A lady walked into a pharmacy and told the pharmacist that she needed some cyanide. The pharmacist said,
“Why in the world do you need cyanide?”
The lady then explained she needed it to poison her husband. The pharmacist’s eyes got big and he said, ‘I can’t give you cyanide to kill your husband! They’ll throw both of us in jail!’
The lady reached into her purse and pulled out a picture of her husband in bed with the pharmacist’s wife.
The pharmacist looked at the picture and replied, ‘Well, now. You didn’t tell me you had a prescription.’
Butlers.
The Lady of the Manor was becoming irritated at Jeeve’s habit of walking into her bedroom without knocking. She took him to task.
‘It would be very embarrassing if I were in a state of undress,’ she pointed out.
‘No need to worry about that, m’Lady,’ he said. ‘I always peek through the keyhole first.’
A few days later….
This was not the last time that her Ladyship had call to have words with her butler. A few days later she called him to her bedroom.
‘Jeeves, please unzip my dress.’ Clearly embarrassed he did so.
‘Now, take off my stockings.’ Jeeves was now visibly perspiring.
‘And now take off my underwear… And if I every catch you wearing my clothes again I will immediately dismiss you!’
Thank you for joining us today and we hope you are leaving with a smile on your face.. Debby and Sally.
This post was first published on the wonderful Sue Vincent’s blog in 2018 and four years later I can honestly say that I am enjoying my Second Childhood in most repects. A little slower maybe and not quite as fearless as the first time around, but I do believe that however much time you may have in front of you, it should be fully embraced and celebrated.
Sally aged 7 years old – looking forward and not back
Why I am skipping Old Age and embarking on my Second Childhood instead.
I have researched the delights of Old Age rigorously, in an effort to determine if I want to actually accept the title. I looked after my mother for several years in her late 80s to her mid-90s, and I would say that she was young at heart until dementia robbed her of that at age 92.
She said that she felt the same inside as she had as a young woman, despite the wrinkles and failing body. She proved to me that Attitude is the key to anti-aging not botox or other miracle wrinkle busters.
I was 60 years old when she passed away and I felt that it was my obligation to carry on the family tradition she had established, to maintain at the very least a young outlook on life. I have spent the last nine years attempting to achieve this desired state.
The first stage is to determine if you are already in danger of becoming one of the Old Age Brigade!
I use a little check list to identify where I am on the scale of maturity and I call it the Old Fogies Alert Test... It is a little bit of fun but it is amazing how closely I can identify with some of these statements for myself and friends and relatives who are over a certain age.
Conversations with friends your own age turn into ‘duelling ailments’
Your idea of a night out is sitting on your patio.
You buy clothes that hide your body rather than enhance it.
You give up all your bad habits and you still don’t feel good.
You feel that no one respects your opinions anymore
You keep repeating yourself.
You resist going to places where you will meet new people, preferring the comfort of your known friends and acquaintances.
You begin every sentence with ‘Nowadays or In My Day or When I was your age’
You constantly criticise the younger generation.
You feel that it is not worth changing at your age as it will not make a difference
You order the same meal every time you go to a restaurant.
Happy hour is a nap.
You stop celebrating birthdays as it reminds you of how old you are.
As a contrast here is a list of the magical wonder of the world that I remember from when I was seven years old.
Everyone is your friend until they prove otherwise.
Going to school and learning to read and write is thrilling
Soap bubbles, sixpence to spend on sweets, and a Christmas stocking are eagerly anticipated and treasured.
You don’t like Brussel Sprouts but you eat them because mum says they are good for you, and you get treacle tart afterwards if you eat them.
A book with pictures at bedtime is the best time of the day.
Raindrops on the windowpane keep you fascinated for hours.
The wonder of your first snowfall.
The distraction of a spinning top that was meant for Christmas, but helps ease the pain of an ear-ache.
The love of older sisters who let you tag along behind them and who make you smocked dresses with knickers to match.
Watching cartoons on Saturday morning and laughing like a drain without worrying about what others might think.
Hearing music and dancing as if nobody is watching.
Singing along to your favourite songs, especially The Ugly Bug Ball.
Believing in fairies and Father Christmas
The future stretches ahead full of wondrous possibilities
One of the key differences between a child’s outlook in life and someone who has accepted the Old Age title.. is one is looking forward and one is looking back!
