Music Box

With sporting attention seemingly fixated on those European Championships all over the telly box, the Wimbledon fortnight of tennis has crept up very quietly and sort of happened without many people noticing. So I decided to delve into the past and look over my Music Box ramblings from this time last year. Yep, once again ‘new balls, please’ will be announced with vigour by the umpires, and apparently Slazenger are delivering nearly 55,000 of the things to London SW19.

Almost half a million people visit the fabled tennis arena over the two weeks, which if you’ve never been there is an amazing feat considering the tiny winding roads and limited access to the area – the time I went I remember having to park a huge distance away, and having to catch one of those free Park & Ride coaches. Half way to our destination, everybody got off the bus and started walking because of a traffic jam, caused by all the Park & Ride buses being used – slightly contradictory, methinks.

Last year I also mentioned the ill-fated day in 1996 when rain stopped play for most of the day, and Cliff Richard stood up to get the crowd singing – I wonder what would have happened if the only singer in attendance had been Luciano Pavarotti, or in more modern times the only option was Lady GaGa, David Guetta or even worse Pitbull with one of his throw-away, typical garbage tracks? I very much doubt there would be a sing-a-long, more like a mass exodus. 

So how about some random songs that would cheer up a crowd (young and old) and get them singing on a damp English summer’s day:

The Beatles – Here Comes The Sun
Ottawan – Hands Up
Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera – Moves Like Jagger
Robbie Williams – Angels
Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger
Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
Tony Christie – Is This The Way To Amarillo

Plus, I’m sure many more that the stadium announcer could pop into the old tape deck to keep people amused, so I’ll leave you with this: If I’d known I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.