tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post5762431015622214044..comments2023-10-24T11:11:49.568+01:00Comments on There Are Places I Remember: Songs About Places: Helsinki/HKIGeoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966328708258079467noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-85805959683779481182012-05-30T21:24:25.049+01:002012-05-30T21:24:25.049+01:00Thanks for the suggestions -and the nulpoints hall...Thanks for the suggestions -and the nulpoints hall of fame! Fabulous...<br />I did tune into Eurovision, Trish -after all, Englebert Humperdink did write in to a previous column!<br />Re Finland's lack of success in Eurovision, a Finnish colleague has pointed out that it cant be to do with the language and songs because a)Though Finnish does have a lot of long words, Finnish songs and poems tend to build the rhythm with short words b)The stress is mainly on the first syllable, which suits the oompah beat beloved of Eurovision and c)There are a lot of vowels rather than consonants, which are better for singing. So the reasons for the nul points syndrome must be sought elsewhere...Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10966328708258079467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-9514425646235889402012-05-30T19:11:46.351+01:002012-05-30T19:11:46.351+01:00I agree with you that the Damon & Naomi instru...I agree with you that the Damon & Naomi instrument near the start sounds like a musical saw, but I don't think they have ever used one, so it must be some kind of keyboard sound....Hughnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-33764995180702976482012-05-30T19:05:24.885+01:002012-05-30T19:05:24.885+01:00Last year I caught Damon and Naomi, with Michio Ku...Last year I caught Damon and Naomi, with Michio Kurihawa, at Rough Trade East (in London). It wasn't packed but the crowd – partly indie fans, partly those with an artistic bent, a couple of Japanese people who could be either – seemed to sum up the cult status of Damon and Naomi. I’d ascribe that cult to the fierce intelligence of the pair, the introspection of the lyrics and the intimacy of their performance.<br /><br />They started with the wonderful 'Walking Backwards', which is unusually upbeat for them, and a single listen will velcro it to your brain. If there's a Damon & Naomi song you can hum on the way to the bus stop, that's the one. Damon was in bantering mood too, full of funny observations. He played acoustic guitar while Naomi plays keyboards. Kurihawa, as ever, stands impassive and allows his guitar to speak for him. One of joys of seeing this band in a live setting is in understanding how he makes the sounds that he does; I'm no muso but he's a spectacularly understated and underrated guitarist and creates the most haunting noises. The band acknowledged the Japanese earthquake/ tsunami by playing 'Ueno', named for the Tokyo station serving Northern Japan, and there was a plug for Michio's fund-raising efforts. To confound things again, they finished with the Stones' 'Shine a Light', a more acidic take on the song perhaps but still a buoyant way to end. A fine time was clearly had by band and crowd alike, and it was a good advert for the band, the excellent new album, and for the independent record sector which hosted the instore event....Gednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-15588145921043257472012-05-30T18:57:22.822+01:002012-05-30T18:57:22.822+01:00Geoff I loved the song Helsinki by Damon & Nao...Geoff I loved the song Helsinki by Damon & Naomi - it's majestic, brilliant psychedelic folk; thanks for posting that!Paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-5327254085821874682012-05-30T18:50:33.639+01:002012-05-30T18:50:33.639+01:00Ha ha, here is Tipi-tii!
http://www.youtube.com/wa...Ha ha, here is Tipi-tii!<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn3ufKi2PXwOwennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-83570453133498990152012-05-30T07:57:06.387+01:002012-05-30T07:57:06.387+01:00You might enjoy my site - http://www.nulpoints.net...You might enjoy my site - http://www.nulpoints.net/halloffame.htm - which is a fond look back at each and every one of Eurovision's Nul Pointers!Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-3792868811691040892012-05-30T07:55:38.255+01:002012-05-30T07:55:38.255+01:00I agree with you somewhat about Finland's prob...I agree with you somewhat about Finland's problem in Eurovision being to do with those decades when contestants had to sing in their own language (and I agree that Finnish seems to have particularly long words in it). But all of Finland's entries were in English between 1973 and 1976 and again since 2000 (except in 2008 and 2010); both of these periods allowed submissions in any language. Also, in 1990 and in 2012, the songs were in Swedish. So I don't think that the language thing completely explains why, before the 2006 victory, Finland was the ultimate under-achiever of Eurovision (it has placed last total nine times and scored "nul points" three times, as well as only winning it once). Before 2006, it was to the point where the words "nul points" were burned into