Dark City Sisters

A record I found some years ago in a remaindered record shop in East London.

"The Dark City Sisters were a group of session singers who came together to record an album and in the process popularized an innovative new style of singing. Rather than
singing a common four-part harmony, the Sisters used five parts, which created a richer tone. Sometimes known as "vocal jive," this technique was subsumed under the umbrella term "mbaqanga," meaning, literally, dumpling, and figuratively, a homegrown style. ~ Leon Jackson, All Music Guide"

It puzzles me though that there are only three ladies featured on the front cover of this sleeve? No other information found on the interweb sadly though see they have a couple of compilations available on CD on Sterns and World Curcuit records.

Discover more about the Dark City Sisters HERE


Dark City Sisters - Mphatlatsane

Dark City Sisters - Mpolelie

Dark City Sisters - Ntombela

Dark City Sisters - Nkabinde

Dark City Sisters - Itinto
Ezinhle

Dark City Sisters - Moya Wami Ukhathazekile


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BBC Sound Effects

From the sublime to the ridiculous. This double disc 45 that plays at 33 (& a third ) was bought in the Oxfam shop for a few pennies. It's not terribly interesting at first glance but I could not resist buying it for some reason. It has two sorts of water on one disc- a mountain stream and a small river going over stones. The other is two types of static! Ideal for some kind of Fluxus performance or for soundtrack of a film about robots perhaps. I've spared you the static and we just have the water which though rather monotonous is really quite soothing and transports you to a tranquil landscape in the hills somewhere. If you listen carefully you can hear birds chirping in the background.

Discover more about SOUND EFFECTS at the British Library.


BBC Sound Effects - Mountain Stream

BBC Sound Effects - Small River Over Stones


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George Symonette

I've had this LP on the Bahama Records label for some years now and just realised I hadn't featured it here which is an oversight. It was released in 1959 and the sleeve notes say-

"George Symonette, who is currently appearing at Blackbeard's Tavern in Nassau, has long been recognised as the Dean of Bahamian Entertainers. His infectious smile, his amiable delivery, his innaye sense of humour combine to make him the most popular of Bahamian musicians.
George accompanies himself on piano and is a most affective solo entertainer. Frequently he is accompanied by the Goombay* drumming of "Peanuts" Taylor....
It is fitting that George Symonette should be the first Bahamian artist to appear in the new medium of stereo, which so ably presents the natural simplicity and inherent charm of his performance.
Four of the selectionsin this album - Stranded, Coconut Fall On De Head De Eye Too BIg For De Belly and Calypso Island were written by Alice Simms of New York."

* When Calypso came to Nassau it gradually underwent an inevitable change. A true Bahamian beat, different in flavour, was introduced, and it was called the Goombay rhythm. Providing the basic beat are the long, deep toned goat skin covered drums, known as Goombat Drums.

Discover more about the music of the Bahamas HERE.


George Symonette - Calypso Island

George Symonette - Ugly Woman

George Symonette - De Eye Too Big For De Belly

George Symonette - Rum And Coca Cola

George Symonette - Stone Cold Dead In De Market

George Symonette - Stranded


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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. I found this EP in the local Oxfam shop for 99p. It's on the Capitol label. Johnny is accompanied by Horace Heidt and His Musical Knights. 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 - Proud New Father
Johhny Standley - Clap Your hands



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Ken Dodd & Diddy Men

Back due to popular demand by me. This is an EP I found recently and have only just had the chance to rip the tracks using my new ION USB turntable ( from Santa ). Hopefully I can upload more vinyl now after being restricted to CD tracks for a couple of months.

Wikipedia says-

"Ken Dodd was born on the 8 November 1927 in Knotty Ash on the outskirts of Liverpool, son of a coal merchant, Arthur Dodd and wife Sarah Dodd. He went to the Knotty Ash School, and sang in the local church choir of St. Johns Church, Knotty Ash. At the age of seven, he was dared by his school friends to ride his bike with his eyes shut.....and he did, for about 10 feet and the bike hit the kerb. Ken went flying open-mouthed onto the tarmac, resulting in his famous teeth of today.

