18 Jun 2009
The hand-clapping sequence at the end of Blockbusters
And so we bid a fond farewell to the magnificent but now completed McIntyre, Treadmore and Davitt with Hedley Verityesque, which namechecks no fewer than three celebrities in their sixties, who must be taking each day as it comes (if they’re aware of the frequent consequence of getting a mention in an HMHB song). I’ve never fathomed out what might be described as “Hedley Verityesque” (a certain bowling action, perhaps?). I’m sure you’ll tell me. Thanks to Sarah, Nigel, gNick and John
See lyrics to Hedley Verityesque
9 Letters Sent:
Max Williams
I’ve spent half my life puzzling over these lines:
Come re-live my paper round with me
and
And I don’t want any more stark German film noirs
At last, the mystery solved! Thanks Chris!
Jun 19th, 2009
Dave F.
Both of the lines below have half of the lyrics repeated as BVs.
And I don’t see any more pent up Alsatians
And I don’t want any more stark German film noirs
In my mind I’ve always heard it as Stock German…
As in film stock & also as in basic/standard, but I concede that films of the noir variety can be stark.
Come re-live my paper round with me is a favourite of mine, but could never put my finger as to why.
Jun 19th, 2009
Charles Exford
Yes I think until last night I’d thought of it as ‘stock’, without actually ever really trying to listen that hard. Now I know it’s ‘stark’.
I think I never really tried because for once I didn’t think I had much hope of finding much connection between the various images collaged together in this one.
It’s just such a great tune to let wash over you. If I’m not mistaken Simon Blackwell has a big presence in this one ? So much going on with the different guitars… and that lilting organ sound, dreamy like the “warm lagoon” bit, somewhere between Golden Brown, the Monster Mash and one of those big early 60s surf hits like Telstar, I can’t quite pin it down, but lovely.
Which is why, for once, I don’t really mind what “Hedley Verityesque” means, because I think NB’s just having fun inserting those words into the rhythm.
Maybe he heard a bowlers action described as “Hedley Verityesque” by one of the older comentators, noted in down for future use & here he’s found the perfect rhythm but is using it to mean “utterly legendary and heroic”? Not many international sportsmen have ever passed into folklore in quite the way he did, with 6 grenades in pockets, ready to bowl a wicket maiden at the enemy machine gun nests as soon as he got them within 22 yards…and inspiring a plethora of childhood comic strips .. “Owzat, Fritz ?”
Jun 19th, 2009
Daryl
I think we’ve all had enough of stark German film noirs, haven’t we?
Jun 30th, 2009
Steve Malkmoose
Interstingly enough Hedley Verity was featured in a news item on Sky SPorts News yesterday! As the 2nd Ashes Test takes place at Lords this week they were reflecting back on Englands last win there.. in 1934! Hedley spun the Aussies out taking 15 wickets in the match on a traditional old ‘sticky wicket’.
He was one of Englands all time best left arm spin bowlers and any great bowling feat by a similar type of bowler could be said to be “Hedley Verityesque” though I confess I had never heard the phrase before.
Jul 14th, 2009
Charles Exford
A visit to the new Wetherspoon’s in Leeds named after Hedley Verity got me googling today for some 1930’s footage, and sure enough here’s the legendary bowler getting 14 wickets in one day in that test match mentioned by Mr. Malkmoose above. The commentary is often a few seconds out of sync, which could be confusing, but Verity of course is the dark-haired left armer.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=61605
While googling around I also found an interesting (though somewhat cringeworthy) sonnet written about Verity’s death by a 22-year-old fellow 8th Army officer (not someone who knew him, but a cricket fan from a different regiment who weren’t in action till three months after Verity died). The poem envisions our hero bowling his slow left-armers at no lesser batsman than the deity Himself, with a capital ‘H’.
Ironically, or perhaps inevitably, the author himself was killed two weeks after he first saw action, and is buried in Italy in the next British cemetery along, just 25 miles from Verity.
“Verity”
by Drummond Allison, 1943
In memory of Captain Hedley Verity,
The ruth and truth you taught have come full circle
On that fell island all whose history lies,
Far now from Bramhall Lane and far from Scarborough
You recollect how foolish are the wise.
On this great ground more marvellous than Lord’s
- Time takes more spin than nineteen thirty four -
You face at last that Bradman-shaming
Batsman whose cuts obey no natural law.
Run up again, as gravely smile as ever,
Veer without fear your left unlucky arm
In His so dark direction, but no length
However lovely can disturb the harm
That is His style, defer the winning drive
Or shake the crowd from their uproarious calm.
Feb 28th, 2011
Arthur Lowe
I always heard it as ‘stock German film noirs’, but stark fits better. Just one thing though. Can anyone name a German film noir, stark or otherwise?
As everyone knows, with the possible exception of the multi-talented Claudia Winkleman, the term originally surfaced to specifically describe the dark crime films that came out of America in the 40’s and 50’s (Murder, My Sweet, Double Indemnity, The Killers….and other gems), but has since been hijacked to pigeonhole any old world cinema with dark photography and criminals in.
For example, British films like ‘The Third Man’, Hammer B films like ‘Jail Bait’ and ‘Bad Blonde’, French films like ‘Bob Le Flambeur’, ‘Touchez pas au grisbi’ and ‘Elevator to the Gallows’, the Japanese ‘Stray Dog’ etc. have all been labelled ‘film noir’. For the life of me though, I can’t think of any German examples.
Unless he’s talking about neo-noirs, which is a different ball game altogether.
Its been eating at me for years. Any cinephiles out there care to comment…..?
Jun 24th, 2011
Third Rate Les
I always wince when The Third Man gets described as “film noir”, largely just because it’s black & white, has scenes shot at night, and involves some unsavoury incidents. You could categorise Casablanca in the same way using those criteria. Or “Les Tontons Flingeurs”.
I always heard it as “stock” too – that’s quite a sound difference. Will need to do some careful listening this evening.
Jun 24th, 2011
Arthur Lowe
I have to admit I’m with the purists on this one, i.e. film noir is American, black and white and made between 1940 and about ’58.
I find it particularly irksome when I see ‘The Third Man’ described as film noir.
Its like calling a ‘Oh, Mr. Porter!’ a ‘screwball comedy’.
Jun 27th, 2011
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