Lonnie Donegan, Tommy Steele, Lita Roza, Winifred Atwell, Red Price, Tony Crombie, Alma Cogan, Bert Weedon, Beryl Bryden and Ray Ellington are part of the colourful line up of musical talent from a wide musical spectrum that stood at the cradle of British Beat. The 1950s was an extraordinary decade in the history of British popular music. On the one hand it was still basically a forum for 'light entertainment' as conceived by Tin Pan Alley moguls and broadcast by Aunty BBC. At the same time the post-war sounds of rhythm 'n' blues and rock 'n' roll were starting to wing their way across the Atlantic and a new generation of British teenagers (a hitherto unclassified market) was restlessly shuffling off the old order and demanding a change of pace. The result was a kaleidoscope of revolutionary good-time looseness in the form of skiffle, a lot of cover versions of contemporary US hits (ranging from the remarkably competent to laughably inept), some outright parodies, and the first stirrings of home grown rock 'n' roll. It's all here in his evocative, 100 track set with 40 page booklet. Pay no heed to romanticists, this is how it really was.
TRACK LISTING
Disc 1
1. Crazy Man Crazy - Lita Roza With Ted Heath Orchestra
2. Oakie Boogie - Lita Roza With Ted Heath Orchestra
3. Shake Rattle And Roll - Jack Parnell
4. Sugaree - Dennis Lotis
5. Rock A Boogie Baby - Diana Decker
6. Seventeen - Frankie Vaughan
7. Green Door - Frankie Vaughan
8. Rock A Bye Baby - Johnny Brandon
9. Giddy Up A Ding Dong - Ray Ellington
10. Aint That A Shame - Southlanders
11. Dance With Me Henry - Suzi Miller
12. Shhboom - Johnston Brothers
13. Since I Met You Baby - Gary Miller
14. Stranded In The Jungle - Ray Ellington
15. Why Do Fools Fall In Love - Alma Cogan
16. Dungaree Doll - Dickie Bennett
17. Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On - Deep River Boys
18. ABC Boogie - Five Smith Bros
19. Tutti Frutti - Four Jones Boys
20. Rhythm n Blues - Eric Winstone Orch
21. Rock A Beatin Boogie - Ivor & Basil Kirchin Band
22. Heartbreak Hotel - Gale Warning & Weathermen
23. Im In Love Again - Alma Cogan
24. Rock Around The Clock - Deep River Boys
25. Rock n Roll Boogie - Squadronaires
Disc 2
1. Diggin My Potatoes - Lonnie Donegan
2. Rock Island Line - Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group
3. Midnight Special - Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group
4. New Burying Ground - Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group
5. Worried Man Blues - Lonnie Donegan
6. Where Would I Go - Chris Barber Skiffle Group
7. Cant You Line Em - Chris Barber Skiffle Group
8. Casey Jones - Beryl BrydenÆs Backroom Skiffle
9. Kansas City Blues - Beryl BrydenÆs Backroom Skiffle
10. Lost John - Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group
11. Ol Riley - Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group
12. Stackalee - Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group
13. Bring A Little Water Sylvie - Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group
14. Im Alabamy Bound - Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group
15. This Little Light Of Mine - Avon Cities Skiffle Feat Ray Rush
16. Green Corn - Avon Cities Skiffle Feat Ray Rush
17. Hold That Thing - Johnny Parkers Barrellhouse Four
18. Dont You Rock Me Daddy O - Vipers
19. Pick A Bale Of Cotton - Vipers
20. Midnight Special - City Ramblers Skiffle Group (Feat Ramblin Jack Elliott)
21. I Shall Not Be Moved - City Ramblers Skiffle Group
22. Open Up Them Pearly Gates - Clyde Valley Stompers
23. Old Time Religion - Clyde Valley Stompers
24. Old Riley - Ken Colyer Skiffle Group
25. Down Bound Train - Ken Colyer Skiffle Group
Disc 3
1. Tweedle Dee - Suzi Miller
2. Happy Days And Lonely Nights - Johnston Brothers & Suzi Miller
3. Two Hearts Two Kisses (Make One Love) - Lita Roza
4. I Hear You Knockin - Jill Day
5. Why Do Fools Fall In Love - Marion Ryan
6. Dreamboat - Alma Cogan
7. Treasure Of Love - Pauline Shepherd
8. Earth Angel - Southlanders
9. Left Handed Boogie - Ray Ellington
10. Bygraves Boogie - Max Bygraves
11. Dixie Boogie - Winifred Atwell
12. Big Ben Boogie - Winifred Atwell
13. Seventeenth Century Boogie - Winifred Atwell
14. China Boogie - Bertweedon
15. Flannel Foot - Bertweedon
16. My Boy Flat Top - Frankie Vaughan
17. Tweedle Dee - Frankie Vaughan
18. I Didnt Know - Johnny Brandon
19. Rock n Roll Opera - Lee Lawrence
20. Dont Nobody Move - Lee Lawrence
21. She Loves To Rock - Stargazers
22. Rock Of the North - Red Price & His Rockin Rhythm
23. Rocky Mountain Gal - Red Price & His Rockin Rhythm
24. Bloodnocks Rock n Roll Call - Goons
25. Bluebottle Blues - Goons
Disc 4
1. Arts Theme - Art Baxter
2. I Gotta Have Lovin - Art Baxter
3. Smack Dab In The Middle - Deep River Boys
4. Honey Honey - Deep River Boys
5. Ask For Joe - Thunderclap Jones
6. Tootle Loo Siana - Ken Mackintosh (Gordon Langhorn Vocal)
7. Rock Mr Piper - Don Lang
8. Seventeen - Don Lang
9. Jumpin To Conclusions - Don Lang
10. Stop The World I Wanna Get Off - Don Lang
11. Sweet Sue Just You - Don Lang
12. Ten Little Indians - Canadians
13. See You Later Alligator - Canadians
14. Mambo Rock - Kirchin Band
15. Giddy Up A Ding Dong/When The Saints Go Marching In - Ken Jones & His Rock n rollers (Rita Williams, Shorty Mitchell Vcls)
16. Teach You To Rock - Tony Crombie & Rockets
17. Shortnin Bread Rock - Tony Crombie & Rockets
18. Lets You And I Rock - Tony Crombie & Rockets
19. Sham Rock - Tony Crombie & Rockets
20. Rock With The Cave Man - Tommy Steele
21. Rock Around The Town - Tommy Steele
22. Doomsday Rock - Tommy Steele
23. Elevator Rock - Tommy Steele
24. Rebel Rock - Tommy Steele
25. Singing The Blues - Tommy Steele
