The random witterings of Jonathan Morris, writer.

Saturday 17 January 2009

Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy

Another of my obsessions. In any TV documentary about the 1960’s, I can guarantee you will see three things.

Thing one; A certain, chubby backcombed brunette screaming at the Beatles. Usually accompanied by ‘She Loves You’. Thus illustrating Beatlemania.

Thing two; Some hippies with painted cheeks doing freaky sway-dancing in the park. Usually accompanied by ‘If You’re Going To San Francisco’ by Scott McKenzie. Or Procul Harum’s ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’. Thus illustrating drugs and stuff.


Thing three; My favourite. A guy in a top hat considering whether or not to buy a red jacket on the King’s Road. Usually accompanied by ‘Dedicated Follower of Fashion’ by The Kinks. Thus illustrating fashion and stuff.

(Not to forget his mate – blue Sergeant Major jacket boy. Both clips seem to orginate from this 60’s documentary film, roughly about three minutes in:)



In a way, I enjoy seeing red jacket man. On the other hand, it’s kind of an indictment of the diligience of TV footage researchers that the same old clips always get cobbled together or sourced from previous documentaries again and again. I have a theory that during the entire decade of the 60’s only one man was ever seen shopping on the King's Road, and he was wearing a top hat and bought a red jacket. It’s the same for stuff on the 70’s – that punk girl with a shaved head, eyeliner and black lipstick who turns up in everything – and the 80’s – the sweaty, champagne-swilling yuppie waggling his wad to the strains of ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’.

Oh, and bonus 60’s thing four: Newsreel of John Lennon at the ’14 Hour Technicolour Dream’ at Alexandra Palace. Thus illustrating that in the 60’s people who are dead now were still alive and going to parties.