Sing Something Simple

Hated it as a kid.

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!).

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

suedonim me too

Arrggh remember it on my Grandparent's radio !

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.

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.

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

Now there’s an earworm for the evening!

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.

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

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

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

Radio 2 on Sundatys 40 years ago was very much aimed at the older listener. You had Charlie Chester, Sing Something Simple, Melodies For You, Benny Green and Desmond Carrington playing music that was mostly from before the rock and roll era. I suppose the audience for these shows has died out now and this was why they were cancelled in the noughties.
The only link Radio 2 now has with the old Sundays is Elaine Page, who plays showtunes that can date back to the 1940s.

My parents listened to SSS every sunday, i used to go upstairs to my bedroom at high speed and listen to Radio Luxemberg on my Transistor Radio.

I hated all Sunday radio except for the comedy half hour.
My mother didn’t let me go out on Sunday and the radio was on all day, we had a tiny house and I couldn’t get away from it.
SSS was one of the worst.

I think my upbringing suppressed any forming of opinions. We listened to it at Sunday tea time and knew all the songs. I didnt like it or dislike it. We didn't sing along because we were eating but we would have a family singsong with that kind of song later in the evening.

Was definitely a sign that the weekend was nearly over, though.