Singing to promote Staffordshire Oatcakes?

During my four years in the Potteries in the 70s I shared a house within a stone's throw of Stoke City's old Victoria Ground for the second half of that time. We took advantage of a special offer for students to watch the club's home matches for half price (50p!) and gradually progressed from the visiting supporters end to the Paddock and then eventually joined the hardcore fans in the Boothen End.

A favourite chant (football fans are so intelligent!) was for the supporters  in the Paddock to shout "Oatcakes" and the Boothen End fans to chant back "Wrights Pies". These two dishes are the best known meals that are unique to the 6 towns that make up the City of Stoke (Hanly, Stoke, Burslem, Longton, Fenton and Tunstall).

One of my half time memories, however, was not dashing off to indulge in Wrights Pies but to stay in the terraces complaining about the things that had gone wrong in the match. Usually, whoever was in charge of the public address  played a song by Dean Friedman called "Woman of Mine". I grew to like the song and bought his first album.

Last night I saw Dean Friedman perform for the first time at the Villa Marina Promenade Suite and not surprisingly he has changed as much as the facilities at Stoke City's ground.

He told a story about his song about a MacDonalds waitress which has just been used by the fast food chain to advertise their products 30 years after he visited their headquarters and tried to sell the idea.

I mentioned my recollection of his song being played every match at Stoke to the promoter last night. I wonder if Dean could write a song to promote Staffordshire Oatcakes?

 


Manx Radio's Dean Friedman interview

In addition to still writing some amusing songs, Dean Friedman has written a number of film and TV scores including all the music (other than the title song) to the Boon series. Only just over a hundred people turned up last night but I'm glad I did.