It’s a sad reflection on myself, I know – I should get out more – but I spent some time considering what to choose as the final song of this year-and-a-half long musical odyssey/ vanity project/ pointless bloody waste of time (delete as appropriate.)
There were a few
candidates that did a Devon Loch with the finish in sight...
- The Specials –
‘Pearl’s Cafe’ the final refrain of “It’s all a load of
bollocks” seems appropriate somehow.
- A number of songs
about things ending, from the obvious (‘My Way’, ‘When
The Music’s Over’) to the less so (The Eels’ ‘End
Times’ sprang to mind.)
In the end I thought
I’d go for the something that means a lot to me for sentimental
reasons. And I mean sentimental in a positive way. This is the song that reminds me most of my brother Paul.
It was one of his favourites, as well as reminding me of evenings in
front of the telly at home and all that. We also played it at his
funeral nearly six years ago (where does the time go?) And while I know it's a
hoary old showbiz tune, I can't help but be moved by the simple
sentiments in it and the associations it has for me. As Frank
Skinner (of all people) said about it, “this is a song that used to
make me laugh, and now makes me cry.”
