Wales, Y'all! Represent!

There's a show on NPR called "The Thistle and Shamrock" that plays---as you may have guessed---Scottish and Irish music for one interminable skirling hour. And every time I heard the title of the show, I was always a little miffed at its exclusivity. "Just the thistle and the shamrock?" I wanted to ask. "What about the leek? Are you saying Welsh music is for shit?" (I mean, maybe it is, but why decide ahead of time when you title your show?)

Well, wonder no more! I was thrilled today to discover that Welsh singer Tom Jones has just been knighted! Take THAT, Sir Paul McCartney! Step back, Sir Ian McKellen! Now the Welsh have a knight, too! Oh, sure, he's a little embarrassing---it's a bit like giving an Academy Award to William Shatner. But maybe there's a reason for it. Unfortunately, the article I read was a little light on details---apparently you just show up, get knighted, and leave in time for your midday crumpet or whatever. Which is a shame, because I'd love to think that, after the ceremony, some official regaliaed flunky leaned over and murmured, "And did you bring your band with you? Because the Queen Mum would love to hear 'Sex Bomb.'"