Painting The Angels’ Nipples, NewsRevue Lyric, 13 June 1994

Dennis Potter died a few days earlier. This lyric did well in the show for quite a while, I seem to recall. I rather like it still.

Dennis Potter mostly wrote nostalgia-fest dramas, often set in the 1930s. One such series, Pennies From Heaven, had an infamous “nipple painting” scene.

_ PAINTING THE ANGEL’S NIPPLES _

(To the Tune of “Painting The Clouds With Sunshine”)

VERSE 1

Now Dennis Potter’s late,
Inside those pearly gates,
He’s up there painting the angel’s nipples;
Up in the firmament,
His main artistic bent,
Is daubing heavenly tits with stipples.

MIDDLE EIGHT

He’ll paint a few,
Mauve red and blue,
Flashback to doggy style screw;
Show some black eyes,
To symbolise,
Violent male’s hue.

VERSE 2

Now Dennis Potter’s dead,
Lets all read books instead,
Cos TV drama won’t cause a ripple.
(Tiddly pom)

In April 1996, for some reason, perhaps the broadcast of his posthumous pieces, I updated the above lyric:

PAINTING THE ANGELS’ NIPPLES – 1996 REMIX
(To the Tune of “Painting The Clouds With Sunshine”)
 
VERSE 1
Now Dennis Potter’s late,
Inside those pearly gates,
He’s up there painting the angels’ nipples;
Up in the firmament,
His main artistic bent,
Is daubing heavenly tits with stipples.
MIDDLE EIGHT
He’ll paint a few,
Mauve red and blue,
Flashback to doggy style screw;
Then draw some puss,
While Lazarus,
Makes a girl spew.
VERSE 2
Now Dennis is no more,
He’s shown on Channel 4,
Where Potter’s drivel won’t cause a ripple.
(Tiddly pom)

Below is Jack Hylton performing Painting The Clouds With Sunshine:

https://youtu.be/UW-cxnuy-o4

This link takes you to Johnny Marvin’s version, which includes the lyrics in the information below the vid. Marvin was the Paganini of the ukulele apparently – time for me to give this number a go.

Spar Wrangled Fan Club, NewsRevue Lyric, 13 June 1994

Not a great lyric this. I’m guessing it had something to do with soccer football in the USA.

_ THE SPAR WRANGLED FAN CLUB _

(To the Tune of “The Star Spangled Banner”)

VERSE 1
Oh hey can you see,
By the world cup floodlights,
The Mexican waves,
And Miami cops beating?
Soon the Irish will be,
In our bars causing fights,
We’ll have Danes at our raves,
And Dutch rip out our seating.

MIDDLE EIGHT

We can’t bear soccer crowds,
They’re so violent and kitsch,
We don’t play the game,
We just want to get rich.

VERSE 2

We say that your spar wrangled fan club is a bitch,
Cos our Gridiron football game,
Keeps the violence on the pitch.

Below is a video of The Star Spangled Banner with lyrics on the screen:

https://youtu.be/xh20Xsn_p9k

Letter To Daryl Boot Re NewsRevue, 13 June 1994

Daryl Boot 13 June 1994
News Revue
 
Dear Daryl
 
SONGS PLUS UNBELIEVABLE PRESSURE

I enclose my latest batch of songs. I hope you like them. Please also bear in mind the Wimbledon and Bethel ones.
 
Of course, I wouldn’t put pressure on you but you do remember that I have a huge group of friends coming in on Sunday who are all expecting heaps of my songs and word perfect performances of everything. But stay calm! That’s the main thing.
 
By the way, the Film 94 sketch contained several of my lines and some by other people (e.g. Debbie Barham) but was credited solely to Jonathan. Was this a mistake on the running order? There was some rustling in the ranks on Thursday I can tell you!
 
Your problem, my dear fellow, is that your name is reminiscent of Henry Root. This probably explains why you get absurd letters from me. However, unlike Mr Root I have not yet made my pile.
 
I really enjoyed the show last week, by the way, please keep it up. Look forward to seeing you Thursday or Sunday or both.
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ian Harris
 
encs

Les Parents Terribles by Jean Cocteau, Lyttelton Theatre, 4 June 1994

In theory this National theatre production should have been amazing. Alan Howard, Frances de la Tour, Sheila Gish, a young as yet little known Jude Law…

…but my log reads, “not bad. Not the greatest either”. That means we didn’t like it all that much.

Here is the Theatricalia entry for this production.

I think it was a little farce-like for our taste.

I cannot find any contemporaneous reviews for this one, so my vague memory will have to do…

..except that I do now have at least this Michael Billington clipping:

Billington On Les ParentsBillington On Les Parents Sat, May 7, 1994 – 28 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

…and this Michael Coveney clipping…

Coveney On Les ParentsCoveney On Les Parents Sun, May 8, 1994 – 71 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Our indifference to this production did not stop it from getting a West End transfer, nor did it stop Jude Law from winning “Outstanding Newcomer” awards for his performance, making this production seminal for him, if not necessarily all that special for us.