Slip Fingers O'Reilly

Not much found about Mr O'Reilly. This E.P. was found at Brick Lane a few years back I think. Again it was the amusing sleeve that made me buy it. The curious renditions of classical works fused with cockney knees-up pub piano and honking saxaphone would make most lovers of Brahms and Lizst reach for the ear-plugs! A good reason to end the year with them then. Happy New Year to all and I look forward to continuing in the same vein in 2006. Cheers!

Slip Fingers O'Reilly - Swan Lake

Slip Fingers O'Reilly - Bizet's Carmen

These You Send It files are available only for a short time.

Burl Ives

"Burl Ives was one of six children born to a Scottish-Irish farming family in Jasper County, Illinois. He first sang in public for a soldiers' reunion when he was 4. In high school he learned the banjo and played fullback, intending to become a football coach when he enrolled at Eastern Illinois State Teacher's College in 1927. He dropped out in 1930 and wandered, hitching rides, doing odd jobs, street singing.

Summer stock in the late '30s led to a job with CBS radio in 1940; through his "Wayfaring Stranger" he popularized many of the folksongs he had collected in his travels. By the 1960s he had hits on both popular and country charts. He recorded over 30 albums for Decca and another dozen for Columbia. In 1964 he was singer-narrator of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) (TV), an often-repeated Christmas television special. His Broadway debut was in 1938, though he is best remembered for creating the role of Big Daddy in the 1950s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958).

His four-decade, 30+ movie career began as a singing cowboy in Smoky (1946) and reached its peak with (again) the Big Daddy role in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) and an Oscar for supporting actor in The Big Country (1958), both in 1958. He officially retired to Anacortes, Washington, at age eighty though he continued to do frequent benefit performances."

More about Burl Ives can be found HERE.

Burl Ives - The Little White Duck

Burl Ives - A Froggy Went A Courtin'

These You Send It files are a last resort after several unsuccesful tries using other file hosting systems. Will use these until I find something better.

Bobbie Comber

Trying to find an excuse to upload these two novelty songs by the little known Bobbie Comber. Nothing on the internet about him. He has one compilation on Windyridge Records. Well worth seeking out. He was in a few films too it seems. Any other info. greatly appreciated. Trying out new file hosting as the Rapid Share files seem to have gone a bit strange lately. Sorry if you've been having trouble with them. Any feedback about Save File greatly appreciated.

Bobbie Comber - Maggie's Cold

Bobbie Comber - On A Cold & Frosty Morning

Dylan Thomas

Dylan Thomas (1914 - 1953)


"I've had eighteen straight whiskies, I think that's the record . . ."

"Welsh lyrical poet best remembered for the radio 'play for voices' Under Milk Wood.

Thomas was born in Swansea, Wales, and embarked on a career as a journalist before establishing himself as a poet with the publication of Eighteen Poems in 1934. He married Caitlin Macnamara (1913-94) in 1936, and that same year published a further volume, Twenty-five poems.

Thomas' other work includes an unfinished novel Adevntures in the Skin Trade, (1955), and several collections of short stories, many written originally for radio. But he wrote his three most famous lines in a 1952 poem about his father's brush with death;

"Do not go gentle into that good night
Old age should burn and rave at close of day
Rage, rage against the dying of the light"

Thomas' best work, especially Under Milk Wood, is almost spell-binding, but he himself was for many years haunted by the spectre of his own poetic deterioration, and he died of an alcohol-induced brain haemorrhage during an American reading tour."

Find out more about Dylan Thomas HERE.

Dylan Thomas - A Child's Christmas In Wales Pt1.

Dylan Thomas - A Child's Christmas In Wales P2.

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TV Themes

Mostly awful TV themes of programmes long forgotten like Albion Market and Super Gran. I've always had a soft spot for Chas 'N' Dave and Ian Dury so these two oddities made me fork out the 50p or whatever it was to buy this. The Ian Dury song is the theme of "The Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 and Three Quarters".

Find out more about Ian Dury HERE.

Find more about Chas 'n' Dave HERE.

Discover more about Crackerjack HERE



Ian Dury - Profoundly In Love With Pandora

Chas 'N" Dave - Crackerjack

These Rapid Share files are accessible as described in previous posts.

Alphonse The Horse

Not much to say about this one. A slightly creepy horse to scare children at their Christmas parties! Sleeve art done by a horse with a crayon.

Alphonse - Space Ride

Alphonse - Haunted House

These Rapid Share files can be accessed as described before in previous posts.

Howdy Doody Time

"The Howdy Doody Show was one of the first and easily the most popular children's television show in the 1950s and a reflection of the wonder, technical fascination, and business realities associated with early television. While Howdy and his friends entertained American children, they also sold television sets to American parents and demonstrated the potential of the new medium to advertisers.

The idea for Howdy Doody began on the NBC New York radio affiliate WEAF in 1947 with a program called The Triple B Ranch. The three Bs stood for Big Brother Bob Smith, who developed the country bumpkin voice of a ranch hand and greeted the radio audience with, "Oh, ho, ho, howdy doody." Martin Stone, Smith's agent, suggested putting Howdy on television and presented the idea to NBC televi-sion programming head Warren Wade. With Stone and Roger Muir as producers, Smith launched Puppet Playhouse on 17 December 1947. Within a week the name of the program was changed to The Howdy Doody Show."

A strange record with a mix of newsreel and childrens puppet show! Not sure who it was aimed at. A brief segment here which gives a flavour of the whole LP.

Read more about Howdy Doody Time HERE.

Howdy Doody - Howdy Doody Time

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Harry Corbett and Sooty

"Sooty's genesis occurred in 1948 when, during a family holiday in Blackpool, a Yorkshire engineer and part-time magician named Harry Corbett chanced upon a glove puppet teddy bear in a novelty shop at the end of the seaside resort's famous north pier. "I'd always had a thing about teddy bears," noted Corbett, years later. "And this one had a cheeky face. It was almost as if it was saying, 'Don't leave me here.' " So Corbett parted with the princely sum of 7s 6d (38p.) and returned to the boarding house with his new partner-to-be housed within a brown paper bag. Corbett soon set about incorporating the puppet into his magic act with immediate success. It was in 1952 that the mismatched duo made their television debut on a BBC show called Talent Night, to instant success. The TV critic of the Sunday Express newspaper writing on 4th of May commented: 'Five minutes on the television screen last night established Harry Corbett's teddy bear as a rival to Muffin the Mule.' At that point, the bear was known simply as "teddy", and due to its decidedly sharp features, appeared to look more like a rat! Acting on advice to give the puppet a more distinctive look and its own name, the Corbett's carried out many experiments until they finally dubbed it's ears and nose with soot from the chimney. The result, and the character name which the look had suggested to them, ensured their place in televisual history."

