Saturday, December 31, 2011

Diddy's Disco


When we were lads, the pub that was the nursery of our drinking, just next to the school, threw a disco every New Year's Eve. The DJ was Diddy Dave the barman, a diminutive Lancastrian who had played the pubs and clubs of the North West in his youth and would consequently sometimes scatter a couple of northern soul classics in amongst the better known Tamla Motowns, Town Called Malices and Come On Eileens of our requesting. The Weather Girls 'It's Raining Men' I recall was a particular favourite of his - and no, 'he never married'. That dance floor in the public bar by the jukebox where the pool table usually sat was truly one of the greatest of my life, all spilt beer and sweat and hormones and cheap perfume on the girls from school done up to their nines. At midnight you were licensed to kiss every single one of them on the lips and they didn't even mind. Never such paradise again.

Now New Year's Eves are, as I have related here before, cosy indoors affairs that came as a mighty relief after so many over-priced nights in chocker London pubs with vomit and violence and hung-upness at best always just round the corner, in our difficult twenties, in our insecure thirties, and not a cab to be found gone midnight.

So - I've done another booze shop. And Mrs H's bezzie is joining us, which'll be nice. And the girlies will want to stay up too, now they're bigger.

Meanwhile Diddy Dave, I'd wager - long-since retired - will be playing cards at Hookhills Community Centre, then home for an early night.

This one's for him.

HNY to you all.

The Weather Girls - 'It's Raining Men' (1982)

18 comments:

  1. I love It's Raining Men. I got another camp disco classic recently for 50p which I intend to post in the near future.

    Well Mr H, I raise a glass to you and yours and hope that 2012 is as good as it can possible be for you all.

    Health and Happiness.

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  2. All the best Davy. Sounds like the ideal NYE

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  3. most people have the same sentiment this year:
    resolving not to go to the local boozer again ~ me and a few friends are heading for the beach with flasks of tea to dance under the fireworks:
    {it will probably be raining, but not men sadly}
    happy new year to you ☯

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  4. Happy New Year Mr H x
    Have a wonderful evening

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  5. by the way up here a diddy is something else, they are usually in pairs eg, "look at the diddies on that!"

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  6. Fascinating. Thanks for that.

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  7. That he will, old friend!

    "Last orders at the bar please!"

    See you next year.

    x

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  8. *Walks in to the sound of camp disco* ..
    Pint of eggnog with a cherry please Gloria. (If you can find it!) Bah. I see I missed out on my OBE for Services To Smutty Innuendo again.

    Oh, and put 1 in the barrel for the middle englander curmudgeon.
    Nice bright cardigan there davy boy; comfortably versatile yet re-assuringly practical. Been on the Armitage Shanks most of the day. Dodgy pie last night. Im a martyr to my colon: Hey, those moist toilet wipes are a revelation aren't they? A subtle hint of watermelon gently soothes, whilst allowing that all important confidence to a stinging starfish.

    Looking forward to strutting with you to Diddy's Dooleys medley later tonight. Ay ay, I see Boob Tubes Agogo is in. Guaranteed grope of the rumpy mutton as Big Ben bongs tonight.

    Just in case we get split up across the heaving dance floor, may I take this opportunity to wish you all every health and happiness in the year of Our Lord 2012.


    I truly aim to tolerate fuckwits more during this coming year. (Provided this doesn't encourage the cunts to take up any more of my time).

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  9. Merry New Year one and all.

    Staying home too (not that we have any choice with two nippers) but like Davy said NYE was always a nightmare evening out, I'm glad not to be bothered with it.

    If I manage to stay awake we'll be watching Lady Gaga in Times Square and I'll be knocking back the nice scotch I got for Xmas.

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  10. Missed this yesterday, had an at home one too, Chinese takeaway, half a bottle of JD. Not a bad night in the end.

    Happy New Year Davy, and all the rest of us!

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  11. Did you know that this song was written by Paul Shaffer, David Letterman's longtime bandleader and sidekick? (Not sure how well-known these people are in Albion...)

    More importantly, Happy New Year, Davy! I hope it's a good one for you and the family.

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  12. Thanks Emmett - likewise to you & yours. And no, I didn't know that.

    HNY companeros.

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  13. in keeping with the staying in for new years mode, did any of yis have the misfortune to see carol voderman wobble her diddies on jools's shite the other noght. i what was a a cringe-worthy affair from the off, yer womans carry on took the after 8. the kids enjoyed the show though.

    happy new year dave

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  14. 'Backatcha' anto.

    Despite myself and having spent most of the year taking the rise out of her and that ubiquitous, squeaky 'Not about the money, money' song to my girlies, I quite enjoyed Jessie J - and Imelda May was good, I thought. Sandie Shaw was not especially - but she seemed to be enjoying herself and is Sandie Shaw so will be forgiven. Forever.

    You should meet my mother-in-law: she hates Carol Vorderman with a passion.

    You're not my mother-in-law, are you, anto?

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  15. your mom in laws foul mouthed alter-ego.

    that guy with the head-stocking/burns victim thing was good doing his Ray Charles impression. and ruby turner got my daughter to do a dance which strangly brought to mind the dwarf offa twin peaks doin his bop in agent coopers dereams.
    the vaccines are better than you'd like them to be i keep finding.

    you'd think he'd have one band like the cults to ..well whatever.

    i always said me daughter was too good for you.

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  16. another good, get-you-thru-Jan-while-denying-your-working-class-roots thang is homemade stock. if you can get veal bones all the better.

    the annula vibe for Philo was on in dublin in commoration of the great man. a gathering for longhairs and pock-marked brothers if there ever was one but always great when they do the cowboy song.

    how did we get into this mayo-lynott mach up?

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  17. It appears the above comment was posted here in error. I would refer readers to the subsequent post 'Reasons To Be Cheerful - #1' for context - Ed.

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