Stanley Holloway

A CD found recently at a boot sale. Still available I think if you search for it on the Avid label. 2001. Mostly the monologues that he was famous for but with a few novelty/ music hall songs thrown in for good measure.

Wikipedia says-

"He was born in Manor Park, Essex (now Greater London), England, and attended The Worshipful School of Carpenters in Stratford.

His Mother Florrie was a housekeeper and his father George was a Lawyers Clerk. He had one sister called Millie.

His first job was as a junior clerk in a boot polish factory called "Everitts Nutta and Jetta"" where he earnt ten shillings a week. His second job was again as a clerk but this time at Billingsgate fish market. Whilst working there, he began his performing career as "Master Stanley Holloway -- The Wonderful Boy Soprano", from 1907. He began performing in end of pier concert parties at English east coast seaside resorts, including Walton-on-the-Naze and Clacton-on-Sea where he appeared for three years in Bert Graham and Will Bentley's concert party at the West Cliff Theatre in 1910.

He was then recruited by established comedian Leslie Henson to feature as a support in Henson’s own more prestigious concert-party performing in "Nicely, Thanks" in 1911.

He then planned a career as a singer in 1913 and went to Milan to train his voice, but realized that this wasn't for him and returned home. He then followed his heart and carried on in light entertainment.

In 1914 when World War I was in full swing, he enlisted in the Connaught Rangers infantry regiment. Upon joining he was immediately commissioned as a Second lieutenant. This was because a few years earlier he had had some training as a private in the London rifle Brigade.

Although an estimated 2,500 members of this regiment were killed during the Great War, Holloway survived and immediately began singing and acting in London's music halls and theaters, performing at the Winter Garden as Captain Wentworth in Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse's Kissing Time in 1919, and as Rene in A Night Out in 1920.

After the war he joined the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1920 as a Temporary Constable but left by the beginning of 1921. The 'Temporary Constables' of the RIC are more generally remembered as the 'Black and Tans'.

After the war, he found his first big success in the show The Co-Optimists which ran from 1921 until 1927 and was then filmed in 1929. A second run of the show from 1929 developed his comic song and monologue repertoire, which launched his recording career with records of his own created character, "Sam Small," and Marriott Edgar's "The Ramsbottoms" selling world wide.

Holloway established himself as a BBC radio personality in 1923 and developed his solo act throughout the 1920s while continuing his involvement with the musical theater and [The Co-Optimists]]. He was cast as Bill Smith in the London production of Vincent Youmans' musical comedy Hit the Deck (1927), in Song of the Sea (1928), and in Coo-ee (1929). He began recording his monologues for the phonograph market in the early '30s. Based on colorful "North Country" characters named Albert and the Ramsbottoms (by George Marriott Edgar) and Sam Small (whom Holloway created), these remarkable recitations were couched in rhyming stanzas. Apart from speaking the monologues, Holloway would often sing the verses, carefully sticking to the words but always characterizing them in his own special way. Other contributors who would write with Holloway included Greatrex Newman, Robert Patrick Weston, and Bert Lee."

Stanley Holloway - The Future Mrs. 'awkins

Stanley Holloway - The Parson Of Puddle

Stanley Holloway - Guarding The Gasworks

Stanley Holloway - My Missus

The Savannah Jazz Band

Another trad jazz cassette from the boot sale a couple of weeks ago for 25p. Reminds me of the Temperence Seven and trad jazz revival of the 50's.

Their website says-

"The Savannah is without doubt one of the most popular UK bands around. With their talent for satisfying listeners and dancers alike they have built up a truly international reputation at major festivals in the UK and overseas.

The band's driving and exciting New Orleans style attracts large audiences whenever they play. Their many fans follow them from festival to festival and turn out devotedly to see them at regular venues in the UK. This tremendous support is very much appreciated by the band.

Demand for their music has prompted regular recordings on tape and CD. To date, 18 recordings have been made of the band, 12 live concerts and 6 in the studio by Lake Records. Their CDs sell like hot cakes. Other 'goodies' such as Polo Shirts, Sweatshirts, and even ladies Knickers sporting the Savannah logo were once a popular line - a sure sign of the band's popularity, all sadly discontinued.

Their music can be heard as far away as New Zealand and America and they have travelled to Holland, Germany, Denmark. Finland, Majorca, Canada and all parts of the UK, delighting new audiences and collecting loyal supporters along the way.