He then attended Holt High, a Grammar School in Childwall, but left at 14 to work for his father.[1] Around this time he became interested in showbusiness after seeing an advert in a comic entitled; "Fool Your Teachers, Amaze Your Friends - Send 6d in Stamps and Become a Ventriloquist!" and sending off for the book. Not long after, his father bought him a ventriloquist's dummy and Ken called it Charlie Brown. He started entertaining at the local orphanage, then at various other local community functions.

He got his big break at the age of 27. In September 1954 he appeared at the Nottingham Playhouse. A nervous young man, he sat in a local Milk Bar for most of the afternoon going over and over his lines before going to the theatre. Although he can't remember much of the actual act of that night. He did recall, "Well at least they didn't boo me off". But there wasn't much fear of that, as Dodd's act went from strength to strength, eventually topping the bill at Blackpool in 1958."

For "Happiness Tour" dates go HERE.


Ken Dodd - Where's Me Shirt?

Ken Dodd - Diddy Men Make A Record
Ken Dodd - Wee Cooper Of Fife

Ken Dodd - Tatty Bye


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David Davis - Nonsense Songs

This is an EP I found recently in a charity shop by David Davis who reads three of Edward Lear's "Nonsense Songs". It's on the Delyse label and dated 1964. David davis it seems was a firmiliar voice on children's programmes on the radio during the 50's and 60's but I have no recollection of him myself.

Wikipedia says of Edward Lear -

"He id not keep good health. From the age of six until the time of his death he suffered frequent grand mal epileptic seizures, as well as bronchitis, asthma, and in later life, partial blindness. Lear experienced his first epileptic fit while sitting in a tree. Lear felt lifelong guilt and shame for his epileptic condition. His adult diaries indicate that he always sensed the onset of a fit in time to remove himself from public view. How Lear was able to anticipate his fits is not known, but many people with epilepsy report a ringing in their ears or an "aura" before the onset of a fit.

In 1846 Lear published A Book of Nonsense, a volume of limericks which went through three editions and helped popularise the form. In 1865 The History of the Seven Families of the Lake Pipple-Popple was published, and in 1867 his most famous piece of nonsense, The Owl and the Pussycat, which he wrote for the children of his patron Edward Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby. Many other works followed.

Lear's nonsense books were quite popular during his lifetime, but a rumour circulated that "Edward Lear" was merely a pseudonym, and the books' true author was the man to whom Lear had dedicated the works: his patron the Earl of Derby. Adherents of this rumour offered as evidence the facts that both men were named Edward, and that "Lear" is an anagram of "Earl"."




Discover more about Edward Lear HERE.

David Davis - The Courtship Of The Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo
David Davis - The Daddy Long-Legs & The Fly
David Davis - The Broom,The Shovel, The Poker & The Tongs


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The Korn Kobblers

A treat for Xmas from the Korn Kobblers who include one amusing festive novelty song on their "A Real Earful" CD which is probably still available somewhere. Some great song titles include "Don't Shoot The Bartender He's Half Shot Now" and "I'm My Own Granpa".


"The Korn Kobblers, America's most nonsensical band, were discovered by the King Of Korn himself, Guy Lombardo, when they were playing at the Old Vienna in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the summer of 1939. When the Ballantine Inn at the World's Fair in 1940 was opened, Guy spoke to the managers of the spot about the Korn Kobblers. On Guy's recommendation, the six merry madmen were booked into the Inn for two weeks-and remained there until the close of the Fair. From there, they went into the Flagship in Union, New Jersey. After a one-nighter and theatre tour, they returned to the Flagship, where they stayed until they opened at Rogers Corner (now Madison Square Garden) in New York City in October, 1942.

World War II saw Nels replaced by Sam Zakin and Harry replaced by Eddie Grosso. At the time of disbanding in 1954 all the originals, except Harry, were back with the group. Hal Marquess filled in for Howard at times (and was the drummer with Charlie's band after the disbanding of the Korn Kobblers).

1945 and 46 saw the Korn Kobbler's calling Jack Dempsey's Nightclub home. The group moved back to the Flagship (the home of their radio show) during the winter season and toured in the summer.

During the 1948-49 television season the boys were on Kobb's Korner on CBS, Wednesday evenings.