the national psyche. In early 2006, before the victory that year, Kimmo Valtanen, the managing director of Sony BMG Music Finland, said in an interview: "It's been a total failure, it is truly a national trauma to us." Anyway, I don't understand it, but I think it's more than the language issue.....Garricknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-62780540346727273842012-05-30T07:47:08.475+01:002012-05-30T07:47:08.475+01:00I liked the timing of your column, Geoff! When I r...I liked the timing of your column, Geoff! When I read it, it was the day of the Eurovision Song Contest, which I don't usually watch, but watched this year because you discussed it in your blog! Did you watch it?Trishnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-46098557406711430312012-05-30T07:45:17.028+01:002012-05-30T07:45:17.028+01:00I like Geoff's suggestion best: "Shorts, ...I like Geoff's suggestion best: "Shorts, sandals and socks and a carrier bag of crisps and cheese sandwiches?" Except the carrier bag should have a pork pie or scotch egg in it too:)Daniellenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-88629254561636220092012-05-30T07:44:54.795+01:002012-05-30T07:44:54.795+01:00People did not tend to wear the same thing through...People did not tend to wear the same thing throughout England, it depended upon what people did for a living in your area. The traditional Southern Arable farmer would wear quite different clothes to a Yorskhire sheep farmer for purely practical reasons. In the early to mid 20th century, the English middle class may have worn something resembling a business suit: stokebrokers and others like them wore the architypical pin stripes and bowler hat. Northern working class wore wooden soled clogs or heavy boots, and strong, hard wearing clothes, and often a "flat cap". There was often little time for recreational dressing up, and so people wore clothes for purely practical reasons.<br /><br />The Welsh woman's "national costume" was not particularly Welsh: English women wore the same at one time, but moved on to new styles, but the old style persisted in Wales and became associated with it. The archetypical Scots national costume was a 19th century invention, designed to impress the English: their original kilt was a one piece garment and the whole lot was considerable different.Clintonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-74679461619770209722012-05-30T07:44:31.834+01:002012-05-30T07:44:31.834+01:00How about a kirtle and doublet and hose?How about a kirtle and doublet and hose?Robertanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-46193984916748533302012-05-30T07:43:36.270+01:002012-05-30T07:43:36.270+01:00You might enjoy this:) http://www.youtube.com/watc...You might enjoy this:) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP3fZp4UM2E - make sure you watch after 0.40 because that's when it gets funny......Josiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04475708672247853519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-44104756308246992472012-05-30T07:42:51.657+01:002012-05-30T07:42:51.657+01:00I think that like most "national" things...I think that like most "national" things, national dresses aren't drawn from real history but are recent inventions generally derived from a regional tradition and then retrospectively applied to an imagined national community. It would seem that when people were inventing the English national identity they never successfully put forward a traditional form of dress!Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10190486337916706104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-80685758868647268512012-05-30T07:42:05.707+01:002012-05-30T07:42:05.707+01:00I think you'd have to go for industrial revolu...I think you'd have to go for industrial revolution - dark trousers, white shirt, dark waistcoat, bowler or flat cap. Ladies, dark skirt, print blouse, and the ubiquitous shawl. I don't believe that was too much different between town and country. You know, mill girl or fish-wives - those blouses that cross over and pin, with no buttons, and woven shawls. Also inspired by the musical theatre group I used to be in, that always did dark, miserable shows. If you weren't wearing a shawl over your head, it wasn't right.Kylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02241232629745524311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-71799303274548963112012-05-30T07:41:48.672+01:002012-05-30T07:41:48.672+01:00This is how I picture the English!! (I'm from ...This is how I picture the English!! (I'm from the West Coast of the U.S.): http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RBpP9ES9u0s/T1eH5t_vJRI/AAAAAAAAA98/wb-RjCIg2Qs/s1600/4538967920_c17009ea27_o.jpg - always thought this was some kind of national dress!Sidneynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-45087637035945612652012-05-30T07:41:10.710+01:002012-05-30T07:41:10.710+01:00Geoff, I don't think many European countries h...Geoff, I don't think many European countries have national dress, either. It tends to be regional, doesn't it? Like Bavaria rather than Germany. Bretagne rather than France. The remarkable