0:00:09 > 0:00:14I would like to see him get another break and get a good...
0:00:15 > 0:00:19..number one if he could, or even if he got in the charts again.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25# Laura and Tommy were lovers
0:00:25 > 0:00:29# He wanted to give her everything #
0:00:29 > 0:00:31You know you mention the name, Ricky Valance
0:00:31 > 0:00:34and some people say, "He's dead."
0:00:34 > 0:00:35And I say, "No that's Ritchie Valens.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37"That was a different guy altogether."
0:00:37 > 0:00:41# He saw a sign for a stock car race #
0:00:41 > 0:00:46Even at his tender age, he's a ball of fire.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49He's always working on eight cylinders,
0:00:49 > 0:00:53even when he knows that four cylinders should be switched off.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57# Tell Laura I love her
0:00:57 > 0:01:02# Tell Laura I need her
0:01:02 > 0:01:05# Tell Laura not to cry
0:01:05 > 0:01:11# My love for her will never die #
0:01:15 > 0:01:18This is BBC Radio Wales.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Now, on the programme today, music legend, Ricky Valance,
0:01:23 > 0:01:27the first Welshman to get a number one, he'll be in.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Hi, I'm Ricky Valance for the Roy Noble show.
0:01:31 > 0:01:32Good afternoon, Mr Valance.
0:01:32 > 0:01:37Hello, just to let you know that I've got Mr Ricky Valance here. Thank you. Bye-bye.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41Mr Valance, would it be possible for an autograph for my mother, Lily.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43Yeah, my pleasure.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45L-I-L-Y.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48That's great, she'll be thrilled.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Well, what an inordinate pleasure. Come around here.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51Ricky, you're very welcome.
0:01:51 > 0:01:56- It's a great pleasure to be here. - Come sit down, it's my pleasure.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59There's so much more to me than just this record.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Delighted to say Ricky Valance is here. Welcome home.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Thank you very much, Roy.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06We've had a series relatively recently, called Welsh Greats
0:02:06 > 0:02:12and they concentrate on a particular person who's flown the flag for Wales, internationally.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14I'm the first, I understand.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16- I'm the first Welshman to make number one?- You are.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20I introduced you as such at the beginning. Absolutely right. How did you come to sing it?
0:02:20 > 0:02:22My manager at the time, called Lena Davis,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25and she got me a recording test with Columbia.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30# Laura and Tommy were lovers
0:02:30 > 0:02:31# He wanted to give her... #
0:02:31 > 0:02:34When I was played that song, originally,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37my first thought was, "How the hell I could sing it
0:02:37 > 0:02:39"any better than that."
0:02:39 > 0:02:42It's got such a great hook, as we say in the business.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45But my, what we call, my retinue,
0:02:45 > 0:02:50said, "Look, you used to be a choir boy, so it's a hymn."
0:02:51 > 0:02:56So I thought about it and I thought well, "Tell Laura I love her".
0:02:56 > 0:02:59He said, "That's the song we want, that's the sound."
0:03:00 > 0:03:05And so that was the sound, in fact, that I used on all my records.
0:03:05 > 0:03:14So I got virtually trapped into the kind of music,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17which although I liked, was not really me.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22And then, of course, you do have that, certain reservations about,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24"What do I do now?"
0:03:28 > 0:03:33Ladies and gentlemen, international recording star, Mr Ricky Valance!
0:03:38 > 0:03:39APPLAUSE
0:03:42 > 0:03:43Thank you so much.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48# Laura and Tommy were lovers... #
0:03:49 > 0:03:51'I'm Evelyn.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54'I'm from Abertillery, South Wales.'
0:03:54 > 0:03:59Laura has been a fantastic record, really.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03I mean, he can't get on the stage unless he sings it, obviously.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06I don't know how many times he's sung it. Can't keep up with it.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10# A thousand dollar prize, it read #
0:04:10 > 0:04:14I did know that the song was going to cause an awful lot of interest
0:04:14 > 0:04:17and that something would happen with it.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22# Tell Laura I love her
0:04:22 > 0:04:26# Tell Laura I need her #
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Well, the BBC never played it.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31I mean, quite frankly, they were so,
0:04:31 > 0:04:35"Oh, we can't play this dirt, you know, about death,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38"and all that kind of thing and we can't have this."
0:04:38 > 0:04:40You had your Mary Whitehouses of the day,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43who said this is going to encourage young men to go out
0:04:43 > 0:04:45and kill themselves over their girlfriends.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47We were going, "Oh, my god!"
0:04:47 > 0:04:49What do you think about this record, Laura I Love You?
0:04:49 > 0:04:51I dig it man!