This is why I love blogging and writing books.
I am looking forward to….
Getting up each morning and checking my blog for interaction from my online friends.
Chatting with friends on Facebook and catching up with the ‘overnighters’ on Twitter.
Planning next week’s posts, laughing at the videos of dogs having fun and finding new jokes to make people smile.
Writing another short story and looking forward to sharing it with friends.
Reading posts from around the world that entertain, inform and expand my knowledge.
Trying one of the recipes for a food I think as commonplace that has been elevated by a creative cook.
Reading a poem that makes me cry.
Wishing someone thousands of miles away Happy Birthday.
Looking forward to Christmas and sharing that time with everyone I am connected to.
Believing in magic and fairies
Changing someones attitude to life, love and the future with my writing.
Sharing this post with you today.
The future stretches ahead with wondrous possibilities
I have enjoyed a nomadic existence living in eight countries including Sri Lanka, Malta, South Africa, USA and Spain, before settling back here in Ireland. My work, and a desire to see some of the most beautiful parts of the world in the last forty years, has taken me to many more incredible destinations around Europe and Canada, and across the oceans to New Zealand and Hawaii. All those experiences and the people that I have met, provide a rich source of inspiration for my stories.
After a career in customer facing roles in the hospitality, retail, advertising and telecommunications industry, I wrote and published my first book in 1999 called Size Matters, about my weight loss journey, losing 150lbs in 18 months. This has been followed by 14 further fiction and non-fiction books, including a number of short story collections.
My first book release resulted in a radio interview in Spain that led to four years as a nutritional consultant for an English language station, and this was followed by four years with my own health show and Sunday morning show on local radio station in the UK and then as station director, newsreader and presenter for an online television station.
As a writer I know how important it is to have help in marketing books and from 2002 I have been working with authors on their book launches and publicity. At that time it was very much physical book launches and press coverage locally to stimulate national interest.. Today it is very different with a global market via the worldwide web.
As important as my own promotion is, I believe it is important to support others within our community. I offer a number of FREE promotional opportunities on my blog, linked to my social media. If you are an author who would like to be promoted to a new audience of dedicated readers, please contact me via my blog. All it will cost you is a few minutes of your time. Look forward to hearing from you.
Each week William and I will select two top hits from the charts starting with 1960 for two weeks followed by 1961 etc..through to 1985. We will also include some of the notable events in those years for the up and coming stars who were centre stage at the time.
Every four weeks at the weekend there will be a spin-off show where we will feature four guests sharing their memories of the music of a particular decade we are working on. An opportunity to share your work and your can find the details:The Breakfast Show 2021
Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2021. Here is my first selection of top 1968 hits which I hope you will enjoy. William.
News Event: January 22nd “Lady Soul” 14th studio album by Aretha Franklin is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1968)
Otis Redding – (Sittin’ on) The dock of the bay
“(Sittin’ on) The dock of the bay,” a worldwide hit, was the first posthumous single to top the charts in the US. The song won two Grammy Awards – Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. It ranks #28 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
News Event:February 16th Elvis Presley receives a gold record for “How Great Thou Art”
Simon and Garfunkel – Mrs. Robinson
“Mrs. Robinson,” from the film “The Graduate,” was a #1 hit in the US and around the world. It was the first rock song to win a Grammy Award for “Record of the Year.” It also won the Grammy for Best Contemporary-Pop Performance – Vocal Duo or Group.
News Event: March 1st Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” first performed as a 15-minute pop cantata at Colet Court School in London
Now time for my first top chart picks from 1968 and they bring back memories of my teenage years as if it was yesterday.
Gary Puckett and the Gap – Young Girl
“Young Girl” is a RIAA million-selling Gold-certified single that was written, composed, and produced by Jerry Fuller and performed by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap with instrumental backing by members of “The Wrecking Crew.The song hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, stuck behind “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding for the first week and “Honey” by Bobby Goldsboro for the remaining two. It also hit No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart
News Event:May 11th Richard Harris releases “MacArthur Park”
Tom Jones – Delilah
“Delilah” is a song recorded by Welsh singer Tom Jones in December 1967. The lyrics were written by Barry Mason, and the music by Les Reed, who also contributed the title and theme of the song. It earned Reed and Mason the 1968 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. The song reached No. 1 in the charts of several countries, including Germany and Switzerland. It reached No 2 in the British charts in March 1968 and was the sixth-best selling single of that year.