However, the band's reputation has not suddenly emerged; it has been hard earned and well-deserved for nearly 3 decades. Formed in 1979, The Savannah started their swinging Thursday night sessions at the Station Tavern at the railway station in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, which has now come to an end.

Fortunately their dedication and ability has steamed ahead, and a residency continues at the Royal British Legion , Golcar where on the first Thursday of each month the band can be seen and heard for a relatively small entrance fee.

The Savannah Jazz Band is as much a musicians' band as it is a magnet for its impressive number of loyal fans. Over the years the band has enjoyed playing with some very fine and talented musicians and the genuine admiration that exists between Savannah and the many guests who have joined them is mutual. This tradition is continued at the Royal British Legion, Golcar."

Tracks include - Only A Beuatiful Picture, Love Songs Of The Nile, Creole Blues, I Double DareYou, Chloe, Home Sweet Home, I get The Blues When It Rains, Let Me Call You Sweetheart.


The Savannah Band - Side Two

Charleston Chasers

A cassette on the Sovereign label from 1994 found at the boot sale this week. A medley above includes songs Ain't She Sweet, I Wanna Be Loved By You and Varsity Drag.
Their website says -

"The Charleston Chasers, a ten piece band who are led by percussionist and vocalist Debbie Arthurs, play hot vintage music like you have never heard before! The Chasers, formed in 1987, are the spearhead band for music from the Art Deco era, so it was no surprise when they were chosen to play at the launch party for the Art Deco Exhibition at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. Some 800 invited guests were returned to the great age of artistic and musical creativity and to great acclaim, The Chasers drove new life into old numbers.

The Charleston Chasers hot vintage music show has been seen in some of the UK's finest theatres with guest presenters David Jacobs, Eric Knowles and Angela Ripon. The show features the well- known tunes of the day,including numbers by Fats Waller, George Gershwin, Charlie Kunz and Hoagy Carmichael, and are performed by top-flight musicians and sung by vivacious vocalists.

The Charleston Chasers have appeared at International Arts Festivals in Bath, Cheltenham, Edinburgh Leicester, Lichfield, and performed at open-air concerts for English Heritage, The National Trust and many fund raising events. European Festivals have warmly welcomed The Chasers. Two visits to Switzerland, as well as Holland and Denmark have had audiences clamouring for more of The Chasers music. The Chasers recordings are regularly played on BBC Radio 2 courtesy of Desmond Carrington, Russell Davies and David Jacobs."

Spitting Image

A cassette on the EMI label from 1990 - a compilation of songs from the satirical puppet series Spitting Image that was popular throughout the 80's and 90's on TV.
Many of the voice artistes involved went on to become famous in there own right later on - people like Chris Barrie, Steve Coogan, Hugh Dennis and Harry Enfield to name but a few.

"The premiere of Spitting Image opened with a puppet caricature of Israel's prime minister Menachem Begin wearing a magician's outfit. With a flourish, he produced a dove of peace from his top hat, then announced, "For my first trick . . ."--and wrung its neck.

This was the first of many outrages perpetrated on the British public, who were either offended or delighted each Sunday evening from 1984 to 1992. Spitting Image was roundly condemned for its lampooning of the Royal family: the Queen was portrayed as a harried housewife, beset by randy, dullard children and screaming grandkids. Britain's most cherished figure, the Queen Mother, appeared as a pleasant, if somewhat boozy great-grams.

The Conservative leadership was a constant target: Margaret Thatcher's puppet was a needle-nosed Reagan groupie who consulted with Hitler on immigration policy and sold off England's infrastructure to baying packs of yuppies and her eventual successor, John Major, was portrayed as a dull, totally grey man who ate nothing but peas. The opposition Labour leaders, including Neil Kinnock as "Kinnochio," were pilloried for their inability to challenge decades of Tory rule.

In spite of its detractors, over 12 million viewers (a quarter of England's adult population) watched Spitting Image on Central Independent Television, a subsidiary of ITV. Its spin-off records, books, comics and videos sold in the million. It won an International Emmy for "Outstanding Popular Arts" program in the 1985-86 season, and a franchised edition appeared on Moscow television. "


Spitting Image - Apart-Aid

Spitting Image - I'm Sure Livin' Since I Died

Spitting Image - The Estate Agent Song

Spitting Image - The Mad Song

Spitting Image - We're The Has-Beens

Spitting Image - The Chicken Song

Philicorda Rhythm Record

Another 45rpm EP from the boot sale that I couldn't resist for 25p. On the Philips label from the 60's. A disc to play along to while you tickle the ivories on your Philicorda organ. A forerunner of the built in rhythm device that most electric keyboards have now in abundance.


