#1432 Let me bore you to sleep | Monday’s Boring Objects | Jason Newland | 15th September 2025

🧠 Main Themes & Structure

Introduction & Purpose

Jason welcomes listeners to Let Me Bore You to Sleep, his long-running podcast.

He speaks gently and slowly, aiming to relax listeners enough to fall asleep.

There's playful self-awareness, like referring to himself in third person.

Music Nostalgia: Focus on 1980s UK Charts

Jason spends the bulk of the episode reflecting on music charts from 1980, and then moves through other parts of the decade.

He discusses UK hits, obscure songs, chart trivia, and personal reactions to songs from that era.

Artists discussed include:

Blondie (Jason’s favorite)

Madonna

The Specials

Rick Astley

The Clash

Duran Duran

Michael Jackson

John Lennon

Shakin’ Stevens

ABBA

Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder

and many more

Personal Stories & Reflections

Memories of:

Going to the seaside with his dad

Attending concerts with a BBC producer friend named Helen

Meeting Terry Hall from The Specials (without realizing who he was)

Childhood excitement around recording the Top 40 on cassette tapes

Listening to Tide Is High by Blondie with his brother

These stories are told in a free-associative, wandering style that moves between years, people, and places fluidly.

Pop Culture & TV

Jason reminisces about watching classic TV shows like MASH, Cheers, The Young Ones, and Bottom.

Talks about early black-and-white TVs, pretending to fall down stairs to get a day off school, and sneaky bedtime stories.

Funny, Lighthearted Tangents

Reenacts a jokey workplace sketch based on Joe Dolce’s Shaddap You Face

Talks about his attempts at roller skating and "eel-style" swimming

Pokes fun at his weight loss journey with Taekwondo (self-deprecating and humorous)

Emotional & Sentimental Moments

Describes his deep attachment to his childhood home

Expresses love for the song Imagine and sadness over John Lennon’s death

Reflects on feeling different from his family growing up, craving quiet and space

Observations About Music Evolution

Talks about the transition from vinyl to cassette to CD

Comments on UK vs. US chart differences

Notes how certain artists didn’t chart well in the US despite UK success (e.g., Blondie)

Closing Thoughts

Wraps up with a kind, gentle sign-off: encouraging listeners to be kind to themselves, feel safe, and drift off peacefully.

Reminds us: "You deserve to be happy. Lots of love. Bye."

🎵 Music Lovers’ Goldmine This episode is like a personal mixtape meets sleep story. It's packed with:

Music history

UK pop culture

Hidden chart trivia

Behind-the-scenes anecdotes

A big ol’ dose of nostalgia

If you ever wanted to summarize British musical history via sleepy storytelling, this is the one.