In which we feed the week’s events through our heat-seeking Fun-Filter®️ to see what makes the bell ring. Which includes …

… Richard Ashcroft in the new John Lewis Christmas ad.

… U2 v Coldplay, the Beatles v Pink Floyd – rock bands and the “diploma divide”.

… why can we still recite entire song lyrics we learnt when teenagers but can’t remember the shopping list we wrote this morning?

… “they couldn’t find their backside with the flashlight”.

… the new form of tribute group: the Fall, Thin Lizzy and Talk Talk and the bands made up of ex-members who are recording their ‘new music’.

… Elvis, Noel Coward, Churchill, Dylan, Jack Nicholson, Michael Caine, Bowie, the Stones, Frank Sinatra … who should Craig Brown write about next?

… the very few people more famous than Paul McCartney.

… our search for the poshest pop star.

… Beatles fans v the National Anthem.

… is this the only podcast on God’s green earth to mention the Wars Of Spanish Succession?

… and birthday guest Giles Fraser on Phil Manzanera, Neil Tennant, Clare Grogan, Midge Ure and other musicians with fabulous speaking voices.

Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.