Harry Corbett & Sooty - Texas Turkey Jig

Harry Corbett & Sooty - Chica Chica

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The Spotnicks

"The Spotnicks was formed in Göteborg, Sweden, in 1957, by guitarist and undisputed bandleader Bo Winberg. The other members were guitarist and singer Bob Lander, drummer Ove Johansson, and bassist Björn Thein, several of whom had already played together in local rock & roll bands like the Blue Caps, Rock Teddy, and the Rebels. The first year, they performed under the name the Frazers, but soon changed it to the Spotnicks. In 1961, they were signed by Karusell and released their first singles containing mostly instrumental covers of famous songs. The selection of songs was as varied as the performance was homogenous, including titles like "Hava Nagila" and "Johnny Guitar." Later the same year, the Spotnicks toured Germany, France, and Spain and in 1962, they released the debut album The Spotnicks in London, recorded on their first trip to England. Featured on this tour were the space suits that the band would wear on-stage until 1969. "Hava Nagila" became a hit in England in 1963 and the same year, Johansson left and was replaced by Derek Skinner. The rest of the '60s meant increasing success in Europe, the U.S., and Japan, and the band even managed to compete with themselves on the Japanese charts when the Spotnicks' song "Karelia" took the first position from the Feenades' "Ajomies." The song was the same, just recorded under different titles. The Feendes were a Finland-based side project to the Spotnicks, built on Winberg and Peter Winsnes, who had joined the Spotnicks in 1965. Winberg also released less successful recordings under the name the Shy Ones. Compared to the following decades, the '60s were a relative stable period for the group when it came to the lineup. Some new members were recruited though, like drummer Jimmie Nicol, bassist Magnus Hellsberg, and drummer Tommy Tausis, who had earlier played with Tages

In 1969, the Spotnicks disbanded, but Winberg continued to record using the name until the group reunited in 1972 on request by a Japanese record company. The same year, "If You Could Read My Mind" from the album Something Like Country became a big hit in Germany. The Spotnicks would keep their popularity there for a long time, even as it faded elsewhere. Only the Japanese audience proved more faithful and accordingly, the Spotnicks located most of their tours during the '70s to these countries. After the release of Something Like Country in 1972, by many fans seen as the Spotnicks' best album, they had practically ended being a band, consisting mainly of Winberg and various session musicians."

I must apologize for the terrible condition of this record. Found at Brick Lane flea market many years ago. The sleeve photo is a classic and the music is pretty good too despite the crackles and jumps!

The Spotnicks - Old Kentucky Home

The Spotnicks - I'm Going Home

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Billy Cotton Band

"William Edward Cotton (May 6, 1899 – March 25, 1969), better known as Billy Cotton, was a British band leader and entertainer, one of the few whose orchestra survived the dance band era. Today, he is mainly remembered as a 1950s and 60s radio and television personality, although his musical talent emerged as early as the 1920s. In his younger years Billy Cotton was also an amateur footballer, an accomplished racing driver and the owner of a Gipsy Moth which he piloted himself.
Born in Lambeth, London, Cotton was a choirboy and then started his musical career as a drummer, an occupation he also pursued in the army during the First World War. In the interwar years he had several jobs such as bus driver before setting up his own orchestra, the London Savannah Band, in 1924. At first a straight dance band, over the years the London Savannah Band more and more tended towards Music Hall/vaudeville entertainment, introducing all sorts of visual and verbal humour in between songs. Famous musicians that played in Billy Cotton's band during the 1920s and 30s included Arthur Rosebery, Syd Lipton and Nat Gonella. The band was also noted for their African American trombonist and tap dancer, Ellis Jackson. Their signature tune was "Somebody Stole My Gal", and they made numerous records – 78s, that is – for Decca.

During the Second World War Cotton and his band toured France with the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA). After the war, he started his successful Sunday lunchtime radio show on BBC, the Billy Cotton Band Show, which ran for more than 20 years from 1949. It regularly opened with the band's signature tune and Cotton's call of "Wakey Wakey". From 1957, it was also broadcast on BBC television.
In 1962 Billy Cotton suffered a stroke. He died in 1969 while watching a boxing match at Wembley."

Billy Cotton Band - I've Got A Lovely Bunch Of Cocoanuts

BIlly Cotton Band - The Marrow Song

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Wally Whyton

"Born in London, Whyton studied piano and trombone as a youngster. Inspired by the music of American folk musicians, including Pete Seeger, Josh White, and Woody Guthrie, he switched to guitar. Equally versed in blues and jazz, Whyton was a perfect choice to replace Lohn John Baldry in the early skiffle group the Thameside Four. Although he only played with the group for a few months, the experience proved invaluable when he met guitarist, vocalist, and the manager of London's Gyre and Gimbal Coffee Bar, Johnny Booker. Agreeing to work together, they formed the Vipers Skiffle Band with guitarist/vocalist Jean Van Der Bosch, bassist Tony Tolhurst, and washboard player John Pilgrim. Three months later, the group became the house band at London's Two I's Coffee Bar. Auditioned by George Martin, the Vipers signed with Parlophone in September 1956. Although their second single, "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O" (which reached the British Top Ten), was followed by half a dozen other charting tunes, the Vipers recorded only one album, The Original Soho Skiffle Band, distributed in the United States. Whyton and the Vipers enjoyed a close relationship with skiffle singer Lonnie Donegan, who recorded "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O." Whyton subsequently composed a spoof of Donegan's interpretation, "Putting on the Smile," that Peter Sellers recorded for his album, Songs for Swinging Sellers. Although they dropped skiffle from their name in May 1958 and had begun veering toward pop, the Vipers continued to influence British rock into the mid-'60s. Their constantly changing personnel included three musicians -- Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, and Jet Harris -- who went on to form the Shadows."

Wally went on to join Children's Television in the 60's and I remember him with puppets Pussy Cat Willum, Ollie Beak and Fred Barker. He also did a long running radio show called "Country Meets Folk". I guess this old scratchy record ( sorry!) was made about that time he was on Childrens TV.

Wally Whyton - Clap Hands

Wally Whyton - Christmas Is Coming

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Johnny Cash

"Born February 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Arkansas, J.R. Cash was one of six children belonging to Ray and Carrie Rivers Cash. When John was three years old, his father took advantage of a new Roosevelt farm program and moved his young family to Dyess Colony in northeast Arkansas. There the Cash family farmed 20 acres of cotton and other seasonal crops, and young John worked alongside his parents and siblings in the fields.


Music was an integral part of everyday life in the Cash household. John soaked up a variety of musical influences ranging from his mother's folk songs and hymns to the work songs from the fields and nearby railroad yards. He absorbed these sounds like sponge absorbs water. In later years Cash would draw from his life in Arkansas for inspiration: "Pickin' Time," "Five Feet High and Rising," and "Look at Them Beans" are all reflections on Cash's early life.

Cash remained in Dyess Colony until his graduation from high school in 1950. As a young man he set off for Detroit in search of work. He ended up in Pontiac, Michigan, and took work in an automotive plant. His tenure in the North Country was short-lived and Cash soon enlisted in the Air Force. After basic training in Texas (where he met first wife Vivian Liberto), he was shipped to Landsberg, Germany. While in the service Cash organized his first band, the Landsberg Barbarians.

After his discharge in 1954 Cash returned stateside and married Liberto. He and his new bride soon settled in Memphis where Cash worked a variety of jobs -- including that of appliance salesman -- while trying to break into the music business."

Here's a couple of tracks from one of my favourite Johnny Cash LP's which has quite a few "Novelty" songs on it.

Find out more about Johnny Cash HERE at his officila website.

Johnny Cash - Everybody Loves A Nut

Johnny Cash - Dirty Old Egg Sucking Dog

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Freddie "Parrot Face" Davies

"Brixton London born on the 21 July 1937, but long time Salford resident, Freddy Davies was a well known comedian in the 1960s and 1970s, both in live variety shows and television. A former Butlin's redcoat whose family were already veteran entertainers, Freddy was notable for blowing raspberries and his comic voice with its distinctive lisp and his trilby pulled hard down over his ears.
Later he went on to a successful career as a comedian along with fellow comedian and personal friend Jim Bowen on ocean cruise liners.
More recently he has made several notable television guest appearances in more serious roles, including BBC1's "Casualty" and in the 1995 mini TV Series "Band of Gold"."

Getting in to the spirit of Christmas with this obscurity from 1968 on the Major Minor label. It can only get better from now on. 49p! - well it was for charity!

Freddie "Parrot Face" Davies - All I Want For Christmas....

Freddie "Parrot Face" Davies - I'm A Little Christmas Cracker

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Prag VEC

Not Much info on this post punk band so here's an edited interview from the NME in 1978.

