大象传媒

Barry Humphries is delighted to be back on the wireless with his personal selection of culturally thrilling songs from the first half of the 20th century. His turntable time machine spins at a rate of 78 r.p.m. to transport listeners back to a time of royal scandal, global pandemics, panic buying, racial tension, hung parliaments and European hostility. 鈥淭hank goodness we live in less turbulent times,鈥� he says.

In this episode, Barry is yacht-sitting for Dame Edna. The Ocean Widow is moored, just off the coast of Skye. Aboard, his rigged up a kind of alternative 鈥楻adio Caroline鈥�. Yet, instead of broadcasting the sound of the future, Barry's 鈥楻adio Phyllis鈥� plays reassuring songs from the past.

The Abdication Crisis of 1936 (and other early 20th century scandals) provide the spine of this new four-part series. You may recall, 1936, was the year in which a member of the Royal Family said 鈥楪oodbye to All That鈥� and then ran off to live abroad with an American divorcee. This sent shock waves through the British Establishment.

Featured artists include in this episode include: Marion Harris (鈥楯azz Baby鈥�), Isham Jones (鈥楲ife Begins When You鈥檙e in Love鈥�), Van Philips (鈥楪oodbye to All That鈥�), Elsie Carlisle (鈥楲ittle White Lies鈥�), and Douglas Byng (鈥楳exican Minnie鈥�)鈥�

BARRY SAYS: 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to be back on the wireless with my new four-part series. Of all the things I do, this is my favourite. I鈥檝e only be granted the use of Dame Edna鈥檚 yacht - The Ocean Widow - because she鈥檚 in South America, plumping up her little Mexican Love Nest. I understand that my vintage music series is now actually considered rather 鈥榚dgy鈥�, in comparison to mainstream shows. Personally, I suspect that this may have something to do with the needles involved."