Campaign Choirs and "The Roses Of Eyam"...

campaignchoirs.org.uk have kindly posted the lyrics to "The Roses Of Eyam", together with topline transcription.

Discerning people, I have to say...

"Soft Folkus" plays Beau...

Fine “Soft Folkus” show on Serenade Radio last evening, and many thanks to Roger Williams for making it a “mini-Dandelion” event! If you didn’t catch it, he played both Medicine Head’s “When Night Falls” and my own “The Summer Has Gone” back-to-back.
 
No catch-up I’m afraid – now it’s gone, it’s gone! But do tune in for Roger’s next show at 7pm this coming Sunday. Folk at its best!

A tale of what might have been…

A mere fifty-two years ago as the crow flies, Dana’s masterwork, “All Kinds Of Everything” triumphed in the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest. Aficionados will recall the UK entry that year as being the Mary Hopkin ditty, “Knock, Knock, Who’s There?”, which came a paltry second.
 
It is nothing short of a tragedy that the song submitted by April Music as the UK entry for that year – one “Imagination” by Beau – was rejected in favour of Ms. Hopkin’s catastrophic failure.
 
When the sainted Dana was announced as the winner – with 32 points against Hopkins’ 26 – I found myself screaming at that flickering black and white image in the corner, “IT SHUDD’A BEEN ME!”
 
It all could have been so different. British pride could so easily have been cemented for all time (following Lulu’s momentous “Boom Bang-a-Bang” triumph the previous year); our country’s position in Europe would have been secured; and of course Brexit would never have happened. And André Rieu would never have achieved the position of influence he enjoys today!
 
Never has the expression “forgive them for they know not what they do!” been more appropriate!
 
Thank goodness I am of an understanding nature. It has taken time and much counselling, but I can truthfully say I have now come to terms with what can in hindsight only be regarded as a total, calamitous failure of judgement and abdication of our soft power.
 
And yet, I occasionally still weep when I recall how Britain’s position and future in the world was so cruelly compromised those fifty-two years ago.
 
This, then, is for old times’ sake…

"Boro Songs" - a mistake corrected...

Cherry Red Records have confirmed that the "Boro Songs" version of the "Beau" album was re-named and made available in error.

It has therefore been deleted from all sites worldwide, and any clicks on residual "Boro Songs" links will be automatically opened as "Beau".

"Beau" plus bonus tracks - available again on vinyl...

Very interesting news! The original "Beau" album (with two bonus tracks) is now available on the Italian Trading Places label (TDP54072)!

 
It’s on 180gm vinyl and includes as bonuses “Sleeping Town” (the B-side of “1917 Revolution”) and “Time” (an out-take from the original April 1969 “Beau” sessions).
 
Quite a few people have enquired over time about a vinyl re-issue of “Beau”, and now here it is! I hope you like it!
 

Beau - "Boro Songs" - who knew?

Talk about me being late to the party! 

I’ve just found out that the extended version of my original “Beau” album (which was first made available for download by Cherry Red back in 2007 and again in 2010) was later re-issued worldwide in 2015 under the title “Boro Songs”!
 
It is literally all over the place under that name, and I never knew! It’s the same twenty-three songs as the 2007 CD/download, but simply re-named.
 
I’m going to take a close look at the old royalty statements!

Beau on "Jazz, Blues & Beyond" (Vol 44)...

Many thanks to Johnny Fewings on this week's "Jazz, Blues & Beyond" for playing "1917 Revolution" alongside Michael Chapman, Marvin Gaye and a ton of great stuff. 

Do check it out, either live or via Mixcloud!

Help required- "1917 Revolution" on CBS label?

Now here’s a thing – help required! DJ Chris Bent has been in touch with a query.

On his Radio Seagull and Carillon Radio 1476 shows, Chris plays all single releases from fifty years ago, week by week.