Philicorda - Quick-step

Philicorda - Fox Trot

Philicorda - Rumba

Bouzouki Songs

This EP on the Odeon label caught my eye yesterday at the boot sale. It's pretty much what I expected. A holiday souvenir from Greece in the 60's or 70's I imagine.

"In Greece, this instrument was known as the pandura or pandourion, also called the "trichordo" because it had three strings; it was the first fretted instrument known, forerunner of the various families of lutes worldwide. The source of our knowledge about this instrument is the Mantineia marble (4th century BC, now exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens), depicting the mythical contest between Apollo and Marsyas, where a pandouris is being played by a muse seated on a rock.

From Byzantine times it was called the tambouras. The modern Turkish Tanbur is practically identical to the ancient Greek pandouris. On display in the National Historical Museum of Greece is the tambouras of a hero of the Greek revolution of 1821, General Makriyiannis. This tambouras bears the main morphological characteristics of the bouzouki used by the Rebetes.

The Turkish Saz belongs to the same family of instruments as the bouzouki. A middle-sized kind of saz is called a "bozouk saz". Bozuk in Turkish means "broken, not functioning, modified". Here it is used in order to specify the size of the instrument. It is concluded, therefore, that the bouzouki has been named after the jargon of the Turkish saz. An alternative popular etymology maintains that the word "Bozouk" was used because different tunings (the Turkish 'düzen') are required for the instrument to play in different musical scales (known as Dromoi in Greek, Maqam (pl. Maqamat) in Arabic). A tuning known as the "bozuk düzen" (broken tuning) still exists in Greek folk music.

The early bouzoukia were mostly Three-string (Trichordo), with three courses (six strings in three pairs) and were tuned in different ways, as to the scale one wanted to play.

After the late '50s, four-course (Tetrachordo) bouzoukia started to appear. The four-course bouzouki was made popular by Manolis Chiotis. Chiotis also used a tuning akin to standard guitar tuning, which made it easier for guitarists to play bouzouki, even as it angered purists."


Yiannis Kalatzis - The Skittish One

Yiannis Kalatzis - How Right The Children Are

Laughing Songs

I was reminded of some great laughing songs the other day whilst browsing the Music Makes Me blog and finding some amusing novelty 78's.
I compiled 2 CD's worth a few years back for my own amusement and here are few of the older crackly ones that I have found over the years.
I think the very first laughing song was on a wax cylinder in about 1895 but some of these are from the 20's and 30's. Charles penrose who was responsibel for many including the much played "Laughing Policeman" which used to haunt the Children's Favourites radio show of my youth is included her with one of his lesser known chortling ditties.


Spoofums - You've Got To Laugh

Sidney Bechet - Laughing In Rythym

Jelly Roll Morton - Hyena Stomp

Woody Herman Orch. - Laughing Boy Blues

Charles Penrose - Laugh, And You Feel Grand

The Lower Mess-Deck Chorale Ensemble

Found ina charity shop in Wrexham yesterday for a few pence. I was attracted by the cheerful cartoon sleeve art initially. The songs are pretty much your average rude rugby song sung by sailors, or drunks pretending to be sailors. Its pretty awful but I thought you might like to hear it so you could avoid it if you ever saw it in a flea market or boot sale. On the cheapo Summit label from 1966.

Tracks-

1. She'll be Coming Round The Mountain
2. The Old Red Flannel Drawers That Maggie Wore
3. Poor Blind Nell
4. John Brown's Body
5. Poor Little Angeline
6. The Sailor Come Home On leave
7. The Sailor's Prayer

Lower Mess-Deck Ensemble - Side One

Burl Ives

An old LP on the Columbia's "Harmony" label from the 60's I would guess- found at a car boot sale this week for a few pence.

