TASHY HEARS

NO MATTER WHAT

With this song I've never even tried to find out why it was written except to know it was from a musical based on a book by Mary Hayley Bell, the mother of actress Hayley Mills; her father was Sir John Mills. Hayley Mills played the title role in the film based on the book, which was released in 1961. The Lloyd Webber musical came much, much later. In fact the Lloyd Webber musical wasn't even the first one; there had been another in the 1990's.

I first heard the song in New Zealand in 2006 when I think it had been around for about 8 years. It was a hard time for me, or possibly us, and many things were being said, many comments made, all by ill-informed people who had no idea what was going on. I have to admit that subsequently I have found out that I wasn't completely aware of all happenings either although I had my suspicions.

Needles to say the song hit the right chord and the sentiments still hold true today. I detest, abhor, I can't think of stronger words, the bullying that goes on in society today, some of it actively encouraged by celebrities and TV executives who think it entertaining to publicly humiliate and bully others. It took me some while to be able to ignore such comments as I heard about me, my work and my lifestyle. But I did. This song helped. As one young lady in the United States believes, "no one has the power to ruin your day".

Since then I have tried to promote an anti-bullying culture among young people and you will find out more about that in some later songs.