Earliest Recordings - Pre Shads era.

[OLDEREK]

To Del: I'm sure that this was a recording by the popular English tenor David Whitfield - entitled simply "The Book" (Decca F10242 - 1954 - Number 5) - so it could definitely have been played on the radio in 1955.

" There's a book that my Mother gave me.
That I read when the long day is through.
And the stories of old.
In leaves edged with gold.
Guide me whatever I do.
For I know in its worn old pages.
I shall find peace of mind when I look.
And the wisdom of all the ages.
Will be there in my Mother's book

For I know in its worn old pages.
I shall find peace of mind when I look.
And the wisdom of all the ages.
Will be there in my Mother's book."

Bests....Rob

Rob thats it, thanks so much, I've been trying to find out about it for years, my Mum was so pleased when they played it for me..........All you could do years ago to get a record played was to send in a post card....................Now I can rest Cheers Rob

[SELEDA284]

I remember "Nelly the Elephant" & "Sparky's Magic piano"... ... & another one has just come to mind... "The runaway train went over the hill & she blew!!!"... ... good old Uncle Mac......

[BrianD]

Love it!
Brian

[cockroach]

I also remember most of that stuff from radio and early TV when I was a kid in the UK before migrating to Australia in 1963...

There was also "Stranger Than Fiction" - the electric guitar instrumnetal played by dear old Bert Weedon- probably on one of his Hofner electricsnot only on the radio (or the wireless as it was known then..) but the tune was also used as the theme for a short TV documentary series of the same name...

[Tab]

I'm sure it was Sam and the musket and Albert and the lion.

[Didier]

When my parents got a record player (a big radio/phono set) in the early fifties, I was too young to buy records and listened to my parent's ones.
One of them was Les cavaliers du ciel by Armand Mestral. I didn't know at this time that it was a French cover version of "Ghost riders in the sky", an older American country song.
Of course I couldn't guess that it would be later a great guitar instrumental tune, played by most groups, including the Shadows and the Spotnicks !
The first record I bought myself was "Rock with the caveman" by Tommy Steele (1956).

Didier

[Martin Page]

The Runaway Train came down the track and she blew, she blew...

There was such an Ugly Duckling with feathers all stubby and brown...

The King's New Clothes:

The king is in the altogether
but altogether, the altogether
he's altogether as naked as the day that he was born...

I could go on...

Martin.

[Keith Bateman]

Ah, such innocence . I also love all that '50s stuff and have most of those Hello Children, Everywhere and similar collections. I've particular memories of The Laughing Policeman, Changing Guard at Buckingham Palace, the Troll song, Soldier, Soldier, Won't You Marry Me? etc. Like Martin, I could go on and on! Humour, whistlable tunes and some gentle classical music education as well. Then there's the inimitable Stanly Unwin (Goldiloppers and Three Bearlodes). I also love the light music of the period and have several cds of same including one of early stereo recordings.

Jim. I'm a Rob Wilton fan as well, thanks for reminding me of those lyrics which really only come across when spoken by Rob with his little finger in the corner of his mouth .

And what do children get to listen to in the house as they grow up today eh? Poor things..........

Keith

[Arpeggio]

Although not directly Shadows - related this is a wonderfully nostalgic thread. When they were quite young (in daughter #1's case 1986 - 1991 & daughter#2's case 1993 - 1998) my children used to love lstening to many of the 'classics' mentioned here - they had tapes / CDs for many years and still fondly recall them now! The younger one was a big 'fan' of Edmundo Ros! When she was three I was in hysterics at a playgroup Christmas show...when the leader announced "Now we're going to sing a song...." - whereupon my daughter (not trying to be naughty) just stood up and intoned "Sing a song, sing a song Mr Cuckoo, La la la la la la la la la, La la la la la la la la la...." Said leader was totally bemused but the audience loved it! Happy days.

Rob

[Martin Page]

In fact I can quite remember Uncle Mac playing Apache - he said and I quote: "...and now for The Shadows playing Aparsh...[sic]"

Martin.