Thursday, March 29, 2007
VDU
Isn't that a wonderful album sleeve? Positively demonic. Does it glow in the dark?
Thing is, Val Doonican always seemed to end each show in his series with his latest *45 rpm* release, and it was always quite a downbeat song that didn't appeal to my very young ears in the way that a song by The Monkees did. Presumably Val was more proud of these downbeat songs than the novelty hits that used to be regular favourites on Radio One's Junior Choice.
It's difficult to find out much about Val from the internet. I was searching for song lyrics but very few are available. One of these is, of course, Paddy McGinty's Goat: probably Val's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida or Third Stone From The Son. A jewel in the Doonican crown, as it were. Its stream of conciousness words gather their own (often bawdy) momentum and hurtle off into never before explored realms, in the manner of the other Irish master, James Joyce.
Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any footage of the early, angry Doonican at his finest on YouTube. I did manage to find a clip from a 1977 show where he does a duet with a pre-Grease Olivia Newton-John.
In this series I seem to remember that Val went "a bit country, not very rock 'n' roll" which is something of a cop out in my opinion. I suppose as he grew older he found it difficult to maintain the same level of energy that used to leave him so spent at the end of earlier shows that he had to collapse into a rocking chair.
Mind you, a few of you seem to like all that Americana stuff, and this clip is no worse that some of the crap that ends up on free Uncut CD's. Besides, one of the commenters on YouTube says "bless you for posting this" which makes a change from the usual "LOL LOL ugleee, ugleee - is she a man?? LMFAO." shards of wisdom you get on there.
Spread a little niceness.
Labels: Americana, bestiality, goats, tell me more tell me more, Val Doonican
