All in a day's work . . .

What a weekend!

Friday night was a work night. We were playing a private party in Sandyford, a seriously swanky VIP bash with posh table dressings, very tasty wine and one of the fanciest 'marquees' I've ever seen. There was ballet as the first part of the after-dinner entertainment, and then us; The Controversial Allstars. After debating exactly which Christmas songs to do, how and when, we ploughed on with our usual set of soul, blues and rock and/or roll.

Halfway through the set, it emerged that among the VIP clientele at the party was one particular VVIP, noneother than Chris De Burgh, the haughtily eyebrowed man himself! He got up to sing with us, and before I knew it, I was in cheese-covered pop ballad bliss performing Lady In Red with the One And Only. Fucking hell it was hilarious. I can check that one off the list.

You may not understand the fascination if you're not privy to certain practises among a particularly sick and twisted gang of mates who take delight in singing Lady in Red at parties and various get-togethers. I think the joy is based around finding that line of complete cheesey crap where people are looking at you thinking you're completely weird losers and the point where you can't help but roar with gay abandon "I hardly know/this beauty by my side". I like to find that line between cheese and class, and then shit all over it, if I may be so crude.

I suppose at the root of it, there's no holding down a good melody. Even if you really really should.

Now don't get me wrong, the man himself is a hairy little hobbit, and about as uncool as mouldy cheddar, but I'd love to have seen my face for the first few verses of the tune. Happy as a pig in shit, playing Lady in Red with Chris De Burgh. Oh yes.

So, for posterity, in the name of all things cheesey, for every eyebrow that's gone unnoticed, and of course lest we forget, for fathers of hot daughters everywhere, I give you Lady in Red.



*in case you were wondering, yes he even whispered the 'I love you' bit at the end. What a pro.