some way to forgiving most of it because oh my word, he was sexy.

Quite simply, if you don't like this song, what is wrong with you? Do you have a soul? Answers on a postcard or leave a comment.

Muriel's Wedding

Back in the 90s Australian cinema exploded with Strictly Ballroom, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and this, my personal favourite, Muriel's Wedding. Bill Hunter was in all three and he died this week so let's just take a moment to remember Bill. I was going to do a tribute post but after Jeff's yesterday, I felt we'd mourned enough.

We'll miss you Bill.

So, Muriel's Wedding. A film that starts off on familiar territory and you feel like you're in typical rom com world and then it suddenly u-turns and the best friend is in a wheelchair? The first time I saw this, I was flummoxed. It's truly a great movie; touching, funny and I've never been so happy for any characters when Muriel and Rhonda get the hell out of Porpoise Spit.

Muriel's parents are almost painful to watch. Her poor mum taking the shoes in the supermarket as her feet are so sore. The dad constantly running into the woman he is sleeping with and humiliating his family. It's sad and yet real. For a while back in the 90s it felt like only Australians could do real emotion in film. Great performances from everyone in this too.

I love all the music and when she walks down the aisle to I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, it makes me giggle every time. This is my favourite moment, when she realises that there are people she can be friends with and who will mime to Abba with her. I'd be friends with Muriel, wouldn't you?

Pulp Fiction

Some films come along and hit you right between the eyes and change our perception of film. Pulp Fiction was one of those films for me. I remember going to the cinema to see this having little idea of what it was about and being blown away. I am a real wimp when it comes to violence in movies and although you don't see much actual violence in this, the threat is always there and there are still some scenes I find hard to watch. But no matter, I still watch it again and again.

It's a film that seems to burn on to your retinas and stay there. Every scene is lovingly lit and the cast are dressed iconically. None more so than Uma Thurman as Mia who made us all want to wear white shirt and black trousers and look as cool as her. We wish.

I loved John Travolta since Grease and it always used to annoy me that the 80s weren't good for him. He made some terrible choices (never, ever watch The Experts) and was relegated to Look Who's Talking. It never felt right. But god bless Tarantino who knew there were people like me who were dying to see him make a good film again. He is so fabulous in this - this is the film when everyone said 'oh, he's a good actor' and yet again I sat smiling smugly on the sidelines.

Bruce Willis is also a revelation in this, the first film in which I found him rather fanciable. It has some of the best dialogue committed to celluloid and a great soundtrack. It's in my top 10 films. My favourite scene is, of course, the dance scene. Nothing could be more perfect. I can watch it endlessly.

Jeff Conaway - a tribute

It's a sad day at PT Towers as I woke up with the news that Jeff Conaway has died.

Kenickie was one of my very first crushes. I loved Danny (we all loved Danny) but Kenickie was the sexy one. Jeff played him perfectly. Being a Grease obsessive I can tell you than Jeff had played Danny on the stage and was disappointed to not play him in the movie. To add insult to injury, they took Kenickie's song (Greased Lightning) and gave it to Danny. Monumentally unfair. It's obviously a song that Kenickie should sing but I am not going to complain as Travolta did us proud.

Another piece of trivia I can tell you is that Jeff insisted on giving Stockard the hickie (from Kenickie) for real. What a legend.

RIP Jeff. The world is a slightly smaller place without you in it.

Summer songs - All Night Long, Lionel Richie

As far as I am concerned Lionel Richie is God. I'm prepared to overlook Nicole and the terrible Hello video because he is a genius.

Nothing sums up his talent quite like All Night Long (All Night). It's a song that makes you want to dance in the streets and kiss strangers. I love it and it sums up summer for me. It's also the perfect wedding song - everyone dances to this.

So, kick back, get a Freeze popsicle out and remember the 80s. I'll be back with a wider Lionel appreciation post soon.

Tell Me On A Sunday

Certain albums form the backbone of my childhood: Tubular Bells, Spirits Have Flown (Bee Gees), Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Chic and Tell Me On A Sunday.