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcaster who enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.
She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.
Thank you very much for joining us today and we would love you to join us in the spin off shows where we share your memories of the 1960s and your favourite music.. please read how you can take part:The Breakfast Show 2021
Next week 1968 Part Two. We hope you will tune in.. as always we love to hear from you.. thanks William and Sally.
Each week William and I will select two top hits from the charts starting with 1960 for two weeks followed by 1961 etc..through to 1985. We will also include some of the notable events in those years for the up and coming stars who were centre stage at the time.
Every four weeks at the weekend there will be a spin-off show where we will feature four guests sharing their memories of the music of a particular decade we are working on. An opportunity to share your work and your can find the details: The Breakfast Show 2021
Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2021. Here is my second selection of top 1966 hits which I hope you will enjoy. William.
News Event: July 25th The Supremes release “You Can’t Hurry Love”
Dusty Springfield – You don’t have to say you love me
“You don’t have to say you love me” (originally “Il che non vivo – senza te”) was Dusty Springfield’s biggest hit. It reached #1 in the UK and #4 in the US and is ranked #491 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
News Events: September 10th Neil Diamond has his first Billboard chart success with single “Cherry Cherry”
Percy Sledge – When a man loves a woman –
“When a man loves a woman” made it to #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles charts in the US and #4 on the UK singles chart. Rolling Stone ranked it #53 on their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.
News Event:September 21st Jimmy Hendrix changes spelling of his name to Jimi
Now time for my second top chart picks from 1966 and as a teenager I was watching Top of the Pops and listening to pirate radio to hear all the hits.
The Beach Boys – Sloop John B
“Sloop John B” (originally published as “The John B. Sails”) is a Bahamian folk song from Nassau. A transcription by Richard Le Gallienne was published in 1916, and a version was included in Carl Sandburg’s The American Songbag in 1927. The 1966 folk rock adaptation by the Beach Boys was produced and arranged by bandleader Brian Wilson and served as the lead single off their 11th studio album, Pet Sounds. The song peaked at number three in the US on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, number two in the UK, and number one in several other countries.
News Event: November 9th John Lennon meets Yoko Ono at an avante-garde art exposition at Indica Gallery in London
Ike & Tina Turner – River Deep, Mountain High
“River Deep – Mountain High” is a single by Ike & Tina Turner released on Philles Records in 1966. It is considered by producer Phil Spector to be his best work. Rolling Stone ranked “River Deep – Mountain High” No. 33 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. NME ranked it No. 37 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame added it to the list of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcasterwho enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.
She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.
Thank you very much for joining us today and we would love you to join us in the spin off shows where we share your memories of the 1960s and your favourite music.. please read how you can take part:The Breakfast Show 2021
Next week 1967 Part One. we hope you will tune in.. as always we love to hear from you.. thanks William and Sally.
Each week William and I will select two top hits from the charts starting with 1960 for two weeks followed by 1961 etc..through to 1985. We will also include some of the notable events in those years for the up and coming stars who were centre stage at the time.
Every four weeks at the weekend there will be a spin-off show where we will feature four guests sharing their memories of the music of a particular decade we are working on. An opportunity to share your work and your can find the details:The Breakfast Show 2021
Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2021. Here is my first selection of top 1965 hits which I hope you will enjoy. William.
News Event:February 6th Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” hits #1
The Four Tops – I can’t help myself (Sugar pie, Honey bunch)
“I can’t help myself (Sugar pie, Honey bunch)” topped Billboard’s charts in the US for nine weeks, and was named the second biggest single of the year. It was the Four Tops’ first Top 40 single in the UK, peaking at #23 in 1965 and #10 in 1970 on its spring re-release. Rolling Stone ranked it #415 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
News Event: March 2nd One of the most popular musical films of all time, “The Sound of Music”, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, is released (Academy Awards Best Picture 1966)
Tom Jones – What’s new pussycat
“What’s new pussycat” was the theme song from the Woody Allen movie of the same name and hit #11 in the US and #3 in the U.K. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1996.
