Features and blogging

It's a little known fact – or possibly hugely obvious – that I'm a not-so-old hippy at heart. The ‘post an embarrassing photo’ Insta trend circulating last week got me digging through the family snaps until I came up with this one. Look at us! Beards, middle partings, frills, the lot (apart from Granny, who was always neatly turned out but loved us dearly however long we grew our hair).
My parents met in a folk-singing pub, so my sister and I spent a lot of time listening to crooners. I got up and did a spontaneous pub solo aged six (chorus to Little Maggie May, but not the Rod Stewart one), and me and @iamdizzyblonde have always loved our inherited audio diet of r&b, Stones, and bluegrass from bearded wizards such as John Renbourne, Don McLean, The Eagles, Hazel & Alice and more.
As a backdrop to sorting out my business during lockdown times, Amazon has been working overtime to deliver an eclectic mix into my little office in the annexe, from classical to current. But this week, as the reality of a longer lockdown sets in, the jukebox has clicked its way through some moody tunes.
Here are my five top hippy ballads to grow a tache too (yes, us girls as well).
You’re welcome, man.

• Take it to the Limit – this big Eagles ballad always had Mum connotations although her real fave was Desperado or Hotel California. Then it became our wedding song, a rounded, beautiful tune with soaring strings and statement drums, yet short enough to allow us a slow tour of the dancefloor without tripping over my hem. And those in-built vows: ”If it all fell to pieces tomorrow, would you still be mine?”
• Lord Franklin – this was on a fave family album: John Renbourne fine-picking his way through some bluesy tunes. When I was little, the story of the fated Franklin expedition kept me entranced, plus I loved the la-la-las in the middle. Sinead O'Connor covered it very nicely.
• Hallelujah – I favour the Jeff Buckley version, and I challenge anyone to listen to this without going somewhere far, far away in their minds. Wherever that is I hope it's nice.
• Makes no Difference – one for Mum again. When we're in the car together and this one by The Band comes on, me and @iamdizzyblonde are instantly crooning along, harmonies and all. Windows up, obviously, if we're in traffic!
• You Gave Me a Song – this link goes to the whole album by Hazel & Alice. If it’s all too ear-shattering (as it always was for our Dad) then dial right along to 33:21. Mum is all over this one again, but I chose it because I think it's the most melodic and major-key of all the tracks. Easiest on the ears, basically. Nowadays, it’s probably my title tribute to the folks: ”You gave me a song about a place that I call home: a song of then, a song of now, a song of yet to come.”

NB: Strictly speaking, only two of the above tunes are actual ballads. Answers to the usual address.