Monday, 28 December 2009

22:19
When I listen to The Pointer Sisters singing "Neutron Dance" I have this urge to flap my arms.

Anyway...

So listen - God, does it feel like the end of the year to you? Everything's coming to an end. It's the end of a decade for God's sake.

I have started to collect some of my favourite images over the last few months and what kind of fool would I be, were I not to share them with you...

So this is the first one of the BT Tower in Central London.

I think the kind of space-shippy structure against the clear blue sky.

And then there's this image of 1970s Soviet Russia...

Well actually not. It's West London at dusk.

Don't you think the cold-looking air and reddish hue give it a feeling of suppressed communist living? I think so - it's the tower blocks...

Then this picture which I absolutely fucking love. Everything just seemed to come together at exactly the right time, although it makes me look fat...

The colours are like beige and black and, I think it's a little cool...

23:23
God. So that's it for 2009 in London.

Tomorrow I fly to Cape Town for New Year but more importantly, for a holiday.

Therefore, this is the last post from London for this decade.

Whenever I hear people talk of the end of the decade, I immediately want to start singing "reached the end of a decade... in another ten years' time... Who can say - what we'll find...what life's waiting down the line... In the end of - '89....."

Weird. Weird how I remember first listening to that song as a kid and thinking about the end of 1989, which hadn't yet come. That was about 20 years ago.

That's the problem with pop culture being bombarded at you constantly.

I bet you can't recite three lines of a classic poem but could recite and source these lines...

"Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone. I hear you call my name and it feels like home."

"He came into your apartment, he left bloodstains on the carpet. Then you ran into the bedroom, you were struck down. It was your doom."

"As I look back upon my life, it's always with a sense of shame. I've always been the one to blame..."

"Some of them want to use you, some of them want to get used by you..."

"Hello. Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can here me..."

And even then there are too many words...

"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?"
"Love... soft as an easy chair..."
"And now, the end is near..."

Or what about just three words.

"Lights! Models! Guestlist!"

23:54
So all of this leads to: Bobby's No. 1 song for 2009.

There have been some very strong contenders for this year...

Lady GaGa - Bad Romance
Mari1yn Man5on - Arma-goddam-mother-fucken-gedden (Teddy Bears remix)
Muse - United States of Eurasia
Pet Shop Boys - Love Etc.
Die Antwoord - Doosdronk
Fake Blood - Fix Your Accent
Prodigy - Invaders Must Die (Chase & Status remix)

However, the song that will come to forever be associated with 2009 stands head and shoulders above everything else.

I first heard it around March 2009 and instantly fell in love with it.

I knew I was going to have my birthday in Cape Town in early June and so I begged a DJ friend of mine, who spins at Cape Town's most fabulous gay club, if he would play the record for me when I was there.
I turned London upside down looking for a good quality bootleg copy and, as far as I can tell, the tune made its Cape Town debut thanks to me.

Back in London for the start of summer we went to the song's album launch in Heaven.

We danced to it at London pride. We danced to it at Brighton Pride. We roared with delight when Dizzy Rascal sampled bits of it at Wireless.

We beamed from ear to ear when they played it at XXL. And one of the remixes they played at Beyond.

When I was back in Cape Town in September I went back to the homo club and Charl played a remix version of the song when he saw me. (The Alex Sax and Evan Sax mix)

It is a song that, when I listen back to it in 20 years' time, will remind me of everything that's happened in 2009.

I've tried to hold myself together
Tried to forget you, gone away...
The tears I've cried
They won't subside.
Unless the music starts to play...
So come along now boys; and sing it loud and sing it proud...

Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer...
DJ give me the answer
Love stop getting me down, down, down...!

What an absolutely worthy winner of the title of The Song of 2009...


(Oh yeah, and if you're doing isotonic training and working your biceps and want to hold something for a minute, the time from the bridge to the end of the build-up after the second chorus is exaclty one minute...)

23:58
So will you excuse me while I go and finish the rest of my packing. See you in Cape Town.

2010 reckons, boys...