"A NEW extended play record to enthuse about. A new band to sell to you. Their name' is prag VEC; the four tracks they've recorded are "Existential", "Bits", "Wolf" and "Cigarettes". A record self-financed with help from a close friend in the Honest John's empire.


The members of prag VEC are: Sue Gogan (vocals), John Studholme (guitar), David Boyd (bass), Nick Cash (not the 999 Nick Cash) (drums).

Firstly, why the 'curious' name? prag VEC?

Sue: "It's just just two words shortened. I read it somewhere and just liked the Sound of it."

Nick: "There's no instant connotations. . . people can come in with an open mind."



"A&R at Virgin didn't like us, said we were 'too progressive'... they'd just signed
Penetration, and said, 'Sorry - you're too like Pauline'."

The management agencies of Albion, Asgard, Cowbell, DJM, and A&M were approached, but all agreed: "You're not commercial enough. Come back in a year (when you are)."

"We don't have a manager. A friend is helping us organise, trying to get gigs around the country, but that's very tentative because he doesn't have any money either..."

And finally prag VEC's origins...

Sue and John started in the debatedly Trotskyite R&B band The Derelicts... "Which folded in 1976. Coming out of that gave us the impetus to form another band. In The Derelicts we weren't doing our own material, so we ended up trying to write songs together and spent about a year doing that. We went to see a lot of bands in that time, and kept very much in touch with the punk thing all the way through it.

"We've been together since February... me and John started the band, met Nick last May and finally persuaded him to join in February."

The problem is... "Our rehearsal space was a squat in North Kensington, but we've been evicted from there and rehoused for a flat 15 floors... so we can play in the lift."


Prag VEC - Wolf

Prag VEC - Cigarettes

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Doctor Swan

Another oddity. A childrens "Edutainment" record Made by Peter Pan in the 70's I would guess. Other records in the series are The Alphabet, Numbers, Manners, Words, Animal Sounds etc. This one is all about "Safety" and here's what it says on the back of the sleeve-

"By using a marvelous combination of information, comedy and songs, the marvelous Dr. Swan leads children into the world of education in a way that is often unique and always entertaining. "Learn About" deals with the everyday life experiences that the pre-school child can relate to. This series, through the use of stories and memorable songs, subtly teaches perceptual , auditory and motoric skills."

Doctor Swan - Safety

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Scanner's International Band

Not found on the internet either. Type in Scanner's International Band and all you get is tons of websites about scanners!
Here is a small introduction to the pop music of that troubled country Zimbabwe that may shed some light -

"In many cases, political unrest and social upheaval create a musical atmosphere that is ripe for change. Zimbabwe's Second Chimurenga, better known to foreigners as the Rhodesian War, was this catalyst. Chimurenga guitar was the first incarnation of electric Zim music.

The Chimurenga sound developed during the liberation struggle of the 1970s. As most Zimbabwean bands continued to play European covers, a few unique artists looked towards their own culture for inspiration. Thomas Mapfumo, arguably Zimbabwe's top artist, was the nation's Chirmurenga pioneer.

Looking inward, Mapfumo worked to base his music on his own Shona culture. The music, which finds its roots in traditional spiritual tradition, relies heavily on the mbira for inspiration. Rhythms and melodies from the mbira are transcribed for guitar and feature prominently in the songs. The lyrics usually contain a traditional moral message, or a more current, political tone. The mbira is present in many songs as well. Danceable yet relaxing, chimurenga sometimes has a trance-inducing quality to it. Mapfumo's band-mate, Jonah Sithole, is another Chimurenga pioneer. His work in transcribing mbira onto the guitar, as well as Mapfumo's elements of European rock and Caribbean reaggae made Chimurenga an infectious success. At the height of the voilence, the people of Zimbabwe relied of this music as the war for independence raged on. Robson Banda, backed by his band the Black Eagles, was another chimurenga icon who produced a number of hits during the 1970s and 1980s.

The South African Influence

Other artists, however, looked south for inspiration. Artists such as Oliver Mtukudzi found South African music as an appealing base for his emerging musical style. Another Zimbabwean icon, "Tuku" incoporated elements of Township Jive, Mbaqanga, and Jazz into his musical melange. Vocalist James Chimombe melded South African music with Country & Western influences to create some of the 1980s most memorable songs. Meanwhile, vocalist Zexie Manatsa, backed by the Green Arrows incorporated Mbaqanga, Chimurenga, and local cultural variations into his unique traditional-contemporary mix."

More about the music of Zimbabwe HERE.

Scanner's International Band - Makorokoto

Scanner's International Band - Baba Na Amai

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Georges Korafas

Again not much could be gleaned from the interent about this record or the artiste. Found in a charity shop or jumble sale by Celia and improved greatly by the addition of some amusing collage. The sleeve notes , translated by Babelfish , merely state -
"The marvellous sound of the whole of George Korafas is the result of many years of repetitions, development and research in the modern sonorites. Not only this orchestra makes you dancer, thanks to his science of the tempi and with the choice of topics, but still, you can the ecouter during hours without you weary bus Korafas it is music!"

Who can argue with that?

Georges Korafas - Kissin' Twist

Georges Korafas - Stai Accanto A Me

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Frank Crumit

"b. 26 September 1889, Jackson, Ohio, USA, d. 7 September 1943, Longmeadow, Massachusetts, USA. Crumit's early career took a somewhat unusual route from the Culver Military Academy, Indiana, via the University of Ohio, into vaudeville as the One Man Glee Club. First recording in 1919 for the Columbia label, he later signed for Victor Records in 1924 and shortly after for Decca. Crumit played the ukulele, sang in a soft, warm voice, and was especially noted for his performance of novelty numbers, such as A Gay Caballero, Abdul Abulbul Amir (and the follow-ups, The Return Of… and The Grandson Of . . .), The Prune Song, There's No One With Endurance Like The Man Who Sells Insurance, Connie's Got Connections In Connecticut, Nettie Is The Nit-Wit Of The Networks and What Kind Of A Noise Annoys An Oyster?. He is supposed to have written thousands of songs and adapted many others such as Frankie And Johnny and Little Brown Jug to suit his individual style. Crumit enjoyed great popularity throughout the '20s and '30s, appearing in several Broadway shows, including GREENWICH VILLAGE FOLLIES. He also appeared in TANGERINE with his future wife, Julia Sanderson. They married in 1927 and retired from show business for two years. Following their comeback in 1929, they were extremely successful together on radio in the '30s as the Singing Sweethearts, and in 1939 began THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES game show which continued until Crumit's death in 1943."

Frank Crumit - The Gay Caballero

Frank Crumit - Frankie & Johnny

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The Olympics

"The Olympics were one of the great L.A.-based acts who managed to score regional hits on the West Coast by balancing upbeat and often humorous novelty R&B tunes with those about popular dances of the day (some of the other West Coast groups who fit this description were the Jay Hawks, the Cadets/Jacks, the Marathons, and the DooTones). They are perhaps best remembered for their Coasters-derived "Western Movies," but their other L.A.-area hits include the popular dance number "Baby Hully Gully," "Big Boy Pete" (which stalled out at number 50 pop, but went to number ten R&B), and "Mine Exclusively."

The Olympics' original lineup -- raspy baritone Walter Ward (who sang lead), Eddie Lewis (tenor), Charles Fizer (baritone), and Walter Hammond (baritone) -- started out as Walter Ward & the Challengers, waxing "I Can Tell" in 1958. All three baritone leads rarely exploited their low range, preferring to sing in shrill high tones. They changed their name to the Olympics shortly thereafter, hooking up with the songwriting team of Fred Smith and Cliff Goldsmith, who wrote and produced the act's first hit in 1958 for Si Aronson's Hollywood-based Demon Records. "Western Movies," a Coasters-type novelty number, caught on quickly, right around the same time that all of America was preoccupied with Western-themed movies and TV shows. The single climbed to number eight pop and number seven R&B in 1958."