0:04:51 > 0:04:53What does that mean to a square like me?
0:04:53 > 0:04:54I enjoy it.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59The lyrics aren't bad and it's what the teenagers go for.
0:04:59 > 0:05:00How can you say the lyrics aren't bad
0:05:00 > 0:05:03when it's about a man being burnt to death in a car?
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Well that's what teenagers like, anything sordid.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09The Road Safety Council thinks this is morbid and corrupt.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13Oh dear, I feel sorry for the Road Safety Council. They're very stuffy!
0:05:14 > 0:05:17It climbed the charts and knocked Apache off,
0:05:17 > 0:05:22and was number one for three weeks and in the charts for four months.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25SCREAMING
0:05:26 > 0:05:29The joy, if you will, of being a number one.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31I mean that was "Wow!"
0:05:31 > 0:05:34You're like God to these kids out there.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38I would be up on stage with my black slacks and my blue shirt
0:05:38 > 0:05:40and doing the old Elvis Presley bit there, you know.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42HE LAUGHS
0:05:42 > 0:05:46I remember this particular night we had, the girls had my legs
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and the bouncers had my arms and they were pulling between them!
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Unbelievable!
0:05:52 > 0:05:55# Tell Laura I love her
0:05:55 > 0:05:59# Tell Laura I need her #
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Being top of the pile is the greatest thing,
0:06:02 > 0:06:06nobody can take that away from you. It doesn't matter whether you don't do it again -
0:06:06 > 0:06:08you've been there, you know what it's like.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10APPLAUSE
0:06:14 > 0:06:19I think people see Ricky as the elder statesman of entertainment here.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25We are working with Ricky on a mini tour of three shows
0:06:25 > 0:06:26in the area, in the Costa Blanca,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29and, of course, this is one of those shows tonight.
0:06:32 > 0:06:37The audience is a cross section really of the mature kids, as I would call them,
0:06:37 > 0:06:40and they will all know Tell Laura I Love Her.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42So, I think, that is probably the biggest recognition,
0:06:42 > 0:06:48because here, at 51 years into his time in music,
0:06:48 > 0:06:50he is still recognised as one of the greats of that time.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55# To my mind She's my kind of girl #
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Ricky Valance, one more time!
0:07:00 > 0:07:02CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:07:04 > 0:07:08Well, you asked to see my discs and my awards.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12We've got the silver, which was presented actually in 1960 for a quarter of a million
0:07:12 > 0:07:14for Tell Laura I Love Her.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17The gold, that time, of course, was a million,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19and they've included now the platinum.
0:07:19 > 0:07:25So, in fact, we've got the full set there, which is rather nice.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29And the two awards... I was appearing in quite a big festival,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32in Bognor Regis, funnily enough.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36And I was presented with the Top Male Vocalist
0:07:36 > 0:07:41and an award for the nomination of the audience
0:07:41 > 0:07:43as the Top Solo Act.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48# For ever and ever
0:07:48 > 0:07:51# There's a final hush
0:07:51 > 0:07:55# All over the world tonight
0:07:55 > 0:07:57# All over the world... #
0:07:57 > 0:08:01RADIO: TKO Gold on the Costa Blanca.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Yet another beautiful, sunny, autumn day.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12# You can't roller skate in a buffalo herd
0:08:12 > 0:08:15# You can't roller skate in a buffalo herd
0:08:15 > 0:08:18# You can be happy if you've a mind to #
0:08:19 > 0:08:25We're off now to see my record producer.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29His name is Snoopy, the genius of the studio.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33He's not at all pushy. We just work together in harmony.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38A question, you know, that goes through my mind many times is,
0:08:38 > 0:08:42you know, how long do you go on?
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Hopefully, we'll have a few more years to go.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48There isn't anything else I can say, except my voice is,
0:08:48 > 0:08:50well, it's my life.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59# Smile, though your heart is aching
0:09:01 > 0:09:06# Smile, even though it's breaking #
0:09:06 > 0:09:07HE WHISTLES
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Lucky, I just had me headphones on!
0:09:11 > 0:09:17# In the sky, you'll get by #
0:09:17 > 0:09:22# If you smile through your tears and sorrow #
0:09:23 > 0:09:24Sorry.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27# Smile...
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Sorry, I'm hearing too much popping on the microphone.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Could you hear it?
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Do you want me to put the pop shield in?
0:09:33 > 0:09:34Put the guard on again, I think.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38I knew nothing about Ricky until he approached me
0:09:38 > 0:09:40and then I got my Guinness Book Of Hit Records out
0:09:40 > 0:09:44and went through and there was
0:09:44 > 0:09:47a picture of Ricky Valance in the Hall of Fame
0:09:47 > 0:09:51with his hit single, Tell Laura I Love Her.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56We'll give it another shot. From the top, second take.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Ricky's a perfectionist and his own worst enemy, really.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03He can have a perfect take...
