News announced today that film and tv composer Jim Park has died at the age of 88. Parker was famed for a great many scores and collaborations that will stir the heart of many my own age. It’s been rather nice to revisit his toe-tapping violin duo House of Elliot signature tune from the early 90s. One of my favourites.
But there’s one musical delight that is textbook Parker and will probably only connect with people of a certain age. Parker’s score setting the children’s poetry by Jeremy Lloyd: Captain Beaky and his Band. Charming stories accompanied by soaring singable melodies, entertaining to watch on TV and highly satisfying to sing in our school choir back in 1981. I had the book and both the albums on cassette. All sadly lost to the skip.
Included below, are two of my favourites from the second volume – Peter Skellern singing Daddy Long Legs, and the gorgeous Petula Clarke with Fred and Marguerite, a Parisian tale guaranteed to bring a tear to the eye.
See the full Volume II playlist on YouTube. The original album is also on YouTube (side 1 and side 2), though for how long I’m not quite sure.