Not sure how this copy on a Brazilian label "Arvec" got to Brick Lane flea market but I'm glad it did. Some great songs on here but not quite in the same league as the Coasters who had Leiber and Stoller writing for them.

The Olympics - Private Eye

The Olympics - Dodge City

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Granpa Jones

"Grandpa Jones (October 20, 1913 - February 19, 1998) .
Born Louis Marshall Jones in Niagra, Kentucky, he spent his teenage years in Akron, Ohio where he began singing old time country music tunes on a local radio show. By 1935 his pursuit of a musical career took him to WBZ (AM) radio in Boston, Massachusetts where he met musician/songwriter, Bradley Kincaid who gave him the nickname "Grandpa" due to his off-stage grumpiness at early-morning radio shows. Jones liked the name and decided to create a stage persona based around it.
Performing as "Granpa Jones," he played the banjo, yodeled, and sang mostly old-time ballads. Some of his more famous songs include, "T is for Texas" and "Mountain Dew." Moving to Nashville, Tennessee, he became part of the Grand Ole Opry and was a regular cast member on the popular TV show, Hee Haw."

You can find out more about Granpa Jones by going HERE.

Granma Jones - New Vitamin

Granpa Jones - Baldheaded End Of The Broom

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Fat "Daddy" Holmes

Not a great deal found on the web regarding (William) Fat "Daddy" Holmes. This rockabilly and surf instrumental compilation was released in 1974 and contains songs by a variety of obscure artistes including The Chancellors, Scottie Stuart, Carl Bonafede and Jesse Lee Turner. The stand out tracks though are by Holmes with quirky chicken sound effects on "Chicken Rock" ( 1954 ) and dopey hep-cat jive talk on "Where Yo Is" from around the same time.

Fat "Daddy" Holmes - Chicken Rock

Fat "Daddy" Holmes - Where Yo Is

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Vivian Stanshall

by Jason Ankeny
"Dubbed the "court jester of the underground rock scene in the 1960s" by influential DJ John Peel, Vivian Stanshall earned his greatest notoriety as the original tenor in the absurdist Bonzo Dog Band, although he was also a noted artist and comedian. Stanshall was born on March 21, 1943 in East London, England before World War II forced him and his mother to evacuate to Oxfordshire. While attending art school under the well-known pop artist Peter Blake (the designer of the Beatles' famed Sgt. Pepper album cover), Stanshall formed the Bonzo Dog Dada Band with flatmate Rodney Slater and fellow student Larry Smith in 1962.

Later shortened to simply the Bonzo Dog Band, the satirical group became highly successful before creative differences triggered their break-up in 1970. Stanshall quickly resurfaced with a series of short-lived and diverse projects: the first, the Sean Head Showband, issued the single "Labio Dental Fricative," while his second solo release, under the guise of Vivian Stanshall and His Gargantuan Chums, was a parody cover of Terry Stafford's "Suspicion." "Blind Date" was recorded as biG Grunt, a group also comprised of Bonzo Dog Band auxilliary members Roger Ruskin Spear, Dennis Cowan and "Borneo" Fred Munt; while the group did play a handful of live gigs, they met their premature demise when Stanshall, a heavy drinker and drug user, suffered a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized.

In 1974, Stanshall emerged with his debut solo LP Men Opening Umbrellas, recorded with Steve Winwood; Stanshall later returned the favor, collaborating with Winwood on his own self-titled debut and contributing significant lyrical ideas to 1980's Arc of a Diver. After narrating Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, Stanshall was tapped to guest host the BBC Radio 4 program Start the Week, where he developed his monologue Rawlinson End, which later inspired his own 1978 release Sir Henry at Rawlinson End as well as a film of the same title which starred Trevor Howard.

In 1981, Stanshall issued the autobiographical Teddy Boys Don't Knit, followed three years later by the spoken word project Henry at Ndidis Kraal. The Rawlinson saga continued with Rawlinson Dogends, a 1991 play staged at London's Bloomsbury Theatre complete with musical backing from Rodney Slater and Roger Ruskin Spear. Another autobiographical radio play, Essex Teenager to Renaissance Man, followed in 1994, along with film and voiceover work. Vivian Stanshall died in a house fire on the morning of March 5, 1995."

More about Vivian Stanshall HERE.

Vivian Stanshall - Dwarf Succulents

Vivian Stanshall - Bout Of Sobriety

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Benny Hill

"Born Alfred Hawthorn Hill (January 21, 1924/1925 - April 20, 1992), in Southampton, Benny Hill was a prolific comic British actor. In fact, he was one of the most universally recognized British comedians. He worked compulsively and had only a few friends, although colleagues who knew him closely insist that he was never lonely, but was content with his own company. He never married, although he did propose to two women, one the daughter of a British writer, and was rejected by both. He never owned his own home, nor even a car, instead preferring to rent a small flat in Teddington, a convenient walking distance to the Teddington Studios where he taped the one-off one-hour episodes of his television programme, The Benny Hill Show."

Found at a boot sale last year this budget "Music For Pleasure" 1971 release contains Hill's big U.K. hit "Ernie" and other comic songs as featured on his TV show. Words and music by Benny Hill. Arranged and conducted by Harry Robinson.

Find out more about Benny Hill HERE

Benny Hill - Broken-Hearted Lovers Stew

Benny Hill - Ting-A-Ling-A-Loo

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Flanders and Swann

"In 1936, Michael Flanders and Donald Swann met at school in Westminster. Little did they know at that point the partnership they were going to make in later years, to become famous and release several recordings of their highly successful revues, and remembered for many years after their deaths.

At the Westminster school, they worked together for the first time in 1939, when Donald, born in 1923 in Llanelli to Russian parents, provided piano music for a revue called 'Go for it' that Michael, born in 1922 in London, was performing in. After school, both men went to Christ Church, Oxford, but they had little to do with each other. The war then came into the frame, Michael serving on a destroyer, and Donald in the Ambulance service in Greece and Palestine. It was during this time that Michael contracted Polio after his ship was torpedoed, and was made wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life. Following the war, the two got back together, and set about writing songs; Donald providing the music, while Michael, who originally wanted to be an actor, writing the words.

The first revue they contributed to, Oranges and Lemons, featured the song In The D'Oyly Cart, a send-up of Gilbert and Sullivan. The show started in 1948, and ran for a couple of years. Following the first revue were Penny Plain, Airs on a Shoestring and Pay the Piper, all of which, like the first, directed by Laurier Lister, and starring other performers such as Joyce Grenfell and Ian Wallace. After these, in 1950, the pair made their first step towards independence, performing songs in the Whistler Ballroom in 1950.
The pair, renown for their revue-writing talents, were invited to give a lecture on this topic at the Dartington School of Music in 1956. It was here Michael started to introduce each song with a short narrative. This, he found, went down as well with the audience as the songs themselves, and so this was integrated into the performance, and in 1959 the duo performed their first fully-fledged revue of their own, At the Drop of a Hat, at the New Lindsay theatre in Notting Hill gate.

After three weeks, the show was moved to the Fortune theatre in the West end, where it ran for over 750 performances. It was during this run the performance was recorded by George Martin (of Beatles fame). 1959 also saw the first US tour, and one to Switzerland, and the recording of their first studio album, The Bestiary of Flanders and Swann. The pair toured England after this, and then, in 1963, their second revue opened at the Haymarket theatre. At the Drop of Another Hat ran for almost a year, and was recorded, like the first show. The pair toured Australia at this time also.
After Another Hat, the F&S found the format of revues rather restricting, and branched out into other areas. Michael Flanders Narrated many radio shows, stories and documentaries, and presented radio quiz shows. Donald wrote more music, including for the Hoffnung concerts. They did have a final tour, and very successful it was too, and then they decided to stop 'while they were ahead'. "

This album "The Bestiary" released in 1961 in the U.K. and later in the U.S. but without "The Wompom" which is a shame as it's by far the best track and funniest as Flanders and Swann add an array of vocal gymnastics not heard on any of their other records.

