Tuesday, March 24, 2009

"We've Got A Whisky Named After You"



All of this talk about what we had for our tea and did for our holidays back in 1970s Britland has set me off on what we watched when there was no school at about 10 o'clock in the morning whilst our mums hoovered upstairs and it was a bit boring outside.

I tell you, for years I thought there were countries where people spoke perfect, clipped Home Counties English but were somehow strangely unable to move their lips in synch with it.

Jacky (AKA Jackie Lee) - 'White Horses' (1968)

PS: I am aware that there is a version of this by Kitchens Of Distinction and bog knows how many other fey indie bands but really, come on, everyone knows this is the best record ever made by anyone ever.

PPS: Why is the TV version better than the record? Has it got more 'phasing' or 'reverb' or 'dampening' in it or something? Or what?

18 comments:

  1. I hated that song! I'm not sure it sounds good to me now, but it does remind me of Saint Etienne. But then they, like Pulp, always remind me of the early 70s more than anything else.

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  2. Yes but what about the 'phasing' or whatever? Eh?

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  3. That clip makes me nostalgic even though I've never seen this series before. The characters do all seem rather pre-occupied with sugarlumps, mind. Was this a recurring theme, or a sort of cast in-joke?

    And is it true that the bloke in the tweed jacket was Nigel Davenport's stunt double in Howards' Way?

    Anyway, marvellous.

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  4. The tv version does sound different. Sounds like there's some double tracking on the chorus and things being mono changes how direct it sounds.

    But if you want a really interesting effect play both the mp3 and the video at the same time. A little spooky at this time of night.

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  5. We make our own entertainment round here!

    Here's to double tracking on the chorus and things being mono.

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  6. Hey it's almost as good as watching Mad Men.

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  7. My band did a version of this too. My band. Ha! 'The band I was in'. But 'My band' definitely sounds better.

    I honestly don't remember every watching this ever, although that might be because I got too caught up in "You've got to fight for what you want..." and so on, which was brilliant. If you were a seven year old boy.

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  8. Like Adam, can't recall ever watching this.

    The Wedding Present did a version of this for a Peel Session

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  9. Is the Robinson Crusoe theme in TGOE crates

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  10. Sadly no, PM. But I have been reminiscing about that too recently.

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  11. I've got a feeling I have that one somewhere. I will investigate.

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  12. Hey! Just found yr v entertaining blog, & I can help with your pps query. Telly version is the mono single mix (with more compression & reverb), the downloadable version is the LP-only stereo mix (with a really dodgy edit going into the solo).
    And yes, it's a great song. You should investigate the rest of Jackie's catalogue. I particularly recommend "The Town I Live In"

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  13. Harvey, if I may say so that is a quality first contribution to this here blog and I thank you for it.

    Compression and reverb. I knew it'd be something like that...

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  14. Yes Harvey - a welcome and not insignificant contribution to Davy's equine stereo cum dubbing quandary.

    Why, if I'd have said that, he'd have assumed I was taking the proverbial.

    This is the same Irish bird Jackie Lee who sang with such gusto of Rupert The Bear (and friends) and on Hey Joe by Hendrix. What a fuckin cv!

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  15. I was half watching the clip whilst "working at home" and glanced up at 0:49 in and thought I saw the horse run past one of those swiss horns. On rewinding i found it was a level crossing barrier! I have a vague recollection this was Swiss am I right?

    whatever happened to these badly dubbed Euro kiddies programmes? (Of which I have fond memories as a child) I know the kids watch badly dubbed Japanese cartoons but is Euroland not making kiddies dramas anymore? (well I suppose the beebs only new kids content seems to be for the unde 5s these days)

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  16. 'White Horses' was, believe it or not peewit, Serbian. 'Belle And Sebastian' and 'The Adventures Of Robinson Crusoe' were both French. Mais oui.

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  17. But what about The Flashing Blade? French, surely - Adam's bang on the nose - simply marvellous! Although I seem to remember having no clue what was going on...

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