Ralph on You Tube

[John Beresford]

"Winner's Song" was a whole song - not just a short jingle? - so that it was act. one side of a single ?

Yes, issued in 1984, with 'Geordie's on the Road' on the B-side.  See 'Time's Poems' page 90 for the lyrics. There were at least three different 'Skollars' advertisements with similar verses, and 'Skollar' instead of 'winner' in the chorus.

Don't think it has been there all along, has it ?

Yes it has, Henrik, and you get the Observation prize!  

John.

[Henrik]

"Winner's Song" was a whole song - not just a short jingle? - so that it was act. one side of a single ?

Yes, issued in 1984, with 'Geordie's on the Road' on the B-side.  See 'Time's Poems' page 90 for the lyrics. There were at least three different 'Skollars' advertisements with similar verses, and 'Skollar' instead of 'winner' in the chorus.

Don't think it has been there all along, has it ?

Yes it has, Henrik, and you get the Observation prize!  

John.

I see - thank you, John  
OK, so it is "winner" - I was confused by that small mistake earlier.

And thanks for the great new tales.

Yes it has, Henrik, and you get the Observation prize!  

Hmmmm, are you mocking me, John ? hehe

Well, I just couldn't believe I had missed that lovely link at my first read.
And I know at least one other person who had as well, so ...

H.

PS. Never seen an mp3 with 627 (?) kb/s datarate before - thought 320 kb/s or so
was max ?!? Any idea which mp3-encoder that was used for making this file ?
And when I have the file playing in Windows Media Player, it shows
up with an image, as if it's part of a whole "album" ? Am I right in suspecting that ?  

[John Beresford]

It's from an audience recording that was circulating on the internet.  The techie speak eludes me I fear - it was just something that filled a purpose so I used it.

[Henrik]

It's from an audience recording that was circulating on the internet.  The techie speak eludes me I fear - it was just something that filled a purpose so I used it.

Ah, wow - I see  

Yes, I was just a bit puzzled.

Normal CD quality - 44.1 kHz sampling in 16 bit stereo - amounts to 1440 kbit/sec
and this was almost half of that, so not a very low compression ratio. I have only seen
flac audio ( free losslees audio codec ) with such a high data rate, didn't even know
mp3 could go that high. So it somehow "goes against" the purpose of mp3, but no
harm done of course.

Just curious about these things  

H.

[Henrik]

I meant "a rather low compression ratio" of course  

[Henrik]

Is this the advert (series) that was used for Skol Lager with Ralph's "Winners Song" ?

Skol lager (2): Early 1980s
(An impromptu party at Harry’s place)

Harry has eight cans of Skol.
He drinks one himself, then gives one each to Bert and Jack.
Then Jim pops in with four more cans — but he’s got Val and Samantha with
him — and they all have one each.
Then Paul and Malcolm turn up with a couple of friends — and they drink
another four.
Being a Skolar, Harry has calculated that he’s still able to enjoy a quiet
can of Skol …
… and give Samantha one.
When you know lager … you’re a Skolar!

http://www.headington.org.uk/adverts/drinks_alcoholic.htm


And if so this must be some of the merchandise that went along with it:  
 
http://cgi.ebay.ie/SKOL-LAGER-VINTAGE-BEER-BAR-WAITER-TRAY_W0QQitemZ260339141450QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collectables_Breweriana_SM?hash=item260339141450&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1294%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318


I haven't been able to find a video with the song in question,
but here is one of the adverts from that series, I think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzzxZRXJPQg   ( from 5:25 )


Cheers  
Henrik

[Henrik]

Wow, look what I have just come across  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GHzVbf7c6o


Time to get your Orbit Downloaders rolling, folks

[JJ (Joanna)]

Wow, look what I have just come across  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GHzVbf7c6o


Time to get your Orbit Downloaders rolling, folks

Thank you H   Have enough teccy things to cope with atm tho!  

I see one lady on that video is really 'into it' isnt she?!  