0:10:03 > 0:10:06# Smile though your heart is aching #
0:10:06 > 0:10:10And he'll pull it apart deliberately just to find a minute fault,
0:10:10 > 0:10:14like he took a breath when he shouldn't have done.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18# Smile though your heart is aching #
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Yeah, there's a little.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22There's something I'm not happy with.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27Unfortunately, being in the game of recording Ricky,
0:10:27 > 0:10:33I do get the ridicule - it's a horrible word to use -
0:10:33 > 0:10:40but I get the ridicule of people who basically label him
0:10:40 > 0:10:45with the one-hit wonder. They label him with, um...
0:10:45 > 0:10:49generally just wishy-washy music.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54# Although he may be
0:10:54 > 0:10:57# Ever so near #
0:10:57 > 0:11:00The term "one hit-wonder" to me
0:11:00 > 0:11:03means an entirely different thing to other people.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Other people use it as a derogatory,
0:11:06 > 0:11:11so these idiots - and they are idiots - who use that term,
0:11:11 > 0:11:13and when they use it for somebody like myself,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15who's spent 52 years in the business
0:11:15 > 0:11:17and had hits all over the world.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20How in the hell can they say I'm a one-hit wonder?
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Only one reason - because they know nothing about me.
0:11:27 > 0:11:33These people don't realise that he's totally committed to what he does.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37He believes in what he does and because he believes in what he does,
0:11:37 > 0:11:39I believe in what he does.
0:11:39 > 0:11:40# Smile... #
0:11:46 > 0:11:48That'll work, that'll work.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52He can be difficult. He can be very difficult,
0:11:52 > 0:11:56but I found the other side of Ricky, which is a very loving,
0:11:56 > 0:11:58very warm and tender person.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00I've learnt to love him,
0:12:00 > 0:12:01and I do.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04I dearly love him, he's a character and a half.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08# Say it's me that you adore
0:12:09 > 0:12:14# Oh, my darling, tell me when... #
0:12:27 > 0:12:30I had a great chance to work with some of the greats
0:12:30 > 0:12:33in those days, on the rock and roll tours.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37And, for me, this was one of the greatest,
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Gene Vincent And The Blue Caps. What a showman.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45And also, Jerry Lee Lewis,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47and Ricky Valance & The Valentines!
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Yes, well, this is one of your favourites, love.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55- Yeah, it is. I mean, I love the song very much. - I'll see if I can find that.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57I don't know if we've got it now.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00I guess the frustrating thing about this, moving away,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04was the fact it really was a good record, some of my best work.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07It didn't make it in the UK.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10I think it deserved to get into the Top 20.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13- You've got the record. - Yeah, that's right.
0:13:13 > 0:13:19On reflection, it was basically because we were looking for something of the ilk
0:13:19 > 0:13:22of Tell Laura, which was as strong, which we could never find.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24Oh, love...
0:13:24 > 0:13:27I mean, it was disappointing, obviously,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30but at least he was still working and that's the main thing.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32I mean, he was still well known,
0:13:32 > 0:13:36but you've just got to get on with your life, you can't do nothing else.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37Here we are with Lena.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39Yeah, that's right.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41My first award.
0:13:41 > 0:13:46Lena was a very, very good manager. She didn't suffer fools gladly,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50so she's very dominating, which is good for me in the business,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53you know, except occasionally, we did clash,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56because that's one thing I won't have -
0:13:56 > 0:14:00I won't be dominated by anyone, especially a woman.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01HE CHUCKLES
0:14:01 > 0:14:03SHE LAUGHS SARCASTICALLY
0:14:05 > 0:14:08There we are, two love birds together, about to tie the knot.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Yes, we had tied the knot, there.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Oh, that was after?
0:14:14 > 0:14:16That was after, definitely.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20Around 1956. That was a long, long time.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22A long, long time.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- Oh, there's our man. He's always late.- Hello, hello.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30What was that 11 o'clock crap you were talking about? I've never known you to be on bloody time yet.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33I first met Ricky about six years ago.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36I ran a radio station and he was one of our guests,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38and we've been good friends ever since.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41This is you live on stage.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43See, here you look 60,
0:14:43 > 0:14:4415, 20 years younger.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- Does that mean...? - Ten years younger.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Does that mean every other one, I look older?
0:14:50 > 0:14:52A bit of passion - and in public, as well!
