Apparently the protaganist in Carly Simon's 'You're So Vain' has been revealed as a David. But David who? She doesn't say, the old tease. Hmmm, I wonder. We all know a David who often can be found in our midst hereabouts. Or perhaps, as usual, the answer is ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/26/carly-simon

Rock is often best when it gets a little funky:

musically that is (clearly she is absolutely gorgeous looking). But then I happened upon Jools Holland recently and I find myself rather liking this new hit of hers. What say you pop pickers? (Her dancing style is quite exciting too).

Whilst writing I should like to commend new band 'Hot Rats' members' (Danny and Gaz of Supergrass) 6 Music show, which is currently playing. Some of the songs they have played: 'Revolution Blues' by Neil Young, 'Maybe Im Amazed' by McCartney, Carpenters 'Superstar' and Beach Boys' 'Heroes and Villains'. The radio show's just about finished but it's on next Sunday around 3:30 and I expect you can replay today's.

Just a quick recommendation to look at Morley's latest piece on the ubiquitous foursome. Wasn't expecting anything special but actually interesting, intelligent thoughts here from young musicians who seem in awe of their illustrious forbears and have ideas of music today not so different from some of us fings 'aint what they used to be curmudgeons. Nice Cornershop cover of Norwegian Wood too. A surprisingly enjoyable half hour or so of your time. Plus interview with Klaus Voorman.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/interactive/2009/sep/04/beatles-paul-mor...

It surely makes sense for the entertainment forms of pop and cinema to pool resources on future projects, given the difficulty of finding new ways to make money in these hard times. Perhaps otherwise predictable re-makes can be given a new musical twist and help keep pop careers going. Some possible titles for future development:

Memo from Turner and Hooch - Mick Jagger (renowned for previous acting roles) reprises famous portrayal from Performance fighting the forces of law and order and decency but this time with a lovable pooch at his side.

A Fistful of Dollar - um...something about Clint Eastwood with guns, ponchos, David Van Day and the blonde one.

The Future Sound of Music - Julie Andrews attempts to hold a rave in the Austrian alps, though those dastardly nazis are out to stop her. Featuring the music of the Future Sound of London. Quentin Tarantino to direct?

More suggestions would be most welcome.

For me it was 'Live With Me' by the Rolling Stones on a Creative Zen MP3 player about ten minutes ago. And what a tremendously rollicking piece of music it is too. So what was yours? Go on, I'm dying to know. Don't leave me as bereft as an english batsman.

I did have a bit of a go at the Culture Show a while back - a half hour rush through, using people like Mark Kermode as presenters, rather than making the most of their expertise, no time for any feature to be anything other than superficial.

Now it's 50 minutes long, the presenter is of less consequence - just introducing clips. The likes of Mark Kermode and Andrew Graham-Dixon get time to focus on their own areas of knowledge, and Lauren does the pop bit she is good at. The Screening Room with Mark and Simon Mayo is great. It's no longer set in the studio, but more imaginatively comes from a variety of venues that are arts related - this week's was Somerset House where the great Spanish director Almovodar was attending an outdoor film festival. And it's on at a resonable early evening time.

So thanks BBC for so obviously paying attention to my comments and for getting it right at last, giving us the kind of proper arts show that should be on BBC2, and that pitches itself at the right level, adopts the right tone, and makes the right, good use of the excellent people who give us their views. This might now just be the best arts magazine show we've ever had on UK TV. Or am I talking bollocks and it's all too trendy and dumbed down?

Just played my 31 year-old (a christmas 1978 gift) cassette of Bowie's 'Low' (the original album on RCA, PK12030 with Dobly, price code XX, whatever that means), bought and paid for, not a home recording - don't you know it's killing music? Still sounds really good where other cassettes have either ended up chewed up and unravelled or side 1 is audible when playing side 2, 'print through' I believe it is called? 'Low' is my oldest. Wondered if any of you lot had old tapes you still play and what is your oldest example that remains playable? Just curious.

Rick Stein returned to our screens last night, and very welcome to the Ferruginea household he was. Seems to me he's one of those people who are naturally good on TV. He has the knowledge, ability to articulate well, and, most importantly, the sheer energetic enthusiasm and love for his subject that top TV folk require. Probably the best person around doing food related material. And he makes the effort to let the people he meets speak for themselves, without it being all about him. Comes across as a decent guy with views I am much in sympathy with too. Shows you don't need to be young and good looking, in fact it seems that often the best at it are neither of these things. I do miss Chalky though, not quite the same without him.

Any others who make/made the grade? And I don't just mean TV chefs, I mean all forms of presenters!

