Musical Monday

Well, my daughter E (as opposed to O, who’s also my daughter, hence the confusion in my last post!) has arrived, armed with her friend, and a rather large amount of luggage including one case full of shoes! She hurled herself into my arms at the airport, and I have to say that it’s just lovely to have her here. Whether I’m still saying that after 10 days remains to be seen, mind you, as there’s going to be an unusually large amount of oestrogen at Chez WDKY and it’ll no doubt be a test of fortitude for me and S. I think we’ll make it, though.

More on that later, and also a bit of an update on CFG to follow… for now, though, it’s Monday, and in these here parts that can only mean one thing.


My MM choice this week is from the other side of the water, and someone who I first heard by accident when I wandered into a record store about 20 years ago. I stood, transfixed, as I listened to a voice that sent shivers up my spine, and waited patiently until the album had finished so I could buy it – the only copy they had in stock at the time. It was Tom Waits, and I quote…

Lyrically, Waits' songs are known for atmospheric portrayals of bizarre, seedy characters and places, although he has also shown a penchant for more conventional and touching ballads. He has a cult following and has influenced subsequent songwriters, despite having little radio or music video support. His songs are best known to the general public in the form of cover versions by more visible artists, such as Eagles, The Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, and Rod Stewart. Although Waits' albums have met with mixed commercial success in his native United States, they have occasionally achieved gold album sales status in other countries.

So… if you haven’t heard “Blue Valentines” before, I suggest that you pour yourself a drink, make yourself comfortable, and then just close your eyes and listen. It really is a beautiful song, from a beautiful album.