News Event: April 5th 37th Academy Awards: “My Fair Lady”, Rex Harrison & Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins) win awards
Now time for my first picks from 1965 and these are tracks that I still play today
The Seekers – I’ll Never Find Another You
“I’ll Never Find Another You” is a 1964 single by The Seekers, which reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom in February 1965. It was The Seekers’ first UK-released single,[1] and was the second-best selling single of 1965 in the UK.The song was also popular in the United States, reaching peaks of No. 4 pop and No. 2 easy listening on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. The track was written and produced by Tom Springfield, who was also responsible for most of The Seekers’ subsequent hits. Thanks for this stereo version to rich963
News Event: April 28th Luciano Pavarotti makes his debut at La Scala, Milan in Franco Zeffirelli’s production of “La bohème” with Mirella Freni
I Got You Babe – Sonny and Cher
“I Got You Babe” is a song performed by Sonny & Cher and written by Sonny Bono. It was the first single taken from their debut studio album Look at Us. In August 1965, their single spent three weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States[1] where it sold more than 1 million copies and was certified Gold. It also reached number 1 in the United Kingdom and Canada.
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcaster who enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.
She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.
Thank you very much for joining us today and we would love you to join us in the spin off shows where we share your memories of the 1960s and your favourite music.. please read how you can take part: The Breakfast Show 2021
Next week 1965 Part Two.. we hope you will tune in.. as always we love to hear from you.. thanks William and Sally.
Each week William and I will select two top hits from the charts starting with 1960 for two weeks followed by 1961 etc..through to 1985. We will also include some of the notable events in those years for the up and coming stars who were centre stage at the time.
Every four weeks at the weekend there will be a spin-off show where we will feature four guests sharing their memories of the music of a particular decade we are working on. An opportunity to share your work and your can find the details:The Breakfast Show 2021
Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2021. Here is my second selection of top 1964 hits which I hope you will enjoy. William.
News Event:July 6th The Beatles’ film “Hard Day’s Night” premieres in London
Petula Clark – Downtown
‘Downtown’ was an international hit: peaking at #1 in the US, Australia, and New Zealand; #2 in the UK, Ireland, and Denmark; #3 in India, #4 in the Netherlands, and #8 in Norway. It earned a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary song and entered the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004.
News Event:August 22nd Supreme’s “Where Did Our Love Go” reaches #1
Martha and the Vandellas – Dancing in the streets
‘Dancing in the streets’ reached #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in the US, #4 in the UK, #12 in Ireland, and #3 in Canada and has been one of 50 sound recordings preserved by the Library of Congress in the US to the National Recording Registry.
News Event:October 31st Barbra Streisand’s “People” album goes #1 for 5 weeks
Now time for my second picks from 1964 and these are tracks that were playing everywhere this year.
Manfred Mann – Do Wah Diddy
“Do Wah Diddy Diddy” is a song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and originally recorded in 1963, as “Do-Wah-Diddy”, by the American vocal group The Exciters. It was soon covered by British R&B, beat and pop band Manfred Mann. Manfred Mann’s version was released on 10 July 1964. It spent two weeks at No. 1 of the UK Singles Chart in August[ and two weeks at No. 1 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in October. (Paul Jones lead singer was born in Portsmouth, my home town and was friends with our neighbour’s son and as a teenager that was about the most exciting thing ever!)
News Event:December 9th John Coltrane’s Quartet records their greatest work “A Love Supreme” at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Jim Reeves – I Love You Because
“I Love You Because” is a song written and recorded by country music singer and songwriter Leon Payne in 1949. In 1963, American country singer Jim Reeves recorded a version of the song for his album Gentleman Jim. Released as a single in 1964, the song peaked at number five in the UK. The song became his most successful single in Norway, topping the VG-Lista chart for 13 weeks. Jim Reeves – Topic
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcaster who enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.
She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.
Thank you very much for joining us today and we would love you to join us in the spin off shows where we share your memories of the 1960s and your favourite music.. please read how you can take part: The Breakfast Show 2021
Next week 1965 Part One.. we hope you will tune in.. as always we love to hear from you.. thanks William and Sally.
Frank Prem has followed up his first children’s poetry story book with more of the lovable bears in A Beechworth Bakery Bears e-Book (too) and I have enjoyed this book as much as the first.
About the story
What are the Beechworth Bakery Bears up to this time?
