Squeeze Covered – Labelled With Love

Some wag once said “Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be”. How true that statement is turning out to be. As a middle-aged Yorkshireman, I like nothing more than to bore my kids (and anyone else unfortunate enough to be within earshot) with tales of how good things were in the ‘60s and ‘70s even though the country was on its knees and we didn’t have as much as a couple of pennies to rub together, safe in the knowledge that they would be able to find very little evidence to prove the contrary (it’s also the truth). Nowadays, every aspect of one’s social life can be found somewhere on the internet, whether you want it there or not. The multinational conglomerates know more about you and your habits that you do yourself. No-one will be able to wallow in nostalgia through rose-tinted glasses anymore because their whole life will be available on-line at the click of a mouse (assuming people still use a mouse!). Googling your own name, especially if it’s a less common name like mine, can be an eye opening and heart sinking experience. I’m not sure I want to be accidentally mistaken for a foul-mouthed American rap artist!

There are many websites out there that assist me with my journeys to past times, reinforcing my memories or reminding me of things I’d long since forgotten about. One of these is from my beloved BBC. The BBC Genome project website contains BBC listings information which the BBC printed in Radio Times between 1923 and 2009 and just reading through one of the magazines brings back floods of memories. Do you remember Superhero Tyrone and his magic cane Elmo? The one thing I have in common with him is that I can now fall asleep at the drop of a hat – except when I want to!

I have mixed feelings about this week’s cover, if you can call it a cover. I loved the early Dexys Midnight Runners singles and who can forget the now infamous episode of Top Of The Pops that showed a picture of the Scottish darts player Jocky Wilson during Dexys’ performance of “Jackie Wilson Said …”? Kevin Rowland’s delivery is as good as ever but it’s criminal what’s been done to the lyric. Am I just being too nostalgic about a Squeeze classic?

Until next time, toodle pip!

Tyrone

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