local costumes of Europe are connected with a type of regionalism and peasant culture which has had no equivalent in England because the English, by and large, followed the standard fashions of the cities after a lag in time, with some local variations. This is, of course, what happens throughout Europe nowadays. But wonderful regional European costumes are still brought on special occasions now, including the 'folkloric' costumes worn in Bavaria. These are from Föhr, one of the North Frisian Islands. The standards of taste and beauty in such traditional costumes are extraordinary.K.B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07064887918789647799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-66481126611059130602012-05-30T07:40:32.413+01:002012-05-30T07:40:32.413+01:00I think it should be wellies and a cardigan. For b...I think it should be wellies and a cardigan. For both genders.Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12345880035877836117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-28878178174978959382012-05-30T07:39:56.549+01:002012-05-30T07:39:56.549+01:00Geoff! I didn't know what the Pearly Kings and...Geoff! I didn't know what the Pearly Kings and Queens were so I looked it up. For anyone else (i.e. Americans!) who doesn't know, they were the leaders of the Victorian street sellers. They got their name because they wore 'pearl' buttons on their hats as a sign of authority. Later they began to wear clothes covered all over in buttons. They look like this: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0b/Pearlykingandqueen.jpg/220px-Pearlykingandqueen.jpg<br /><br />They seem awesome! Apparently they now spend their time collecting for charity. What a great history and tradition! That should definitely be your national dress!!Marthahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09666582384609617831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-51265030163785302892012-05-30T07:39:30.101+01:002012-05-30T07:39:30.101+01:00Please god no, not the Morris dancers as national ...Please god no, not the Morris dancers as national dress.M.J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07615974799201593427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-29736970117929058892012-05-30T07:38:58.369+01:002012-05-30T07:38:58.369+01:00Everyone knows what the male English traditional d...Everyone knows what the male English traditional dress is. Cloth cap, shirt with no collar attached, woolly muffler, jacket [doesn't have to fit--any dull colour ], grey-flannel trousers and boots. In summer, replace cloth cap with handkerchief and boots with old-fashioned sandals AND socks. This all seems to be disappearing nowadays. Have men no dress sense anymore?<br />:)Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15992349400128489370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-71341399293069960282012-05-30T07:38:02.879+01:002012-05-30T07:38:02.879+01:00Anyone remember that notorious episode during the ...Anyone remember that notorious episode during the Miss World pageant when the English contestant came out wearing a Beefeater's costume, it was very embarrassing ...........Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07633031262197544864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-73129684691283096002012-05-30T07:37:27.731+01:002012-05-30T07:37:27.731+01:00It could be a Yorkshire costume.... the old cloth...It could be a Yorkshire costume.... the old cloth cap and tweed style jacket / trouser......Mickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04129475788686123015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-7551227745312890712012-05-30T07:37:04.048+01:002012-05-30T07:37:04.048+01:00Anything is fine, as long as it comes with an umbr...Anything is fine, as long as it comes with an umbrella. That's truly a British accessory.Jackiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01014678269133561659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-57946207015378738092012-05-30T07:36:24.251+01:002012-05-30T07:36:24.251+01:00English national dress? To Americans like me, that...English national dress? To Americans like me, that would be one of the following:<br />1.) Mary Poppins & Bert<br />2.) Terry-Thomas in bowler<br />3.) The Queen in turquoise coat with matching hat and bag<br />4.) Twit of the Year costume a la Monty Python troupe<br />5.) Benny Hill in a little boy's school uniformJimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07613965085652294339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-79914147925026978232012-05-30T07:35:20.954+01:002012-05-30T07:35:20.954+01:00These people are trying to make a Medieval style o...These people are trying to make a Medieval style outfit into the English national costume!<br />http://www.englandandenglishhistory.com/traditional-english-national-dress. Or maybe it's some kind of Anglo-Saxon thing. The group seems to be an English National Costume group who are trying to make England's national dress be the clothes worn by the Anglo Saxons during the 7th century.Evahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09327741083352459478noreply@blogger.com