Saturday 21 November 2015

Songs that send shivers down your spine






My dad was great at surprising us all with a special treat. A box of chocolates and flowers for my mum, one of those much derided fake leather covers for our weekly copy of the Radio Times, a frilly tissue box holder, a parrot. Well you get the idea, he was a very interesting and exceptionally fun dad, one of a kind.
One day he brought home two Lps for my brother and me. One was by Billy J.Kramer and the Dakotas. My brother being older got to have first choice and he made a grab for that.
We both loved stacking up our vinyl records on our record player and bopping around the living room. We'd spin each other round in our revolving armchair to see who felt sick first, we'd perform our version of 'the waggle bottom dance', exaggerating the swaying hip movements of the girls in their tight pencil skirts, causing my mum to raise her eyebrows and roll her eyes.
So on went Billy J.Kramer and off we went round and round, shaking ourselves about and ending up in a heap of giggles.

The other Lp that my dad brought home that day was by an umknown band, called 'The Beatle'. That was mine, the one with the cover where they're all dressed in black, I've still got it and I know the songs by heart.
This track, 'Do you want to know a secret,' was written by Lennon-McCartney, but Billy J.Kramer was more famous than them at the time. Now put your hands up who has heard of Bill J.Kramer? Just goes to show, doesn't it?

Some of you reading this might want to know about the parrot or the Radio Times cover or the tissue box thing, and a whole lot more besides, or not. I'm going to tell you later.
Have a great Saturday and enjoy Billy J.Kramer,  a real oldies but goldies.

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