Like wolf whistling, use of the term "dolly birds" is actually against the law, will lead to arrest and enforced listening to complete Eurovision competitions from 1969 - 1973.......... on loop. ABBA, of course revolutionised the competition in 1974, for one year only, by actually performing a decent song. I exclude all of the Irish, and United Kingdom entries from the above: they were, without exception, outstanding.
Even I had forgotten about wolf whistling, you would probably have to register as a sex offender if you did it these days. Or at least make a public apology to the Daily Mail newspaper.
To prevent this from getting too off topic, did you know the cover photo of Mary's Post Card album was shot by Linda McCartney?
Luckily I cannot whistle - I found that out at that pantomime with Mary in it. There is something about Mary, and it is this thread. Anyone caught reading the Daily Mail, should, of course, make a public apology. I'm going to hunt down the CD with Knock, Knock, Who's There? on it. Forty odd years on, and I still don't get the punch line. Is that, "Those were the days", compilation highly recommended?
I highly recommend it. It's a fantastic compilation of the essential Mary Hopkin songs, with singles and other album tracks included. Highlights: 'Que Sera, Sera', 'Fields of St. Etienne', 'Those Were the Days' and 'Temma Harbour'. Worth a buy, definitely. Buy the LP version if you can. (edit: it includes Knock Knock, Who's There? as well.)
Thank you, I've found it on eBay. The CD goes for about £14, unless @Bobby Morrow has already bought it. The LP I saw for £50, unless you want the Apple demo pressing, which has an opening bid of £249.99. If that was being sold by M&S, it would be a nice, round, £250. There must be a lot of love still for Mary, there are 12 bids on a hand signed, 8x10 photo; £36.99 so far. I apologise if any prices go up, for having posted this.
I paid AU$30 for my vinyl copy (it was a US pressing). Buy the CD if you want; I'm not stopping you. Yeah, I can imagine that people still love her; I had a crush on her just looking at her LP covers.
The CD seems to be a 1995 Remaster. Sadly with unpredictable cats, child and wife, I haven't played vinyl for a few years. Vinyl is also far too trendy! @bob60 maybe it was wolf whistling, that I failed to do as a young lad, at the London Palladium?!
Talking of daft Eurovision lyrics, spare a thought for poor Clodagh Rogers, who represented the UK the year after Mary appeared (1971). Thanks to the voting of the great British public, she was forced to joyfully sing the refrain: "You know whenever love knocks I'm going to bounce up and down on my spring..." Being a shy lass from Pontardawe, I'll bet Mary was truly grateful she wasn't saddled with that one...
My mum used to do keep fit to, Jack in the box. I'm sure that all the lyrics, including the title, are entirely innocent! I think @Bobby Morrow is right, they actually gave Mary a good song for her voice in Eurovision.
The joys 0f bouncing up and down on one's spring... I still think Olivia got the worst deal of the artists mentioned... A dismal song about the 'Sally Annie band' that even she hated. And Olivia likes everything! To make matters worse, I believe the public who clearly felt they hadn't done enough damage, also picked the dress she had on Eurovision Night. Poor Olivia was forced to wear a hideous, bright blue, ruffled creation that looked like something Anne Shelton threw out in 1955. No hot pants for ONJ! No wonder she buggered off to America immediately afterwards... Sorry for derailing the thread. Back to Ms Hopkins.
I mean, it is interesting reading about Eurovision and the weird antics that happen, and Mary did compete in it, but back to the topic. Anyone listened to this song before? Superb, as usual.
If I was Olivia I would have destroyed or dumped that frock the day before show, even if it meant going on stage in my vest and pants...
There are two certainties in this life on any thread on this forum. One, that The Beatles will be mentioned, and what have they got to do with Mary? Secondly, that Bobby will get Olivia in there somewhere, anywhere! At least Cliff hasn't been mentioned yet.... Now, I am going to watch Mary's video that @JonnyKidd kindly posted.
This is totally off subject! I am not going to even consider Olivia in vest and pants. Well maybe just in vest. Back to Mary, I'm going to get the, Those were the days, CD, her voice is truly beautiful, and a number of songs mentioned here are included.
My goodness, is it that time of year again already? Christmas comes around so quickly these days, huh? Beautiful - I sure miss the days when music as pure, innocent and melodic as this could be deemed commercially viable and worth releasing by the record companies.
Does anyone know any more about Liz Thorsen, the writer of the title tracks on 'Earth song, Ocean song'? They are very distinctive musically and lyrically and plainly Mary felt a great admiration for them, so I am just wondering if there are any other examples of her work out there? Thanks
Just a little technical note: On the "Those Were The Days" original 1972 compilation, "Temma Harbour" appears in its original mono single mix, while "Think About Your Children" appears in its original stereo single mix. For the 1995 CD, "Temma Harbour" was mixed into stereo for the first time, while for reasons unknown, the version of "Think About Your Children" has not only a different vocal take during the intro, but also two verses swapped. While the 2010 Apple reissue project features the original, unreleased version of "Fields Of St. Etienne" as a bonus track on "Post Card", it is insane to think that all those great singles recorded Mary in 1969-70 ("Que Sera Sera", the released "Fields Of St Etienne", "Temma Harbour", "Knock Knock", "I'm Going To Fall In Love Again", "Think About Your Children" and "Heritage") were not included in the project!
Wonderful rendition. Do you know there are also two different versions in existence ? The original 1972 version, and another one, almost similar but with slightly amended lyrics, released the following year.
@Calico do we know what label she went onto after Apple? And yes, I had heard about the changed lyrics 1973 version, because she actually had had a baby that year.
"Mary Had A Baby", released in late 1972, was a one-off release on the Regal Zonophone label. But the funny thing is that, in the Philippines, the local branch of EMI probably hadn't been informed that she was no longer on Apple, so that "Mary Had A Baby" was still released on the Beatles label over there !
Little known is the fact that in the summer in 1972, she had this hit in some European countries with "Summertime, Summertime" by Hobby Horse, in which she performed with husband Tony Visconti and another girl whose name escapes me right now. 1972 Mary Hopkin & Hobby Horse - Sweet And Low