0:14:52 > 0:14:55- There you go. - Ah, there we go, that's the end.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58That's a cracker.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Ricky was the first Welshman to have a number one hit record
0:15:02 > 0:15:04and he's very proud of that fact.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09And what he would like to do is to give something back to Wales
0:15:09 > 0:15:14and also to have some of his fellow countrymen and countrywomen
0:15:14 > 0:15:16pay him some attention.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Last year, when it was the 50th anniversary,
0:15:19 > 0:15:23- we investigated trying to get you a major venue in Wales.- Right.
0:15:23 > 0:15:28So, this year, we want to try and start smaller and grow up,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31- raise your profile.- The first venue that comes to mind for me
0:15:31 > 0:15:36is down at Newbridge, which is in Gwent in South Wales,
0:15:36 > 0:15:40and I know the guy that actually is in charge of
0:15:40 > 0:15:42the committee that runs it.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46- It's the Memorial Hall. - Has this been here a long time?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Oh, I met my wife there,
0:15:49 > 0:15:53which is another good reason for doing the show this year, you know.
0:15:53 > 0:15:58It's always good for the press. They like to have the angle. That'll be our next step.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05'Well, the Costa Blanca is really a lovely place to live.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07'But we're not blinded by sun, sea and sand,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09'like a lot of people. That's all they can see.'
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Look at that scene across there.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14'Over here,
0:16:14 > 0:16:19'I don't think we've ever felt that we've fitted in, you know.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24'It's been A home but not THE home.'
0:16:26 > 0:16:29I'll bring you your drinks. Thank you.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32First of all, we were only going to stay for a year
0:16:32 > 0:16:36and then we landed up staying for nine years so far,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39so we'll see how much more it goes.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Realistically, of course, going back to Wales
0:16:42 > 0:16:47wouldn't further my career to the extent that I would want it,
0:16:47 > 0:16:52my profile, but one of the things I would love to do is a concert,
0:16:52 > 0:16:56preferably somewhere like St David's in Cardiff.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01If somebody out there is interested, then that's fabulous.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04We hope, maybe, this will be a stepping stone towards that.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08# All of my life since I've been born
0:17:08 > 0:17:13# You've been my love and you live next door
0:17:13 > 0:17:16# Then came the news that broke my heart... #
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Wow, it's a long time since I've been down here.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24None of these cars were here the last time I came down, that's for sure.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27# Moving away... #
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Just turn this down a second.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33This was my birthplace.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39My given name was David Spencer,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42and I was christened in a little church on the hill,
0:17:42 > 0:17:44in fact, where I was a choirboy.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47You're going to get kids, especially there,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51that when we were being brought up, they're going to say,
0:17:51 > 0:17:55"Well, you want to be a singer?" You know, namby-pamby.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58"I want to be a fireman." "I want to go down the mines."
0:17:58 > 0:18:01But I always knew from a very early age
0:18:01 > 0:18:05that that's the only thing that I would really enjoy doing with the whole of my life.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08DOORBELL
0:18:12 > 0:18:18- Hey!- Evening.- How lovely to see you, love. How lovely to see you.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21- This was the first time we've ever met.- Yes.
0:18:21 > 0:18:26- I was sitting in the car thinking, "I wonder what it's like inside my old house."- Oh, well...
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Look what you've done with it.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31One of the things I noticed when I came in here is,
0:18:31 > 0:18:36I don't know exactly where I am, because it's all changed now. I noticed, for instance,
0:18:36 > 0:18:41- I was going to say that was the scullery, but of course it isn't. - No, no, this was the kitchen.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Oh, right, that was the old grate,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47the coal fire, and Mum used to cook in the oven at the side of the...
0:18:47 > 0:18:53- That's right, yes. Black-lead grate. - God, it brings back so many memories, it really does.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55All your family up here, as well, I see.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Yes. That's the nephew that's been on the internet
0:18:58 > 0:19:00- to see what you look like.- Ohh!
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Of course he was only young, then. He's 16 now, isn't he?
0:19:04 > 0:19:08So they were all curious, the youngsters, as to who I was.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Who you were, and what you looked like.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13What I look like. How do I look?
0:19:13 > 0:19:17You look younger now than what you did when I seen you before!
0:19:17 > 0:19:19I love this woman, folks! I love this woman.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25Can't imagine how, years ago, how they all slept in these bedrooms,
0:19:25 > 0:19:27you know, cos they're so small.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Five of us in a bed, f-f-freezing cold,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33and the old man coming up
0:19:33 > 0:19:37and bringing this shelf from the oven,
0:19:37 > 0:19:41which was covered in a cloth, and put it in the bed to warm it up,
0:19:41 > 0:19:46- and we'd all huddle together with maybe an overcoat or so on the top, as well.- That's right.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50So, how many brothers did you say you had to sleep in this one bedroom?
