I hadn't been long home when I heard a George Harrison song on the Simon Mayo show - singing about home, I think.

Just before getting out of bed this morning I heard a song called "Look to the Future" (words which seemed meant for me!).  And the singer was .... Paul McCartney.

Sunday, 16th November

I sometimes read the little reviews in the What's On section of the Saturday Review.  A critique of Shirley Bassey's new album included the following: "to hear her turn Hey Jude into a camp anthem is quite something. I don't think that's a complement.

I caught a bit of Tom Odell's cover today on Graham Norton's R2 show - if I hadn't read the news earlier in the week I wouldn't have recognised it as a John Lennon song.  I'm looking forward to seeing the advert. I listened to the radio for most of the day - too wet to venture out.  No Beatles number in Tony Blackburn's chart show but he did introduce his first countdown as "long before the Beatles ... 1958".

Of course I also watched "Strictly".  And very glad I did.  Pixie Lott danced to When I'm 64. Tess Daly couldn't resist the temptation to say that she hoped the routine would get them A Ticket to Ride to Blackpool - next week's venue.

I caught a little bit of Sweet Sixteen by Ringo this afternoon on Johnny Walker's show.  This week's guest was Captain Sensible who spoke about his early days touring explaining it was a "Magical Mystery Tour-like the Beatles film".

But my favourite reference was in The Times Saturday Review (p9).  In a review of a new book, "A history of the 20th century in 100 maps" I read the following sentence: "And the childhood haunts of John, Paul, George and Ringo are meticulously plotted on a 1974 map catering for the millions of Beatles fans making the pilgrimage to Liverpool". Great, eh!

I heard "Dream Weaver" by Gary Wright on R2 this afternoon.  Johnny Walker explained the song was based on a poem in a book that was given to the songwriter by George Harrison.

I went to the movies last night so missed "Strictly Come Dancing" so watched it tonight.  One couple danced the Paso to Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die". It was a good performance - got them second place on the leader board.

I had two references before 8.00 am.! The first was Twist and Shout on the radio and the second ... a picture of The Beatles on Libby Piggott's tote bag as she crossed the bridge at Hinckley Station.  I was waiting for my train, she was on her way to catch the bus.  Both of us en route to College.

I listened to the last bit of Elaine Page's R2 show and was surprised to learn that Paul McCartney's song "All my Life" featured in the film "Rainy with a chance of Meatballs!".  Later on the in the afternoon, Johnny Walker, interviewed Joan Armatrading - whilst talking about playing to big crowds she mentioned a famous gig at "Black Bush" adding, it was where she met her first Beatle, Ringo Starr.

Chris Evans' "Beatles Monday" tune was Strawberry Fields. I listened to it in my coat at the bottom of the stairs to make sure I got the right song, then dashed out of the house.

Tonight's "Only Connect" came up with a reference too.  The first clue in a four-part sequence was Peace.  One of the contestants mentioned John Lennon.  In fact, the clues revealed the answer to be "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell (Peace, Love, Truth, Plenty - the names of the regime's ministries!)

Friday, 3rd October

As promised the second part of "Music of the Movies" including Hard Day's Night: "the first film to embrace the pop phenomenon" in its soundtrack.

Sadly a new musical Love Me Do although set in 1962 "the year the Beatles released their first single"  doesn't include any Beatles tunes. Maybe that's why The Times critic only gave it one star!

Yellow Submarine was played by Simon Mayo on Drive Time (R2) - I was washing down kitchen cupboards at the time.

I walked into Hinckley's little shopping mall this morning to the sound of Ringo, singing "With a Little Help from my Friends".  

I watched episode 2 of "Cilla" tonight: much better than the first one. No sight of the Beatles this time, but lots of references in conversations between the characters (and there was a poster in Brian Epstein's Office too).  But the big one was when she recorded Lennon and McCartney's "Love of the Loved" at Abbey Road with George Martin.  Mike would have smiled with me at that point - he knew I have a soft spot for him (& his voice).

I heard Twist and Shout this morning - Chris Evans' "Big Screen Belter".  No prizes for guessing the film.

I heard on Simon Mayo's show tonight as I did a bit of painting in the kitchen When I'm 64. 

I've put my brushes down now to watch "Oh You Pretty Things: The story of Music and Fashion" (BBC4) - It starts in the 1960s so I'm fully expecting to see at least one picture of The Beatles ... 10 minutes in there was a bit about the tailor shop "Lord John": there's a cape hanging on the wall, made for John Lennon but he never collected it. 

And in a segment about the "Granny takes a trip" shop there's a shot of George Harrison wearing a floral jacket - the very one shown in this photo.

Saturday, 13th September

I caught two Beatles numbers on the Radio2 today: "For No One" at 16.52 pm and "Because" at 18.42 pm

I got ready for work to Hey Jude (Chris Evan's Monday Beatles slot is alive and well).  And was delighted with a question on BBC2's "Only Connect" as I ate my tea.  Q: What's the link between four clues, the last being Musical Subaqueous Craft.  The answer was yellow and the final clue: Yellow Submarine (ta-dah).

Apparently today, is the day when John and Olivia married.   To celebrate, Chris Evans played Oh Sweet Lord - a song we all sung at Mike's funeral (which is just 7 days away from its 3 year "anniversary")

I spent this wet Bank Holiday painting my kitchen whilst listening to R2's 100 Best Riffs countdown.  At No.28 was Daytripper.  Mike would have been pleased to see "You really got me" (Kinks) at No.9

Times2 has a feature on Autumn drama - programmes to look forward to as the nights get darker.  ITV has a 3-parter about Cilla. "Did you know that Cilla used to know the Beatles?  Of course you did, she talks of little else, so expect a tale of fame against the odds set against a backdrop of Beatlemania on the streets of 1960s Liverpool" (p7). I'll watch it but its the new crime series' I'm looking forward too.

After a long (but successful) day shopping for a wedding outfit I listened to Liza Tarbuck (2) in my summerhouse.   She "bigged-up" Stella and Paul who requested a mention and mused if they were McCartneys.  A Beatles number also turned up on the show (one that Stranded used to do), but now I've forgotten what song it was.