Even though he wasn’t born when this group had their big hits, for a time The Human League were my son’s favourite band.

Recent events brought this song to my mind. Still waiting for the soldiers to be gone.

The Human League: The Lebanon

The band’s first hit, no 3 in the UK in 1995. An objection to the female condition, the song’s lyric playing against lead singer Gwen Stefani’s appearance. Commercial imperatives, though.

No Doubt: Just a Girl

Also lost to us last week was bass player Herbie Flowers. His CV is second to none.

Perhaps his most distinctive performance was his double bass line for Lou Reed’s Walk on the Wild Side but that could be matched by the innovation on David Essex’s Rock On.

Lou Reed: Walk on the Wild Side

David Essex: Rock On

Brian Keith (Herbie) Flowers: 19/5/1938 – 5/9/2024. So it goes.

Sérgio Mendes, who popularised Bossa Nova in the 1960s, has died.

I remember this very familiar tune as getting a lot of airplay at the time but it wasn’t a hit in the UK. (Only Never Gonna Let You Go was, and it only got to no. 45 in 1983.) It is however probably the one for which he will be most remembered.

Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66: Mas Que Nada

Sérgio Santos Mendes: 11/2/1941 – 5/9/2024. So it goes.

Former Liverpool and Scotland footballer Ron Yeats has died.

His arrival at the club, along with Ian St John, was credited by the legendary Bill Shankly as being the turning point to propel Liverpool to the top of the English game in the 1960s. Prior to their signings Liverpool had been jogging along as a middling Second Division club. So impressed was Shankly by Yeats that he immediately made him captain. Promotion followed straightaway, then two Championships sandwiched Liverpool’s first ever FA Cup win. Such was his stature that he was nicknamed “The Colossus”.

Given all that it now seems surprising that Yeats was only ever capped by Scotland twice.

Ronald (Ron) Yeats: 15/11/1937 – 6/9/2024. So it goes.

For a change, a TV theme from the 1970s. Follyfoot was a programme about a farm which took in horses in need of recuperation.

The tune will bring back memories for some.

The Settlers: The Lightning Tree (Theme from Follyfoot)

Despite its long afterlife this only reached no 46 in the UK on first release in 1984. It was a no 13 on re-release in 1990, though.

Talk Talk: It’s My Life

A double dose of nostalgia today. The 90s and Boghead.

Boghead was of course the ground where the mighty Sons of the Rock used to play before they moved to The Rock in 2000. At that point it was the oldest ground in Scotland that had been in continuous use.

This clip shows the new “Postage Box” stand, erected in 1980. This held 303 people rather than just 80 in the old one.

Where Boghead once was is now covered in housing.

The Supernaturals: High Tension at Boghead

A real forgotten track this.

The tune is of course based on a melody from the Largo section of Dvořák’s New World symphony, a theme also used for Goin’ Home.

I believe Smokey Blue’s Away got to something like no 38 in the UK charts in 1968.

1970s chart followers might recognise the singer’s voice though.

A New Generation were in fact an earlier incarnation of the Sutherland Brothers (later The Sutherland Brothers Band and then The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver.)

A New Generation: Smokey Blue’s Away

I noticed from the last link above that Iain Sutherland died in 2019. I missed that at the time.

Iain George Sutherland: 17/11/1948 – 25/11/2019. So it goes.

It’s a jaunty tune but it wouldn’t have been such a success I don’t think if it were not for Maggie Reilly’s vocal.

This is a Top of the Pops performance from 1983 (subtitled in both English and Spanish!)

Mike Oldfield (and Maggie Reilly): Moonlight Shadow