ukulele porn

There’s a bbc radio program called Desert Island discs where the basic premise is a guest chooses the records, a book and a luxury item, that they would take to a desert island.  It attracts lots of guests from a variety of backgrounds.  Randy Newman, George Cloony, John Updike, Rolf Harris – they’ve all graced the show.  Tuesday the 20th November, 1951, George Formby was on the show and here’s his list:

1. Bing Crosby – MacNamara’s Band
2. Josef Locke – Hear My Song, Violetta
3. Vera Lynn – Be Like the Kettle and Sing and After the Rain
4. Tennessee Ernie Ford – The Shot Gun Boogie
5. Philharmonia Orchestra – Londonderry Air
6. John McCormack – The Kerry Dance
7. Phil Harris and His Orchestra – Never Trust A Woman
8. George Formby – Leaning on a Lamp Post

Luxury item: his first ukulele.

I went to a book fair a few weeks ago in Holborn (London) and besides some other stuff, I also managed to get hold of the George Formby biography by Alan Randall and Ray Seaton for the bargain price of a pound.  It smells of old book, quite pungently, but besides that it’s in pretty good condition.  Still, a pound is a bargain.  If you look on abe, they have a first edition listed for sixty odd quid.  I shall endeavour to read it.