Song, by Toad
Ever wonder why this blog is called Song, by Toad? Yes is the answer, before you spend too long thinking that one over. Well I have explained that in the Song, by Toad? Eh? page up there on the sidebar – Toad of Toad Hall is an unbearably pompous but nevertheless endearing character from The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame. As I was a little bastard as a child my mother took to calling me a little Toad, balking somewhat at more accurate but probably more expletive-laden epithets.
Anyhow, apart from the excellence of the book itself there was one reason in particular that we all loved the Wind in the Willows so very much, and that reason was Kenneth Williams. The idiosyncratically-voiced star of so many Carry On films actually recorded a truly wonderful cassette version of this story many moons ago, and when we were small we would listen to this tape time and time again on long car journeys.
Unfortunately, it has been impossible to track down a copy of this version, try as we might, so this little slice of our family history appeared lost to the mists of time. Until recently. Two copies appeared on eBay a little while ago, and I overbid ludicrously to make absolutely sure of securing them. So now, after some technical jiggery-pokery by my brother, who is a sound engineer, I can present to you, in all their glory, the excerpts from this recording that lead to this blog being given its name.
I’ve also added some clips to the aforementioned page alongside the appropriate text, but I thought I’d pop some of them up here too along with a couple of others, for the benefit of enlightening my readers.
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Did I send you the song with “the Queen cried look who’s that handsome man, they all answered Mr Toad!”. becuase shame on me if I didn’t.
I am not entirely sure if you did. There were two songs – one after escaping from the police and one after conquering the stoats and the weasels, am I right? I think you only sent one.
Beware of the McCartney toad.
Goodness me but these are wonderful aren’t they?
I should like the whole thing dear Toady, I really should.
The Mole x
I agree Davy, but you will have to wait until my brother gets off his useless arse and sends the lot my way. Given he’s had the cassette since Christmas, I am not holding my breath.
Ingrate!
Shit, that’s torn it. Now none of us will hear the whole thing!
Ah the kids’ll love this. They often ask me why Mr. Toad is “sleeping” in your podcast illustration, and this will help me to change the subject.
c&b, don’t tell me you let the children near this stuff!
that’s pretty funny, actually: “daddy, why is the toad sleeping in his chair and what’s that blue bottle by his side?”
“Daddy what is that 17 year old Russian girl doing to his winkie?”
I was actually thinking of the one where he’s sprawled out on the floor. The blue bottle contains gatorade, of course, and the 17-year-old Russian girl is helping him relax after a hard day’s work.
I so had that talking book cassette when I was a wee boy too! I listened to it so much that I was singing along to Toad’s Last Little Song. I actually remembered all the words!
A piece of my childhood restored by this blog. Who’d have thought it!