We’re Rooting For “Boom Bang-A-Bang” (video)

March 1969

South Yorkshire Times March 1, 1969

We’re Rooting For “Boom Bang-A-Bang”

Of tremendously exciting interest to this corner of South Yorkshire is this year’s entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. How many readers recognised a familiar name when on Saturday evening Lulu sang the final six from 211 entries from which British listeners and viewers will choose the song for Madrid? “Boom Bang-a-Bang” by Peter Warne and Alan Moorehouse.

Alan, one time sixth former at Mexborough Grammar School, is from Conishrough. Latterly the family lived in Elm Green Lane; his father was in business as a chemist in the Denahy Main premises now occupied by Mr. Eric Dickinson.

Two old friends are especially interested — Alan’s former schoolmaster, Mr. J. I. Webster, now living in retirement at Bawtry, who remembers him as a pupil at Station Road School, and noted Yorkshire Council batsman, Arthur Ellis, who has many pleasant memories of earlier days when Alan was a member of what was known at that time as the New Style Swingtette. The Swingtette played for dances at Station Road School, Conisbrough. Alan played the trumpet and Arthur recalls that among them were George Ryder (pianist then, who has since made such a distinguished name for himself as an organist), John Parker, Jimmy Dunn and another “local” named Broadhead who subsequently joined Felix Mendelson’s noted orchestra.

Alan, he recalls, joined the Royal Air Force in 1944 and subsequently was among the big name bands including Eric Winstone’s and Ken Mackintosh’s.

Each year up to half a million viewers join in the postcard poll to find the United Kingdom’s entry for the Eurovision Cont es t. In March Lulu will be flying to Madrid to sing the song they choose. There will be a lot of South Yorkshire enthusiasts rooting for “Boom Bang-a-Bang”!

From YouTube: