Roger Bennion's photos

"Colorado Christmas" written by Steve Goodman ~ Looking out the window of this Hollywood hotel You'd never know that this was Christmas Eve The billboards and the neon took the place of silver bells And the temperature is 84 degrees I remember Christmases when I was just a boy In the morning I would run to see the tree And the carolers on the hillside sang their songs of Christmas joy Well, I always thought they sang them just for me Now all along the Rockies you can feel it in the air From Telluride to Boulder down below Now, the closest thing to heaven on this planet anywhere Is a quiet Christmas morning in the Colorado snow ................... I've been trying to come up with a link for “Colorado Christmas” by Steve Goodman. And, my link is pretty tenuous methinks :-) Anyway, it is just after midnight here in Aylesbury so it is now Christmas Eve. My photo from 2010 was definitely NOT taken in Colorado :-) but, there is some snow. Steve's song mentions 'Christmas Eve' and 'snow' so that is two links for the price of one methinks :-) Steve wrote the song for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The first link is to Steve's version where he is accompanied by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The second link is the NGDB version from their 1997 Christmas album cleverly called “The Christmas Album” :-) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Colorado Christmas ~ Steve Goodman accompanied by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band And, here ~ ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ ~ Colorado Christmas ~ Nitty Gritty Dirt Band p.s. It took me a while to realise that the NGDB sing the lines in a slightly different order :-)

Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) Wishing You All A Lovely Christmas And A Very Happy New Year. I can't believe this photo was taken over 6 years ago......but the words are newly done :-) Thank you so very much for all the visits and the great comments this year. A very special 'Thank You' to Karen and Mick, my two 'Sight and Sound' Amigos. And, an extra 'Thank You' to Mick for giving our Group the extra push that was needed. It is such a fun Group and we are blessed with the best bunch of Members.....Ever :-) Now is the time for another track from "Have Yourself A Tractors Christmas" by The Tractors...methinks :-) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Santa Claus Is Comin' (In A Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train) ~ The Tractors

Back on the 11 October there was a 'Fire Service' Athletics Event held in Stowe Landscape Gardens. The lady in yellow was the winner of the Ladies race but I can't pick out the winner of the Mens race :-) But, they are all running so an easy 'Sight and Sound' link for moi to "Running" by The Desert Rose Band :-) Another one of my all-time faves :-) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Running ~ The Desert Rose Band

Last Tuesday Helen and I went on a Christmas shopping expedition to High Wycombe!! I only had my phone with me but thought I should look out for some Christmassy type shots. The Christmas decorations here were a bit sparse and it was so wet that not even the children wanted to ride in the tea-cups :-) With Christmas on the way one of my fave Christmas albums comes to mind as in "Have Yourself A Tractors Christmas" by, surprisingly, The Tractors :-) One of my fave tracks on the album is "Jingle My Bells". Go shoppin' in the mornin' To buy a Christmas tree I can't afford no tinsel But that's all right with me The weather's lookin' snowy So Santa won't be late If you be good I know he should be Flyin' through your gate Jingle my bells, Jingle my bells Cm'on and Jingle my bells Jingle my bells, Jingle my bells cause it's Christmas in the USA My shot wasn't taken in the USA, we didn't buy a Christmas tree, I could have afforded some tinsel and it wasn't snowy :-) But, hey, I'm in charge here :-) Also, you can guarantee a lady will always walk into the shot just as I press the shutter button :-) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Jingle My Bells ~ The Tractors p.s. As Norbert would say "LOUD or Off"

Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) Clearly one of the graduates has already started to celebrate :-) So, "Celebration" by Kool & The Gang seems a logical link to me :-) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Celebration ~ Kool & The Gang

We haven't really had an 'Early Fall'.....'Autumn' :-) But, for the purposes of 'Sight and Sound' I think my shot could evoke the feeling of an 'Early Fall'...so, that leads to "Chill Of An Early Fall" by George Strait methinks :-)) Maybe view on black, please :-) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Chill Of An Early Fall ~ George Strait

Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) There are probably several planes in the sky here. The main one has, most likely, just left London Luton Airport. Therefore, methinks this is a fair link to John Denver's "Leaving On A Jet Plane" :-) It was recorded by Peter, Paul & Mary and released on their 1967 Album "1700". It didn't become a hit for them until they released it as a single in 1969. Of course I musn't leave out John's version and I found one by John and Cass Elliot. Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Leaving On A Jet Plane ~ Peter, Paul & Mary ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ And here ~ Leaving On A Jet Plane ~ John Denver & Cass Elliot

Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) A shot from last year of tourists in Oxford. The guy third from the left is clearly walking backwards and I am guessing he is also talking backwards. This leads, neatly, to "Talk Backwards" by Steve Goodman.....methinks :-)) Go out with someone and you're a little shy don't say I love you; say Uoy evol I. Uoy evol I and I always will See if doesn't take off the chill Talk Backwards Love it when Steve says "No laughing by the camera crew" :-))) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ sdrawkcaB klaT ~ Steve Goodman

Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) This shot, taken back on the 1st November, reminds me of "Walkin' In The Sun" by Janiva Magness. Oh for some more sunny days :-) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Walkin' In The Sun ~ Janiva Magness ♪ ♫ Or here - Walkin' In The Sun ~ Janiva Magness

Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) I rarely take photos in my home-town 'cos, in my opinion, there ain't much to photograph. But, I thought this scene was okay...ish :-) The building on the left is new and is part of Bucks University/Aylesbury College. Clearly the building in the background is a Travelodge :-) This was the boat basin but the majority of narrowboats now live in a new boat basin on the outskirts of town. We only see the occasional narrowboat here now. I came across "Reflections" by Xenesthis. I don't know anything about them but as there are some 'reflections' in my photo I immediately thought of linking the photo and the music for 'Sight and Sound', as you would :-) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Reflections ~ Xenesthis

Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) Dave Alvin recorded "Tall Trees" which, to me, seems a fair match to this Stowe Landscape Gardens scene :-) All I know about Dave Alvin is that he is an American singer-songwriter who was a founding member of 'The Blasters'. Don't know anything 'bout 'The Blasters'. Not much help, am I :-)) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Tall trees ~ Dave Alvin

Levon Helm was the drummer and regular lead vocalist for The Band. Levon also had a successful career as a film actor including playing Loretta Lynn's father in Coal Miner's Daughter. In 1998 Levon was diagnosed with throat cancer and he lost his singing voice. After treatment and against all the odds the cancer went into remission and he gradually regained his singing voice. He made a comeback with his 2007 album “Dirt Farmer”.Tragically the cancer returned and on April 17, 2012 his wife and daughter announced on Levon's website that he was “in the final stages of his battle with cancer" and thanked his fans. Two days later, Levon died at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. My 'Sight and Sound' link is a bit wayward and possibly a little bit incoherent :-) But, my photo is of Chopper-style motorcycle which I am linking to “The Weight” via the cult classic 1969 film “Easy Rider”. "The Weight" was originally recorded by The Band for their 1968 debut album “Music From Big Pink”. It was used in the film but could not be licensed for the soundtrack album. For me an emotional performance of "The Weight" from the Ryman Auditorium. Great to see Levon and John Hiatt sharing the lead vocals. More emotional at the 4:48 point when Levon and his daughter, Amy, share the vocals. Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ The Weight ~ Levon Helm & John Hiatt

Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) The couple in red are holding hands which brings to mind "I Want To Hold your Hand" by the Beatles. Clever link from me......eh? :-) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ I Want To Hold Your Hand ~ The Beatles

My photo is mostly about Autumn. There is a group called 'Mostly Autumn'. They recorded "Evergreen" and there are some green bits in my photo. Good enough link for 'Sight and Sound' methinks :-) A while back I had the opportunity to see 'Mostly Autumn' Live in Concert but I turned it down.....daft thing to do methinks :-( Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Evergreen ~ Mostly Autumn

Explored! ~ Thank you very much :-))) Six years ago this month Helen treated me to a very special birthday celebration in Paris. Such happy memories of a wonderful time. No words can ever make sense of the atrocity last Friday. Remembering those lost and those still suffering. On YouTube there is a cover version of John Lennon's “Imagine”. Imagine all the people Living life in peace..... If only this could be true..... Added to ~ Sight and Sound I assume the girls and boys call themselves “Cover Garden”. ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Imagine ~ Cover Garden I remember taking one of those very compact tripods with me. For this shot I placed it on a wall next to the river. I also remember that a very strong wind was blowing and I had to hold on to the tripod and the camera to stop them toppling into the water!!

For a long time I've been wanting to use "In Real Life" by Steve Goodman. At last I have found a photo to go with a slightly vague link to the music :-) This Oxford shot is from way back in 2012. The song starts with the words - There she goes Well how could she leave me? Doesn't she need me? I'm sure the guy was saying these words to the girl in pink :-) If he wasn't saying this, my link is kaput :-) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ In Real Life ~ Steve Goodman

Maybe a slightly wayward link for 'Sight and Sound' :-) .......... In 1965 Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones, Jimmy Winston and Steve Marriott founded Small Faces. In 1966 Ian McLagan replaced Jimmy Winston as the band's keyboard player. At the end of 1968 Steve Marriott quit the band, apparently walking off the stage during a New Years Eve gig yelling "I quit". In 1969 a posthumous album, "The Autumn Stone", was issued and included unreleased tracks recorded for their intended album "1862". One of the tracks was "Autumn Stone". Tragically, Steve Marriott died in 1991 following a fire at his cottage. My photo was taken in the 'Autumn' and I'm sure 'Stone' was used in the building of Stowe House. Therefore, my 'Autumn Stone' entry to 'Sight and Sound is complete :-) Added to ~ Sight and Sound ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ Listen here ~ Autumn Stone ~ Small Faces

I bought this Remembrance candle a while ago. Didn't really want to light it.....but, needs must !! "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." ...............................................Robert Laurence Binyon