I think it is only fair to start with Wogan's own single The Floral Dance, that was released in 1978 and reached number 21 in the UK Chart. The tune and words was originally written by Kate Emily Barkley Moss (1881-1947), who studied at the Royal Academy of Music and was a professional violinist, pianist and concert singer. Written in 1911, the song tells the story of an incident that apparently actually happened to Moss herself on a visit to Helston during the springtime 'Furry Dance' celebrations and the song was reportedly written directly afterwards as she was going home on the train. The songbook cover states that the music was founded on an old Cornish air and I expect that she never imagined a man from Limerick to cover it 66 years later in only the way Wogan could.
Unfortunately this didn't start a great career as a pop star but he would go on and record Christmas songs with Aled Jones in aid of Children in Need, the BBC charity for which Sir Terry was as much the image for as its logo the Pudsey the Bear.
Since 1980, Wogan was the lead presenter of Children in Need and he hadn't missed a event until 2015. Since 1985, there have been charity singles to raise money for the charity and stars like Shane Ritchie, Girls Aloud, Spice and McFly have all recorded singles. Possible for me the most memorable single in aid of Children in Need was the versions of Perfect Day by Lou Reed they recorded in 1997. With a mixture of hit artists spanning both pop and classical, these covers are simple amazing and was definitely more commercially successful than the previous Children in Need single performed by Sid Owen and Patsy Palmer. To hear the Perfect Day all three versions
Although I don't know what Terry Wogan's perfect day was; I know that for 16 years he was the choice of millions to wake up to on a week day morning before work. He started his 16 years on Radio 2 breakfast show in 1993 with Whitney Houston being number 1 in the chart with her cover of the Dolly Parton's hit I will always love you and ended it with Lady Gaga Bad Romance in the 2009. Due to the length of time Wogan was in control of the airwaves; he was credited with launching the career of Katie Melua and helping bring Eva Cassidy's music to the UK.
Although it seems really strange to put Lady Gaga beside Eva Cassidy, perhaps it is a nod to another Wogan's successes in his professional career which was his presenting of the Eurovision Song Contest for over 40 years. In the 1970s, his presenting of the competition took place on radio; but from 1980 to 2008, he was the face and voice of the competition; and his quick wit and rather honest opinion of some of the acts meant he was the extra guest on all of our Eurovision parties throughout the years. In his time presenting; the UK only won the event twice; Buzz Fizz in 1981, with Making your mind up and Katrina and the Waves in 1997, with Love shines a light.
However, Ireland, Wogan's place of birth won the contest six times in the time he was presenting it (seven times in total) and won it three years in a row (1992,1993,1994). Ireland is the most successful country in Eurovision and is the only country who had the same artist win the contest twice with different songs:
My last track today is a version of Danny Boy played on guitar by Eric Clapton. An irish classic going out in memory to an Irish Icon of TV and radio. RIP Terry Wogan.
