In Gunnersbury Park

"So the leaves touch the ground of a bowling green in Acton ..." sings The Hit Parade's Julian Henry in the charming number In Gunnersbury Park. London songs are perhaps unique in covering such unexpected locations as Gunnersbury Park. Can you think of another city's songbook where the same thing happens? And what I like about a lot of these songs is that they are less than flattering about their chosen place. So, for example, nothing changes in Gunnersbury Park. Is that a bad thing though? Hmm. Anyway, I had this song at the back of my mind for possible inclusion, being vaguely aware of it from a Sarah Records compilation I think, but Daniel Williams, who knows so much about these things, gave me the necessary prompt. Julian Henry's is a name I see these days in a role as media/PR commentator occasionally, so I assume it's safe to make a connection then between the Sarah legend and Simon Fuller's Pop Idol empire, which I believe Julian is part of. You'd have thought he'd use his influence to get one of the pop-ettes to cover an old Orchids or Sea Urchins song. Funny old game this pop business ...