Fan’s Favourites

Microphone 1On stage 16Tell us your two favourite Gracie songs (one comic, one refined) your favourite film, and if you have one, your favourite Gracie photo, and help us build up a virtual ‘Desert Island Discs‘ of Gracie fans.

Add a few words of explanation too if you’d like.

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Barry Britten – Chris Webster – Darren Doherty – David Bolton – David Hornby – John Taylor – Paul Donnelly – Peter Dargue – Robbie Murdoch Paton – Seb Lassandro – Shaun Hewitt – Sheila Mary Fraser

Barry Britten
bingFavourite serious song; ‘Speak Softly Love’ 
 ‘Speak Softly Love’  I think it is the best interpretation of the song, especially when you know that the singer is in her 70’s the lyrics take on a special poignancy. The phrasing on ‘Wine coloured days….. when we are one’ Is in my opinion a masterclass in felling and phrasing. 
Favourite comic song; ‘The Rochdale Hounds’ 
 ‘The Rochdale Hounds’ When I hear this I can see her performing it on one of her BBC TV shows of the 60’s.  I love the bit ‘yoiks, yoiks, I don’t know what it means’!
Favourite Film; ‘Sing as we Go’

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Chris Webster
Chris faveFavourite serious song; ‘A Perfect Day’ ‘A Perfect Day’  (it MUST be the Rochdale Working Party version). Because it’s gorgeous. Listen to it, cry and then realise what a daft question is it that you’ve just asked ‘why it’s my favourite.’

Favourite comic song; ‘In a Little Lancashire Town’  ‘In a Little Lancashire Town’  I love the references to the new style art deco bars, but especially for the wonderful statue line.

Favourite Film; ‘The Market One’ (So ‘Look Up and Laugh’)

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James Gunn Favourite serious song; ‘Ave Maria’ ‘Ava Maria’
Favourite comic song;  ‘He’s Dead But He Won’t Lie Down’ ‘He’s Dead But He Won’t Lie Down’
Favourite Film;  ‘The Show Goes On’

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David Bolton

Capri Favourite serious song; ‘The Holy City’  The Holy City  I think that Gracie really helped to popularise this song which showcases her voice very nicely.

Favourite comic song;  ‘Ring Down the Curtain’ Ring down the curtain   One of the funniest songs I have heard, with great appeal and a subject that is readily imaginable.

Favourite film;  ‘The Show Goes On’  She shows many parts of her talent as an actress, and the transformation from factory worker to star is just a great Cinderella story.

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David Hornby
photoFavourite serious song;  ‘When the Rest Of the Crowd Goes Home’  ‘When the Rest of the Crowd Goes Home’
Favourite comic song; ‘What Can You Buy a Nudist On His Birthday?’  ‘What Can You Give a Nudist on His Birthday’
Favourite Film; ‘Sing as We Go’

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John Taylor

John's faveFavourite serious song; ‘In a Monastery Garden’  In A Monastry Garden Gracie sang this for my wife Anne and myself on ‘Stars on Sunday’.

Favourite comic song; ‘Only a Glass of Champagne’  ‘Only A Glass Of Champagne’  On one occasion in Capri she sang it to me in the sitting room, and it was typically exactly Gracie.

Favourite film; ‘Keep Smiling’ I think this is Gracie at her best, at the height of her Hollywood popularity and singing excellent songs.

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Paul Donnelly

Hollywood Photoshoot

Favourite serious song; ‘Now is the Hour’  ‘Now is the Hour’

Favourite comic song; ‘I Taught Her How to play Broop-Broop’ ‘I Taught Her How To Play Broop-Broop’

Favourite film;  ‘Holy Matrimony’ Gracie shows her acting skills.

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Peter Dargue
Favourite serious song;  ‘One Day When We Were Young’  One Day When We Were Young … which hooked me on Gracie after listening on MFP 1212  when I was a boy. I was transfixed by the range of notes she produced together with the “screeching” vocal acrobatics.
Favourite comic song;  ‘What’s The Good of a Birthday’  live from 1940. It shows Gracie’s wonderful observation and characterization of the feelings and mischief inflicted by the little boys dissatisfaction of his situation  (can’t we all empathise with him in similar situations in our own childhood) She creates the scene superbly and personifies her ability to get to the heart of a song.
Favourite film;  ‘Love Life and Laughter’ While the storyline is improbable, the highlights are Gracie singing ‘Cherie’ and ‘I’m A Failure’ (while walking backwards) which if performed by any other artiste would be a disaster Her expression of sentiment and diction carry it through

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Robbie Murdoch Paton
Favourite serious song; Red Sails in the Sunset ‘Red Sails In the Sunset’ 
Favourite comic song; ‘We’ve Got to Keep Up With the Joneses’  You’ve Got to Keep Up With The Joneses  It makes me laugh out loud every time I here it.
Favourite film; ‘Sing As We Go’ (but I do like Sally too, the film and the song, my big sister was called Sally).

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Seb Lassandro

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Favourite serious song;  ‘Love (Wonderful Love)’  ‘Love, Wonderful Love’  Because the scene in the film which accompanies it, is so wonderfully done and evokes 1930s Blackpool in its heyday. It was the first serious Gracie song I paid any attention to.

Favourite comic song;  ‘Fred Fannakapan’  ‘Fred Fannakapan’ It has everything in it and is still outrageously funny.

Favourite film;  ‘Sing as we Go’ My first real introduction to Gracie, so it holds a special place for me. Krunchy Wunchy anyone?

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Shaun Hewitt

Glamour 123bFavourite serious song; ‘Beware of April Rain’ Beware Of April Rain  Those lilting guitars, Gracie’s romantic voice.

Favourite comic song;  ‘Poor Little Willie’ Poor Little Willie I have no idea why this totally unPC song should make me laugh, it just does.

Favourite film;  ‘This Week of Grace’ because I’ve only seen it once.

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Sheila Mary Fraser

Favourite song;  ‘Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Goodbye’ Wish Me Luck (As You Wave Me Goodbye)  My family know I want her to sing it at my funeral, so people will smile xx