It's a fabulous musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber about a young London girl living in Manhattan. Since it was written in the 70s, it's basically all about her disastrous love-life. It's a bit much to call it a musical which makes you think of a cast of hundreds and dancing. The whole thing is just her singing, no duets, no other people. It has some wonderful lyrics. If you've never heard it, I can recommend it. But you must listen to the whole thing from beginning to end so it all makes sense.

My favourite song is Capped Teeth and Caesar Salad. It's such a ridiculous name for a song. Our heroine goes to LA with her latest movie producer boyfriend and it's a song about the madness of la la land. Still very relevant now.

I have to share this one with you though. Take That Look Off Your Face; "lots of young guys wear corduroy pants."

Check out the boiler suit! I am going to have to listen to the whole album now.

Summer songs - Rapture, Blondie

The epitome of cool with an amazing talent to boot, I almost hate Debbie Harry as I am so envious of her. She was so gorgeous (still is actually) and effortlessly cool. Everyone wanted to be Blondie. With my New York obsession, I still want to be her. I never outgrew this. My arrested development is really a theme on this blog.

What a band. No matter what my mood is, I can always listen to some Blondie and bounce around my flat.

Rapture is my desert island Blondie song. It has the most perfect opening.  And she raps. Credibly. The video is great too - I love the guy at the beginning. Basically it's Debbie's world and we live in it.

The Carpenters

It's a Monday and Mondays deserve a little Carpenters to soothe our fevered brows. Nobody sings quite like Karen Carpenter, she had a voice like pure honey. Is there anyone who doesn't have a little corner of their heart tucked away for The Carpenters? I defy anyone not to secretly love them although lord knows why you would hide a love for such well crafted pop music sung so sublimely. People are odd.

Even my husband is open in his love for The Carpenters and this is the man who loves Motorhead and other non-perennial teenage music. We regularly listen to Karen and Richard in the car as we don't agree on much music. It's pretty much these guys and Aerosmith.

Every time Goodbye for Love comes on he tells me it's the saddest song ever written. He may well be right: "Loneliness and empty days will be my only friend". Tragic.

If you're having a bad day, then just listen to Yesterday Once More and feel better. Karen could sing the Yellow Pages and I'd be spellbound. The fact she sings such perfection is almost too much to bear. God bless her for bringing us such joy. Remember, no matter how bad your day is, Karen and Richard clearly had worse ones: "There are no tomorrows for this heart of mine."

Like I say, it is Monday so there is only one choice today. Kick back my friends. Relax. We'll always have this gem.

Flashdance

What a feeling! Flashdance is the very definition of a Bad Movie We Love. It's soooooo bad but yet so deliciously good. I am reminded of it because I am currently watching Chicago Code with Jennifer Beals. Who'd have thought she'd have a career with legs but god bless her, she's actually pretty good.

Back to Flashdance. A movie about a beautiful welder who wants to be a dancer. And that folks is all you need to know. She welds by day, she dances racily by night (along with her friends) and she dreams of getting into a proper classy dance school and living her dream. Along the way she sleeps with her boss, memorably takes ber bra off under her top and has a bit of angst.

I've seen this film many times but I can't think of any scene apart from the bra scene, the dinner scene and the final dance scene. Everything else all blurs into one dance and music fest. It truly is a film of style over substance.

Geri Halliwell should be punished severely for her It's Raining Men video (and don't even get me started on her covering that song either). The original dance scene in Flashdance is fabulous and here it is - I can't believe the judges are smoking. Sing it Irene!

Opening credits - The Waltons

Some themes make you feel all will be right in the world despite the fact it's meant to end today. If it does, let's leave it while listening to the aural equivalent of a comfort blanket: The Waltons.

Sunday mornings were not complete without watching The Waltons. I loved it. They may have been poor but they had each other. It was always marvellously wholesome entertainment on Walton Mountain. This is one of the great TV themes of our time as it beautifully sums up the show.