Windmill in Old Amsterdam ~ Ronnie Hilton cover

WARNING!

Younger you tube users may want to listen to something on their iPods, get out the Nintendo DS, start twittering or IM-ing or whatever else they do to zone out, because I am about to talk about the olden days.

When I was a child, the BBC used to have popular radio broadcasts specifically for young children. Listen With Mother, Uncle Mac and Junior Choice - my favourite. There would be a mix of current and older pop tunes - nothing too raucous, though. For example, you may get the odd Beatles track like Octopuss Garden, but you would never get any Rolling Stones. Then there were the novelty records - Splish Splash, Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, Three Wheels On My Wagon; and then there were the songs particularly recorded with a childrens audience in mind like Hole In The Ground, My Boomerang Wont Come Back, Youre A Pink Toothbrush. Finally there were the comedy records by the likes of Charlie Drake, Terry Scott, Flanders and Swann, Spike Jones and his City Slickers. There were great songs you dont hear any more like Morningtown Ride, The Runaway train, Busy Doing Nothin, Bimbo, Penny Candy and The Big Rock Candy Mountain. I cant remember the last time I heard Sparky the Magic Piano on the radio.

This is all by way of introducing this song that was one of those frequently featured on Junior Choice. It was recorded and written the year I was born. The songwriters were Ted Dicks and Miles Rudge and the singer was Ronnie Hilton. Those were the days when great singers and musicians wouldnt bat an eyelid when asked to do a childrens record - could you imaging Beyoncé Knoles and Justin Timberlake doing, Youre a Pink Toothbrush an Im a Blue Toothbrush? Also, for a childrens song, the artiste and composer have pulled no musical punches. It is a sing-along, but its not a nursery rhyme. The kids have to work at this one if they want to join in.

OK, KIDS. You can come back in the room now. Grandads finished his little story. Its safe to come back.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• windmill
• in
• old
• amsterdam
• ronnie
• hilton
• cover
• ukulele
• uke
• ukelele
• castone2514
• junior
• choice
• children's
• song
• music

[AIMEETHEONE]

we sang this in middle school :) i'm so gona learn it and have a sing along with a bunch of old mates :)

[casetone2514]

@AIMEETHEONE

Glad you liked it

Thanks

[MrsJiffybag]

forgotten about this one used to sing it at infant school in Mrs Felgate when we had dress up on a friday afternoon. god i feel old! lol thanks for sharing you are a sweetie xxx

[casetone2514]

@MrsJiffybag

Good ol' Mrs Felgate!

[glitterknight]

Tony, you're a jewel in the YouTube crown

Brill

[casetone2514]

Thanks very much

[thomassneade]

This is just a great cover...takes me back to my childhood in Liverpool !

[bsastarfire250]

Awesome, reminds me of happy times with my mum listening to "listen with mother" in the '60s.

[stephaz1971]

ha ha, i like the squeak at the end!

[CaptGolightly]

Oh yeah! superb!!

[hannahpickle]

i totally love this. i wish i could play it, well done! your voice is nice.

[britheath]

excellent version