Tracks are -

1.The Lollipop Tree
2. Old Wich, Old Witch
3. The Little Turtle
4. The Moon Is The North Wind's Cookie
5. Two Little Trains
6. The Lavender Cowboy

"With his grandfatherly image, Burl Ives parlayed his talent as a folksinger into a wide-ranging career as a radio personality and stage and screen actor. After spending his early 20s traveling the country as an itinerant singer, Ives moved to New York City in 1937. By the end of 1938, he had made his Broadway debut, and he also sang folk songs in Greenwich Village clubs. In 1940, Ives began to appear regularly on radio, including his own show, The Wayfarin' Stranger, on CBS. Ives made his first records for Stinson, a small folk label, then was signed to Decca, a major label. He made his movie debut in Smoky in 1946. In 1948, his first book, Wayfaring Stranger, was published. In 1949, he had his first chart hit with "Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)." The same year, he moved to Columbia Records. With the advent of the long-playing record, Ives suddenly had a flurry of LP releases from his three labels: The Wayfaring Stranger on Stinson; three volumes of Ballads & Folk Songs, Women: Folk Songs About the Fair Sex, Folk Songs Dramatic and Humorous, and Christmas Day in the Morning on Decca; and Wayfaring Stranger, Return of the Wayfaring Stranger, More Folk Songs, American Hymns, The Animal Fair and Mother Goose Songs on Columbia. He also recorded a series of albums for Encyclopedia Brittanica Films under the overall title Historical America in Song. In 1951, he hit the Top Ten with "On Top of Old Smoky." In 1952, he returned to Decca. While continuing to publish books and to act on Broadway and in the movies, Ives made a series of albums that included Coronation Concert, The Wild Side of Life, Men, Down to the Sea in Ships, In the Quiet of the Night, Burl Ives Sings for Fun, Songs of Ireland, Old Time Varieties, Captain Burl Ives' Ark, Australian Folk Songs, and Cheers, all released in the second half of the 1950s. In 1961, Ives oriented himself toward country music, resulting in the hit "A Little Bitty Tear," which made the Top Ten in both the pop and country charts. The single was contained on The Versatile Burl Ives. "Funny Way of Laughin'" was another pop and country Top Ten in 1962; it appeared on It's Just My Funny Way of Laughin' and won Ives a Grammy Award for Best Country Western Recording. He turned his attention primarily to movie work from 1963 on, especially with the Walt Disney studio. But he charted with Pearly Shells in 1964 and made a children's album, Chim Chim Cheree and Other Children's Choices, for Disney Buena Vista Records. At the end of the '60s, Ives returned to Columbia Records for The Times They Are A-Changin' and Softly and Tenderly. "

Soul Vendors

An old LP on the Coxone label from 1967 found at a flea market some time ago. Its a bit scratched so please forgive the blips and pops.

"The Soul Vendors the group that gave us 'Rock Steady', the phrase originated by Coxone Dodd, the record producer and owner of Studio One studio. This new sound was much slower than Ska, stronger base line and a persistent shuffling rhythm together with some very fine sax and trumpet solo's, and the organ was used to greater effect. The vocal styles were very soulful, heavily influenced by the USA soul and R & B records of that period. "Rock Steady" by Alton Ellis issued in 1967 on the Treasure Isle label sums up the new style, using repeat upbeat guitar riff and the brass section answering the vocals, beautiful sax solo, even a vocal backing group, all added up to a suberb production by Duke Reid who went on to make this new sound his own. "


Soul Vendors - Give It To Me

Soul Vendors - The Raver

Soul Vendors - Everybody Knows

Soul Vendors - Give Me Little Sign

Soul Vendors - Just A Bit O' Soul

Tom Glazer

Delving into the archives I found this that I havent uploaded before - probably for good reason! Anyway I feel I have to broaden my outlook to include these dodgy bargains - even at 89 pence it seemed a bit steep! It has a certain charm though and reminds me of the Wally Whyton records of my youth and later - singing along with my young son to similar ditties on the radio and television.

"Best-known for authoring the children's classic "On Top of Spaghetti," folksinger and songwriter Tom Glazer was born in Philadelphia on September 2, 1914. After the death of his carpenter father four years later, he and his siblings were raised by their mother and assorted relatives, sometimes living in an orphanage. At school, Glazer studied a variety of musical traditions and instruments (among them guitar, bass, and tuba) before relocating at 17 to New York City, where he worked at Macy's department store while finishing high school at night. After three years at New York City College, he relocated to Washington, D.C., accepting a job at the Library of Congress and befriending the legendary musicologist Alan Lomax. Upon learning a handful of folk songs from Lomax, Glazer soon began a performing career, even appearing at a small White House function organized by Eleanor Roosevelt before making his formal public debut in early 1943 at Manhattan's Town Hall. Two years later, he launched the ABC radio series "Tom Glazer's Ballad Box," which aired through 1947; he also appeared on radio programs including "We the People," "Listening Post," "True Story," and "Theatre Guild on the Air." Glazer used his radio broadcasts not only to expand his audience, but also to disseminate his political beliefs -- songs like "Because All Men Are Brothers," "When the Country Is Broke," "Talking Inflation Blues" (sometimes covered by the young Bob Dylan), and "Citizen C.I.O." plainly articulated the populist leanings at the heart of much of his music."


