Another Day #2: Penguin Awareness Day

Tuesday the 20th of January is Penguin Awareness Day, according to the WWF, and who doesn't appreciate a nice penguin? 

And yes, that means Namesakes will be a day late this week - because penguins come first! (I hope George isn't too upset.)

Here are a few appropriate tunes...

Kool & The Gang - The Penguin

New Fast Automatic Daffodils - Penguins

Nic Jones - Farewell To The Gold (from the album Penguin Eggs)

The Tragically Hip - Emperor Penguin 

Bloodhound Gang - Socially Awkward Penguin

Ivor Cutler - A Land of Penguin

Rufus Thomas - Do The Funky Penguin

Sandra's Wedding - Penguin Joke

Millencolin - Penguins & Polar Bears

They don't live together, you know.

Stackridge - Percy The Penguin 

Fleetwood Mac - (I'm A) Road Runner (from the 1973 album, The Penguin)

Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Perpetuum Mobile

My p-p-p-pick of the Penguins comes from 1954 when it was originally released as a B-side to a forgotten tune, Hey Señorita. DJs began flipping it and playing the B-side and a million-selling record was born... one that iffypedia informs me, "became the first independent label release to appear on Billboard's national pop charts". Does that mean it was the first ever indie record? The band never had another hit, but a lot of lawyers made a lot of money out of various court cases regarding who actually wrote the song (among other contentious issues).

I, like many children of the 80s, first heard Earth Angel performed by Marvin Berry & The Starlighters (with Marty McFly on guitar) as the dramatic climax of the movie Back To The Future. That's when I fell in love with the tune... although it took me a while to finally hear the original...

Snapshots #418: Left Right Left Right Songs!

Atten-shun!

Sergeant Ernie is here to give you all this week's answers and I want you all to march in time while you listen to him. Left right, left right, left right...

15. The store just before the T-junction

Department store. S is just before T.

Department S - Going Left Right

14. The smaller store next door?

A smaller version of a department store might be a corner shop.

Cornershop - Sleep On The Left Side

13. Tear sleeve to reveal this record.

‘Tear sleeve’ is an anagram of Steve Earle

Steve Earle - Devil's Right Hand

12. What happens when you put a duck in a microwave? 

What happens when you put a duck in a microwave? Its bill withers. I knew that terrible joke would come in handy one day.

Bill Withers - I Can’t Write Left Handed

11.  Losing their tails makes crustaceans bob.

A crayfish is a crustacean. Without its tail its just a Cray. Bob is short for Robert. 

Robert Cray - Right Next Door (Because Of Me)

10. Leonard’s muse, Alan’s relative?

Leonard Cohen wrote songs for Suzanne;  Alan Vega was in Suicide.

Suzanne Vega - Left Of Centre

9. From girls’ magazine to women’s movement.

Alyson can vouch that Jackie was a girls’ magazine. Mittoo sounds a bit like #MeToo. 

Jackie Mittoo - Right Track

8. A consumer of stallions.

She’s a sire eater. A twisted sire eater. Although it is considered acceptable in France and Belgium.

Syreeta - I'm Going Left

7. This will get you barred.

“Any Trouble and you’re barred” is a phrase used by publicans the world over. 

Any Trouble - Girls Are Always Right

6. The Tate? I’m a fan!

Tate & Lyle Golden Syrup? Love it!

Lyle Lovett - La To The Left

5. Pale in Wales.

Barry is a town in Wales and at least according to Procol Harum white is a shade of pale.

Barry White - Sho' You Right

Or you could have had...

Barry White - The Right Night

4. Thrower puts off batsman.

Percy Thrower was an old school gardener and broadcaster. Sledging in cricket is trying to put the batsman off by insulting them as they prepare to face a delivery. Also found in other sports e.g. the behaviour of the dastardly American fans in the recent Ryder Cup.  

Percy Sledge - Out Of Left Field

3. Sweet, sticky styling tools.

Combs made of honey would be sticky (as would combs made of Tate & Lyle Golden Syrup but that doesn’t work in this clue).

The Honeycombs - Have I The Right?

2. Just the job for an unhappy renter.

Unhappy renter = low tenant. Chris Lowe + Neil Tennant = Pet Shop Boys

Pet Shop Boys - Left To My Own Devices

(And yes, I'm convinced Ernie only included the Pet Shop Boys because knows George hates them!)

1. Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous lads.

Scottish readers will instantly recognise the quote from the opening lines of ‘To A Mouse’ by Robert Burns: “Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie, O, what a panic’s in thy breastie”. With this and Jackie magazine I’m virtually handing the prize to Alyson.

Beatie Boys - (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)

Thanks again, Ernie - you saved my life this week as I'd spent so much time on the Cancel Culture Club, I was struggling to find time for Snapshots.

Normal - and far less imaginative - service will be restored next Saturday.

 

Snapshots #380: A Top Twelve Songs About American Automobiles

Here are this week's answers, with a Lincoln at the top of the page.

I really wanted to include this... but it would have been just too obvious.

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen - Hot Rod Lincoln

Here's the ones that were a little less obvious...

12. Lennon's Candyman. 

Sammy (Davis Jr.)? He belongs to John. 

Sammy Johns - Chevy Van

11. Crocodile, crocodile... I'm a big fan!

Lyle Lyle Crocodile! Love it!

Lyle Lovett - Pontiac

10. Take a journey across Grandaddy's lake.

Grandaddy had a Crystal Lake. Take a trip!

