I jointly dedicate my song today to four people, all of whom are celebrating their birthday. One dedication is for my niece, Joanne Brown who is married to my nephew, Lee Brown, and the couple lives in Kirkheaton, Huddersfield with their daughter Chloe. One dedication is to a friend who attends my parish church in Keighley, Christine Pierre. The remaining two dedications are to Facebook friends, Julie Elizabeth Barrass who lives in Cleckheaton and the final dedication is to Simon Mayne who lives in Northallerton.
Today, my song is ‘Pretty Flamingo’. This song was written by Mark Barkan, which became a hit in 1966 when Manfred Mann’s recording of it was released as a single. The single reached Number 1 in the ‘UK Singles Chart’ on 5 May 1966. Manfred Mann's recording was a minor hit in the United States where it spent eight weeks on ‘Billboard’s Hot 100’ chart, peaking at Number 29 during August, 1966. It was also successful in Ireland and was Number 1 there for four weeks.
The speaker describes a woman, whom all the guys call 'Flamingo', because her hair glows like the sun and her eyes can light the sky. It is a woman for whom the singer has fallen, and he plans to win her affection.
Both the Everly Brothers and Gene Pitney released cover versions of ‘Pretty Flamingo’ on albums they recorded in 1966.
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The only life association that I can make with this song is that it was recorded and released at a time in my life when I decided to return from Canada, having spent the previous two years there.
During the latter six months of my Canadian experience, I was courting a young woman called Jenny Downton. Jenny was the 17-year-old daughter of the British Trade Commissioner to Canada. While Jenny’s parents were perfectly happy for our association to continue, I felt it would be unfair to her. Jenny had been brought up in a lifestyle which I could never give her.
The very first time I was invited to lunch at the house her parents were living at, I arrived at a huge manor house in Toronto with a dining table that seated dozens of people. The diners were high ranking officials of Government or Canadian business moguls.
Despite their lifestyle of grandeur, Jenny Parents always welcomed me and never looked down on me. They probably would have been happy for me to become a son-in-law in the years ahead after their daughter had completed her university education when she was 21/22 years old. I was not the type of person who would possibly ask a young woman aged 17 years, with a glorious future before her to give it up for me and therefore, I ended our relationship. Were the I to relive my life and return to the same situation today, I don’t know if I would decide any differently.
Still, life happens the way it does for a particular reason we are unaware of at the time, and I thank God that when the dice were thrown up in the air in 2010, they landed lucky side up, bringing into my life, my beautiful wife and lifelong soul mate, Sheila. To use a turn of phrase common to many teenagers, ‘She’s my bird’ my Pretty Flamingo.
I jointly dedicate my song today to four people, all of whom are celebrating their birthday. One dedication is for my niece, Joanne Brown who is married to my nephew, Lee Brown, and the couple live in Kirkheaton, Huddersfield with their daughter Chloe. One dedication is to a friend who attends my parish church in Keighley, Christine Pierre. The remaining two dedications are to Facebook friends, Julie Elizabeth Barrass who lives in Cleckheaton and the final dedication is to Simon Mayne who lives in Northallerton.
Have a smashing day Joanne and leave some room for lots of cake. Love Uncle Billy and Sheila x
I also wish Christine, Julie and Simon the happiest of birthdays. May all your day be filled with much happiness, love and peace. Love Bill x
Love and peace Bill xxx
Today, my song is ‘Pretty Flamingo’. This song was written by Mark Barkan, which became a hit in 1966 when Manfred Mann’s recording of it was released as a single. The single reached Number 1 in the ‘UK Singles Chart’ on 5 May 1966. Manfred Mann's recording was a minor hit in the United States where it spent eight weeks on ‘Billboard’s Hot 100’ chart, peaking at Number 29 during August, 1966. It was also successful in Ireland and was Number 1 there for four weeks.
The speaker describes a woman, whom all the guys call 'Flamingo', because her hair glows like the sun and her eyes can light the sky. It is a woman for whom the singer has fallen, and he plans to win her affection.
Both the Everly Brothers and Gene Pitney released cover versions of ‘Pretty Flamingo’ on albums they recorded in 1966.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The only life association that I can make with this song is that it was recorded and released at a time in my life when I decided to return from Canada, having spent the previous two years there.
During the latter six months of my Canadian experience, I was courting a young woman called Jenny Downton. Jenny was the 17-year-old daughter of the British Trade Commissioner to Canada. While Jenny’s parents were perfectly happy for our association to continue, I felt it would be unfair to her. Jenny had been brought up in a lifestyle which I could never give her.
The very first time I was invited to lunch at the house her parents were living at, I arrived at a huge manor house in Toronto with a dining table that seated dozens of people. The diners were high ranking officials of Government or Canadian business moguls.
Despite their lifestyle of grandeur, Jenny Parents always welcomed me and never looked down on me. They probably would have been happy for me to become a son-in-law in the years ahead after their daughter had completed her university education when she was 21/22 years old. I was not the type of person who would possibly ask a young woman aged 17 years, with a glorious future before her to give it up for me and therefore, I ended our relationship. Were the I to relive my life and return to the same situation today, I don’t know if I would decide any differently.
Still, life happens the way it does for a particular reason we are unaware of at the time, and I thank God that when the dice were thrown up in the air in 2010, they landed lucky side up, bringing into my life, my beautiful wife and lifelong soul mate, Sheila. To use a turn of phrase common to many teenagers, ‘She’s my bird’ my Pretty Flamingo.
I jointly dedicate my song today to four people, all of whom are celebrating their birthday. One dedication is for my niece, Joanne Brown who is married to my nephew, Lee Brown, and the couple live in Kirkheaton, Huddersfield with their daughter Chloe. One dedication is to a friend who attends my parish church in Keighley, Christine Pierre. The remaining two dedications are to Facebook friends, Julie Elizabeth Barrass who lives in Cleckheaton and the final dedication is to Simon Mayne who lives in Northallerton.
Have a smashing day Joanne and leave some room for lots of cake. Love Uncle Billy and Sheila x
I also wish Christine, Julie and Simon the happiest of birthdays. May all your day be filled with much happiness, love and peace. Love Bill x
Love and peace Bill xxx
