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The Head Ballet Podcast

The Head Ballet Podcast

Written by: Paul Abbott
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About this listen

 Welcome to The Head Ballet podcast! This podcast is the place to come to hear guests discuss with me, Paul Abbott, their favourite novelty songs - the funny, the weird, the daft and the outright baffling tunes that have been skipping and dancing around in their heads for years. Everybody loves something that could be considered novel, so why not celebrate it? Importantly, it also seeks to try and stretch the definition of novelty to encompass all manner of recordings. This could include TV Themes, songs about unusual subject matter, deliberately comic or comedy recordings, ‘outsider’ music and much more. There are only two criteria: that the song choice has been released as a single or E.P. (in any territory) and that they can justify their view of the choice as ‘novel’.Paul Abbott Music
Episodes
  • The Mechanical Man

    The Mechanical Man
    Feb 2 2022
    Welcome to The Head Ballet podcast. Paul Abbott invites guests to discuss their favourite novelty songs. In this special one-off episode (whilst I get some new guests and material ready!) I'm joined by the author, podcaster and all-round bon ouef, Ben Baker, to discuss a record that he sent to me only a week ago. It's fair to say I've become a bit obsessed with it. It's late 1966 and songwriter and sometime crooner, Teddy Randazzo, has either made - or facilitated the making of - one side of single credited to Bent Bolts & The Nuts. Yes, this is The Mechanical Man and I love it. I hope you do too. If not, please tell all your enemies and get them to listen to the podcast.
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    44 mins
  • Laura Grimshaw on Neil Innes and The Bonzo Dog Band

    Laura Grimshaw on Neil Innes and The Bonzo Dog Band
    Jun 10 2021
    Welcome to The Head Ballet podcast. Paul Abbott invites guests to discuss their favourite novelty songs. This episode marks one year of The Head Ballet's existence and what better way to celebrate than by exploring the band who gave the show its name and one member of that group in particular - the much loved and much missed Neil Innes. Joining Paul to talk about Neil and the Bonzos is Laura Grimshaw - producer for Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra and presenter/producer of Podcast Radio Hour. Laura oversaw all of the recent Bonzos related documentaries for the BBC and you can listen to Anarchy Must Be Organised here. Thanks to everyone who has been involved with the show and everyone who has listened and said nice things. Reviews and ratings still very much appreciated. Find us on Twitter, Instagram or at gmail.com using the username HeadBalletPod.
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    1 hr
  • Chris Shaw on Cook & Moore

    Chris Shaw on Cook & Moore
    May 11 2021
    Welcome to The Head Ballet podcast. Paul Abbott invites guests to discuss their favourite novelty songs. It's back to 1967 for this episode as my guest, Chris Shaw, of the amazing Beatles podcast I Am The EggPod, joins me to unravel the dark psychedelia and heart-rending tracks on Peter Cook and Dudley Moore's film tie-in single, Bedazzled and Love Me - songs that perhaps sum up as much about the performers as it does the characters in the film. If you're enjoying these shows a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice is much appreciated, as is any sharing of the episodes with those who you think might appreciate it. Thanks for listening!
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    53 mins
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