Friday, December 19, 2008

Satsumas To Peel



The girlies break up for the Christmas holidays today, and so do I. After all that hype and nonsense, the Christmas music in Starbucks since November, the Asda seasonal ads on the telly since October, this is really the start of Christmas proper for us as a family.

Tomorrow I'll buy the Christmas double issue Radio Times, not because we need it with all the free TV Guides in the weekend newspapers but because it's a tradition going back to the days when it was on ink-coming-off-in-your-hands newsprint with crinkly edges and you went through it in advance marking the films you planned to watch in blue biro and doing your best to make all of them ("Every Tarzan movie from the earliest Johnny Weissmuller through Lex Barker to Ron Ely's TV spin-offs? Ay carumba!"). There will be satsumas to peel, Cheesy Footballs and Quality Street too, I shouldn't wonder.

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In 1984 whilst he was a student working in John Lewis Oxford St in the holidays, my friend Carlos sold the production crew the actual Christmas decs fussed about with by George Michael in this video.

Meanwhile that 'a man undercover lyric' sounds a little prescient now, huh?

I'm not posting an mp3 of this because I figure if you like it you'll already have it, and if you don't...er...you won't want it.

Personally I think it is one of the finest Christmas pop songs of our generation, but please don't mention Whigfield.



Some disco later. Of course.

19 comments:

  1. I've heard so many different acts covering this track but none of them was a patch on the original. Definitely one of my three favourite Christmas hits of all time, this. That boy certainly knew how to write a tune. (funny how everything he's written since Wham! has been godawful bollocks though.)

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  2. He kinda lost his.....well, wham, didn't he?

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  3. He certainly did. If only he'd taken the exclamation mark with him...

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  4. Despite your warning I'm still checking in...

    I was introduced to George once, 1983 in the Cocktail Bar of the Camden Palace - Limahl was there, along with Paul Gambo and Leee John- what a grump, (George - that is)...

    Can I add to the Christmas hamper ...tinned ham, pop-a-top jars of peanuts, Brazil nuts (and nutcrackers) and fruit shaped marzipan things..

    Ps and as you're not posting can I sneak this in the DJ BC rework of Last Christmas

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  5. Sneak away dear boy, just giss a few o' they peanuts.

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  6. Orange n lemon shaped jellied things in a circle. What are they all about?

    Now come on Davy, y'know you cant just have ONE fistful of peanuts.
    Speaking of nuts (and Georgey the Greek Popodopodopolous), I personally like the bigger 'jumbo' salted nut (not detached from its other half - like George n Andrew were) which I can suck on and roll around the tongue. Dry Roasted just don't do it for me.

    And what kind of cheese goes in those cheese balls exactly?

    Sir
    I remain
    Your Honourable Comestible Servant

    Dick

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  7. It says 'dried cheese' Dickie. That doesn't sound terribly nice, does it?

    Nut-wise, I'm quite the cashew man.

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  8. We alwaysb had Ferrero Rocher as my aunt Betty thought that they were the classiet chocolate around.
    As for George Michael, the less I say the better,
    I am starting to feel old, not the same sort of buzz as i used to get breaking up for the christmas holidays. Going out for a drink with the mates tonight and not really looking forward to annual amateur drinkers night in the pub.
    As for the Davy's Friday Disco i'm still waiting for soul sunday.
    Cheers
    Drew

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  9. My nut of choice is the Honey Roast - a bugger to find though, other Christmas tit-bits are....

    Figs/dates - what's the diff'

    Newberry Fruits for the elderly relatives

    PS have you tried The Goodies with your tots, my two love it. Perfect for Christmas - Goodies and The Beanstalk and this

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  10. Bah humbug Mr Drew, you'll get yer disco: have a cheesy football. As for Soul Sunday....er, yes, sorry about that....I did start to work something up but it felt forced and I do like to be natural dahlings.

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  11. Can't abide figs. Keep you regular though.

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  12. One too many " as for's" in my comment. We don't like anything to be forced and the figs may help with that
    Drew

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  13. Figs are fine fare. But only if fresh off the tree.
    Listen to me - all epicural smart arse like. I can say such pretentious cosmopolitan bollocks now - having lived in overseas in warmer climes. As a kid however, the most exotic fruit I saw was the odd half cherry in a tin of Del Monte fruit salad.

    Cashew. Bless you.

    Yoy'll be partaking in the odd Newberry Fruit these days then PM?

    Leave the young totty well alone tonight Drew and wear a sturdy windproof jacket. The string vest approach aint big nor clever when traipsing round town in the cold rain.

    Remember when Hampers were all the rage?

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  14. DVD - With a sturdy windproof on, I don't think that the young totty will give me a second look anyway, not that there is much of it in our local anyway, being the kind of place that has pickled eggs as bar snacks!

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  15. Whigfield? hated the records, but had a particular spot for her. Pigtails I think it was.

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  16. Wasabi peanuts, people. And I know you might all be saving these up for the 'drink' comment thread but Greens Ginger Wine, too. And if I can have a ponce option (after wasabi peanuts? okay, if I can have another ponce option) then mostarda di cremona often makes an appearance at this most wonderful time of the year.

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  17. Yep, loved him in Fantasy Island.

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  18. the giant tin of roses my dad always got given from work holds a very fond spot. for banging on and annoying the hell out of everybody as much as for the chocolatey godness
    x

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  19. Bless you dear boy - there's still a few of Adam's wasabi peanuts left if you're up to it x

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