Monday, June 29, 2009

Keeping your cool

I awoke to the most terrifying words in the F-C vocabulary: heatwave warning.

You know me, I just can't handle it. I barely slept a wink last night, as Mrs F-C insisted on having the windows open, meaning you can hear a pin drop from six miles away, thanks to the industrial architecture that buffers our cul-de-sac. Time to get the fan down from the attic.

So let's think cooling thoughts today. To help you relax, here's Strawberry Switchblade with the criminally overlooked Since Yesterday follow-up Trees and Flowers. Although it's actually about hating trees and flowers, it's a gorgeous clarinet-heavy summery swirl for lying in the long grass and staring up at the sky. (See also Mouthful of Grass by Free and Who Knows Where The Time Goes by Sandy Denny). This 12" version is especially evocative. There's nothing like the clarinet for evoking the swoonsome dreaminess of a warm midsummer afternoon.

4 comments:

Cocktails said...

That is lovely - although probably not so good to be listening to mid-afternoon in a stuffy office...

What was the original film clip like? I assume that it wasn't the Disney Silly Symphony this clip is paired with?!

Jon Peake said...

I've never seen a video for it, but there may be one lurking on YouTube somewhere.

Brian Rowland said...

It's possible, although I'm happy to be proved wrong, there was no promo video. This actually came out in summer 83, well over a year before Since Yesterday, and came out on (I think) Rough Trade. It is indeed a lovely record.

Wil said...

I've been sleeping downstairs on the sofa with the patio doors open for the last few nights. Mildly uncomfortable but better than sweltering upstairs. I just can't take the heat and do get a little annoyed at people staring at you as if you're some kind of freak for saying so. I like normal English weather and am quite happy with the the slightly chilly, grey days that looks like a 16mm public info film from the 70s.

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