0:19:50 > 0:19:55Well, five of us, and, inevitably, I would get blamed for tormenting the others,
0:19:55 > 0:19:56so I'd give them a slap
0:19:56 > 0:20:00and, suddenly, my father would come up the stairs and give me a slap!
0:20:00 > 0:20:03# Welcome to my world
0:20:05 > 0:20:09# Won't you come on in? #
0:20:09 > 0:20:13David Spencer - yeah, well, I was an ordinary little boy.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17I learnt to fight pretty early. I had to.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22So it was a rough, tough, black-and-white kind of life.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25I loved my parents very much, especially my mother.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29I was extremely close to my mother, who was a wonderful singer.
0:20:31 > 0:20:36Well, my father was a miner. He was a great man,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39but you didn't mess around with my father.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42He was, you know, "Come on, boy, pull yourself together!"
0:20:43 > 0:20:47I can't say, "Dad, I love you, Dad," which my son can say to me.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52And so, the frustration of wanting to do that
0:20:52 > 0:20:54I think can have an effect.
0:20:54 > 0:20:59He was a man who had a very, very hair-trigger temper.
0:20:59 > 0:21:06Later on in my life, I can remember my father saying to me, "You know,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08"David, we punished you for a lot
0:21:08 > 0:21:10"and we found out it wasn't your fault."
0:21:10 > 0:21:13I said "Dad, you know, it's a bit late",
0:21:13 > 0:21:16because it had an impression on me, it made me into a rebel.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21# Welcome to my world... #
0:21:24 > 0:21:25Hey!
0:21:25 > 0:21:29- All right?- All right. Good to see you.- And you.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32You used to have a nickname and I can't think what it was.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35- Curly.- Curly!- Curly Roberts. - Curly Roberts!
0:21:35 > 0:21:39- I had black hair then and you did. - I did, as well, absolutely right.
0:21:39 > 0:21:45- And I tell you what I can remember, the old pews.- And they're still hard.- They're still hard!
0:21:45 > 0:21:48- And they're still cold. - The only thing's missing is, Nobby's not here.
0:21:48 > 0:21:53- Oh, Mr Woodford.- Mr Woodford! I used to sit in the corner, in the back,
0:21:53 > 0:21:57creep in through the door, I can see him sitting there now,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00lowering his spectacles, glaring at me over there, saying,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03- "Late again, Spencer!" - He glared at everyone.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Ohh! For me, they're wonderful memories.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Well, my father's ashes are scattered at the back of the church,
0:22:11 > 0:22:13and were done so by my brothers.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17I mean, on that particular time, I think we were abroad or something,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19there was some way that I couldn't get back,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22which was very disappointing for me, obviously,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24to say goodbye to my father,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27but his ashes are there and I always feel, without sounding morbid,
0:22:27 > 0:22:34I would be most happy to have my ashes scattered with my father's.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41I went to work, of course, in the colliery with him,
0:22:41 > 0:22:45and he was the one that was responsible for saying to me one day,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47"David, if you're going to make singing a career,
0:22:47 > 0:22:51"you've got to get out of this, because this is not for you."
0:22:51 > 0:22:54So I did that. I just got out.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58# The old home town looks the same
0:22:58 > 0:23:02# As I step down from the train
0:23:02 > 0:23:05# And there to meet me... #
0:23:05 > 0:23:11I grew up with Ricky Valance, David Spencer then, as he was known,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15because we lived in the same street in Ynysddu.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19He would sort of do his own thing when he was younger.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23He seems to be a lot more caring than he used to be,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25I think, you know.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27In fact, I think, personality-wise,
0:23:27 > 0:23:32I think his life has improved him a lot. It has improved him.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36# Whop-ba-ba-lu-la whop bam boom Tutti frutti, oh, Rudy... #
0:23:36 > 0:23:40You know, there was a dance hall in every village, more or less.
0:23:40 > 0:23:45We went over all the valleys, you know, dancing. Tredega, everywhere.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49Then Tuesday, we'd be over the Memo in Newbridge.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58There's quite a few of us still like the ballroom dancing,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02because I'm pretty fit now and I can still jive, you know.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09It used to be called grab-a-granny night, but we've cleaned it up.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12So, of course, every Tuesday, you have these...
0:24:12 > 0:24:16maybe 50 to 75, 80 people turn up
0:24:16 > 0:24:18as regularly as clockwork.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21They dance the night away.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26I started dancing here, and it used to be packed -
0:24:26 > 0:24:28the girls one side, the boys the other side,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31and you'd just go along and, "May I have this dance?"