Tom Glazer - Come In And Join The Game

Tom Glazer - The Dickie Bird Song

Tom Glazer - Eentsy Weentsy Spider

Tom Glazer - Eye Winker, Tom Tinker, Chin Chopper

Tom Glazer - Five Little Ducks

Tom Glazer - Go In And Out The Window

Tom Glazer - He's Got The Whole World In His Hands

Novelty Songs

From a tape compiled by Jim Benson -

Tracks are-

1. Istanbul (not Contstantinople ) - Radio Revellers
2. Toot Toot - Fats Domino & Doug Kershaw
3. Working Class Millionaire - Richard Digance
4. Flying saucers - Eddie Grundy
5. Take A Mac - Toby Jug & The Washboard band

In the event of no records being found and too lazy to remove sscanner and plug in the ION turntable we shall have to put up with some more old novelty songs from various tapes already on Treemo.

Comic Cuts Vol.2 (Re-up)

Sorry for the repeat but needed to add something as I have neglected this blog for so long. Sadly new finds at boot sales and charity shops are few and far between these days. Most are being sold on E-bay it seems or just thrown away. I seem to rummage through the same pile of old tat I rummaged through before!

I promise to venture into the cobwebbed archive soon and find some gems I havent uploaded before.

While I'm in the cassette pile I might as well mention this one I found a few years back at Brick Lane. It's all novelty songs from the 20's and 30's by British Dance Bands like Ambrose and His Orch. Billy Cotton and the Western Brothers etc.
Its on the little known Old Bean Records and not sure of the release date.

Leslie Sarony.

"Leslie Sarony (January 22, 1897 - February 12, 1985) was an English entertainer, singer and songwriter. Sarony was born in Surbiton, Surrey and died in London.
He began his stage career aged 14 with the group Park Eton's Boys. In 1913 he appeared in the revue Hello Tango.
In the Great War, Sarony served in the London Scottish regiment in France and Salonika. His stage credits after the war include revues, pantomimes and musicals, including the London productions of Show Boat and Rio Rita.
Sarony became well known in the 1920s and 1930s as a variety artist and radio performer. He made a number of recordings of novelty songs such as "He Played his Ukulele as the Ship Went Down", including several with Jack Hylton and his Orchestra. He teamed up with Leslie Holmes in 1935 under the name The Two Leslies. The partnership lasted until 1946. Their recorded output included such gems as "I'm a Little Prairie Flower".
Sarony continued to perform into his eighties, moving on to television and films."

Jack Payne.

"British bandleader Jack Payne was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire on August 22, 1899; while serving as an aviator during World War I, he organized a series of dance bands to
entertain his fellow troops, and after the war continued performing in small group settings. In 1925, his six-piece band was tapped to appear at London's Hotel Cecil; by the end of the year, they were regularly featured on BBC remote broadcasts from the venue, and in 1928 Payne was named the radio network's Director of Dance Music. After four years with the BBC he quit his post, returning to the hotel circuit; in addition to appearing in the film Say It with Music, Payne also made a number of recordings, including a 1935 date with the noted jazz pianist Garland Wilson. He disbanded the group in 1937, retiring to his Buckinghamshire stud farm before forming a 20-piece big band the following year; in late 1939, Payne became the first British bandleader to perform for the troops in France. He resumed his BBC duties in 1941, remaining Director of Dance Music for five years before going to work as a disc jockey. Payne died December 4, 1969."

Novelty songs from the 30's from a tape called "Comic Cuts Vol. 2" on the Old Bean label released in the 80's.