Crystal Trip - Stingray

9. Pull to slow your descent.

The Rip Chords - Hey Little Cobra

8. Follows Ray Parker into the All Terrain Armoured Transport. Sirius, Polaris, Antares.

Ray Parker is followed by Jr. The All Terrain Armoured Transport was also known as a Walker, as Star Wars fans will know. Sirius, Polaris and Antares are all stars.

JR Walker & The All Stars - (I’m a) Road Runner

7. Groundhog: wood... seer. 

A groundhog is also known as a woodCHUCK. A seer is a prophet.

Chuck Prophet - Ford Econoline

6. Sean & Julian.

Second Lennon clue of the day. Sean and Julian are John's children.

John's Children - Mustang Ford

5. Bald, bony, rather confused fella.

"Bald, bony" was an anagram.

Bob Dylan - From A Buick 6

4. Spring flowers (purple).

The March Violets - Eldorado

3. Cock-up at the Ministry of Defence.

Cock-up the MOD to make OMD...

OMD - Tesla Girls

2. Dark Side of the Dean.

Dark Side of The Moon meets Dean Martin.

Moon Martin - Cadillac Walk

1. One from the Spin Doctors.

The Spin Doctors sang about Two Princes.

Prince - Little Red Corvette

The Snapshots Drive-Thru will re-open next Saturday morning at 8.30...

Snapshots #247: A Top Ten Bear Songs

If you can't bear the suspense any longer... here are yesterday's bear-faced answers...

10. This drives one crazy!

"Drives one" is an anagram. The artist in question was also famous for his truck-driver-themed hits. Of which this, his only UK chart entry, is surely his worst. I mean, I like a mawkish talky CB-flavoured country tune as much as anyone, but even I have to draw the line somewhere.

 #4 in 1981 though... those of you who were old enough to be buying records in that year, I blame you. I was only 9, so nobody can blame me.

Red Sovine - Teddy Bear

Also, it's hard not to listen to that all the way through without wondering if Operation Yewtree were forced to investigate...

9. Half a sugar creates desire.

Tate & Lyle make sugar. Half of that is Lyle... and you'll love it!

Now this is how to write a country song about bears! What a tune!

Lyle Lovett - Bears

8. Goodbye Lucille touched the button to get things going. 

Goodbye Lucille is a song about Johnny, Johnny, Johnny...

If you pushed that button, you probably pressed 'on'.

Johnny Preston - Running Bear

7. Hard rock from Scottish cow and Fab Mum.

A Scottish cow is an Aberdeen Angus.

A Fab Mum would be Julia Lennon.

 A hard rock is a stone.

Angus & Julia Stone - Grizzly Bear

6. In sleep, initially.

In sleep, you can find the initials EP.

Elvis Presley - (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear

Not my favourite Elvis song by any stretch, but it's still a damn sight better than Red Sovine's Teddy Bear.

5. Going to Hell.

The Damned - Edward The Bear

4. Found in horrid Elvis song.

HorRID Elvis song.

Ride - Polar Bear

3. German cane.

Same as a Gerry reed.

Jerry Reed - The Preacher & The Bear

2. Thorny Jam Fetish.

Anagram!

Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear

1. The cost of a partridge is fixed.

In this shop, the Alan Price is set.

The Alan Price Set - Simon Smith & His Amazing Dancing Bear

(Written by Randy Newman, but Alan made it his own.)

I expect you back here next Saturday morning, with marmalade sandwiches... or you'll get a hard stare.

Saturday Snapshots #144 - The Answers

It's time for this week's answers... how'd you like them apples?


10. Scarper! They're coming for your chips!

That haircut was too easy.

Seagulls steal your chips.

A Flock Of Seagulls - I Ran

9. Infinite lost boy.

Corey Haim was a Lost Boy.

Haim - Forever

8. Healthy pussycat mixed up with inn machinery.

"Inn machinery" is an anagram.

A healthy pussycat would be a panther in the pink.

Henry Mancini - Pink Panther Theme

7. On the 7th day, it stayed dark. Are you looking at me?

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

6. Fancy Gallagher's better half? Watch out, he's as big a weirdo as I am.

Gallagher & Lyle, obviously. Love it!

I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo...

Look around

And you will see

This world is full of creeps like me

You look surprised

You shouldn't be

This world is full of creeps like me

Lyle Lovett - Creeps Like Me 

5. The shell corp is watching you; it will get its pound of flesh.

Big Brother is watching.

A shell corp is another name for a holding company.

Big Brother & The Holding Company - Piece Of My Heart 

4. Found on Mount Sinai with Spearmint Shirley & Manic Wire.

Shirley Lee is the lead singer of Spearmint. If you don't know that, you should.

Nicky Wire is a Manic Street Preacher.

The Ten Commandments were found lying around on Mount Sinai. There may have been a burning bush involved, I don't know, it's been a long time since Sunday School.

Nickie Lee - The Ten Commandments Of Man

They wouldn't play that on the radio these days.

3. Orphan boxer wren.

Little Orphan Annie + Lennox Lewis and a little bird...

Annie Lennox - Little Bird

2. Happy sinners dine with Shaggy.

Huey looks so young...

Fun Lovin' Criminals - Scooby Snacks

1. A Special & a Captain meet in a deserted diner.

Terry Hall & Captain Oates.

Not one of their most well-know tunes, but one of my favourites...




Thanks for playing. I'll be hunting your good will again next Saturday...