Flanders & Swann - The Ostrich

Flanders & Swann - The Wompom

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Spike Jones

"Lindley Armstrong "Spike" Jones (December 14, 1911 - May 1, 1965) was a popular musician and comedian. He was born in Long Beach, California.
His father was a Southern Pacific railroad agent. He got his nickname by being so thin that he was compared to a railroad spike. At the age of eleven he got his first set of drums. As a teenager he played in bands that he formed himself. A chef in a railroad restaurant taught him how to use adapted pots and pans, forks, knives and spoons as musical instruments. He frequently played in theater pit orchestras. In the 1930's he joined the Victor Young Band and thereby got many offers to appear to radio shows including the Al Jolson Lifebuoy Show, Burns and Allen (with George Burns) and Bing Crosby's Kraft Music Hall. In 1940, he had an uncredited part in the film Give Us Wings, and in 1942 as a hillbilly in Pass the Biscuits, Mirandy. He joined up with vocalist Del Porter and performed in Los Angeles, gaining a cult following. By 1941 the band included violinist Carl Grayson. Other band members were George Rock (voice and trumpet), Doodles Weaver (voice) and Red Ingle (voice). They became his backing band The City Slickers.Jones's wife was the singer Helen Grayco, who performed on some of his radio shows. They recorded five records for Victor's label "Bluebird" before receiving their big break."

This EP was on the tape sent today with the Johnny Standley and it seems churlish not to include it all as its very funny despite the bad quality of some of the surface noise. Sorry! I have quite a few Spike Jones albums, records and tapes but never heard this one before with Spike introducing each track.

Find out more about Spike Jones HERE.

Spike Jones - Fun In Hi-Fi Pt.1

Spike Jones - Fun In Hi-Fi Pt.2

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Johnny Standley

I'm afraid I know very little about Johnny Standley. All I could glean from the internet is that he travelled with his father's "tent shows" in the Mid West and this single, "It's In The Book", was his one "hit" in 1952. The second part of the song is taken from an advert for Granma's Lye Soap. No other recordings seem to be available. This EP was found by a friend of mine who had been looking for it for a while. He sent me a copy on a tape today along with this very pale photo-copy of the sleeve. I had to darken it a bit on photoshop, hence the rather strange tones. Johnny reminds me of a few other American comedy acts of the 50's like Jonathan Winters and Milton Berle etc. and his preaching style like that of the english eccentric Gerrard Hoffnung.

Johnny Standley - It's In The Book

Johnny Standley - Clap Your Hands

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Sophie Tucker

"Sophie Tucker was born in Russia while her mother was emigrating to America to join her husband, also a Russian Jew. Her birth name was Sophia Kalish, but the family soon took the last name Abuza and moved to Connecticut, where Sophie grew up working in her family's restaurant.

Playing piano to accompany her sister at amateur shows, Sophie quickly became an audience favorite; they called for "the fat girl." At age 13, she already weighed 145 pounds.

She married Louis Tuck in 1903, and they had a son, Bert, but she divorced Tuck fairly quickly. Leaving Bert with her parents in 1906, she went to New York, changed her name to Tucker, and began singing at amateur shows to support herself.

She was required to wear blackface by managers who felt that she would not otherwise be accepted, since she was "so big and ugly" as one manager put it. She joined a burlesque show in 1908, and, when she found herself without her makeup or any of her luggage one night, she went on without her blackface, was a hit with the audience, and never wore the blackface again.

She briefly appeared with the Ziegfield Follies, but her popularity with audiences made her unpopular with the female stars, who refused to go on stage with her.

Tucker's stage image emphasized her "fat girl" image but also a humorous suggestiveness. She sang songs like "I Don't Want to Be Thin," "Nobody Loves a Fat Girl, But Oh How a Fat Girl Can Love." She introduced in 1911 the song which would become her trademark: "Some of These Days."

She added jazz and sentimental ballads to her ragtime repertoire, and, in the 1930s, when American vaudeville was dying, she took to playing England. She made eight movies and appeared on radio and, as it became popular, television."

Sophie Tucker - I've Got A Cross-Eyed Papa

Sophie Tucker - Hula Lou

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Stanley Holloway

Stanley Holloway (born Stanley Augustus Holloway) was born on the 1st October 1890 in London, England, UK and died on the 30th January 1982 in Littlehampton, England, UK.

"He tried to make a go of his first job as a clerk in a Billingsgate fish market, but the call of the theatre was loud and strong. Originally planning an operatic career, Holloway studied singing in Milan, but this came to an end when World War One began. Finishing up his service with the infantry, Holloway headed for the stage again, making his London premiere in 1919's Kissing Time. His first film was The Rotters (1921), and the first time the public outside the theatres heard his robust voice was on radio in 1923. Holloway toured the music hall-revue circuit with his comic monologues, usually centered around his self-invented characters "Sam Small" and "The Ramsbottoms."

Holloway's entree into talking pictures was with a 1930 film version of his stage success, The Co-Optimist. The British film industry of the '30s was more concerned in turning out "quota quickies" so that Hollywood would send over an equal number of American films, but Holloway was able to survive in these cheap pictures, occasionally rising to the heights of such productions as Squibs (1935) and The Vicar of Bray (1937). In 1941, Holloway was cast in one of the prestige films of the season, George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara; this led to top-drawer film appearances throughout the war years, notably This Happy Breed (1944), The Way to the Stars (1945) and Brief Encounter (1947). Though he'd had minimal Shakespearian experience, Holloway was selected by Laurence Olivier to play the Gravedigger in Olivier's filmization of Hamlet (1947), a role he'd forever be associated with and one he'd gently parody in 1969's Private Life of Sherlock Holmes.

Gaining an American audience through repeated showings of his films on early-'50s TV, Holloway took New York by storm as Alfred P. Doolittle in the stage smash My Fair Lady - a role he'd repeat in the 1964 film version (after James Cagney had turned it down), and win an Oscar in the bargain.

Continuing his activities in all aspects of British show business -- including a 1960 one-man show, Laughs and Other Events -- Holloway decided he'd take a whack at American TV as the butler protagonist of the 1962 sitcom Our Man Higgins. It's difficult to ascertain the quality of this series, since it had the miserable luck of being scheduled opposite the ratings-grabbing Beverly Hillbillies.

Stanley Holloway perservered with stage, movie, and TV appearances into the '70s; in honor of one of his two My Fair Lady songs, he titled his 1981 autobiography Wiv a Little Bit of Luck."

Stanley Holloway - Any Old Iron?

Stanley Holloway - Wot Cher!

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Show 'n Tell

Something slightly different this time. I suppose the ingenius cover art caught my eye first and finding a 7" record inside that plays at 33 also made me curious. It also has a clever plastic book mark type gadget that has a selection of tiny tranparent slides on a slit down the middle - this fits into the TV/record player combi you see on the cover. Really the elephants you see there are a cheat as the image you would get would be very blurred and more like a Give-A- Show projector that my sister used to have, which beamed feeble cartoons on the bedroom wall with the aid of a 6 volt battery. Nevertheless, the idea is great and the tinkling piano on the soundtrack is very engaging. I imagine Bill Bailey would see this in a different light though! Made by the General Electric Co. 1964.

