I’ve just been on a
walking weekend in Cumbria with a group of friends. We’ve done this once a year for at least a decade, always finding a small hotel or inn as a base, whether in North Wales or Derbyshire or the Lakes or the Forest of Bowland. This year we were in Kirkby Lonsdale, staying at the Sun Inn, (www.sun-inn.info) which I highly recommend as a brilliant mix of ancient building and modern comfort.
The great thing about a long country walk is the chance to talk and joke at length, to reminisce and generally catch up with old chums. Of course I’m not the first to realise this. I like to think we are in the tradition, rather distantly, of Chaucer’s pilgrims in the Canterbury Tales – which incidentally is my Desert Island book.
And occasionally we tackle one of life’s’s really Big Questions. Such as which is the most forgettable music ever to have topped the charts? Tough one, but it came to us at a very muddy spot; a couple of our party rolled their jeans above their walking boots. Instant vision of the Bay City Rollers!
Who could forget the tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh with their ankle-length pants and extraordinary mullet hair-dos? But could we remember the songs they sang? Not one. Not until our friend Jimmy (who had something of a career in the music business) recalled a little number called ‘Shang-A-Lang’.
I’ve just watched a Top of the Pops out-take on You Tube. Lots of screaming girls and much flashing lights and strutting of stuff. But the music rang no bells at all.
So there you have it. Sorry boys, the Bay City Rollers’ music is the least memorable ever to have topped the charts. Unless you know better, of course.