These boys are the most amazing outfit in the musical world! Their jugs, washboards, automobile horns, tonettes, whistles, mouth harps, duck quackers, etc., have made more people laugh than any other band in the country – and that's one thing we can use at all times!"

Discover more about the Korn Kobblers HERE.


The Korn Kobblers - Don't Give Me No Goose For Christmas Granma
The Korn Kobblers - Floating Kidney

The Korn Kobblers - Myrtle The Turtle And Flip The Frog

The Korn Kobblers - Since They Stole The Spitoon


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The Wonkey Finger Field Trip

"At The Meeting OF The Earth And The Air" is the rather ponderous title of a stunning new CD by the poet Roger Stevens and some friends who have breathed new life into some old songs Roger and his art school chum Ralph Emmett wrote when they were students in the 60's.

Roger says on the sleeve-

" I met Ralph Emmett on the first day of art college in 1968. He found me a room in a house he was staying. We'd both brought our guitars, both wrote songs and both loved the Beatles. So it was inevitable that we'd both spend the next three years writing songs together. We played them over and over again into a tape recorder. When we left college we lost touch, but I've been carrying that box of tapes around ever since.

Now that I have the technology to convert music from analogue to digital, I copied around thirty of the songs to CD. The next logical step was to take a bunch of songs and re-record them, in a way that we dreamed of recording them nearly forty years ago.

I think the songs stand up pretty well. They're teenagers songs, ofcourse, heavily influenced by the Beatles, The Incredible String Band and countless other sixties bands."

Roger is joined on the CD by Rob Barrett & Karen Moses - Lead Vocals. Toni Berry - Flute. Michael Whitehead - Tabla and Tibetan Bell.

You can purchase the CD and other audio and poetic works at The Rabbit Press.


The Wonkey Finger Field Trip - Sunlight & Flowers


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Tribute To Captain Beefheart

This tribute to Captain Beefheart came out on the Imaginary Records label in the 80's. Bands contributing include XTC, The Scientists, Sonic Youth, The Screaming Dizbusters etc.

Wikipedia says-

"Don Van Vliet (born Don Glen Vliet on January 15, 1941, in Glendale, California, U.S.) is an American musician and visual artist, best known by the pseudonym Captain Beefheart. His musical work was mainly conducted with a rotating assembly of musicians called the Magic Band, which was active from the mid-1960s through to the early 1980s. Van Vliet was chiefly a singer and harmonica player, occasionally playing noisy, untrained free jazz-influenced saxophone and keyboards. His compositions are characterized by their odd mixtures of shifting time signatures and by their surreal lyrics, while Van Vliet himself is noted for his dictatorial approach to his musicians and for his enigmatic relationship with the public.
Van Vliet joined the newly formed Magic Band in 1965, quickly taking over as bandleader. Their early output was rooted in blues and rock music, but Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band (as they were called, collectively) gradually adopted a more experimental approach. 1969 saw the release of their best known album, Trout Mask Replica, which was produced by Van Vliet's childhood friend Frank Zappa and is today regarded as a challenging but groundbreaking and influential masterpiece by some. Van Vliet released several further albums throughout the 1970s, but his group was beset by shifting line-ups and a lack of commercial success. Towards the end of that decade he settled with a group of younger musicians, and his three final albums, released between 1978 and 1982, all received critical acclaim. Van Vliet's legacy is one of limited commercial success, despite a devoted following; however, his influence on later punk and new wave and other genres and musicians has been described as "incalculable"."


Discover more about Captain Beefheart HERE.


The Dog Faced Hermanns - Zig Zag Wanderer

The Membranes - Ice Cream For Crow

The King Of Luxembourg - Long Necked Bottles

Good & Gone - Harry Irene

The Mock Turtles - Big Eyed Beans From Venus


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John "Snakehips" Johnson

I was lucky enough to find this in the market today for a couple of quid. I was first attracted by the title "Any Old Iron" which is a good old cockney knees-up number from the music hall days - Peter Sellers did a nice version of it amongst others.
Also on the album a mixture of old and new songs which remind me of Chas 'N' Dave and Joe Brown etc. Great versions of Maybe It's Big Horse I'm A Londoner and End Of Me Ol' Cigar. Not much found on the internet but this CD is still available I think and well worth it if you a fan of cockney songs or blues sung in an East London accent! Also playing on the CD are Tony Ashton - piano and hammond organ, Dave 'Wild Leg' Williams - guitars and mandolin and Dan Brown - bass, euphonium and tuba- amongst others.


