I had a strange dream the other night. One of those dreams which leaves its spirit in your head until the evening.
A girl (who I have something of a hankering for in real life) put me in a cardboard box. Like a puppy. There was a little blanket in it. I was allowed to have a ball to keep me entertained (I'm easily pleased). She folded the flaps of the box over and carried me to the door of a Victorian town house. She put the box on the doorstep and rang the bell. I got excited. She looked at me and said 'Here we are.' I said 'Are we going to live here?' She rang the doorbell and answered 'No.' She started walking away, leaving me on my own in the box.
I was sad. I waited for someone new to open the door and let me in. Which didn't happen.
Freud would have a field day, folks.
I've been listening to an album of fifties songs tonight. I had it on when I was doing my cooking and then as I was washing up. It transformed those mundane chores into a pleasure. That rough production. And those voices! One marked difference between the pop songs of this generation and that of the fifties is that, much more often than not, the fifties singers sound like they're having a good time. They actually
enjoy performing. It almost sounds strange. Putting those songs on is like going to a party. There is very little whinging or forced misery in them. It's beautifully clear that, when they weren't dying in mysterious aeroplane accidents, those chaps were truly having a ball.
Of course there are lots of big fifties ballads (Roy Orbison's Only the Lonely being my favourite) with almost farcically tragic vocals. There's no denying that. But when it comes to the big, chart-topping dance classics, they are insanely uplifting. When people look back on the noughtie's big stars they'll be bombarded with gloom. Lady Gaga. Duffy. James Blunt. Sugababes. Newton Faulkner (Rupert and I voted Newton as our coveted Wanker Of The Year in both 2007 and 2008. And he's odds on to win this year). Compare these with Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Little Richard...
Dear reader, next time you go to HMV or visit iTunes, my advice is to give so-and-so's miserable new collection of rare b-sides a miss and buy a compilation of fifities classics instead. You won't regret it. The songs are like valium. You'll feel a distinct high for the duration; then a distinct low when you return to the real world.
We are going to have a Facebook page available sometime this week. There will be a couple of Brand New (note the use of capitals for emphasis) album tracks on there and various other titbits to hopefully keep you smiling. We would be thoroughly delighted to have you join us there. Just type in Characters From Books on the Facebook search thingy and you'll find us, ready and awaiting your company. If that doesn't work, I'm also going to post a link in the comments section of this blog. The new songs don't have the party-like, fifties feel. I'm well aware of the hypocrisy.
That's all for now. Have a very, very, very GOOD week (capitals again!),
Ryan
NEW FACEBOOK PAGE HERE:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=11457&uid=26882227019#/pages/Characters-From-Books/26882227019?ref=tsTwo new songs and a whole lotta lovin' goin' on.