[Henrik]

Wow, look what I have just come across  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GHzVbf7c6o


Time to get your Orbit Downloaders rolling, folks

Thank you H   Have enough teccy things to cope with atm tho!  

I see one lady on that video is really 'into it' isnt she?!  

Yes, for a while I thought she was you actually  

[Henrik]

Wonderful Ralph instrumental

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cbUjBBDSuk

"Blind Blake's Rag / "Buddy Bolden Rag" (original title)
with a touch of "That'l Do Babe"


Making note to myself:
"I need to practice more - lots more !"  

[Henrik]

Also think there is a touch of Maple Leaf Rag in it act.
That's the first time, I have heard Ralph play that

Hope we get to hear the whole thing some time.  

[Leighton]

Absolutely Brilliant.

Many Thanks for this H.

[Henrik]

You are welcome, good Sir Leighton  ( with or without your elephant )

Have you managed to download these clips ?

H.

[MAJ]

Wow, look what I have just come across  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GHzVbf7c6o


Time to get your Orbit Downloaders rolling, folks

This one has been working for me for a while now.  http://www.savevid.com/

[lucienne]

Did you already have the "Wind in the Willows" clips btw. ?

I have a VHS tape of the winter programmes that someone bought me years ago, just for the fact that Ralph sings for a few seconds at the beginning and end.

Aha ?!  Interesting - would be fun to watch and hear sometime

But "Winner's /Winter's Song" was a whole song - not just a short jingle? - ,
so that it was act. one side of a single ?

Thank you for finding this Henrik (Wind in the Willows that is!). I just loved him singing it and used to put the TV on at the right time just to hear it! I may even have a snippet on video myself .. somewhere amidst the other snippets maybe :-). As for the Winners song .. well I have the single  

[Henrik]

Thank you for finding this Henrik (Wind in the Willows that is!). I just loved him singing it and used to put the TV on at the right time just to hear it! I may even have a snippet on video myself .. somewhere amidst the other snippets maybe :-). As for the Winners song .. well I have the single  

Ah, how sweet - and interesting, Lucienne
Well, as they say : "the Winner takes it all"
 
Would you happen to have any of this in a digital format by any chance ?

Henrik

[MAJ]

Would you happen to have any of this in a digital format by any chance ?

Mine is in good ole tatty analogue - 45rpm.

[Henrik]

Would you happen to have any of this in a digital format by any chance ?

Mine is in good ole tatty analogue - 45rpm.

Aha - well, didn't you buy a modern grammophone with a USB plug ?  
( or still have your stereo and the old one ? )

Is this song any good btw. ?

[MAJ]

Would you happen to have any of this in a digital format by any chance ?

Mine is in good ole tatty analogue - 45rpm.

Aha - well, didn't you buy a modern grammophone with a USB plug ?  
( or still have your stereo and the old one ? )

Is this song any good btw. ?

I did, you're right.  It's still in the box.....

I don't think it's typically McTell and I'm not very fond of it.  Bought it to complete my collection and played it just the once....

[Henrik]

Would you happen to have any of this in a digital format by any chance ?

Mine is in good ole tatty analogue - 45rpm.

Aha - well, didn't you buy a modern grammophone with a USB plug ?  
( or still have your stereo and the old one ? )

Is this song any good btw. ?

I did, you're right.  It's still in the box.....

I don't think it's typically McTell and I'm not very fond of it.  Bought it to complete my collection and played it just the once....

Aha ! I was only joking actually - I think you sometime mentioned something about
being interested in one of those  

I see - that bad ? Wow ! Ok, I was just curious about this "unknown" song.

Wondering why it was released as a single then ?
Do you remember it from the Skol adverts ?

Yes, he will sometimes write and release a song or "two", where you think
"Well, what was that for ?", because they are so clearly not him,
and wonder why they are not stopped at some earlier stage.

I may have some really interesting Ralph stuff coming up - do you ?

H.