Friday 8 June 2012

Lenny Henry should be shot (not really)!

OK, so I'm a bit late. I've been traveling around and going to family weddings and things. I did sit down and watch the Jubilee Concert though, and I must admit it was better than I anticipated. However - there were very definitely some very dodgy bits.

Here are my impressions:

Robbie Williams (who isn't known in the US, and therefore not too familiar to me) reminds me of Norman Wisdom. My mother kept telling me how daft he is and what a great sense of humo(u)r he has, but those silly faces at the camera just looked like well, Norman Wisdom. (I realise I'm really aging myself with this, but Google him and you'll see what I mean.)



Cliff's voice isn't what it used to be. And he's either going deaf or he can't sing on key. Overall, not very impressed.

Madness - were ace. I've always liked them and they sounded every bit as good as they did back in the day!

Grace Jones - not at all sure why she was there, nor why she was hula-hooping. I like her stuff, but would definitely have had her sing "My Jamaican Guy", which has a little more oomph!

Sir Elton - Hmmm. Giving him lots of credit for having just had pneumonia.

Sir Tom - (is he a Sir?) - whether you like him or not, his voice sounded fantastic. Strong, and in key. AND (Cliff) he didn't move around and otherwise jiggle his old-man bits.

Sir Paul - you can't go wrong with the Beatles' library of songs, but his voice was a little hoarse. However, he sounded like he had a cold at the end when he could hardly speak, so once again, I'll give him a break.

And Lenny Henry? You don't interrupt Rolf Harris (who should be a Sir if he isn't already) when he's half way through the 2nd verse of Two Little Boys. I realise Lenny was probably obeying the little voice in his head piece, and the Queen had a beacon to light, but -

 DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN.



13 comments:

  1. Quite agree, although you were a lot more generous towards Macca than I was. His voice has gone and he just croaked through his list. It was painful.

    I was horrified at Lenny Henry's interruption of Rolf. Everyone was singing along, why couldn't they just finish song all of 30secs later!

    Plus the BBC cut off the end of the fireworks, just at the finale!!

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  2. Yes, I think it looked bad for Lenny as well. I actually thought all the comedians were pretty ropey - although I'm sure it was a very difficult thing to do.

    Agree about Cliff et al - thought many of the ageing singers were losing their voices although I can't believe how suspiciously young they look - Macca must be older than my dad! Grace Jones was just bizarre.

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  3. Loved Grace Jones, she's fab. I don't like Robbie Williams who looks so smug all of the time when he is infact a younger version of Norman Wisdom (have been saying the same thing for years, but it does age you when people say 'Who?').

    Unfortunately, Paul McCartney's voice had gone - he has been singing like that for a while now, and should sadly retire from singing. And yep, Sir Tom still sounds as fresh as a daisy. Even my 15 year old thinks he's cool!

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  4. You know the 'snog, marry, push-off-a-cliff' game? Yes? Well, here's my two-pence worth then:

    * Robbie - off a cliff (for all the reasons already named above)
    * Cheryl Cole - ditto (and because she cannot sing)
    * Jessie J - snog, a fine pair of lungs on the girl (plus she has 'presence', unlike others, see above)
    * will.i.am - snog
    * Cliff Richard - OMG, even Everest is not high enough
    * Shirley Bassey - cliff, definitely
    * Grace Jones - snog, if only for the mere fact of showing Lady Gaga up at the ripe old age of 64
    * Elton - put the man out of his misery, cliff
    * Kylie - snog, showed how it is REALLY done, huge kudos (plus she looks so much better since laying off the excessive botox)
    * Annie Lennox - snog, class act even if a bit rough towards the end
    * Ed Sheeran - snog
    * JLS - cliff, the lot of them
    * Jools Holland - zzzzz, same ol', same ol'... cliff
    * Alfie Boe - snog, until he did the 'dad dance' *cringe*
    * Madness - snog
    * Macca - cliff, looks like the bloodhound the hunting party forgot about and howls accordingly
    * Stevie Wonder - see Jools Holland, above
    * Sir Tom Jones - marry, for sure. Even OH (who is Welsh) would allow me that.

    LCM x

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  5. LCM - should've just asked you to write the post. Excellent job! Thank you!

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  6. Yes, have to agree (even though it pains me because Rolf is an Aussie and I'm a Kiwi) you do not interrupt Rolf in what must be one of the most poignant songs in the universe.

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  7. Such an eye opener, that concert.

    Grace Jones (Jamaican, Commonwealth, like Kylie, see?) fab - she's bonkers, but sang in tune whilst hula hooping through the entire song.

    Sir Tom - still got it, unlike other old timers.

    Cheryl - can't sing for toffee (she even mimed on "The Voice"!

    And as for Rolf - I can't forgive him; I had a sobbing eight year old on my lap for about 10 mins after "Two Little Boys"!!

    What a bonkers, British mix it was!

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  8. Concert? Huh? What concert? *outing myself as the bloody foreigner that I am...*

    Looking forward to see you at BritMums live. Wanted to come to the writing/publishing session anyway. xx

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  9. To be fair, maybe some of the OAP Performers might have been off-key due to the miserable weather....! Maybe?!
    I saw Robbie Williams perform with Take That last year. If he's norman wisdom he's a very crude version. I liked him up to seeing him in concert.....

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  10. Madness and the lighting effects were brilliant.
    Tom Jones definitely yes.....
    The rest ..... well it was good to see them but....
    Anyway, I enjoyed it all.
    Maggie X

    Nuts in May

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  11. I think the coverage of the Jubilee concert on Expat Mum challenges the BBC's with its thoroughness and astute observations.

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  12. I had that Rolf Harris song on a record when I was a child (an album called "Junior Hits"). My mum said she couldn't listen to it, made her cry. I couldn't ever understand that - "But Mum, it has a happy ending!" Now I have two sons, I completely get it. Can't listen to it myself without welling up.

    Great commentary on the concert. I only saw a three-minute round-up of it. Madness looked great - a bit cheeky though. Were they implying that life at the Palace isn't all sweetness and light? Was it a comment on the House of Windsor?

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  13. Have to nod furiously at your review, terribly disappointed by Macca who should really be put out to pasture, but my biggest disappointment was Lenny Henry interrupting Rolf. Apart from the fact that my Mum knew him when she was a young woman, Dad used to croon that song to me when I was a little girl. You can't leave him dying in teh ditch. Sniff. That's not right. Vix x

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