Has Tom sold out of Bee Stings?
Take The Beechworth Bakery Bears (too) home to read, and find out!
My review for the book 18th February 2021
I don’t get to read very many children’s picture books as I have no-one to read them to in our extended family. But even an oldie like me can appreciate the wonderful images in this little book of Teddy bears and pastries. Frank Prem has a way with words in his poetry for adults, and clearly also for the younger generation. I loved book one, and this second volume too which would make a lovely gift for a small child who loves teddies and listening to bed time stories.
Tough to choose my favourites but highlights Three-bear bobsled and a Snicker -What?
I’ve been a storytelling poet for about forty years. Longer in fact, as I remember the first poem I wrote while at secondary school was about 150 – 200 words long and was accepted in lieu of a 500 word essay. I think that may have been the start.
I love to read my work to a live audience, and have audio recorded some recent recordings and popped them on my author page. I have also done some studio- recorded work under the direction and accompaniment of my wife Leanne Murphy that can be listened to there. These poems are on mythological themes and the accompaniment by Leanne makes them a little bit extraordinary.
By profession, I am a psychiatric nurse and have worked across most facets of public psychiatry and the mental health/mental illness spectrum. My experiences and reflections on what I have seen and done are the subject of a forthcoming memoir – scheduled for late 2019, or perhaps more likely, 2020.
I’ve been published in magazines, zines and anthologies, in Australia and in a number of other countries, but for a long time I haven’t sought much publication. The whims of editors are a little too capricious and unknowable, so I have preferred to hone my craft and self-publish on my poetry blogs
Leanne and I reside in the beautiful township of Beechworth in the North-East of Victoria (Australia).
Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will be leaving with some books… thank Sally.
Each week William and I will select two top hits from the charts starting with 1960 for two weeks followed by 1961 etc..through to 1985. We will also include some of the notable events in those years for the up and coming stars who were centre stage at the time.
Every four weeks at the weekend there will be a spin-off show where we will feature four guests sharing their memories of the music of a particular decade we are working on. An opportunity to share your work and your can find the details: The Breakfast Show 2021
Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2021. Here is my first selection of top 1963 hits which I hope you will enjoy. William.
News Event:February 23rd Luciano Pavarotti makes his debut at the Vienna State Opera in “La traviata”
Inez and Charlie Foxx – Mockingbird
‘Mockingbird’ was based on the lullaby ‘Hush Little Baby’. It reached #5 on Billboard’s Hot 100, #3 on Cashbox, and #34 in the UK.
News Event: March 22nd Beatles release 1st album, “Please Please Me”
Sam Cooke – Twistin’ the night away
‘Twistin’ the night away’ slid into the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 at #9 and peaked at #1 in Billboard’s R&B chart. It also climbed into the UK Singles Chart at #6.
News Event:March 23rd 8th Eurovision Song Contest: Grethe and Jorgen Ingmann for Denmark win singing “Dansevise” in London
Now time for my picks from 1963 and these are tracks that dominated my teenage years and reinforced my love of music.
The Beatles – She Loves You
“She Loves You” is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and recorded by English rock group the Beatles for release as a single in 1963. The single set and surpassed several sales records in the United Kingdom charts, and set a record in the United States as one of the five Beatles songs that held the top five positions in the charts simultaneously, on 4 April 1964. It remains the band’s best-selling single in the United Kingdom and the top-selling single of the 1960s there by any artist.
News Event:April 19th Johnny Cash releases his single “Ring Of Fire” written by his future wife June Carter and Merle Kilgore
Andy Williams – Cant’ Get Used To Losing You.
“Can’t Get Used to Losing You” is a song written by Jerome “Doc” Pomus and Mort Shuman, first made popular by Andy Williams in a 1963 record release, which was a #2 hit in both the US and the UK. Twenty years later, British band The Beat took a reggae re-arrangement of the song to #3 in the UK.
News Event: May 10th Decca signs Rolling Stones on advice of Beatle George Harrison
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcaster who enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.
She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.
Thank you very much for joining us today and we would love you to join us in the spin off shows where we share your memories of the 1960s and your favourite music.. please read how you can take part: The Breakfast Show 2021
Next week 1963 Part Two.. we hope you will tune in.. as always we love to hear from you.. thanks William and Sally.
