BBC One and BBC HD, Sunday and Monday 22nd & 23rd April at 9pm.

Music by Daniel Mulhern & Sheridan Tongue
Directed by Keith Boak
Written by: Timothy Prager

Emilia Fox on ‘And The I Fell In Love’

‘And The I Fell In Love’ Trailer

Other TV Music (Title Sequences/Consumer shows/Entertainment)

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I have my favourites of his songs – most of which he did. Every time I hear Strawberry Blonde, it seems to become more and more moving. It was great to hear, laid bare, many from last year’s Long Player, Late Bloomer album. ‘Nowadays’, in particular, I hadn’t realised was so beautiful.

Anyway, the reason I am writing this is to share a moment I experienced. Given that music is integral to all aspects of my life, I guess here is as good a place as any. I knew that his song Speaking With The Angel was revered by his fans, but I never quite got it. I didn’t fully understand the lyrics. I consider myself generally quite receptive to emotional connections with lyrics, and I was vaguely surprised that this song was so highly thought of among all his songs. So why was it that in the Union Chapel last night by the time Ron had reached the second verse of Speaking With The Angel, my face was leaking? Why was each line exposing me as a fool, guilty of the things in life I swore I’d never do, as the kind of person I didn’t want to be? Moreover, why the hell was this feeling a pleasure?

Then it dawned on me. I recalled reading that Ron had written Speaking With The Angel after his son was born. I must have subconsciously made that connection. I was having that moment people talk about when becoming a parent for the first time. The thing that hadn’t happened to me yet. From the birth of my son, nearly four months ago, until that moment sat in the Union Chapel, I’d been exercising a kind of nonchalant attitude, often, but obviously not exclusively, felt by fathers. It’s astonishing how I could believe myself to be completely thoughtful and empathetic, doing it all right, and yet be grumpy – angry, even – with my new, seemingly enforced lifestyle. I know it’s a cliche, but it turns out it really is hard not to find yourself forcing your own requirements on the very being depending on you for his survival – even, madly, believing him to be an occasional manipulative genius. This is clearly ridiculous. I thank Ron for reminding me of this, and making me shine the spotlight on myself with his gentle, soulful tones. I will remember this as a moment of sweet surrender. A first step towards embracing the wonder of it all.

I know we cannot really do perfection, as parents. That’s something I learned in one of those parenting classes. We have to strive to be good enough, they said. Not perfect. Just, good enough. I definitely feel like I can be a better dad, so long as I can revisit that moment. I accept there’ll probably be a lifetime of little guilty feelings, continuously questioning whether or not I’m doing well enough. I’m sure, however, that having had the dragged-through-the-hedge-backwards feeling that comes with trying to puzzle out life after a catholic-infused education (I haven’t yet), I hopefully have enough wherewithal to see those feelings for what they are.

Ron’s Sexsmith’s songs seem to have a wonderful mix of melancholy and hope. They are never negative or cynical. I love that about him. After he finished Speaking With The Angel, he intoned how “suitable the song is for this venue, being in the presence of God……. and by God, I mean Nick Lowe”. I scanned the room through my teary eyes, and sure enough, away to my left I saw the silver locks of the man himself.

Two of my very favourite artists in the same room, and a parental epiphany! I’m really glad I bought those tickets.

PS: This was the best link I could find for the song. Does anyone know a good way of linking/embedding songs to a blog?

I couldn’t resist including the Tom Waits one (from ‘Orphans’, written by Teddy Edwards).

Bladesteel demonstrates just how gorgeous the pedal steel can sound (there’s a video of the elements of the track below the audio player). Apparently, Here Comes That Rainbow Again was inspired by a scene in The Grapes of Wrath, and was Johnny Cash’s favourite song. How about that? Beautiful.

Bladesteel, from the DVD/Blu Ray ‘Here Is What Is’ by Daniel Lanois…

Director: Hannah Berryman

Series Editor: Nick Mirsky

Music: Daniel Mulhern

I’ve never had one before… I want to use this space to share music I love – songs and film music mainly. I’ll post five tracks each time, and keep them theme-based, or choose tracks that are linked any which way – literally, musically, tenuously etc.

Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2012!

Look out for Silent Witness (BBC Drama), starting Sunday 1st April. I composed music with Sheridan Tongue. I’ve also just finished work on Meet Britain’s Chinese Tiger Mums, for BBC2′s Wonderland documentary strand.