Exactly the same in the 70s: Vandalism

While all you Daily Mail readers are whining about the country going to hell in a handbasket thanks to "the kids today", just shut your eyes and listen to this little Public Information Film from back in 1970. Yep, 38 years ago, the exact same conversation was still going on. Some things really never change.

Well, except mustaches and those swinging haircuts.

Things you could get away with in the 70s - part three

There is a link here. Apache - Lone Ranger - Kenny Everett. It's impossible to explain old Kenny, but he was completely beloved in the UK in the 70s and early 80s. The bawdy humour was similar to that of Benny Hill, but not lecherous, and somehow there was a warmth to him that Benny didn't have.

Here's a wee warning, though. This video, strangely, is Not Really Safe For Work, despite the fact that it was broadcast at 8pm on ITV and neither my mum nor dad thought there was anything in it I shouldn't be watching at the age of 7. The Kenny Everett Video Show was anarchic, sexy, silly, and above all hilarious over-the-top fun. Possibly the most dangerous he ever got was the creation of a character called Cupid Stunt, but hey, that was the 80s, and we don't like to talk about 'round these here parts.

Poor little bugger. I miss the guy.

Little known fact: Kenny was the voice of Charley the Cat from those scary public information films we showed you last month. True story, found it in Wikipedia.

Things you get away with in the 70s - Part Two

Everything in this song, apparently. Sorry there's no real video for it, but it does give you a chance to really listen to the lyrics.

The chant at the beginning and middle-eight is actually the Maori name for a hill in New Zealand. Thanks to the power of the internet, you can now chant along perfectly:

Taumata-whaka-tangi-hanga-kuayuwo
tamate-aturi-pukaku-piki-maunga
horonuku-pokaiawhen-uaka-tana-tahu
mataku-atanganu-akawa-miki-tora

This was originally banned by Radio One when it was released in 1977, but it made a resurgence in 1979 thanks to British TV and radio comedian Kenny Everett, who played it extensively on his radio shows and used the chant as bumpers between sketches on his TV show. I really got to fall in love with it when my sister bought the soundtrack album for the Joan Collins sleazefest movie, The Bitch, and I got to play it whenever I wanted. Never did get that chant down, though.

BTW, I heartily recommend The Bitch. It's the sequel to The Stud. Both movies are ridiculously bad, and were even back in the day, but they're great popcorn trash. Imagine these were a trilogy and the final chapter was Showgirls. Yes. Entertainingly bad.

Things you could get away with in the 70s - part one

1. Moustaches.

2. Scantily-clad black and white dancers pretending to be Native American "squaws".

3. Danish disco versions of the Shadows classic, Apache.

The Playlist

Not everyone has noticed this yet, so I thought I'd point it out for you. Over to your right is the Made In The 70s Playlist, updated usually at least once a month, it's about 10 to 20 songs that I personally recommend listening to. Even better, each one has a youtube link so you can watch these fine artists do their stuff. Some times it's funny, some times it's just plain awesome. There's twenty there right now, so check them out.