Four weeks ago, on 18th July, he played “1917 Revolution” on its official release-anniversary day. However, he’s now discovered that the single was also listed as being a CBS RELEASE ON 15th AUGUST and he’s asking if I ever came across a version on the old orange CBS label. And my answer is, no, I never did.

Can anyone help?

These weird things do occur, and “1917 Rev” did come out on the “CBS-orange” Dandelion label in the Netherlands. But that was a year later…

Anyway, bless ’im, Chris will be playing both “1917 Revolution” and first, the B-side “Sleeping Town”, on next Friday’s show. The podcast is already up online – do give it a listen. “Sleeping Town” is a real rarity for airplay (it starts at 24.36).

Any thoughts on this anomaly appreciated!

"Soldier In The Willow" video...

Just stumbled on this YouTube video of “Soldier In The Willow” from the first "Beau" album. 

Posted by a guy called Sean Shon, he’s used it as a backdrop to images of the Kent State atrocity back in 1970. Very atmospheric. 

Many thanks, Sean!

Top 5 Beau albums on Amazon...

Excellent news! The “Rattle The Asylum Bars” album is now available as part of any Amazon Prime subscription! Which probably goes to explain why that album’s still my top seller at Amazon…

And a great digital stocking filler, if I might make so bold!

As of now, worldwide my five top sellers on Amazon are:

Rattle The Asylum Bars

When Butterflies Scream

An Original Thought

Beau

Shoeless In The Desert

Meantime, from RTAB, enjoy “The Rose”…

"Sleeping Town" gets an outing...

Just flagged up in my Googlewatch, this recent post by Manos Fatisis - "Sleeping Town", the B-side of "1917 Revolution" from 1969. 

Cheers Manos - flip sides don't often get much of a look in!

"Imagination" - memories...

On this great day of the Eurovision Song Contest, I’m always taken back to 1970 when my “Imagination” song had been vetoed as a potential UK entry by the powers-that-be. 

That was when Dana eventually won for Ireland with “All Kinds Of Everything”. 

I remember sitting there on the night in my black spandex, screaming at the telly, “IT SHOULD’VE BEEN ME!”…

Blast from the past...

Hmm, interesting bit of history here that I don't think I've seen before. No idea where it came from...

Beau - "Soldier In The Willow" Kent State video...

I've just had flagged up to me this really affecting video of "Soldier In The Willow" from the original "Beau" album. 

Sean Shon - the guy who posted it - has used the song to underpin images from the Kent State shootings back in 1970. 

Unfortunately, he's disabled comments, so I can't thanks him. But Sean - if you get to read this, I really appreciate and like what you've done.

Begin the year as you mean to go on - with an original Dandelion ad...

Happy New Year, folks!

And to start 2018, a real blast from the past - from Time Out #23 in 1969!

“A Day In Eyam, The Plague Village” - video...

Delighted to say Roy Bailey’s version of my song, “The Roses Of Eyam”, starts off this short YouTube vid, “A Day In Eyam, The Plague Village”.

Thanks to Javier London.

My original version is featured on the 1974-recorded vinyl album, "Twelve Strings to the Beau".

"1917 Revolution" - 100 years to the day...

“Ten Days The Shook The World!” – it’s a cliché, but it’s true; and it all kicked off exactly 100 years ago today. 

Enjoy Kirbykat’s video of “1917 Revolution”…

It was 48 years ago today...

48 years ago today, this was recorded!

Time flies...

Japanese "Beau"...

Hmm, this guy's selling some of the Japanese import "facsimile" Dandy CDs at very sensible prices! 

This is the "Beau" one with the nine bonuses and lyric insert (our friends in Japan did a reasonable job in transcribing!) 

These usually cost an arm and a leg - if you can get 'em...

Guardian readers' "Bravery" nomination - "1917 Revolution"...

Funny the things that come up! "1917 Revolution" nominated as a "bravery" song by Guardian Readers! 

Who'd have thunk it?