We love digging up little glimpses of the old world and nuggets of what Greater Manchester used to be like back in the day, but unearthing a song all about how wonderful Stockport is might just be up there with one of the best things we’ve ever come discovered.
Yes, we fully appreciate how surprising and potentially funny that sentence alone might be to a lot of you, but please just bear with us.
We’ll confess that finding this gem of a track came from nothing more than a stroke of sheer luck and the whims of the YouTube algorithm during one of the late-night scrolling on our phones, at which we point we stumbled across what appeared to be an ode to the town of Stockport.
Simply entitled, ‘Stockport’, the song was performed by Liverpool-born easy-listening star and all-round crooner, Frankie Vaughan, who was a big recording artist throughout the 1950s and, without further ado, here’s what it sounds like. Are you ready?
Yes, that is a real single that was genuinely recorded in the old Cheshire borough back in 1983, and not at the legendary Strawberry Studios as you might have expected, but in the equally iconic Plaza Theatre located in the town centre.
ADVERTISEMENT
Believed to have been recorded as a bit of a wink and a nod by Vaughan and lyricist Geoff Morrow, a songwriter and businessman from London, the tune came about as a response to an article by the Mail on Sunday which essentially dragged Stockport’s name through the dirt.
While the details surrounding exactly how that article led to this collaboration are equally muddy, it’s thought that the Mail set up a competition for someone to write about how great the area was as a kind of apology — i.e. giving the locals a chance to paint it in a better light like no one else could.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, perhaps because SK residents weren’t overly keen to shout about the region themselves, it turned out Morrow asked Vaughan to do it as the two were friends and (tongue firmly in cheeky, we expect), the 60s/70s cabaret singer gave it his full big band best. It was a big story at the time, too.
The result is an almost Sinatra-esque soliloquy all about the place that has gone on to be dubbed ‘the new Berlin’ by some and was voted Greater Manchester’s town of culture in 2023, but we dare say few would have expected it to have such a reputation today — including the blokes who created it.
From the almost Coronation Street-like opening second or two, to Frankie Vaughan’s insistence upon occasionally letting loose a laugh at the end or even sometimes in the middle of a lyric, there are moments when this song very much feels like a bit of a parody, but I guess we’ll never know.
ADVERTISEMENT
As someone born in Stockport myself, I feel I have some authority to assume that lines like “there’s nowhere that can beat it”, “the houses seem to say ‘come in'”, and “there’s nowhere finer” were sung at least a little bit sarcastically but, regardless, we’re very happy to have pulled this love letter out from the very back of the Manc music draw.
Nevertheless, in all seriousness, the Stockport of the mid to late-20th century is very different from the one we’ve come to know of today, boasting plenty of new cultural hotspots, highly-regarded restaurants and bars, not to mention a new wave of local artists like Blossoms, Fuzzy Sun, Findlay and more.
Fellow Stopfordians might smirk at the suggestion of their town being “where it’s at”, as Frankie Vaughan puts it with such questionable sincerity, but the honest truth is that it’s still one of our favourite places to go in and around Manchester and has a special place in our hearts.
The only difference is that we’re fairly sure our love comes from a very different place than the songs did. Exhibit A through Z.
Featured Images — Helder Rock (via YouTube)/Stockport Library Archive Footage/The Manc Group
Audio
Olivia Dean at Albert Hall – star stuns in every way in Manchester
Abbie Bartlett
24-year-old neo soul singer Olivia Dean was in Manchester last night performing her Mercury prize-nominated album effortlessly with a voice and style made for the stage.
Fans of the star have watched her go from strength to strength over the past year, from being nominated for three Brits, performing at Coachella and now preparing for this year’s Glastonbury festival.
As someone who frequents gigs like they’re going out of fashion, it’s a bold statement but I think this may be one of the best I’ve ever experienced, and Olivia Dean can only be described being a star.
Before we dive into the performance, it’s only fair to take a minute to shoutout what an incredible venue for music the Albert Hall is. The former Methodist hall projects and echos acoustics perfectly and the raised stage and balcony area mean everyone in the building has a good view.
It’s no surprise that given her recent success the show at the Albert Hall was a complete sell-out, appearing on stage in a stunning floor-length silk dress the sea of fans filled the venue with admiring applause.
Olivia looked stunning in a floor length dress.The crowd was mesmorised.
With a seven-piece band behind her, the star jumped straight into an atmospheric UFO before a cheery ‘How are we Manchester?’ and raising a can of Red Stripe. She quickly follows with Ok Love You Bye – a track that gets the whole crowd singing along and contemplating their past love decisions (maybe that last bit was just me).
