Christmas playlist

I first posted today's playlist a year ago but it's just as irrelevant today. Sadly Spotify still haven't got with the programme* and included What Are We Gonna Get For 'Er Indoors? by Dennis Waterman and George Cole in their database, so I'm afraid you'll just have to make do with these 36 inferior festive hits in lieu of that.

*Minder

Alan Partridge in a pear tree

I've posted the following song on here before - probably more than once - but I do enjoy wheeling it out at this time of year as, by rights, it should be played everywhere at Christmas instead of, well, barely anywhere outside the music blogosphere. It's one-off Geordie supergroup The Joseph & Mary Chain with their fun-packed, sublime version of, well, this!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Behind the Fairytale

I really enjoyed this radio documentary about the making of Fairytale of New York yesterday lunchtime (the documentary was yesterday lunchtime, rather than the actual song, which was made yonks ago. Just for clarity's sake). If I was being really picky I'd say that Dermot O'Leary was a poor choice of presenter for a programme going out on, and made for, 6 Music; and that producer Steve Lillywhite comes across as slightly bumptious at times in his soundbites. But maybe that was just the editing or something. He was married to Kirsty Maccoll, after all, so can't have been all bad.

Minor quibbles aside, Behind the Fairytale was, much like the song it paid tribute to, quite marvellous, and you should definitely listen to it now, or preferably sooner, if you've not done so already.

Mildly Interesting Pop Fact: As befitting such a classic song, Fairytale has been covered dozens of times, by artists as diverse as KT Tunstall, Katzenjammer, The Wurzels, and, unforgivably, Ronan bastard Keating - a man with so little soul or empathy for the lyrics that he took out all the nasty wasty lyrics that might offend the army of easily-pleased simpletons who comprise his fanbase. Happy Christmas your arse, Ro-nan.

December playlist

Here it is at long last - the playlist that literally no one has been waiting for. It's good though, honest!

Wilde night out

Chances are you'll have seen this already but if not, have a butcher's at a drunken Kim Wilde, accompanied by brother Ricky, on the train home from the Magic FM Christmas party serenading their fellow passengers with spirited versions of Kids In America and Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree.

Apart from the woman filming this on her phone, pretty much every other passenger seems to be doing that thing people do on trains in the UK nowadays i.e. existing in their own little private universe and ignoring any commotion going on around them. Despite the fact that this particular commotion is being caused by a pissed-up, internationally famous 1980s pop star caterwauling two of her biggest hits at them from literally inches away. I mean, look at those blokes standing by the doors. I hope I never catch fire when any of them are in the vicinity. They'd probably not even bother weeing on me. Arseholes. God I hate people. Not Kim Wilde though. Or you. Watch this - it's quite possibly the best thing I've ever seen.

When Clare Grogan Met John Gordon Sinclair

I smiled all the way through this Artworks Scotland programme last night, in which the two Gregory's Girl leads return to the school where the seminal 1980s coming-of-age comedy was filmed, Abronhill High in Cumbernauld (a school which, shamefully, is now earmarked for closure), to reminisce about their thirty-year careers in showbiz.

Both turned 50 this year and both are now published authors - Clare writing fiction for young girls in Tallulah & The Teenstars and John Gordon/Gordon John having recently had his debut crime thriller, Seventy Times Seven, published to rave reviews. No, I never saw that one coming either. Fair play though!

Anyway, if, like me, you're nuts about everything Gregory's Girl-related, you can watch the whole thing here (UK readers only again, alas):

Artworks Scotland: When Clare Grogan Met John Gordon Sinclair

Short story

Highbrow text conversation between me and Spike this morning:

Spike: "How often do you see genuine midgets? I've seen two today already. TWO!!"

Me: "Oh yes you have! (Must be panto season)"

Spike: "Maybe that's it - exotic panto actors from out of the area. What's our panto this year?"

Me (Googling it): "...Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs!"

Spike: "That explains everything!"

Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - Little Boys in the Ghetto mp3

Good grief!

The following sketch, from last night's episode of Limmy's Show, had me howling with laughter. If I explain it in any way here I'll spoil it, so just click, baby, click!

LIMMY SKETCH

(with apologies to anyone outside the UK, for whom the link won't be accessible)

Rebellious Jukebox (Spotify playlist number whatever)

Inspired by Paul Newman in the brilliant Cool Hand Luke, which I saw for the first time last night, I've cobbled together a Rebellious Jukebox of songs that celebrate individuality and/or cock a snook at The Man in general. Conform to this, you muthas!