… in which we amble fearlessly into the New Year in tireless pursuit of amusement, stopping off at various stations along the way, among them …

 … can any song be completely original?

… meeting Sun Ra.

… the time Gianluca Vialli kissed David’s wife’s hand.

… does streaming make us more adventurous?

… did Frank Zappa ever appear in Miami Vice?

… tortuous puns in music memoir titles.

... singers we’ve had enough of.

... Sam Cooke humming. 

… some rare and rewarding records – eg Billie Joe Armstrong & Norah Jones’ Foreverly and Mellow Candle’s Swaddling Songs plus Jorma Kaukonen, Jimmy Webb, the Pursuit of Happiness …

… powerful feelings of envy provoked by John McLaughlin.

.. the diminishing appeal of Jeff Buckley.

… why you have to hear Van Dyke Parks’ ‘Super Chief: Music For The Silver Screen’.

… and birthday guest (and magnificent repeat winner of our Friday night quiz) Andrew Slattery.

Sam Cooke humming …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cds8YQyFeTI

Rolling Stone’s Best 200 singers …

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/

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