Musings on George

I enjoyed my little stroll down memory lane with Paul McCartney and so I thought I'd do the same with my beloved George and focus on all his solo career.

My love for George knows no bounds. I follow him on Twitter (he's a tad needy but hey, he's had a tough time) and I am delighted he seems to be back on track, has ditched Kenny (I was never sure) and is off the drugs enough to tour again. One of my early posts paid tribute to Wham! And I've already discussed the masterpiece that is Careless Whisper.  So what does that leave? Oh so very much so let's get on with it.

Faith. What an album. I still adore this album and can listen to it all the way through. Faith itself is a toe-tapping delight but my favourite song on the album is Father Figure. It's a beautiful song. George is a little breathy on it but no matter, I can ignore that.

While we're here, let's just listen to Faith again as it has a great opening and an iconic video.

Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 is a harder album to love but of course I do because I am a devoted fan. It has some really touching songs on it. I am a huge fan of Waiting For That Day:

And of course, the fabulous Freedom 90 with that video. This is one of his finest moments, Robbie's cover was a disaster, he was way too bombastic.

And I adore Cowboys and Angels which is such a pretty song and you can hear a lot of Older tracks in this song. A taste of what's to come.

Then he went all quiet for ages and some of us despaired. And out of the blue came one of my favourite songs ever, Fast Love.

This is such a 90s song and video and I love the funkiness which we hadn't heard for a while. Love, love, love it. I also really like Jesus To A Child which is a sad song but touching.

I like Older but those are the two stand out tracks for me. I like the others well enough but don't adore them. Then he made us wait again before he released Songs From The Last Century. I don't know, I love his voice but why sing other songs when he can write such great songs of his own? It's why I don't have much time for Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me or Somebody To Love (which he does well but come on, really, covering a Queen song is brave). I make an exception for As because it's just an all-round wonderful song and his voice suits Stevie Wonder songs.

Oh dear, then he got political and the less said about Freeek and Shoot the Dog the better. Patience never really did it for me. I quite like Amazing even if it does sound like it was made to be played in beach bars on the Costa Del Sol, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 I also really enjoy Flawless probably because it reminds me of about the last time I went out to a club!

That covers the albums but he's prolific and has done many singles. He duetted with Aretha on a song I try to love but can't. I don't hate I Knew You Were Waiting For Me but it doesn't get my heart going. However I adore Too Funky and consider it one of the best things he's ever recorded.

Outside is fun but nowhere near as good as Fast Love or Too Funky. Phew. That was exhausting and I know I've missed lots out. I couldn't stand his cover of True Faith which made me sad. George, it's been ages, write your OWN song mate.

I will always listen to George though - he's a constant in my life and I love his voice, it's so pure. Keep on writing George, stay off the waccy baccy, keep it in your pants, embrace the funk and we shall continue to be happy together.

Yours forever,
Teenager.

Favourite scenes from Friends - Rachel and Monica lose their apartment

This episode where Ross stages a quiz and pits Joey and Chandler against Monica and Rachel is one of my favourites in the entire 10 seasons. I think my favourite questions is "How many categories of towels does Monica have*?" I do relate to Monica.

It's brilliantly played by all the cast and you can tell they are really having fun with it. The question that slays them is, of course, "What is Chandler's job?" We never really know what Chandler does and it's an ongoing joke in the series so it's a stroke of genius to include it. I also love Rachel saying she can't live in Joey and Chandler's apartment: "This is a boy's apartment!"

I can only find this version of it with subtitles in another language but nevertheless, enjoy!

* 11 of course.

Power Ballads - In A New York Minute - Don Henley

Ahhhh Don, everything can change in a New York minute. One of my very favourite songs and I don't have much more to say about it than that and the fact it was used in a great episode of The West Wing which meant two of my favourite things going on at once. I was quite overcome.

Enjoy.

Paul McCartney in the 80s

It's fashionable to diss Paul McCartney's 80s output but I am here to redress the balance. I loved 80s Paul! Smash Hits helped fuel my love by calling him Fab Macca Thumbs Aloft which used to amuse me every time. Let's take a look at a few of his songs from the magnificent 80s...

First up, Ebony and Ivory.

Now, this has to be Paul's answer to Imagine, no? "There is good and bad in everyone". So deep. It's hard for me to defend this one, it's a pretty bad song, I am prepared to accept it and listen to it as it has Stevie Wonder on it and I love a bit of Stevie but really, it's no Imagine.

Next, Pipes of Peace.

Just looking at the single cover is making me feel nostalgic. Naturally I bought this and played it endlessly. It's a lovely ditty! The video is atrocious but the song itself is very listenable. I've just listened to it for the first time in ages and yes, I still rather like it. Paul can always write a melody after all.

Next up, No More Lonely Nights.

I am just listening to this now, it's been years. Why don't they play this on the radio anymore? This is a great song. It's a power ballad no less! I loved this at the time (and bought it too - really Paul, you should thank me for supporting you through the 80s). I just learned that Dave Gilmour does the guitar solo on this. I can't believe I never knew that because when you listen again, it's so obvious. The campaign to get this played more starts now. Another weird video though.

Of course the 80s saw Paul pair with the mighty Jacko and give me two of my favourite songs ever. The Girl is Mine (from Thriller) and Say Say Say.

What a terrible single cover! Ahhhhh, Say Say Say. What can I say? I just think this is one of the greatest pop songs ever. It's so catchy and they sound so good together. And of course the video has the late Linda in it. At the time I thought why? But now I think it's sweet. What's with the long intros to all these videos? Just get on with it!