The singer seamlessly glided through her set with ease, tambourine in hand, wowing fans with gorgeous melodies and relatable lyrics.
Gracefully sitting at the piano the room fell to silence as we heard Everybody’s Crazy and ICould Be a Florist, I’d predict I wasn’t the only person crying at this point.
As the evening rolled on and the songs kept coming the genuine talent Olivia has, not just as a singer but as a lyricist, had the crowd hooked on her every word. Of course she ends with Dive, the standout track from the album that perfectly depicts how it feels to fall in love.
Olivia Dean 2024 setlist
UFO
Ok Love You Bye
Echo
Danger
Cross My Mind
Be My Own Boyfriend
What Am I Gonna Do on Sundays?
No Man
Messy
Touching Toes
Everybody’s Crazy
I Could Be a Florist
Ladies Room
Reason to Stay
The Hardest Part
Carmen
Saying her goodbyes with a ‘I’ve had such a lovely evening’ and telling the crowd how happy she is to be back home in the UK after recent shows in America.
Experiencing Olivia Dean at Albert Hall felt genuinely special, the star is destined for a life time of deserved fame but her voice was made to be experiences in an intimate venue. The opportunity to enjoy her talent in such a perfect venue was nothing short of a divine evening.
Audio
A big party in the park is coming to Poynton and an iconic disco group is headlining
Danny Jones
Poyton’s Party in the Park is back for 2024 and has an announced legendary disco act as their biggest headliner ever.
Marking the 20th anniversary of the cult favourite event, the old Cheshire town which neighbours the likes of Stockport and Macclesfield is hosting its biggest party to date at Poynton Park this summer in partnership with the local Rotary Club, promising a jam-packed day of live music and more.
Confirming classic New York disco group and vocal trio Odyssey and the main event, with millions of records sold worldwide and some of the most iconic tracks of the 1970s and 80s to their name, this little one-day festival is set for a massive year.
Better still, as a fundamentally not-for-profit event raising money for local charities and community groups, you can party all day and all night whilst doing your bit for a good cause.
They’re best known for tracks like ‘Native New Yorker’ and former ‘Use it Up & Wear it Out’ (Credit: Supplied)
Alongside Odyssey, the lineup for Poynton’s Party in the Park 2024 includes critically acclaimed cover bands like The Soul Providers and Soulvation Band, performing some of the greatest soul, funk, Motown and disco hits of the 1960s.
There’s plenty of local talent from around the North West on show too, such as Manchester singer-songwriter Imogen Paige, Liverpool-based indie band The Garnetts and, returning due to popular demand, Party in the Park favourites and Poynton’s very own Monkey Harris Band.
Great name and an even greater stage presence.
They’re the stuff of legend around the local area, regularly playing the likes of the Poynton Beer Festival and this is by no means their first turn around the park.
This year’s Party in the Park is being put on by local festival organiser and Hale Barns Carnival creator, Max Eden, working alongside Poynton Rotary – who founded the event two decades ago – to deliver what they’re calling a “refreshed and updated event for all the family to enjoy”.
The one-day festival also promises to feature lots of new and exciting additions for 2024 including traditional funfair rides for all ages, alongside an extended showcase of the amazing local food and drink, as well as a new VIP area offering premium seats, table service and exclusive meet and greets.
Local station Happy Radio UK will also be covering the event as the official radio partner, broadcasting in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and across various other parts of the North West, with well-known presenters like Steve Penk, Darren Proctor and Chelsea Norris all set to be involved.
Speaking ahead of the fundraising festival, Odyssey lead singer Steven Collazo said: “We’re so excited to be headlining Poynton Party in the Park this June. We’ve heard you guys know how to party and we can’t wait to get our groove on with y’all!”
As for organiser Max Eden, he added: “I’m thrilled to be working with Poynton Rotary this year to stage the biggest Poynton Party in the Park to date.
“We have an incredible headliner alongside outstanding local musicians and performers, amazing family attractions and the best food and drink from the local area – it’s the perfect lineup for a really good party!
“We hope to raise vital funds for Poynton Rotary to enable them to continue the incredible work they do locally in supporting charities and community groups in our area.”
Party in the Park starts at 1pm on Saturday, 8 June with tickets starting from £28.50 for adults and just £15 for 5-16s – not to mention kids four and under going completely free. You can grab your general admission, or VIP passes if you’re feeling a bit posh, right HERE.