John "Snakehips" Johnson - Harem Scarem

John "Snakehips" Johnson - The Lambeth Walk

John "Snakehips" Johnson - Any Old Iron


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Rutles Highway Revisited

Found this CD in a street market back in the 90's. Its a tribute to the Rutles who in turn were a tribute to the Beatles. Made in the Netherlands on the Shimmy Disc label and featuring lots of obscure punk and new wave bands . Bands like- Galaxie 500, The Pussywillows, Joey Arias and King Missile etc. All songs written by Neil Innes. Not sure if it's still available.
Great cover art that mimics the Stones and Beatles sleeve art by Sheena Dupius.

Discover more about The Rutles go HERE.

Find out more about Neil Innes HERE.


The Pussywillows - Hold My Hand

Peter Stampfel & The Bottlecaps - Ouch!

The Tinklers - Blue Suede Shubert

Uncle Wiggly - It's Looking Good


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Sounds Of South Africa

Found at a charity market yesterday for a pound. A great little compilation and taster of South African music by some firmiliar and not-so-firmiliar names. Released in 2001 but still available if you look for it. On ARC music label.

Ivangeli Loxolo.

This eleven peice Zulu church choir from Kwa Zuma, is led and produced by Thomas Maseko, who is the bass player of the band. The choir isd a community affair consisting of Thomas, his wife and daughter and members of his wife's family as well as neighbours and friends.


Izigi Zabezayo.

This group, consistin g of Sente Buthelezi and Mhlonipheni Hadebe, hails from Nkandla in Zululand.
The music is traditional Zulu. The track "Malume" concerns a man who wants to get married and therefore has to pay a "labola" ( the dowry ) for his loved one. He turns to his father as he does not have enough cattle, but his father, unable to help, sends him to his uncle. The song communicates his embarrassment over this predicament.


Molahlehi.

The word Molahlehi means "the lost one". In 1986 producer Les Goode had a call from an unkown South Sotho singer, wanting to record ten numbers. He arrived with his accordion and a Sotho drummer and put the ten tracks down, explaining to Les that he would return shortly to record the songs into master form. Two years went by and not a word was heard from the artist. The tracks were bought to Reamusic where Clive Risko was impressed by the music and the album was re-mixed with additional instruments and released the album which became a big success and gave the artist the name "Molahlehi".
The radio made many announcements for "the lost one" but to date he has still not been found.


Discover more about South African music HERE.


Ivangeli Loxolo - Isakhalo

Izigi Zabezayo - Malume

Molahlehi - Khaitsedi Manyathela


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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.

Discover more about Stanley Holloway HERE.


Stanley Holloway - Three Ha'Pence A Foot

Stanley Holloway - Yorkshire Pudding

Stanley Holloway - Song Of The Sea


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Will Hay

Will Hay still makes me smile despite the ancient jokes and ham acting. I never get tired of watching "Oh , Mr Porter" one of his best films from the 40's.

"Will Hay was born on the 6th December 1888. With his supercilious sniff and overall air of pompous ineptitude, Will Hay was one of the great British character comedians of his time. A former bookkeeper, Hay began his music-hall career in 1909, performing a sketch in which he impersonated a seedy, incompetent schoolmaster.

He was a genius who created a genuinely original persona which worked on a number of variations including the tattered shifty teacher, barrister, prison governor or stationmaster which was perhaps his masterpiece. In whatever circumstances, he was always required to deceive both superiors and inferiors, the latter proving sharper at detecting the radical incompetence beneath his seedy dignity. Accompanied by fat boy Graham Moffitt and toothless old codger Moore Marriott he created a comic oeuvre as endearing and enduring as any in British cinema.

In 1931, Will was elected 'King Rat of the Grand Order of Water Rats', which gave him great pride and a opportunity to acquaint himself better with like-minded fellow artistes within the exclusiveness of the club. The club was a charity organisation who fund raised for the less fortunate. In 1933, Hay applied his astronomical skills and discovered a white spot on Saturn. He published his findings in his 1935 book Through My Telescope. For this achievement, he was made a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He even gets a mention in Patrick Moore's biography.