Show 'n Tell - The Elephant An His Nose

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Lord Funny

A 7" single on the Antillana label from 1970 found down Brick lane market many years ago. I have a ton of these old ska, blue beat, rock steady, calypso singles that I used to collect back in the 70's and 80's. Sorting through them the other day I realised that I hadn't really listened to many of them or if I did it was just one side. Some are so scratched and warped they don't bear a second playing. I tried to find out about Lord Funny and the internet doesn't help much this time. I found a discography of "Funny" and it seems he still records under the this name and dropped the "Lord" title. Maybe he thought it sounded more up to date or snappier? I prefer Lord Funny. The B side is great too all about the dangers of not brushing your teeth!

Find out more about calypso by going HERE.

Lord Funny - Sock It To Me

Lord Funny - Check Up

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Les Dawson

"Les Dawson (2 February 1931 - 10 June 1993) was a popular Lancashire comedian, known for his deadpan style. Dawson was a curmudgeon, famous for jokes about his mother-in-law and his wife.
Dawson began his entertainment career as a club pianist ("I finally heard some applause from a bald man and said 'thank you for clapping me' and he said 'I'm not clapping - I'm slapping me head to keep awake.'"), but found that he got more laughs by playing wrong notes and complaining to the audience. He made his television debut in the talent show, Opportunity Knocks, and was seldom absent from British television screens in the years that followed. His best known routines featured Roy Barraclough and Dawson as two elderly women, Cissie Braithwaite and Ada Sidebottom who, having worked in a mill in their youth, spoke some words aloud and mouthed others--particularly those pertaining to bodily functions and sex; they also repeatedly pushed up their bosoms, in pantomime dame style, an act copied faithfully from his hero, Norman Evans. Dawson's humour, though earthy, was seldom coarse, and he was as popular with female as with male audiences."

A very funny man and in reality he could play the piano really well. Most of this record is comedy routines but I have extracted two "musical" interludes for your enjoyment, or not as the case may be! A bargain at 49p!

Les Dawson - Me and My Girl

Les Dawson - My Blue Heaven

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Arthur Askey

"Arthur Bowden Askey was born in Liverpool in 1900. He was very small at 5' 2" (1.6m) and wore distinctive horn rimmed glasses, with a breezy, smiling personality. He served in the forces in World War I and performed in army entertainments. His career began in the music halls, but he rose to stardom in 1938 through his role in the first radio sitcom, Bandwagon on BBC, prior to which radio comedy had consisted of broadcast standup routines. It had begun as a variety show, but had been unsuccessful until Askey and his partner, Richard Murdoch, took on a larger role in the writing. Askey's humour owed much to the playfulness of the characters he portrayed, his improvising and his use of catchphrases, as parodied by the Arthur Atkinson character in The Fast Show.
His catchphrases included "Hello playmates!" "I thank you" (pronounced "Ay-Thang-Yew") and "Move along the bus please."
During World War II, Askey starred in several Gainsborough Pictures comedy films, notably The Ghost Train (1941), "Charlie's Aunt," "I Thank You," "Back Room Boy," "King Arthur Was A Gentleman," "Miss London Ltd.," and "Bees in Paradise." When television arrived, he made the transition well, his first TV series was "Before Your Very Eyes!" (1952) named after another of his catchphrases. In 1957 writers Sid Colin and Talbot Rothwell revived the Bandwagon format for Living It Up, a series that reunited Askey and Murdoch after an absence of 18 years. He also made many stage appearances as a pantomime dame."

This LP on the budget Music For Pleasure label came out in the 60's I think though there is no date on it anywhere. It's mostly songs about animals and birds and one about a pixie.

Arthur Askey - The Death Watch Beetle

Arthur Askey - Chirrup

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Martin Winsor & Redd Sullivan

I found this in a charity shop last year. It comprises mostly of traditional folk songs but also two "novelty" songs included from the days of music hall.
Redd Sullivan and Martin Winsor started the Troubadour folk club in London in the 50's and many of the great names of folk played there. People like Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, Shirley Collins, Martin Carthy etc.
Martin Winsor was born in Liverpool but moved to London where he became an authority on London folk-lore and dialect. He sang all kinds of songs from vaudeville , Irish folk songs, Scottish folk songs, sea shanties, pop songs and monologues. In fact anything that took his fancy became part of his extensive repertoire.
Redd Sullivan started singing in folk clubs in 1953 and well known on radio and television in the 60's when he appeared on Easy Beat, Roundabout, Country Meets Folk and Folk On Friday.
Also accompanying on this record are jeannie Steel, Alastair McDonald and Ian Campbell.

Winsor & Sullivan - I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate

Winsor & Sullivan - Beans, Bacon and Gravy

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Country Pie

My record collecting chum and devout Chas & Dave fan Jim Benson told me about this record a few years back. He says it's an early session by Chas & Dave during a spell of financial insecurity when they desperately needed the money.Chas Hodges plays guitar as well as piano on this session and Mick Burt is on Drums.Coincidentally I found a copy at a bootsale a couple of months later! Its on the cheap and cheerful Avenue label and released in 1971.

"Pianist Chas Hodges and guitarist Dave Peacock were widely experienced around the British rock scene of the 1960s and early 70s before teaming up with drummer Mick Burt (another much-travelled musician who had gone back to his original trade as a plumber) to form the group. Chas had worked with the legendary producer Joe Meek, backed Jerry Lee Lewis, played with Mike Berry and the Outlaws, along with Ritchie Blackmore, and also the highly respected Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, which had Burt on drums. He then joined Albert Lee’s cult band Heads Hands and Feet before playing with Dave and Albert in Black Claw. Dave had been equally active, Starting out in The Rolling Stones (no, not them!) in 1960. Spells with The Tumbleweeds, Mick Greenwood, Jerry Donaghue, and the above mentioned Black Claw followed prior to the pair coming together to go out on their own as Chas & Dave."

Find out more about Chas & Dave HERE.

Country Pie - Hillbilly Fever

Country Pie - Wrong Yo Yo

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Jimmy Edwards

Another boot sale find from the Summer. Recorded live at the Pied Bull pub in Streatham in London in 1973.

"He was a portly, moustachioed figure who excelled in portraying minor authority figures such as Pa Glum on the hit BBC radio series Take It From Here and the headmaster of a down-at-heel boarding school in Whack-O! He was virtually born to play Shakespeare's burly knight, Sir John Falstaff but, sadly, never did. Now largely forgotten, despite being bigger in his heyday than Sid James, Frankie Howerd and Kenneth Williams combined, there are still a few who remember his talent to amuse.

Throughout his life he had nursed a passion for music, from his early days as a choirboy at St Paul's Cathedral to conducting the Royal Artillery band at the Albert Hall. His love was so intense he even incorporated this musicality into his act, first at Cambridge in the famous Footlights then, after a spell in the RAF, at London's infamous Windmill Theatre.

Whereas contemporaries such as Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers had a fine singing voice or could play the drums, Edwards created a whole act around the trombone. An instrument he had played in the Arimatheans Dance Band when a freshman at King's College, Cambridge, just before the outbreak of hostilities in 1939. This, and other brass instruments, would later be incorporated into a routine that would establish him as a seasoned performer on stage, screen and television, although lasting success on the big screen eluded him."

JImmy Edwards - I've Never Seen A Straight Banana

Jimmy Edwards - Drinking Song

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Richie Delamore

Not much to be found on the internet about this chap from the Bahamas whose LP I found some time ago at Brick Lane flea market so will quote the sleeve notes written in 1962.
" Many calypsos are so universally popular, and so widely sung, they lose their identity as to their origin, Delamore uniquely styles his songs in the manner of their original home.
The orchestra accompanying Richie is composed of musicians from every part of the Caribbean. Their able handling of Goombay music, native of the Bahamas, and most popular with the dancers, is subtly aided by it's Trinidadian members whose steel drum softness stresses the Goombay beat.
CARIB (the record label) is happy to record this twenty three year old artist who made his first album for RCA Victor at seventeen, and continues to grow in popularity."

