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Sing Something Simple

(14 Posts)
Cumbrianmale56 Sun 09-Aug-26 15:07:13

Many of us on here will remember the Sunday Radio 2 show where the Cliff Adams singers, accompanied by an accordionist, sang a medey of songs that could be anything from music hall to modern pop. It was a show my old man and grandparents loved and for all I couldn't stand it as a kid, Sing Something Simple grew on me. Always found it relaxing as I got older and it was an ideal show on a long drive to destress.

Visgir1 Sun 09-Aug-26 17:07:02

Hated it as a kid.

Grannmarie Sun 09-Aug-26 17:23:16

I seem to remember that SSS came on either before or after Pick of the Pops with Alan Freeman? That was what we wanted to hear, we thought SSS was old fashioned. I think that was on the Light Programme before Radio 1 and 2 started around 1966, 67?

I remember Two Way Family Favourites at lunchtime on Sundays, and Junior Choice? Uncle Mac? on Saturday mornings. The Runaway Train, Three Billy Goats Gruff and the Windmill in Old Amsterdam were very popular requests. I think that show is recreated on Radio 2 on Christmas morning now.

We listened to the wireless a lot growing up. My dad was a big fan. He bought me a transistor radio for Christmas when I was at High school, I loved it, used to listen to it in bed at night ( very quietly!).

SueDonim Sun 09-Aug-26 18:11:05

SSS used to make me cry. As a child, it signalled the end of the weekend and back to dreaded school the next day.

Grannydaisy1 Sun 09-Aug-26 18:18:13

suedonim me too

Rocketstop2 Sun 09-Aug-26 18:18:32

Arrggh remember it on my Grandparent's radio !

Crumbly159 Sun 09-Aug-26 18:20:44

SueDonim

SSS used to make me cry. As a child, it signalled the end of the weekend and back to dreaded school the next day.

Gosh! I wanted to say exactly that.

Cumbrianmale56 Sun 09-Aug-26 19:30:49

Sing Something Simple lasted 42 years until Cliff Adams died. It was quite an unusual show as the singers sang acapella some of the time, with the accordion appearing off and on, and the group was mostly male. Female singers would only appear if a song was a duet or a love song sung originally by a woman. Interestingly, Anita Harris first came to fame as a singer on SSS in the early sixties.
Another interesting fact, the accordionist Jack Emblow performed the theme tune and incidental music for Allo Allo, hence why some songs sounded like they should be in Allo Allo.

Harris27 Sun 09-Aug-26 20:20:02

I remember my mam loving that show she stopped everything to listen to it.

midgey Sun 09-Aug-26 20:24:46

Now there’s an earworm for the evening!

ixion Sun 09-Aug-26 20:38:18

Crumbly159

SueDonim

SSS used to make me cry. As a child, it signalled the end of the weekend and back to dreaded school the next day.

Gosh! I wanted to say exactly that.

Just what I was going to add.

Cast a real pall over teatime.

petra Sun 09-Aug-26 20:46:40

I’m 80. My parents thought it old fashioned. We would probably have the tv on.

MawsRosie Sun 09-Aug-26 20:57:58

I vaguely remember it and hated the sickly sentimentality of it.

Emeraldforest Sun 09-Aug-26 21:04:06

My stepmother particularly liked it. My parents loved the radio. I get a warm cosy feeling just thinking about those days!