I admire people who can pull off musical comedy greatly – mainly because it combines two difficult disciplines into one and creates a third art. It’s can be hard to make people laugh and it can be hard to write memorable songs – so combining the two forms sometimes seems like pulling a rabbit from an invisible hat (think about it).

Hurt Feelings
So I’ve been on a bit of a Flight of the Conchords bender the last weeks after buying the boxset online. I’d missed the series on TV and caught a couple of the later episodes so I was keen to see all of it. I’m glad I did because I think this is where the seed of my “Melvin” script germinated from. Watching all that comedy and music must have watered my grey matter or somefink.

Inner City Pressure
Of course parodies are great – especially if they are well done and I love the Pet Shop Boys parody (I’ve actually got a lot of time for the Pet Shops too – I know my tastes are broad). But maybe I’ve got a man-crush on Bret and Jemaine, I don’t know.

Sugar Lumps
I mean, if you aren’t humming “Sugar Lumps” by the end of this post, then you are either a member of the living dead or have had your humour gland removed. Again, it is too clever by half commenting on the sexualisation of women in pop music as well as questioning why men can’t be viewed in the same frame of reference – obviously because it is too comedic.

Carol Brown
But at the heart of the duo is a really good ear for a tune – even though this is a comedy song, it has such a delightful melody, it is a shame that it isn’t a “real” song if you know what I mean. Also, the episode was directed by the great Michel Gondry – responsible for mind-bending videos by Bjork, Radiohead and The Chemical Brothers – and it shows here.
Of course, the title of this post coincides to a conversation I had with my dear mother yesterday about ways of improving the business. She said: “Maybe you could all move out and I’ll stay here and put up an ‘Under New Management’ sign?” To say my feelings were a little hurt are an understatement especially as I have very little to do with the customers (I prefer child-care duties, heavy lifting and book-keeping/money wrangling) and I have fought hard to rebuild the place and keep it going. Oh well, you can’t choose your family, I guess!
Yesterday’s title was stolen from this song by Roy Harper – the opening line just seemed very apt: “It was one of those days in England, that I thought would never end…” but I took it in a bad way, not a good way as in “I wish this day would end” but the car journey just went on and on and on…

One of those Days in England – Roy Harper

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