0:24:31 > 0:24:33We were very courteous in those days,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36and that's how many of us met.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38- Oh, look at this.- Oh, yes.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Oh, yeah.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45We met here in the Memo. I was in the Air Force at the time.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47It was just an ordinary dance night,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50we used to jive up here, I don't know, once or twice a week,
0:24:50 > 0:24:54and she was dancing in the corner with a couple of her friends,
0:24:54 > 0:24:55and I just looked at her
0:24:55 > 0:24:58and she had one of these very tight bebop skirts on, you know.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Those were the days, those were the days.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03And I thought, "Hmm, I rather like that!"
0:25:03 > 0:25:05THEY BOTH LAUGH
0:25:05 > 0:25:08I was, in fact, courting somebody else at that time,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12but he was in the Army, so...
0:25:12 > 0:25:14The Air Force won.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17And the Air Force won, exactly. That's right.
0:25:21 > 0:25:28Ricky has long wished for some sort of personal recognition in Wales, in particular,
0:25:28 > 0:25:34and if we can do anything at all to help him achieve his one aim, why shouldn't we?
0:25:34 > 0:25:38And another thing that has just crossed my mind - a band.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Yeah, well, I can speak to John Smallborough about that,
0:25:41 > 0:25:45and he did play for you once before just him and his son, keyboards...
0:25:45 > 0:25:49- Yeah, I remember that. - ..and they were brilliant. - Yeah, that's good, that's good.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Do you want me to get some publicity down to you?
0:25:52 > 0:25:56We've got our own website. The council will put things on their website for us.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Would be nice to get something in the local paper, as well.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Yes, I can get in touch with the South Wales Argos
0:26:01 > 0:26:04- and we can get in touch with the BBC.- Let me know about the band.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07We'll shake on this, but don't hold me to it.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09"Don't hold me to it," he says! You sound like my agent.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11THEY BOTH LAUGH
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Right, good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18On 24th February, Ricky Valance will be doing a concert here.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21I'm sure that you know Ricky of old.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24He is a very well-respected singer from this part
0:26:24 > 0:26:30and I'm pleased to say that Ricky and his wife Evelyn are with us in the room tonight.
0:26:30 > 0:26:35Ladies and gentlemen, could I ask you just to put your hands together and welcome Ricky and Evelyn?
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Thank you! Come on, stand up. Thank you very much.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Well, love, we've waited for this for a lot of years.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56- Yeah.- Shall we dance with them? - I can't, with these on!
0:26:56 > 0:26:59- Ah, you've got your boots on! - Yeah, I told you I had.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01I forgot about that.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05If I got up to bop, I'd have to take these off.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09Bloody bopping? You must be joking. With my back?!
0:27:16 > 0:27:21'In 1960, Ricky Valance sang a song called Tell Laura I Love Her.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24'The record sold a quarter of a million, and so won the silver disc.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27# Tell Laura I need her... #
0:27:27 > 0:27:30'Today, Ricky Valance can walk along the crowded promenade
0:27:30 > 0:27:34'at Bridlington in Yorkshire, but nobody turns their head.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36As one can imagine at this particular time,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39I made quite a lot of money from Tell Laura,
0:27:39 > 0:27:41but I was an idiot at the time,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44because I felt that there was plenty more where this came from.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46Unfortunately, this was my big mistake.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50# ..Tell Laura not to cry... #
0:27:50 > 0:27:54The structure of the business, the way that it was in the '60s,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57was such that you really did what you were told,
0:27:57 > 0:28:02like a good little boy. Really, you know, that wasn't me,
0:28:02 > 0:28:07and once the word got around that you're hard to handle, things start to drop.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11You know, it was like a square peg in a round hole.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14I had a lot of heartbreaks and worrying,
0:28:14 > 0:28:17till in the end, I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20I have learned from my mistakes, I really have learned.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25And I feel that, given another chance, I really feel this,
0:28:25 > 0:28:28after studying it from quite a wide angle,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31that if I could just get another chance again,
0:28:31 > 0:28:32I think I could make it again.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36I was born to make mistakes, a lot of mistakes, and I did.
0:28:39 > 0:28:45But I felt that, all in all, that if people had taken a lot more trouble
0:28:45 > 0:28:50within the business to understand me instead of being antagonistic
0:28:50 > 0:28:52and pushing me away,
0:28:52 > 0:28:54I think things would have been very different.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58But, at the end of the day, I have one thing above all else.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02I have my self-respect, and nobody can take that away from me.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06And now, at my time of life,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09suddenly there's a resurgence of the Ricky Valance fan club again,
0:29:09 > 0:29:11and it's wonderful!
