The things I learn from writing my blog! After my last post, I thought I hadn't looked up any info on Aled Jones lately and you will never guess what I discovered!
First of all, I hope you know Aled Jones! No? Well, do you remember the picture book "The Snowman" by Raymond Briggs?
It was made into a short film during Christmas of 1982, and it had a beautiful song, "Walking In The Air". It was sung by a choir boy from St. Paul's Cathedral, Peter Auty. A few years later, a young Welsh boy had a huge hit doing a cover version of the song and that was Aled Jones! As an adult, Aled Jones became a host on one of my very favorite British TV shows, "Songs of Praise". (A BBC show where a church is visited each week and the church choir and congregation sings hymns...why can't we in America copy this show? I love it! You can look up some of the episodes on YouTube if you don't know what it is like.)
Since last year, his latest show is "Going Back, Giving Back" and it looks like my kind of show...
Now...I will tell you the story behind the title of my post! Better yet, listen to the story behind it by the man himself!
“We were sitting around the kitchen table one day, when my mum suddenly announced that there was an album of folk songs of mine that had never been released,”
“I didn't even remember recording the album, but when I listened to it at my parents’ house, I felt like a proud uncle or father. From that came the idea to release the album of duets, featuring my voice as a boy and now as an adult.”
I love that! What is even better is that I read that his Mum had kept the album in her "airing cupboard", which tickled me no end because I know what an airing cupboard is! It is...well, here is a definition I found for you:
a heated cupboard where clothes, sheets, etc, that have been washed and are almost dry are put so that they can become completely dry.
That is certainly what my mother-in-law uses it for! Now, it seems to me that the hot water heater is in this small cupboard, and the Brits, being the practical lot that they are, used this cupboard to help finish drying their clothes. From the explanation above, you might think they have the cupboards specially built just to dry clothes! HA!
(Can't help but notice too that some wealthy folks have HEATED towel racks but the Brits have them too, that would be the hot water pipes which is part of their hot water central heating in their bathrooms! Practically perfect, like Mary Poppins!)
Goodness me, here I am telling you all about heated cupboards and pipes and Aled Jones is patiently waiting to sing for you!
Just one more thought about airing cupboards...we visited the Anne of Cleves house in Lewes, England. (Anne of Cleves got this as part of the divorce settlement from Henry VIII, she never lived there but it is called her house nonetheless!) Since it is from the 15th century, I was surprised to see that even this house had an airing cupboard! (It was just behind the fireplace, I have a photo below of it for you.)
Let me know what you think of Aled Jones singing as an adult, combined with his younger self! I think it is great!
It is an ideal duet. The voices go good together.
ReplyDeleteI loved the video too, that little dog was so cute!
DeleteI love the boy/adult Aled Jones "duet" -- isn't technology wonderful to be able to hear and see "them" together! And his new show DOES look interesting!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a little girl, the CBC here in Canada had a Sunday afternoon show every week called "Hymn Sing." It featured a wonderful ensemble and soloists, many of whom came from the Mennonite Bible Belt south of Winnipeg. I watched it every week with my Grandma on her little black-and-white portable TV. A very popular standard segment of the show was the "audience participation" hymn, where the words would scroll across the bottom of the screen so people at home could sing along. My Grandma and I would always belt it out at the top of our lungs.
Good times, now long gone! Thanks for reminding me of them with your mention of the BBC show "Songs of Praise."
That is a great memory! I love the sound of you and your grandmother belting out those songs along with the TV!
DeleteI should have spoken more of how much I like Aled Jones, but somehow the airing cupboard kept sticking its nose in! LOL!
I must check the "Songs of Praise" archive if there is an episode from Ripon's Cathedral or any of the other churches I know in Yorkshire.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, it is common here in Germany, too, to have a heated towel rack as part of the heating system in the house. Even I have one in my tiny bathroom, and you know I live rather modestly and am definitely not rich :-)
Airing cupboards were built in older and bigger houses here, too, but nowadays most people simply use tumble dryers. I don't have one, so my washing always dries on a clothes horse in my bedroom, preferably next to the wide open window facing south.
I couldn't find an episode from Ripon Cathedral, although I am sure they must have had one from there at some point. I DID find some videos from there and Ripon Cathedral looks magnificent!
DeleteHere, I don't think of anyone who would have heated towel racks unless they are quite well off!
My mother-in-law still hangs out her laundry to dry on the line. She has to keep telling me how to do it, I can never remember...take the pins, and put them on the seam of the shirt (upside down) so as not to cause crimps on them...the trousers go on the line upside down, so the air blows through them...so many things to remember! And of course, when they are almost dry, take them and put the shirts in the airing cupboard! :-)
That was lovely to hear - I have been a fan of Aled Jones since those boy soprano days, when I bought an early album. Watch him sometimes on Songs of Praise, and saw him in person when he visited Brisbane a few years back. Bought another album then - of course! :)
ReplyDeleteAled Jones is wonderful! I think I saw that he will be in concert in Australia later this year. Lucky you in the Land Down Under!
DeleteLove Aled! He hosts a Sunday morning show here on Classic FM for 3 hours from 7-10am and it's always good. So cheerful and gentle too. He also hosts a show on ITV called 'Weekend' on Saturday morning (I think)...an interview show, he has some great guests but again he's gentle and doesn't have an intrusive interview style - more like a chat with a friend. He has also hosted many episodes of the BBC1 show 'Escape to the Country' which I think is available on one of the channels now in the US - couples looking for beautiful homes in the British countryside, worth looking out for! And if you want to shed a tear or two, look for Aled singing 'Danny Boy' with his younger self - it's on the album. It gets me every time! Sob....x
ReplyDeleteHello Mozart's Girl!
DeleteLovely to see your comment here, you have made my day!
Yes, thanks, I did see all the other shows that he did, he seems such an amazing, busy and productive person!
Well, you know I want this album, right?
Thanks again for your comment! Hope you are well! I do miss reading your posts! Take care!
Such a grand idea for an album, i'm glad his mother kept it and he updated and released it! Since i air dry my clothes, i could stand an airing cupboard, instead of having to hang it all on racks in the big room.
ReplyDeleteHa! We also hang our clothes up to finish drying, if you get them a bit damp from the dryer, they seem to not wrinkle so badly!
DeleteI certainly learn a lot from your blog. Lots of wonderful bits and pieces of information.
ReplyDeleteHa! I daresay that not one other blog today will mention Aled Jones AND airing cupboards! Stick with me and you never know WHAT I will talk about!
DeleteI hope you have looked up some episodes of Songs of Praise! I love that show...some of the modern songs from churches are not my favorites...drums in church, oh dear, I know they are popular but I want to hear an organ!
Enjoyed that, Kay. 'Walking in the Air' is a favourite at Christmas, but it's good to hear the Two Aleds now too. I'm not a huge fan, but Aled Jones is such a nice bloke. Love your take on airing cupboards; I remember my brother getting into huge trouble when his ginger beer plant exploded in ours; tee hee!
ReplyDeleteHey Mike! Aled Jones is indeed a good bloke. As much as I like to hear him sing, it is really because he is such a nice guy that I like him.
DeleteGinger beer in the airing cupboard exploding? I hope it didn't mess up all your mother's linens!
Kay, I have loved this song for ages and did not know any thing about it. I do love his man voice also. :):) Those heavenly strings....I could listen to them forever. Thank you for this post.Blessings, xoxo, Susie
ReplyDeleteThank you, sweet Susie, I am so glad that you liked this video too! x
DeleteHow beautiful, that song has always been so haunting. We watch The Snowman every Christmas, I think we have the one that David Bowie narrated.
ReplyDeleteI love the Snowman! I first watched it on England in 1985 and it has been special to me since then.
Delete(I love the book that it is from also.)
That is actually a really beautiful idea; to sing duets with his younger self. It's a lot more complicated than it sounds too, so it's incredible he was able to pull it off.
ReplyDeleteYes, and also, I like the fact that Aled Jones, as the adult singer, found the perfect way to accompany his younger voice and didn't overpower it, as many singers might be tempted to do. I loved it!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. One of my favorite stories/movies/songs. Loved this rendition of it and the boy singing with his matured self. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteHello! I am so glad that you liked this too! Aled Jones, I wish there were more like him in the world!
DeleteThanks very much for your comment.