Lisnasheoga was the nest from which we learned to fly

9 March 2006


I was over at Kelly’s blog, and got to talking about schools.[1] And that made me think of Charlie Landsborough.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.usLook over there, look at that picture! Does that look like anything you’d want to listen to?
I can still recall my ears being assaulted by his What colour is the Wind… Daddy. I’m shuddering just remembering those religion classes. Yes, another thing to blame on religion. See, we had a nun in secondary school who loved Charlie. Love him to bits.

She was a bit mad. Back from the missions after spending three hundred years or so in Africa, she used to motor round the town on a little scooter and a tea-cosy for a hat. A bit mad? Make that a lot mad. She also used to give us assertiveness classes, with horrible role playing, and learning to value of the “I” message. Jaysis, they were bad. Very bad.

My class were lucky enough to have her as out class tutor. Which meant an extra class a week with her. Joy-joy feelings all around.[2] But she could be venomous as well. I don’t think any of us will ever forget the day she declared Polly[3] was the root of all evil.

You may be thinking that this Polly was the girl who climbed in windows and stole a teacher’s wallet. The same girl who through a brick at a teacher’s car. The same girl who set off a fire extinguisher all over a teacher. No it wasn’t. Polly was a girl who got all A1s in her Leaving. Now you furriners won’t know what that means, but it means she was damn smart. Like getting top marks in your SATs[4] It is the highest mark you can get. And means you can get into any college you want. Polly was as far from a trouble maker in class as you can get.

But that is all beside the point. Charlie Landsborough, still touring[5] still releasing albums, still singing!

I’m just happy, make that ecstatic, to not be listening to him anymore.

Linknotes:

  1. I blame NM
  2. Don’t you just love Demolition Man?
  3. no. not her real name, but I’m listening to Nirvana’s Polly so it’ll do.
  4. I think, I don’t really know what SATs are
  5. but far away in Australia

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14 Responses

  1. anne says:

    I've never had religion classes, but I love how you call the name of the lord's son in vain while talking about it…
    And I did indeed love Demolition Man. And I'm not ashamed.

  2. Fence says:

    Oh Anne. What a sheltered life you must have led. No religion class means no discussion of the "evil that is abortion" (Cafflic school, mernember) and certain indiviudals stirring the shit.

  3. Kelly says:

    Jaysus is not the same as Jesus, just as shite is not the same as shit. This is how I can justify using both in front of my parents. It's fun! =o)

    I'm a little scared, in that Charlie Whosits looks a lot like my guitar teacher. I can't get my frickin Realplayer to work, so I don't know what he sounds like. I'm guessing that's a GOOD thing. I mean, I picked that up a little in your very subtle post.

  4. Fence says:

    Yes. Very good. Although you could've offered your suffering up as penance for your cursing ;)

  5. NineMoons says:

    I don't remember the tea-cosy hat but I do remember her wearing a veil under her bike helmet…

    Copper-Copper had a wonderful thing she did where she would interrupt the mad bint and ask her with the best imitation of sincerity EVER if Sister would mind putting on some Charlie or if Sister was planning on going to see Charlie when he came to Sligeach. She was so good.

    And the assertiveness classes were AWFUL. Years later I did find them useful in a way. But at the time, I mainly enjoyed writing examples of how an aggressive person would say something, and handing it up to Sister with a load of swearing written all over it. Cos that's how aggressive people talk…

  6. Fence says:

    How could you forget that hat? I seem to recall that it went on over the helmet, but I may be wrong there.

  7. NineMoons says:

    No, you're definitely wrong there, Ted.

    It was the unshaven bare legs I remember. Shudder. I did't mind them being unshaven (she is a nun after all) but couldn't she have worn thick tights? There's lack of vanity and there's just plain ickiness.

  8. Fence says:

    Well whether it was over or under the helmet, she most certainly wore it. That much is true.

    I never looked at her legs.

  9. NineMoons says:

    Now, maybe I'm misunderstanding what you said.

    Was it an actual tea-cosy?

  10. Fence says:

    No, not an actual tea-cory. That'd just be silly. But it was like a tea-cosy.
    <spoiler>a proto-jayne-hat!</spoiler>

  11. james says:

    Charlie Landsborough, is that the same Charlie Landsborough who has sold over 1 million albums, tours every country in the world and has legions of fans all over the globe. Just because you dont like his song 'What Colour Is The Wind' doesnt mean that no one else does. Keep your opinions to yourself, what do you know

  12. Harlequin says:

    That has to be one of the best example of staircase wit ever. A year and a half later, James retorts. ZING! What colour is your face, Fence? Red with shame? :-D

  13. Fence says:

    James, just because you like his song 'What Colour Is The Wind' doesn't mean that anyone else does. Keep your opinions to yourself, what do you know?

    H I only wish it was wit. The poor unfortunate.