Tracks are-

1. You Can't Do That There 'Ere - Jack Payne & His Band
2. Fanlight Fanny - George Formby
3. The Pig Got Up And Slowly Walked Away - Ambrose & Orch.
4. A Thick Thick Fog In London - Jack Payne & His Band
5. Madame Ah! La Marquise Ah! - Billy Cotton Band

Warren Smith

Part of one side of an LP on the Harvest label that came out in 1978. A concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London U.K. on April 30th 1977. Four Rock'n Roll legends including Charlie Feathers, Buddy Knox and Jack Scott. Here are the 4 tracks by Warren Smith-

1. Ubangi Stomp
2. Rock 'n' Roll Ruby
3. Blue Suede Shoes
4. I'm Movin' On

The sleevenotes by Geoff Barker say-

" Warren Smith is rightly introduced on the record as "The guy we've waited twenty years to see". Born in Mississippi in 1933, he was one of the many young rockabilly singers recorded by Sam Philips In Memphis, Tennessee for his legendary Sun record label. While the labels stars ( Elvis, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash) were making it in a big way, there were a host of others laying down some equally innovative recordings. Warren Smith's first single issude in March 1956, was a Johnny Cash song - Rock 'N' Roll Ruby. This sold well around the Memphis area, and the follow-up Ubangi Stomp became a rockabilly standard, first coming to the attention of Britsih audiences via Jerry Lee Lewis's first album."

The Mighty Sparrow

"Slinger Francisco, better known as The Mighty Sparrow, affectionately dubbed, The Birdie is the unrivaled Calypso King of the World, with a career that spans over 40 years and counting. This artist par excellence has earned his rightful place as "King of the Calypso World" by defeating every other competitor/pretender to his throne. He has entertained audiences across the globe, including, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, to name but a few.

Sparrow's roots are in Gran Roi, a rural fishing village in Grenada. He was born to a poor working class family. They migrated to his adopted homeland, Trinidad, when he was just one year old. He attended the New Town Boys School where he was selected to sing in the boys. choir of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. This was his initial involvement in music. The harmonics of the Gregorian Chants and the Plainsongs of the church that were embedded in him would later affect the depth and intensity of his compositions. His vocal abilities also reflect his childhood role as the head choirboy who sang baritone and tenor in Latin in the church."

"Maria", an early song from The Mighty Sparrow from the LP "Sparrow:Calypso King" made in the 50's.

Discover more about The Mighty Sparrow HERE.

Eddie Minnis

Found this cassette on the EM label some years ago in a charity shop. A curios mixture of reggae and soul with a pinch of humour thrown in for good measure.
Four tracks here are Finance Man, Johhny, Peter and Tarzan Or Robinhood.

"Bahamian Artist Eddie Minnis was born on October 14th 1947. He was educated at St. John's College and government high school in Nassau. He graduated from McGill University, Montreal Canada, in 1971 with a B.Sc.. Degree in Architecture.

Eddie is a self-taught artist. He has worked in a number of mediums including ink, watercolours and pastels, but now specializes in oil painting with the palette knife. Eddies paintings are strikingly three- dimensional in appearance and vibrate with the bright colour and light of the Bahamas. Mr. Minnis held one man shows in 1969, 1972, 1976 and 1986.

He has participated in numerous group shows, both locally and abroad. His paintings are in private collections in many parts of the world including the USA, Britain, Australia, Canada and Korea.

Minnis created a satirical cartoon "Pot Luck" in 1970 which appeared in the Nassau Guardian for 7 years and in the Tribune from April 1977 until October 1981.

Since 1971 this artist has also carved another name for himself as a singer-songwriter. He now has 11 calypso albums to his credit - "Der Real Ting", "Expressions of Love", "Nicole and Shan an...", "Island Life", "Mind your own Business", "Junkanoo Jam", "Guilty", "Hey Mon", "Discovery", the "Greatest Hits" Album and now the "Tropical Waves".

He is married to former Sherry Thompson and they have three children: Nicole, Roshanne and Ward who are also artists."

Big Al Davies

While we wait for Big Al's new CD to emerge lets remind ourselves of a great track from his first CD "Feztastic". Animation by my son Archie Leigh-Jones made when he was 14.

Clinton Ford

An Lp on the cheapo Marble Arch label from 1969 , distributed by Pye records. A compilation of children's songs. Nice versions of old novelties like Aba-daba Honeymoon and The Oyster Song.

"Clinton Ford, whose real name was George Harrison strangely enough was born in 1931 in Salford near Manchester in the North West of England.
"Clinton will now be best remembered for his novelty song, "Fanlight Fanny"- a recording he made while he was with Oriole, a minor label which had association with the Woolworth's budget record brand, 'Embassy'. In fact Clinton Ford was one of Oriole's most successful artists for a while, and "Fanlight Fanny" looked like Clinton's break into the big time. Sadly, it never quite happened.