So you are all waiting for me to add We All Stand Together aren't you? No. John must have turned in his grave at this one. I hate it and always have done. Sorry.

But thank you Paul for the aforementioned gems. I've off to listen to No More Lonely Nights again now.

The Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada has become the film that the team on the project I've just been working on reference endlessly. It all started because I started eating little sticks of cheese from M&S as a mid-morning snack and my colleague said it always made her think of that line in TDWP: "I don't eat anything and when I feel I'm about to faint, I eat a cube of cheese." So we started quoting lines to each other. My all-time favourite is "By all means move at a glacial pace, you know how that thrills me." However, I have a soft spot for "Details of your incompetence do not interest me." I so know how Miranda feels. In all seriousness, what is so wrong with Miranda Priestly? I rather like her. I find the character of Andie intolerable although that might be because I can't stand Anne Hathaway.

I love this film mainly because of the amazing fashion, but also because Meryl Streep is fantastic in it. She is so icy and I love how she says it all by pursing her lips (another thing we took to doing on the project). I also love the character of Emily who utters the immortal cube of cheese line following it up with "I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight."

This is a rare film which is better than the book it's based on which was fairly rubbish. The film is elevated by the marvellous Meryl, the wardrobes, the Manhattan scenery and some killer lines.

"You are in desperate need of Chanel."

Aren't we all?

Favourite scenes from Friends - Joey and Janice's Day of Fun!

Of all the recurring characters in Friends, Janice is my favourite. I love her nasal voice, her crazy wardrobe and she has some of the best lines. It's exactly right that Chandler one other serious relationship would be someone as insane as Janice.

There are many favourite moments; when Chandler pretends he is moving to Yemen to escape her, when she is in labour the same time as Rachel, when she calls Chandler pathetic in the grocery store, when she says she gets allergies and it makes her nasal. But I chose this one because I love what she is wearing more than anything else. Maggie Wheeler does not get enough credit.

Power Ballads - Purple Rain, Prince

Prince is a legend. I won't hear one word against him, I love him. My love for Prince spans decades and it's worthy of a whole post. Tonight we'll just focus on Purple Rain, a classic power ballad that requires you to listen from beginning to end with no interruptions.

I've just listened to this again and man alive, I adore it. Nobody can sing a song of such pain like Prince. Great album too but we won't dwell on the film...

Enjoy.

Sleepless in Seattle

You may have noticed I've been absent recently. I've been working very hard delivering a project at work and even working weekends. WEEKENDS. Weekends are for watching rom coms, not taking 3am calls. I kid you not. I am feeling frazzled and a little delicate and I feel what I need is an afternoon of watching feel-good comfort films and this is top of my list.

I adore this film. Made when Meg Ryan was still sweet and likeable, with Tom Hanks at his absolute best and with a fabulous soundtrack, this film is the very definition of comfort viewing. It's designed to watch while snuggling under a blanket with cashmere socks on and a pot of tea at one's side.

Reasons I love this film:

1) Meg Ryan's hair. Seriously. Her hair rocks this film.
2) Rosie O'Donnell as the best friend. She gets some great lines: "You don't want to be in love, you want to be in love in a movie!"
3) All the allergies poor Walter has, it's very cleverly done.
4) The whole subtext of An Affair to Remember
5) The rush to get up the Empire State Building - *sob*
6) The lovely retro soundtrack
7) The two kids. Now I don't like most American kids in movies but these two are really good and very funny.
8) It has Niles from Frasier in it
9) Rita Wilson describing An Affair to Remember and crying as she does it.
10) The line about tiramisu.

This film was made in 1993 yet it feels so delightfully old fashioned. At the risk of sounding ancient, they simply don't make old fashioned rom coms anymore. Now they have stupid toilet jokes and tacky sex scenes in them (see Bridesmaids) and so my little old-fashioned, tea drinking, cashmere-sock wearing side is grateful for this gem.

Take it away Rita...

Opening credits - Hong Kong Phooey

I don't know quite why I loved Hong Kong Phooey as much as I did as a kid but I thought it was the best thing ever. Along with The Pink Panther, it was my favourite cartoon. It might well be because of the awesome opening credits.

"Rosemary, the telephone operator?"

"No"

"Henry, the mild mannered janitor?"

"Could beeeeee!"

It's genius frankly.

The Sound of Music

Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. When I was little I loved The Sound of Music as all children do. Then I went through years of not being able to bear it as it was so overplayed. However in recent years, I've come back to it. And let's face it, it is easily a contender for best musical ever made.

It's wonderfully sweet but has the darkness of the Nazis to stop one getting toothache. Julie Andrews is perfect. Julie Andrews is perfect actually, I could listen to her sing all day long. All of the children are good too but the person I most adore in this is Christopher Plummer. I have such a crush on Christopher Plummer as anyone who has seen International Velvet has and he is gorgeous in this.

I couldn't pick one favourite scene or song as there are so many. I really enjoy the opening scene with Maria running round the hills, who can resist How Do We Solve A Problem Like Maria? I think I Have Confidence is under-rated (Jane Horrocks chose it for her desert island after all!) but it all comes down to a face off between Do Re Mi and The Lonely Goatherd. Both are spectacular and beautifully filmed. But the yodelling wins.

Less of Climb Every Mountain next time though, eh?