0:29:11 > 0:29:16Tomorrow night, a very special concert at the Memo,
0:29:16 > 0:29:17the Memorial Hall in Newbridge.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21The fans can expect, you know, the vintage...
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Yeah. I'll be doing a nice mixture, you know?
0:29:23 > 0:29:26I'll be doing a nice mixture of stuff there.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29Ricky, it's been an absolute pleasure here.
0:29:29 > 0:29:34I understand you're going to be playing one of my very old records, an old B side.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Well, Charlotte next door is in charge of the buttons,
0:29:37 > 0:29:39and what Charlotte says, we all tend to jump to,
0:29:39 > 0:29:44- and so she loves it. Ricky Valance, an absolute joy. - Thank you very much.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48- I haven't heard this for years.- Huh? - I haven't heard this for years.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51# Never knew the thrill of a moonlight walk... #
0:29:51 > 0:29:54THEY BOTH LAUGH
0:29:55 > 0:29:58# I want to fall in love... #
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Singing along with it, you see? You remember it!
0:30:01 > 0:30:04# Hm-hm, I want to fall in Hm-hm... #
0:30:04 > 0:30:10- Hello, sir. How are you?- You're...? - I'm Ricky Valance. I am indeed, yes.
0:30:10 > 0:30:16Oh, it's good to catch up with you, because I've long been a fan, ever since that record come out.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Ever since then. Got all my other ones, as well?
0:30:19 > 0:30:22- You're doing a show tomorrow night, so I hear...- That's correct.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24- ..which is news to me. - In Newbridge.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27The audience is the most important thing.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29I've got to get on that stage and please that audience,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31I've got to give them everything I can.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34And not only that, but 24 hours a day, in some respect,
0:30:34 > 0:30:39I have to be Ricky Valance, not David Spencer, because those people made me what I am today.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42Last time I was there, Lonnie Donegan was there.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45- Ah, there you go. - Not long after, he died.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48There you go. You look after yourself, buddy.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51- OK? Take care.- I'll try and get there tomorrow night.- Please do.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53# Walking in the sunshine
0:30:53 > 0:30:55# Sing a little sunshine song
0:30:58 > 0:31:00# Put a smile upon your face
0:31:00 > 0:31:02# As if there's nothing wrong
0:31:05 > 0:31:08# Think about a good time had a long time ago
0:31:08 > 0:31:12# Think about forgetting about your worries and your woes
0:31:12 > 0:31:17# Walking in the sunshine Sing a little sunshine song... #
0:31:19 > 0:31:21# La-la-la-la... #
0:31:21 > 0:31:24- Yeah, hang on a second. - MUSIC STOPS
0:31:24 > 0:31:26That's great, I mean, that's fantastic.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29There's only one big problem. I haven't done this for about 25 years
0:31:29 > 0:31:34and I'm finding that la-la-la-la is a bit high. Can we take it down? Is it possible?
0:31:34 > 0:31:38Tonight is the big night, and here I am at the illustrious establishment
0:31:38 > 0:31:41of the Memorial Hall in Newbridge.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45We have a full house tonight, which is quite incredible.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48I'm playing to those people that have come especially to see me,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50then I really have to be on my toes.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53Am I scared? You bet your bloody life I am!
0:31:58 > 0:32:03Ladies and gentlemen, will you please welcome live on stage, Mr Ricky Valance!
0:32:03 > 0:32:05Well, the difference tonight is I'm using a live band,
0:32:05 > 0:32:10and goodness knows how long it is since I've used a live band.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15# Once upon a time
0:32:15 > 0:32:20# A boy too young to know
0:32:20 > 0:32:23# Gave his trusting heart... #
0:32:23 > 0:32:27I went into cabaret in the '70s, you know.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30I can remember going on at Bognor Regis,
0:32:30 > 0:32:34closing the show with American Trilogy,
0:32:34 > 0:32:40and the people went absolutely berserk. And I came off.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44It affected me to the extent I literally had tears running down my face.
0:32:46 > 0:32:53We travelled for 29 weeks, all around the camps.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58We started off in Clefelly,
0:32:58 > 0:33:01then we'd go back down to Barry Island,
0:33:01 > 0:33:07then it was Minehead, then Bognor.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11From Bognor, we'd go up to Skegness.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14And from Skegness, you went up to Clefelly,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17and you did that every week. Bing-bing-bing-bong.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20I'm like this... Sitting in the car...
0:33:20 > 0:33:28Not long after that, it led to my breakdown that I had.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31It was horrific. I don't even like to think about that now.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35# Sometimes we'll sigh
0:33:37 > 0:33:40# And sometimes we'll cry
0:33:42 > 0:33:46# And you'll know why... #
0:33:46 > 0:33:51The worse part of all was, he was down there every week, down in Bognor.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54But I got in the car and we drove about two miles from home.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57He just broke down and he couldn't go.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59And I said, "That's it, we're going home."