Like many other artists of the time, Clinton had first excercised his entertainment ambitions by becoming a 'redcoat' at Butlins. Although his own leanings were towards country and western material, he began singing with traditional jazz bands and skiffle groups. This appears to have influenced his style somewhat and much of his best work was done in the company of trad groups like the Merseysippi Jazz Band and George Chisholm for example. Clinton's choice of recorded material was certainly diverse- with everything from the country flavoured sentimental 'Old Shep' and his confident interpretation of 'Run To The Door' through the most outrageous novelties like 'The Old Bazaar In Cairo' and even George Formby's 'Why Don't Women Like Me'."


Clinton Ford - Little White Donkey

Clinton Ford - Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be

Clinton Ford - Daisy Bell

Clinton Ford - Rosemary & Thyme

Clinton Ford - What Noise Annoys An Oyster

Bernard Miles

Found this EP by Bernard Miles today at the boot sale for 50p. I vaguley remember this act from the early 60's on TV where he appeared on The Good Old Days etc. as a bucolic old yokel leaning over a five bar gate - hence the title of this record.

Wikipedia says -

"Bernard James Miles, Baron Miles, CBE (27 September 1907–14 June 1991) was an English character actor, writer and director.

Miles was born in Uxbridge, Middlesex and attended Bishopshalt School in Hillingdon. While his parents were respectively a farm labourer and a cook, he was educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He entered the theatre in the 1930s, soon appearing in films. Like many actors, he featured prominently in the patriotic cinema during the Second World War, including classics of the genre such as In Which We Serve and One of Our Aircraft is Missing. He also had an uncredited role in the WWII classic The First of the Few, released in the US as Spitfire.

His typical persona as an actor was as a countryman, with a strong accent typical of the Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire counties. He was also, after Robert Newton the actor most associated with the part of Long John Silver, which he played in a British TV version of Treasure Island, and in an annual performance at the Mermaid. He had a pleasant rolling bass-baritone voice that worked well in theatre and film, as well as being much in demand for voice-overs. As a performer, he was most well known for a series of comic monologues, often given in a rural dialect. These were recorded and sold as record albums, which were quite popular. Some of his comic monologues are currently available on youtube.com.

He opened the Mermaid Theatre in London in 1959, the first new theatre opened in London since the 17th century. He was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1953, was knighted in 1969, and was granted a life peerage as Baron Miles, of Blackfriars in the City of London in 1979. He was only the second British actor ever to be given a peerage (the first was Laurence Olivier). In 1981, he co-authored the book Curtain Calls with J.C. Trewin. He died in Yorkshire

His daughters are the actress Sally Miles and the artist Bridget Miles. His son John Miles was a Grand Prix Driver in the late 1960s and early 1970s with the Lotus team."


Bernard Miles - Over The Gate / Me an' Old Charlie

Bernard Miles - One Of The Old School

Bernard Miles - Billy & Toggie

Little Marcy

Not a great deal from the boot sales lately but did find this curiosity today for a few pence. Little Marcy is a ventriloquists doll and well known amongst collectors of strange records. It's on the Word World Wonder Series label out of Waco Texas. It has a price tag of 1:98 dollars on the sleeve depicting marcy and her animal friends.
It was released in 1968.

"Marcy Tigner, her puppet Little Marcy, and her unusual "child-like" singing voice, found her art, her niche, in the only venue available to so many like her - Christian childrens' music. Over three decades her unusual act has been fascinating, inspiring, sometimes repelling audiences from all over, depending on one's beliefs and point of view. Even today, when her music is often categorised as 'bad' or 'disturbing,' people find confirmation of their faith in it - and in fact, it stands head and shoulders above most of the other work in the genre thanks to top-notch production values.


Her albums have been released and re-released under various labels and at various prices, as was (and probably still is) typical for the genre. What we have here is an attempt - likely foredoomed to failure - to list every "Little Marcy" album and related release ever, along with whatever other data we can glean from thrift store record purchases and random bits of research."


Little Marcy - If I Could Talk With The Animals

Little Marcy - Oh, Miss Chicken

Little Marcy - Old MacDonald Had A Farm

Little Marcy - Never Smile At A Crocodile

Little Marcy - I Love Little Pussy

Little Marcy - Smokey The Bear