Running second in popularity only to George Formby at the British box office, in 1940 Hay put his film-making on hold. During the war, his specialist knowledge was so good that he gave up acting to teach astronomy and navigation to the Royal Navy Reserve Special Branch as a Sub lieutenant. One wonders how he could be taken seriously after several years of portraying an exceptionally incompetent teacher.

He worked at Elstree, then Gainsborough, then Ealing; the Gainsborough period was the most consistently successful. Just as Tony Hancock, in some ways a descendant of Hay, would later cut himself off from sidekick Sid James, Hay felt impelled to break up the partnership with Moffatt and Marriott and was, likewise, never quite the same again, although ‘The Goose Steps Out for Ealing’ (1943) was an effective anti-Nazi piece of slapstick. His classic movies include ‘Oh Mr Porter’, ‘Where’s that Fire’ and ‘Ask a Policeman’."

Discover more abou Will Hay HERE.


Will Hay - How Tickled I Am


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Ted Ray

Some more comedy profiles now by popular demand. First up Ted Ray who I remember from the steam radio of the 50's in "Ray's A Laugh".

Wikipedia says-

"Ted Ray (November 21, 1905 – November 8, 1977) (real name Charles Olden) was a popular English comedian of the 1950s and 1960s.
Charlie Olden was born in Wigan, Lancashire in 1905. His parents moved to Liverpool within days of his birth, and Liverpudlians therefore tend to regard him as a local of their city. As a major radio personality and comedian of the 1940s and 1950s he regularly demonstrated his extraordinary ad-libbing skills in his weekly radio show Ray's A Laugh, which ran from 1949 until 1961.
A much sought after music hall comedian, Ray usually played the violin (badly) as part of his act. He also played straight roles in several British films - notably as the headmaster in Carry On Teacher. He is, however, best remembered for Ray's a Laugh, which was a domestic comedy in which he was accompanied by Australian Kitty Bluett, who played his wife.
Many actors and actresses who would later become well-known cut their teeth on this radio show, including Peter Sellers, Fred Yule, Patricia Hayes, Kenneth Connor, Pat Coombs and Graham Stark. 1940 and 1950 saw Ray as King Rat of the Grand Order of Water Rats.
He was a very keen and accomplished golfer who frequently appeared playing with professional sportsmen. Later in his career Ted Ray appeared together with Jimmy Edwards, Arthur Askey and Cyril Fletcher in the comedy radio panel game Does the Team Think?.
He never managed to break into television successfully, though his son, Robin Ray, was a well known television personality in the 1960s and 1970s, having initiated Call My Bluff and specialist classical music shows. His younger son, Andrew Ray, became an actor. Ted Ray died in 1977."


Ted Ray - How Tickled I Am


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3 Haunted Houses

Three very different songs called "Haunted House" by three very different artistes.

The first from Ray Noble's Orchestra in the 30's or 40's is from a cheap CD called Childrens All-Time Classics on the Cedar label.

The next is by Leon redbone from the album "On The Track" and the third and my favourite is by Jerry Lee Lewis from a compilation of his songs at his time with Mercury Records from 1973. I also have a version by Ry Cooder and John Hiatt etc. playing live but unfortunately I can't find it at the moment.

Discover more about Ray Noble HERE.

Discover more about Leon Redbone HERE.

Discover more about Jerry Lee Lewis HERE.



Ray Noble Orchestra - Haunted House

Leon Redbone - Haunted House

Jerry Lee Lewis - The Haunted House


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Al Bowlly

Watched part of a fascinating profile of Al Bowlly on BBC 4 last night and this remined me of a couple of the novelty songs he sang before he became more well known as a "crooner".