Richie Delamore - The Monkey Song

Richie Delamore - Man Smart

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The Palm Court Theatre Orchestra

I found this LP at a boot sale last year. Sadly the gate-fold sleeve has been stuck together after being left in the rain so trying to read the sleeve notes is made quite difficult. No information about them could be gleaned from the internet so as far as can make out they were formed in 1978 by Mr. Anthony Godwin, bass clarinettist with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. He had inherited a complete library of theatre music dating from 1880 to 1930 and it's from this that their repetoire is mainly drawn. They try and re-create the sound and atmostphere of those early days by using instruments of that era. For instance on the song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" the soprano Linda Murray is accompanied by David Norton on the musical saw. Linda Murray also sings the other song featured here "Two Little Sausages" that I remember an old uncle of mine singing back in the 60's. This record was released in 1980 on the Chandos label.

The Palm Court Theatre Orch. - I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

The Palm Court Theatre Orch. - Two Little Sausages

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Eddie Lund

"And here the fourth TAMOURE which leaves enunmoisa sorrow... While waiting cinquieme and the continuation... I think that it will be the maeillor: Because, more rapid that a Caravel, TAHITI invaded Paris in one night... Because for this insane night of the Holy Club Hilaire the TAMOURE has had gane its letters of nobility and the friendship of French the Paris Whole... of the islands it became Parisian! And I am on malgre the cold and the gray of the winter the sun and the chaleureaux sky of the islands will regneront On bets this season..."

From the Babelfish translation of the french on the back of the cover of this 45 EP I found many years ago at Brick Lane flea market.

Tahitian folk music sounds not unlike Hawaiian folk music but played at the wrong speed!

A short biography about Eddie Lund HERE

Eddie Lund - Toku Tokaringa

Eddie Lund - Tau Mafatu

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Jona Lewie

"Jona Lewie (born John Lewis, March 14, 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
After being a member of the amateur group Dramatis Personae while still at school, Lewis started in the music business as a session pianist, before forming the cult pub-rock band Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts in the late 1960s. The group were a popular live act for several years, but their only mainstream hit single was Seaside Shuffle (1972), released under the one-off nom de disque Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs. Borrowing heavily from Mungo Jerry's 1970 chart-topper In The Summertime, Seaside Shuffle was an unashamedly commercial disc quite at odds with the Thunderbolts' usual style, and reached number 2 in the British singles chart.

However, Lewis looked likely to remain a one-hit wonder until he was signed up by Stiff Records in 1977. Following appearances on the Stiff package tours, he finally scored a solo hit with the humorous synthpop number, You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties (1980) - (right) which made the British top 20. Although his next single Big Shot - Momentarily failed to make any impact, by the end of the year he was back in the charts with what became his biggest (and, to date, last) hit, Stop The Cavalry."

I found this 1974 single on the Sonet label back in the 80's and it's one of my favourites from that pre-punk era when "pub rock" and roots music was being touted as the next big thing.

Jona Lewie - Piggy Back Sue

Jona Lewie - Papa Don't Go

Max Miller

"Max Miller, Britain's top comedian in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, was born in Brighton, on the south coast of England in 1894. He excelled as a stand-up comic playing to large audiences in variety theatres, where his skill was such that he could hold an audience in the palm of his hand. He was master of the double entendre. He was mischievous, brash and quick-witted; he dressed over the top and he certainly lived up to the name the Cheeky Chappie. Even the poorest jokes got a laugh; his timing and delivery were legendary.

Max Miller left school at 12 and, after drifting from job to job, was called up by the army to serve in the First World War. During the war he acquired a taste of entertaining whilst performing to his fellow soldiers and, after the war, he pursued his show-business ambition starting with the occasional gig in pubs and halls. His first break came about when he joined a concert party on the Brighton sea front as a song and dance man. It was good training for the future and, from time to time, he would get the chance to tell a gag or two. The occasional booking in a London theatre followed this. His talent developed and soon he excelled as a solo performer writing his own material and composing his own songs. He rose to fame and, in the 1930s, reached the top of the bill playing all the major variety theatres including the most famous of them all, the London Palladium."

Find out more about Max Miller at this website dedicated to him HERE.

Max Miller - Mary From The Dairy

Max Miller - The Girls I Like

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Jerry Colonna

"Jerry was born Gerardo Colonna in Boston on September 17, 1904, of Italian immigrant parents. As a little boy he admired his grandfather's enormous moustache ("You could see it from the back!") so much that he often painted one on his upper lip with axle grease. As soon as he could manage it, he grew a "baffi" of his own. Jerry was extremely gifted musically, and he loved jazz, beginning as a drummer then finding his metier in the trombone.
Moving to New York, he became a fixture in orchestras on major radio shows and in the top big bands. At one point he was named one of the five best trombonists in the country.
In 1930 he married Florence Purcell, a pretty flapper he met on a blind date in New York who turned out to be a Boston girl. They would stay in love for the next 56 years, adopting a baby son, Robert, in 1941.

In the late 30's Jerry's career took an unexpected turn. Comedian Minerva Pious, who played Mrs. Nussbaum on the Fred Allen show, loved Jerry's off-stage antics (he had received so many warnings from CBS for his pranks that he was finally put on perpetual notice. But they never actually fired him -- he was too good a trombonist). Pious decided that Fred Allen, a workaholic, needed a laugh, so she convinced him that Jerry was a brilliant operatic tenor and that Fred should give him an audition. When Jerry gave out with an ear-splitting "You're My Everything," Fred literally fell to the floor laughing and gave him a few guest spots on the show. These led to movie roles, and to the Kraft Music Hall, hosted by Bing Crosby. Bing took Minerva Pious' in-house joke to new lengths by announcing publicly that Giovanni Colonna, one of the greatest living baritones (!) would make his American radio debut on the show. After that broadcast, a number of classical music critics stopped talking to Bing altogether. The following summer, following an appearance at the Del Mar racetrack clubhouse, Jerry was approached by Bob Hope, and radio history was begun.
Jerry's recordings ("I have destroyed many beautiful songs.") are collected today by connoisseurs of madcap comedy. He is probably best known for his hysterical versions of "On The Road To Mandalay" and "Ebb Tide" (where most recordings of the latter began with the sounds of surf and seagulls, Colonna's also includes chickens)."

Jerry Colonna - Big Fat Minnie

Jerry Colonna - Bowzer

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Morecambe and Wise

I found this double cassette yesterday at a rummage sale held by the Salvation Army in town. I think it was 50p. A lot of comic songs that I'd not heard before including the two uploaded here. They were very much a part of my television viewing as a child and teenager- something the whole family could laugh along with. The songs only hint at what they were like to see on TV. Eric's looks to camera alone were worth a thousand catch phrases.

"The theatrical/TV impresario Bernard Delfont gave Morecambe and Wise their own ITV show after the pair appeared frequently on the small-screen in 1960, notching up 12 spots on Val Parnell's Sunday Night At The London Palladium. Now the same network pitched them into a show of their own, teaming the comedians with another double-act, the writers Sid Green and Dick Hills. Sid and Dick, as they soon became known to the nation, also ventured out from behind-the-scenes to feature in front of the cameras with the comics.

The first ATV series - broadcast live each week from the Wood Green Empire in north London - was so successful that a second run was commissioned and given a Saturday primetime slot; from here on, after seven years of irregular TV appearances, Morecambe and Wise were firmly established as stars of the medium and Britain's best comedy double-act. Catchphrases soon developed, with Eric as the wag and Ernie the butt of all jokes: Morecambe would grab Wise by the throat and remark 'Get out of that!'; Morecambe would claim that Wise possessed 'short fat hairy legs'; the two comics, with their scriptwriters, sang a catchy comedy song that attained national fame, 'Boom Oo Yatta Ta Ta'; and every programme ended with the first line - but never more - of the age-old dirty joke 'There were these two old men sitting in deckchairs...'.