Well, among the best. Was thinking of Woody Allen in relation to thread re addressing audience in middle of scene. From one of the early, funny movies we prefer - Sleeper. Also great line about the giant strawberry. (Woody wakes up in the future when genetically modified food has been taken to extremes).

Most song titles are fairly unremarkable in themselves as they merely repeat a line from the song or have no great value without the song they belong to, but certain, less common song titles can be admired in their own right. They can be a minimalist, miniature form of poetry, or they are able to convey a significant meaning despite their concise, reduced nature, or they are just a pleasing and interesting, and, in some cases, humourous, use of language that can stand alone.

In a recent podcast Mark Ellen acknowledged Morrissey's gift for this art, examples of this are Girlfriend In A Coma (so good it was also the title of a novel), We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful, Shoplifters Of The World Unite and Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me.

Get Off Of My Cloud by The Rolling Stones was acclaimed by Nik Cohn for sloganising the sixties - it's all there in the title. Julian Cope's World Shut Your Mouth conveys admirably the frustration of the fight to be an individual. Then there's Captain Beefheart and his surreal Neon Meate Dream Of An Octafish.

So it's not good song titles I am after, it's titles that could stand alone as special and meaningful in themselves, which are rarer. Any more?

You should really embrace your dormant inner chick flick fan and watch Mamma Mia (our Boxing Day DVD choice, just finished), it really does show how great those Abba songs are, what other pop act's works could be turned to so effective a purpose as this story where the lyrics all say so much about our lives? A few others maybe, not many. It is of course a film all about the middle classes and aimed at middle England wives, thereby deserving of our contempt, probably (*edit* To be clear, I am attempting irony here, mocking the instinctively sneery view some hold about such things). But you know you should counteract that impulse to cynically reject all that is feelgood and aimed at the feminine market, and learn to love such heart warming material, not so far removed from the likes of Gavin and Stacey, and you might just find you like it. It's so much more than you might think it is - and there's national treasure Julie Walters, one of best film actresses of seventies Meryl Streep (still looking great) in a really barnstorming performance, the stunning Aegean backdrop, and no Hugh Grant (thank god), it doesn't outstay it's welcome, so what's not to like? The music takes charge and the usual Richard Curtis soppy, facile political message, where such a cast is assembled, is happily absent.

Perhaps it's just the Boxing Day bonhomie that follows Boeuf En Croute with Prosecco appetiser, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, talking (suspciously middle class fare of course) but I really enjoyed it. Am I on my own here? Who are the other acts whose songs are so good and universal they could provide material for such a pop opera type narrative, as sung by actors in this way? I realise of course that many of you will hate this movie.

What's the crappiest thing this year? I mean predominantly in entertainment (nothing heavy or political).

First things that come to my mind:

Hard to beat surely - shambles of UK olympics preview in Beijing (and subsequent 'party' in UK with Scouting for Girls murdering London Calling).

That Kooks song 'Shine On'. Let's have no more of that Lennon style use of the word shine in 2009 and the vocals were terrible - especially that bit where he sings the word beautiful in soppy mockney fashion.

Getting public to bare all on TV for pretence of enlightenment, eg Trinny and Susannah getting people to strip off on a hill and make a giant figure by lying done which was revealed from aerial shot, as shown and ridiculed on Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe. Also that Dawn Porter woman and her tawdry, cringe-making show. I know, you don't have to watch it - switch off and do something more useful etc. But only had to see Charlie's show and that was a pleasure - yet enough information for judgement.

Just watched Paul Weller on i-player - BBC4 Sessions. I recommend it wholeheartedly. It's mainly a showcase for the excellent '22 Dreams' album wherein Weller moves on from the rather conservative britpop era evoking work of much of his solo years to something rather more interesting and imaginative, in my view. Anyway, the gig features a rather brilliant re-working of one of his best solo career songs, 'Wildwood'. This version breathes new life into an old, familiar song. There must be other examples of what amounts to an artist covering themselves in bold fashion to re-invigorate their back catalogue.

Here's the clip featuring rather wonderful fiddle work from Eliza Carthy:

What was/were the best line(s) from a song you heard this year that was new to you?

Nick Cave did some good work on Dig Lazarus Dig!!!(also happens to be one of best albums of year):

we've been scribbled in the margins
of a story that is patently absurd
(lie down here & be my girl)

and

he said -- everything is messed up round here /everything is banal
and jejune / there is a planetary conspiracy / against the likes of you
and me / in this idiot
constituency of the moon -- (well, he knew exactly who to blame)
and we call upon the author to explain!

Should you choose to participate please note I am looking for a fragment, a few lines, not whole song lyrics, taken from new music (can be old but new to you).

Thank you for your time.