Earlier this week UK TV broadcast a documentary about the search for the World's Tallest Women. Sandy Allen was one of the three women our intrepid journo tracked down.

This is, of course, of interest due to Neil's Hello Sandy Allen, a track I've loved for a long time.

Disappointingly, the documentary didn't include any extracts of the song but did make a passing reference to it.

Given the nature of the lyric ("Hope you're happy, Sandy Allen") the documentary was more poignant to me than it would have been for the average viewer.

If anyone would like to find out more about the life and times of Sandy, please PM me.

Hi Paul, my kids are infatuated with Sandy Allen, not helped much either by one of their teachers being Tandy Allen.
I'd love the name of the show, so I can do a search on it. Was it made in the last year or so and by who?
Thanks. It might turn up on the ABC, SBS or foxtel in Aus.

I did see a program recently, that stated that although it has always been acknowledged that Sandy is the tallest woman in the world, in fact she is not.

There is a Chinese woman who is now 7'8" The Chinese lady who had been 7'6" (thereby making Sandy the tallest), has a tumour on her brain or gland which has caused her growth. Apparently the tumour was removed, but then grew back and caused the extra two inches of growth.

The show was "My Amazing Medical Story" or something like that. It was extremely interesting, and I was very pleased to see Sandy Allen appear briefly on it.

I immediately thought of the song.

I'm not sure of whether the height thing is official, but thought I should just mention it.

Neil will have to change the lyrics then!!

Does he ever still perform it? Actually, I never really liked it.

I like "Sandy Allen." It's such a charming statement! Totally warm and direct, totally unobscured. Yet it still lends itself to deeper implications.

I always thought the opening riff of "Sandy Allen" sounded like "Cars" by...that guy whose fans are real weird and rabid.

HA!! Kidding. It's Gary Numan not Joe Jackson.

I don't know why I always get those two confused, they're nothing alike.

quote:

Originally posted by Kazzie:
Does he ever still perform it? Actually, I never really liked it.

Recently performed in Boston with CH as one of the "songs Neil has written featuring names in the lyrics" from the 10-song second encore.

I have to agree with Mr. Sadly that it's a charmer. I didn't much like it upon the first couple of listens but then, as so many Finn songs do, it got wrapped around my brain and demanded to be listened to several times a day for several days in a row. That was some time ago, and I thought I was over it but, hmmm, I'm hearing that strange siren-sounding opening again...

quote:

Neil will have to change the lyrics then!!

Does he ever still perform it? Actually, I never really liked it.

Oh I don't think the name of the Chinese lady in there would work quite as well as "Sandy Allen".

I can't even remember her name, and couldn't pronounce it if I did , but I'm actually assuming she's still alive? The show I saw stated that she was going to a major city for the delicate surgery, and was scheduled to have that surgery in January 2007. There was no update at the end of the show. I was very disappointed. She was a lovely woman, and very much a victim of her own body.

So quite possibly, if the surgery wasn't successful, Sandy would still be the tallest woman.

I have to say I always loved that song. I loved the tune, and found it fascinating that Neil could be moved enough to write a song about a very tall woman.

Time And Tide was one of the first Enz albums I bought, and that song quickly became a favorite. It's such a unique subject for a song...my first reaction was "how funny!" followed by "hey...this is actually a rather good song!"

somewhere we have a polaroid shot with Sandy.... will attempt to dick it up out of the files..it's a bit dark but I can remember her towering over those Enz boys!!
Gryph

Great song, whether or not you know anything about Sandy Allen. Catchy chorus and a nice, upbeat feel overall. One of Neil's unlikely "heavy" songs...that electric guitar really went off live in Christchurch eh, TR!

quote:

Originally posted by gryphon:
.... will attempt to dick it up out of the files...

We'd rather you use your hands.

Is that kinda thing too rude for this board? Still a noob here.

quote:

Originally posted by MeltyIce:

quote:

Originally posted by gryphon:
.... will attempt to dick it up out of the files...

We'd rather you use your hands.

Is that kinda thing too rude for this board? Still a noob here.

Don't know if it's too rude, but it was damn funny!

Semi detached wrote:

quote:

Great song, whether or not you know anything about Sandy Allen. Catchy chorus and a nice, upbeat feel overall. One of Neil's unlikely "heavy" songs...that electric guitar really went off live in Christchurch eh, TR!

Thanks for the picture Gav.

At least Sandy looks kind of "normal" (Please forgive my use of that word).

The Chinese lady I've mentioned was being crippled by the weight of her own body, and was quite mis-shapen. She could not sit upright for very long, because of her back, and if she did so her legs would go numb. When she walked she was all bent and had to use a stick.

Malnutrition played a fairly large part of that I believe.

As to the last part of your statement Gav, pretty much everything went off in Christchurch

Gryph - if you can find that file - with your hands - I for one would love to see it.