Wikipedia says-


"In the 1930s, he was to sign two contracts which were to change his fortunes - one in May 1931 with Roy Fox, singing in his live band for the Monseigneur Restaurant in London, the other a record contract with Ray Noble's orchestra in November 1930. During the next four years, he recorded over 500 songs. He also found time to occasionally record with other orchestras such as Lew Stone's ; however, he was inundated with demands in this period, and made the bulk of his recordings with Noble. There was considerable competition between Noble and Fox for Bowlly's time, as for much of the year, Bowlly would spend all day in the recording studio with Noble's band, rehearsing and recording, only to then spend the evening playing live at the Monseigneur with Fox's band. A visit to New York in 1934 with Noble resulted in more success and their recordings first achieved popularity in the USA; he appeared at the head of an orchestra hand-picked for him and Noble by Glenn Miller (the band included Claude Thornhill, Charlie Spivak, and Bud Freeman, among others).
During the early-mid 1930s, such songs as "Blue Moon", "Easy to Love", "I've Got You Under My Skin", and "My Melancholy Baby" were sizable American successes — so much so that Bowlly gained his own radio series on NBC and travelled to Hollywood to co-star in The Big Broadcast in 1936, which also starred one of his biggest competitors, Bing Crosby. Al Bowlly often worked with Ray Noble and His Orchestra.
In December 1931, Bowlly had married Freda Roberts, but the marriage proved a disaster, with Bowlly discovering his new wife in bed with another man on their wedding night. The couple separated after two weeks, and sought a rapid divorce. He remarried in December 1934, this time to Marjie Fairless, the marriage lasting until his death."

Discover more about Al Bowlly HERE.


Al Bowlly - Making Wickey Wackey

Al Bowlly - Pied Piper Of Hamelin


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Allan Smethurst ( The Singing Postman )

"As the Singing Postman, Allan Smethurst benefited from the British public’s endearing sympathy for the underdog. His most popular hit, Hev Yew Gotta Loight, Boy?, momentarily outsold the Beatles — in East Anglia, at least — and for a few weeks became a national catchphrase. But like many novelty stars before and since, his 15 minutes of fame was little more than that, and after four albums he faded from the public consciousness ending his days as an alcoholic in the care of the Salvation Army.
Smethurst, a postman from Norfolk who hummed his tunes on his daily round, bought his guitar from Woolworths in 1949 and started writing and playing his own dialect songs, initially confining his activities to his bedroom. “It was ten years afore I dare let people hear them,” he once admitted. Plucking up the courage to send a tape to the BBC in Norwich, he was given a spot on a local radio show compered by a sales promotion man, Ralph Tuck, who promptly founded a record label called The Smallest Recording Organisation in the World to promote the Singing Postman. The 100 discs which Tuck had cut in the early weeks of 1966 promptly sold out and Smethurst became an overnight star, ousting the Beatles from the top of the East Anglian hit parade."
It was sadly downhill from then on. He took up drink to try and cure his crippling stage fright but obviously he was destined to be a "one hit wonder" and the music biz moved on to the next novelty act.


Allan Smethurst - The Postman And The Milkgirl

Allan Smethurst - Norwich Is A Fine City

Allan Smethurst - Bubbies And The Wall

Allan Smethurst - Took A Long Time


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Bernard Cribbins

"Born in 1928, in Lancashire, Bernard Cribbins is one of the best known children's entertainers in the UK. He has been an actor since the age of 14, when he became a student player with his local repertory company.
By the 1950s, Cribbins had become a star of the London stage, featuring in his own revue. It wasn't until the 1960s, however, until he attained true public acclaim, appearing in a string of successful films and had musical success with a number of novelty records like Right Said Fred and Hole in the Ground. He is better known today for voice over work (The Wombles, as well as numerous advertisements) and his appearances on Noel's House Party on BBC1."

Discover more about Bernard Cribbins HERE.


Bernard Cribbins - The Bird On The Second Floor

Bernard Cribbins - Verily


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Fred Douglas

Not really a boot sale find but an excuse to upload some novelty songs by Fred Douglas who I know nothing about except he made lots of cover versions of hits on the cheap Regal label that sold in Woolworths I believe back in the 30's and 40's. Later they had the Embassy label which did a similar service - all the pop hits of the day by obscure singers who nobody had ever heard of! Fred Douglas went by several other nom de plumes so probably appeared on other records too.

Any information about Fred greatly appreciated.


Fred Douglas - You've Got Those Wanna-Go-Back-Again Blues

Fred Douglas - I've Found A Roundabout Way To Heaven

Fred Douglas - Hello Aloha, How Are You?

Fred Douglas - Bandy Bertha's Birthday


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