I have missed participating in this challenge and hope to be more active again this year… This week Colleen Chesebro offers us a choice.. Abhanga or Poet’s Choice
Since I have one coming up this month, I thought I would create a Garland Cinquain on the subject of Birthdays.
Garland Cinquain – Birthdays
Birthdays
a reminder
of the passing of years
celebrated with lit candles
and cake.
Wrinkles
are etched on skin
laughter lines they tell you
signs of character and a life
well lived
People
in the present
and in our memories
are thought of with love as this day
passes
How fast
they come around
the older that we get
a caution to make the most of
each day.
Tempting
as it might be
to disregard this date
it stands as a testament to
our lives
Birthdays
are etched on skin
and in our memories
a caution to make the most of
our lives.
This second review this week is for the1960s thriller – Paris Escapade by Ted Myers.
About the Book
In the summer of 1963, seventeen-year-old Eddie Strull goes off to Europe with a supervised camp group of New York Jewish kids. But Eddie, ever the rebel, has other plans. Eddie wants to live as an adult. A writer. Right now. When they arrive in Paris, the last stop before heading home, Eddie sneaks out of the youth hostel and disappears into the bohemian labyrinth of the Left Bank. There he encounters a colorful array of artists, writers, actors, and one extraordinary prostitute, who draws him into a risky adventure. Ultimately, he becomes a wanted man. Instant adulthood turns out to be much more than Eddie bargained for.
My review for the book February 6th 2021
A fast paced, adventure filled thriller set against the backdrop of 1960s Europe, and in particular the avant-garde culture of Paris at that time.
First impressions of seventeen-year-old Eddie Strull, offered in his own words, are of a rather entitled, over confident and dismissive teenager whose goal is to escape from under his boring parent’s oversight. To this end he plans his escape under the noses of the guardians of the tour of Europe he is signed up for.
In the first part of the book we are treated to a whistle stop tour of the highlights of the European major capitals, with the author paying great attention to detail on the tourist trail of that time. Paris is depicted in all its glory, and it is easy to feel drawn into the ambience of the free- thinking and inclusive culture offered to emigres and foreign creative talent. This is the place that Eddie feels is his destiny, with the intention of becoming a world renowned author worthy of his literary idols.
He is certainly going to need some bravado to survive his adventure once he cuts loose from the tour group, including navigating the egos and self-interests of the resident literary crowd and other artists who are reluctant to cede any of their attention to others. There are those with honest intentions, but Eddie finds them few and far between, and in the main he falls in with those who are living life on the edge, or deep in criminal activities. Passions run hot, a murderer is stalking the streets and Eddie makes some decisions that put his life in danger.
The author has created a complex character in Eddie and we get to know him in more depth through the first person narrative, including the side he might not show to those he connects with, which is a vulnerability and need for his own identity. The events of the next two years certainly test his resolve as he finds love, experiences loss and faces difficult choices to achieve his dream.
The story has flow and the references to events, music and prominent artists and writers of that time provides plenty of nostalgia for readers who remember the 1960s fondly. It would be interesting to see where the story of Eddie Strull goes next.
After twenty years trembling on the brink of rock stardom and fifteen years working at record companies, Ted Myers left the music business–or perhaps it was the other way around–and took a job as a copywriter at an advertising agency. This cemented his determination to make his mark as an author. His nonfiction has appeared in Working Musicians (Harper Collins), By the Time We Got to Woodstock: The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Revolution of 1969 (Backbeat Books), and Popular Music and Society.
His short stories have appeared online at Literally Stories and in print in the To Hull & Back Short Story Anthology 2016. His epic and amusing memoir, Making It: Music, Sex & Drugs in the Golden Age of Rock was published by Calumet Editions in 2017 and more short stories appeared in Iconoclast magazine, The Mystic Blue Review, Centum Press’ 100 Voices Anthology, and Culture Cult Magazine.
In 2018, his work appeared in The Ink Stains Anthology, and Bewildering Stories. His first novel, Fluffy’s Revolution, was published by Black Rose Writing in 2019. His second novel, Paris Escapade, was published by Black Rose Writing in December 2020.
Thanks for visiting today and hope you have enjoyed my review for Ted’s book and will check it out for yourself.. Sally.
Smorgasbord Blog Magazine 