Feeling rather daunted by the prospect of 3 robots cutting up my left kidney in Southmead Hospital at 8.30 tomorrow morning, I am instead focusing on the absolute delight of rediscovering comic duo Flanders and Swann.

My grandparents had their seminal live recording ‘At The Drop Of A Hat’.  Donald Swann wrote the music and played the piano, while Michael Flanders (who was in a wheelchair due to polio) wrote the lyrics and was the compere.

I remembered them the other day while having Sunday lunch in Bath with the famous (and infamous) producer/composer/arranger/engineer David Lord who has been recording my vocals for my next album.

Of course I looked them up on Spotify and found them immediately (Spotify, all is forgiven :).  David then said he’d known Donald Swann back in the day which I have to say impressed me more than any of his other claims to fame.

Anyway if you need cheering up, check out ‘At The Drop Of A Hat’, particularly the first track ‘A Transport of Delight’, ‘The Gnu Song’, ‘Design For Living’, ‘The Reluctant Cannibal’, ‘Madeira, M’Dear’ and also ‘A Song of the Weather’ (appropriate this time of year).

Hope all’s well in your world.

xx