As a result of these marvellous ITV shows, Morecambe and Wise branched out into the cinema with three starring feature films, The Intelligence Men, That Riviera Touch and The Magnificent Two, released in 1964, 1966 and 1967 respectively."

Go HERE to find out more about Eric and Ernie.

Morecambe & Wise - Me, and My Shadow

Morecambe & Wise - The "B" Side

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Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert

acourtnidgehulbert
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

"Jack Hulbert was born on 24th April, 1892 at Ely in Cambridgeshire.  As an undergraduate at Cambridge he appeared in a number of shows and revues, both professional and amateur, until his last production, Cheer-oh! Cambridge (1913) was such a success that it moved to the Queen's Theatre in London.  There he met Cicely Courtneidge, the daughter of theatrical producer Robert Courtneidge, and they worked together for the first time in The Pearl Girl.
Cicely Courtneidge was born in Sydney on 1st April, 1893, while her father was on tour with his company.  After spending some years of her childhood in Australia she moved permanently to Britain in 1907.  Her first stage appearance was in one of her father's productions at Manchester in 1901, although her acting career didn't begin in earnest until The Arcadians (Shaftesbury Theatre, 1909) which ran for 809 performancesJack and Cicely were married in 1916, and enjoyed huge success as a cohesive unit in revues and musicals in London.

Their film careers began from the early 'thirties with comic and musical vehicles such as The Ghost Train, Falling For You and Jack's the Boy.  Throughout that decade they were among the top two or three acts both on stage and screen, rivalled only in the latter by Tom Walls' farces and Jessie Matthews' musical-comedies."
 


This World Record Club LP is from 1968. "Flies Crawl Up The Window" is from the film "Jack's The Boy" (1932) and "If I Had Napoleon's Hat" is from the film "Aunt Sally" ( 1933 ).

Find out more about Jack and Cicely HERE.

Jack Hulbert - The Flies Crawl Up The Window

Cicely Courtneidge - If I Had Napoleon's Hat

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Rupert Clemendore

jazz trinidad
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

Another of those mysterious records from Brick Lane flea market I think that caught my eye. Though the sleeve art is pretty subdued - no palm trees and exotic looking dusky maidens just the words "Patois Jazz" is enough to make me wonder what this might sound like. I must admit the general ambience of the tunes here fall into the cocktail lounge variety. Here is the whole of side two for your listening pleasure..

The sleeve notes by Red Camp say-
"Who else but Rupert would keep the same off-beat two measures going for three and a half minutes under his own vocal? What's more, almost everyone so far likes it; and that's what's so disturbing. Neither of the two vocals is sung. The one with the syncopated perpetual motion is a rather involved story called "Clem's Confusion" relating various adventures with a kind of international harem which descend on innocent him whilst walking down Park Street. Strictly speaking, this is more of a recitation than a song - but not to be confused with the school room type.
What Rupert does with his voice on "Chop Suey Mambo"(sic), the other one, must remain completely unclassified."

Charlie Drake

acharliedrake
Originally uploaded by wastedpapiers.

"The diminutive Charlie Drake, who had a fine line in slapstick and pathos and a catch-cry of "Hello my darlings", featured in this BBC comedy series (which followed his successful 1959 - 1960 Charlie Drake program).

The Charlie Drake Show was scripted by Drake and Richard Waring, and produced by Ronald Marsh. It featured slapstick-style sketches and situations which brought out the pathos and genius of this much underrated comedian.

Meanwhile on ITV, Charlie featured in a comedy-music series (also called The Charlie Drake Show) in 1963 under producer Colin Clews with scripts by Drake and Lewis Schwarz. A very young Olivia Hussey also appeared in some of the routines.

Drake also starred in The Worker from 1965 - 1970 and then in the early 70's had a show called Slapstick and Old Lace in which he involved viewers in singalongs and madcap sketches in a Vaudeville style (7 x 30 minute episodes).

Charlie Drake was no stranger to accidents, but his narrowest escape was in the first of a new series entitled Bingo Madness. The plot called for Drake to be hurled through a bookcase by two villains, feign unconsciousness, fall to the floor and then be picked up and thrown out of a window.

The stunt nearly ended in tragedy as Drake really was knocked unconscious when he came through the bookcase. It was a live show and the actors, not realize anything was amiss, carried on, picking him up and bundling him through the window. Drake's head crashed against a stage weight.

After the initial applause, there was a hush as everyone realized something was wrong. The director blacked out the screen as millions of people witnessed what could have been the death of Charlie Drake. He lay in a coma for days, and the rest of the series was cancelled."

Charlie also had a successful recording career throughout the 50's and 60's- two of his biggest hits being "My Boomerang Won't Come Back" and "Please Mr Custer".


Charlie Drake - I've Lost The End Of My Yodel

Charlie Drake - Starkle Starkle Little Twink

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Don Juan

Another mystery disc for Halloween. Found at a boot sale last year for a few pence. It sounds a bit like the Barron Knights for those firmiliar with their work. Calling it "Monster Hits" is quite funny as they obviously never had any or anything approaching a hit. Nothing can be found about them on the internet. Bullseye seems to be a label based in the North East of England and run on a shoe string judging by the sleeve art! Other tracks include versions of Cecelia, Take These Chains From My Heart and Old Shep. The whole thing seems to have been masterminded by someone called Ray Banks who has even signed the back of the sleeve.

Don Juan - Dracula

Don Juan - Ghost Riders In The Sky

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King Horror

Not much is known about King Horror despite browsing various search engines. This very worn and scratchy LP on the Trojan label is an old favourite of mine featuring twelve "ska" and "rock steady" stomping tunes from the late 60's and early 70's. Other tracks include The Upsetters, Nora Dean and the Prophets. These two tracks though stand out , being perfect for Halloween.

King Horror - Loch Ness Monster

King Horror - Dracula Prince of Darkness

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Bobby 'Boris' Pickett

"Born Robert George Pickett on February 11th, 1940, Bobby was fascinated by horror movies as a child. By the time he was nine, he started to imitate Boris Karloff, whom he would see at the movie theatre that his father managed in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Following his discharge from the army in 1961, he moved to Los Angeles to try his hand at show business. As a member of a vocal group called "The Cordials" , he would do impersonations between songs, often using his impression of Karloff, which was a crowd favourite. His friend and fellow band mate, Lenny Capizi suggested that the pair try to take advantage of the novelty song craze that was happening in the early sixties by writing a tune around Bobby's Karloff imitation. It took nearly a year after the suggestion to get around to it, but when they did, the two worked out "The Monster Mash" in about an hour and a half.

To record their song, they approached producer Gary Paxton, who sang The Hollywood Argyles' hit, "Alley Oop". Pickett and Paxton, along with Leon Russell, Johnny McCrae and Rickie Page recorded the tune, and when the session was done, it was Paxton who came up with the idea of putting "Bobby 'Boris' Pickett and the Cryptkickers", on the record's label. Pickett also added all his own sound sound effects: the creaky door opening is a nail being pulled from a piece of wood, the boiling cauldron is Pickett blowing bubbles into a cup of water with a straw and the chains are him moving chains up and down. The song was recorded in just one take.

Gary Paxton took the tape to four major labels, who all turned it down. Not discouraged, he had a thousand copies pressed himself and started delivering them to radio stations across California. Soon, the Monster Mash was getting airplay and London Records, who had rejected the song earlier, called Paxton to sign a deal.

Eight weeks later, on October 20, 1962, the record hit number one, just in time for Halloween."

Bobby 'Boris' Pickett - Transylvanian Twist

Bobby 'Boris' Pickett - Sinister Stomp

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