0:33:59 > 0:34:02She found me upstairs.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Apparently, I was rocking back and forward on the floor.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08Tough.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12And Evelyn, my wife, nursed me through that.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15It took me nearly two years to overcome it.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20But he didn't stay off work long enough,
0:34:20 > 0:34:25because he wanted to make himself get back into going back to work.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Instead of taking a year off, which we couldn't afford to do -
0:34:28 > 0:34:33somebody had to pay the bills - I knew what I had to do, the shows.
0:34:33 > 0:34:38There's been times when he's started to go down again,
0:34:38 > 0:34:43but then I've always said, "No, that's it. We're going back up again, not down."
0:34:43 > 0:34:45We've just got on. But I've always been there for him.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49Yes, I'm afraid I look after him well.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Are you ready for this?
0:34:57 > 0:34:59CHEERING
0:34:59 > 0:35:02Will you please welcome on stage, Ricky Valance!
0:35:02 > 0:35:05CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:35:09 > 0:35:11# Fools rush in
0:35:11 > 0:35:13# Where angels fear to tread
0:35:13 > 0:35:17# And so I come to you, my love
0:35:18 > 0:35:20# My heart above my head
0:35:22 > 0:35:27# Though I see the danger there
0:35:28 > 0:35:32# If there's a chance for me
0:35:32 > 0:35:35# Then I don't care... #
0:35:35 > 0:35:38There have been many times when I've thought about giving up
0:35:38 > 0:35:41and doing something else. The only thing was,
0:35:41 > 0:35:46I was determined that nobody was going to get me down. This was what I had to do with my life.
0:35:46 > 0:35:47# So how are they to know? #
0:35:47 > 0:35:51It's so difficult to put it into words.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53It's a feeling that comes over you.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56You know, it grasps you by the scruff of the neck.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59Every song you sing, you get inside the song,
0:35:59 > 0:36:02you express that to the audience
0:36:02 > 0:36:06and you can feel the rapport coming back to you.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10That's my drug, if you will, for want of a better description.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13That's my drug. I love to... I live on that.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17# ..Don't you know I need you so?
0:36:17 > 0:36:20# Tell me, please, I gotta know... #
0:36:20 > 0:36:25EVELYN: But he's had a lot of ups and he's had a very lot of downs.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28# Am I just another guy? #
0:36:30 > 0:36:33And, in fact, probably I hurt more than he does.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37But I try and hide it as best I can.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40But I go everywhere with him like that.
0:36:43 > 0:36:48# Laura and Tommy were lovers... #
0:36:48 > 0:36:49'If I had a pure choice,
0:36:49 > 0:36:53'I would like to do a programme without Tell Laura.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55'It's 52 years I've been singing that song now.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59'Sometimes I'd like to leave it out and do something new.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03'But because people are so close to that particular song,
0:37:03 > 0:37:10'you know, I've had piles of letters about how people have named their child after my record.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13'That's very touching, but speaking as a personal artist,'
0:37:13 > 0:37:16I'd just love occasionally to be able to just leave that out.
0:37:16 > 0:37:22But of course, I know it will never happen, so I'm trapped.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24There you are.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28# Tell Laura I may be late
0:37:28 > 0:37:31# I've something to do... #
0:37:31 > 0:37:34There are days, I've got to hold my hand up,
0:37:34 > 0:37:38there are days when I put my hand up and say, "I wish this was all over."
0:37:40 > 0:37:41I do get fed up.
0:37:42 > 0:37:47The only time he will stop singing is if his voice goes.
0:37:49 > 0:37:55If he thought his voice was going, he wouldn't get up and make a fool of himself on stage.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57No way he would do that.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01Don't ask me what he would do if he had to give it up. I've got no idea.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04Face that when it comes.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08# ..Tell Laura I love her
0:38:09 > 0:38:12# Tell Laura I need her
0:38:12 > 0:38:16# Tell Laura not to cry
0:38:16 > 0:38:23# My love for her will never die... #
0:38:23 > 0:38:26'Well, I'm more Ricky than David now.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28'David Spencer seems like another person to me.'
0:38:28 > 0:38:31# ..Tell Laura I love her... #
0:38:31 > 0:38:32'I am as I am.'
0:38:32 > 0:38:34# ..Tell Laura I need her... #
0:38:37 > 0:38:40CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:38:41 > 0:38:43Could you sign that one?
0:38:43 > 0:38:46There you go.
0:38:46 > 0:38:47A wonderful show!
0:38:47 > 0:38:49God bless you.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd