Last Sunday I used to be sitting on the backyard porch of my Bangkok abode grappling with the crossword and watching the birds hopping across the backyard. My spouse, who was away in Chaiyaphum, had simply known as and I had reassured her that all the pieces was high-quality and really tranquil… an ideal Sunday afternoon.
Suddenly the peace was shattered by an eruption from the bushes. The subsequent factor I noticed amidst a flurry of trampled crops and flowers was my canine barking his head off in sizzling pursuit of a big monitor lizard which scurried throughout the garden in a state of panic. It resembled a kind of old Tom & Jerry cartoon chase scenes.
After a few loopy circuits of the backyard the canine finally cornered the lizard after which, somewhat disturbingly checked out me to take cost. As I nervously approached the lizard it started snarling and swishing its tail menacingly. It was a significantly pissed off lizard and I felt it prudent to make a tactical retreat.
Normally on events like this Noi, who takes care of our home, would kind issues out. However, he had gone out visiting his grandchildren. So for practically an hour there was a standoff with the canine going bananas and barking so loudly all of the native hounds joined within the racket. I used to be half-expecting a delegation of neighbours to reach and demand I shut the canine up.
Eventually I reluctantly phoned Noi who fortuitously wasn’t that far-off. He shortly got here to the rescue by shaking a brush on the confused lizard which instantly dashed off, leaping right into a drainage ditch behind the backyard. I had suffered a whole lack of face however did not care and extra importantly Sunday afternoon peace was restored.
I by no means did end the crossword.
Garden Kinks
The above incident oddly jogged my memory of certainly one of my favorite British pop teams, the Kinks. Back in 1966 the Kinks had a giant hit with “Summer Afternoon” and I can recall sitting within the backyard again in England listening to this nostalgic track on a uncommon sunny afternoon. Band chief Ray Davies says he wrote the track regarding a fallen aristocrat at a time he was feeling fairly depressed, but it surely works a deal with. The melodic chorus of “lazing on a sunny afternoon within the summertime” caught the temper of the nation and was sufficient to make you neglect any woes, if only for a couple of minutes.
Waterloo sundown
Another enjoyable Kinks track I all the time take pleasure in listening to is “Waterloo Sunset”. It is a stunning whimsical quantity and was voted by an English FM station as “The Greatest Song About London”. The working title was truly “Liverpool Sunset” as Davies was keen on the Merseyside metropolis. However, the Beatles had simply launched “Penny Lane” a few road in Liverpool and it was thought prudent to shift the Kinks track to a London setting.
However, some wordplay is likely to be concerned, as there’s additionally a Waterloo district in Merseyside. The solely motive I do know that is that when my brother attended a financial institution coaching course in Liverpool again within the Nineteen Sixties he performed just a few video games for Waterloo rugby membership.
Anyway, when you have a sudden urge to burst forth into track over breakfast, this is a possibility.… “Dirty old river, should you retain rolling, flowing into the evening …”
More lacking guitars
My because of a reader for stating that Paul McCartney, whose stolen guitar was talked about in final week’s column was not the one member of the Beatles to endure the lack of a favorite instrument.
John Lennon’s important guitar was stolen after a 1963 live performance in Finsbury Park London however magically resurfaced in America 50 years later. George Harrison’s favorite guitar, a gift from Eric Clapton in 1968, was stolen from below his mattress in his Beverly Hills home in 1973 by a burglar however finally returned in change for another guitars.
Harrison had named the pink guitar “Lucy” after the red-headed American comedienne Lucille Ball. It’s the guitar he performed on his well-known composition, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”.
Black Beauty
Many blues and rock stars gave their guitars a nickname similar to they have been pets. The color of the guitar usually performed a task with Neil Young referring to certainly one of his favourites as “Old Black” whereas an early Eric Clapton guitar was merely “Blackie”. Jim Hendrix named certainly one of his favorite guitars “Black Beauty” though one other model was known as “Betty Jean” after a highschool sweetheart.
One of the extra quirky names is offered by Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards who named his guitar “Micawber” after the ever-optimistic character within the Charles Dickens traditional, David Copperfield. A Dickens fan, Richards mentioned he selected Micawber as a result of “it’s such an unlikely title”.
Trigger
One of probably the most well-known guitars is Willie Nelson’s “Trigger” named after Roy Rogers’ horse. Willie, now aged 90, is so keen on his historical guitar it reportedly has its personal bodyguard. Nelson has performed this guitar since 1969 and it carries autographs of dozens of celebrities and regardless of its battered state have to be price fairly a bit.
He advised Rolling Stone journal: “I do not know what I’d do with out Trigger. We’re each fairly old, received just a few scars right here and there, however we nonetheless handle to make a sound each from time to time.”
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Roger Crutchley
Bangkok Post columnist
A very long time widespread Bangkok Post columnist. In 1994 he received the Ayumongkol Literary Award. For many years he was Sports Editor on the Bangkok Post.
Email : [email protected]
