Smith & Co

It's unlikely that many Brits of the 1950s ever picked a bale of cotton, lay their burden down by the riverside or rode a train that was 24 coaches long.  Nonetheless, when a motley crew of renegade UK jazzers began celebrating that imagery of Americana with a mix of respectful and playful gusto, soon inspiring a younger generation of would-be rockers to strum along, a rowdy revolution swept the country.  They called it Skiffle.

Commercially the Skiffle phenomenon was dominated by Lonnie Donegan (SCCD1123 & 1190) who'd bounced off his mentors, Ken Colyer and Chris Barber.  Other hitmakers included Wally Whyton's Vipers and Chas McDevitt with Nancy Whiskey.  But as Smith & Co's four previous volumes in this series have vibrantly showcased, across the nation there was a whole lotta skifflin' going on.  This fifth volume concludes the most authoritative, comprehensive and joyous guide to a remarkable period in British music history.  When the old country learned a lick & trick from across the pond, swirled it around the palate for awhile, added the zest of R&R and R&B and some unfamiliar accents, then shipped it back across the Atlantic with knobs on.  Without Skiffle, no Beatles, no Stones, no dice.

CD1
1: The City Ramblers Skiffle Group - Mama don't allow (EP Version)
2: The Vipers Skiffle Group - It\s a rat race
3: Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle Group - John Hardy
4: Alexis Korner's Breakdown Group feat. Cyril Davies - Good Morning Blues
5: Beryl Bryden with Fatty George's Jazz Band  - Dr. Jazz
6: Joe Brown  - Travelling on the Railway
7: Johnny Duncan and the Blue Grass Boys - Mind Your Own Business
8: Bob Cort - This Land is Your Land
9: 2.19 Skiffle Group - Tom Dooley
10: Ken Colyer's Skiffle Group - Sporting Life
11: Jimmy Jackson's Rock 'n' Skiffle - Lonely Road
12: Original Barnstormers Spasm Band - Shine
13: Dickie Bishop and his Sidekicks - Skip To My Lou
14: The Avon Cities Skiffle Group - Hand Me Down My Silver Trumpet
15: The Worried Men  - Fraulein
16: The Delta Skiffle Group - Pick A Bale of Cotton
17: Chas McDevitt - Worried Man
18: Lazy Ade's Late Hour Boys  - Turn Up A Card
19: The Soho Skiffle Group - Gimme A Big Fat Woman No. 2
20: The Travellers Skiffle Group - Travelling Man
21: The Blue Jeans - When I Get to Glory (Sing Sing Sing)
22: Ken Colyer's Skiffle Group - Green Corn
23: Bob Wallis' Washboard Beaters - Meeting At The Building
24: 2.19 Skiffle Group - When The Saints Go Marching In
25: The Lea Valley Skiffle Group - Oh Mary Don't You Weep
26: The Vipers Skiffle Group - Skiffle Party Part 1
27: The Vipers Skiffle Group - Skiffle Party Part 2
28: The Soho String Quartet feat. Diz Disley  - Sweet Georgia Brown
29: Ken Colyer's Skiffle Group - Down By The Riverside

CD2 
1: Johnny Duncan and the Blue Grass Boys - Jig Along Home
2: Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle Group - Jimmy Brown The Newsboy
3: The Vipers Skiffle Group - If I Had A Hammer
4: Jimmy Jackson's Rock 'n' Skiffle - This Little Light Of Mine
5: Bob Cort - Don't Stay Away
6: 2.19 Skiffle Group - Union Maid
7: Eden Street Skiffle Group - Gloryland
8: Nancy Whiskey and her Skifflers - He's Solid Gone
9: Dickie Bishop and his Sidekicks - Jumpin' Judy
10: Alexis Korner's Breakdown Group feat. Cyril Davies - Ella Speed
11: The Station Skiffle Group - Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O
12: The Travellers Skiffle Group - Picking Cotton
13: Ken Colyer's Skiffle Group - Highway Blues
14: Graeme Bell's Australian Jazz Band feat. Neva Raphaelo - Cake Walking Babies From Home
15: The Original London Blue Blowers - I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate
16: The City Ramblers Skiffle Group - 2.19 Blues (EP Version)
17: Johnny Christmas and the Sunspots - Mister and Mississippi
18: Eden Street Skiffle Group - Heaven
19: The Blue Jeans - Lonesome Traveller
20: The Soho Skiffle Group - Frankie and Johnny
21: West 5 Skiffle Group - Face in The Rain
22: Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group feat. Les Bennetts - I Dig You Baby
23: The Avon Cities Skiffle Group - House of The Rising Sun
24: The Delta Skiffle Skiffle Group - K.C. Moan
25: Norrie Westcott and the Cellarmen Skiffle Group - Streamline Train
26: The Soho String Quartet feat. Diz Disley  - Oui
27: The Bob Fisher Skiffle Group - Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavour
28: Unknown Skiffle Group - Little Black Train
29: Lonnie Donegan - Baby Baby Baby
30: The Stargazers  - Guinness Is Good For Skifflers (Original 1957 Advertisment for Guiness)