I have a wedding in July who had just asked if I can have plenty of "Cockney music". I have a few tracks I could use, and have asked for them to provide a song list. But can anyone here come up with some suggestions of a couple of CD's that I could buy, or any specific artists/tracks to keep me out of Barney Rubble?

You could try a bit of Chas and Dave - "Gertcha" etc.

Otherwise might they mean the old style sing along stuff, "Knees Up Mother Brown" , "Me & My Gal", "Harvest Moon" etc?

I've got a cd by the Londoners, got a load of pub type tunes with the 'old Joanna'. Or try Amazon with a 'Londoner' search.

Try an Amazon search for Music hall.....you'll find songs like 'Down at the Old B&B', 'Lambeth walk' etc. There are quite a few out there.


Ian Dury's London (ish) (Well Essex then).....

I think Eskie or Paula are the right people to help you with this ,why not send them a mail.

???????

We're not talking about some exotically rare genre here...this music (on this side of the North Sea, at least) is available everywhere!!

Have a look for Max Bygraves and his Sing A Long CD

There are a few "Jive Bunny" CD's from woolworths ect that have all the sing a long London tunes on

Oh really ? i thought it was a really rare type of music Thats the fun thing about a forum ,you have people from all over the place and with different knowledge and you point out the ones best qualified to help, you know the people that might just be able to pick out something that is a bit special and not that well known to people outside of London. But then again we can all go in to Asda and buy some cockney music except me of course cos we dont have asda on this side of the north sea. Oh just a thought ,if its so easy to find then i dont get the point in Robbies post ,do you ?

Well, considering his base.....No, I don't!

And I still don't see where Eskie would be best placed to help....I don't believe thats his speciality???

Ahh you dont know the hidden side of Eskie then ! He spent some time in the 80s teaching the norwegians cockney rhyming slang and he is the man on irish stuff too after hanging around in Kilburn . Paula of course being a laaandoner aint bad on the cockney or the reggae i believe.

Chaz & Dave. Picked up one of their CD's in Poundland -excellent stuff.

Thanks for the replies.

We yes, and I have a crappy bargain bin CD called Cockney Favorites which contains covers of some songs, but has some obvious songs missing. (I do also have Chas & Dave, but won't be able to play them.)

But I was looking to use the in depth expertise of many of the members here as I only have the same general knowledge of Cockney music that 99% percent of the general public have. It certainly isn't an area that I am an expert on, but others here will be. And that is what this forum is all about.

Thanks Silver, this is the kind of suggestion I was looking for, but a quick Amazon search of the Londoners hasn't brought up anything. But I'll keep searching for them.

I hadn't though of ol' singalongamax, but it's a good suggestion. Thanks.

So I if anyone can suggest any good CD's that contain the most popular songs - ideally originals, or if anyone can tell me any other artist names then I would be most grateful.

Cockney Favourites by Rick Hardy has what you want. £4.99 ( or less ) on the Pulse label.


1.I'm Henry The Eighth
2. Hopping Down In Kent
3. I'm So Proud That I'm A Cockney
4. Lily Of Laguna
5. Don't Dilly Dally On The Way
6. Daisy Bell
7. Knocked 'em In The Old Kent Road
8. On Mother Kelly's Doorstep
9. Milton Keynes
10. Gladys
11. She Was One Of The Early Birds
12. Halfway Back From Southend
13. Sling Yer Hook
14. Harry Harry Harry
15. It's A Great Big Shame
16. When Father Papered The Parlour
17. I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
18. Lambeth Walk/Up The Apple And Pears/Barrow Boys' Song/MaybeIt's Because I'm A Londoner


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maybe throw some Madness in there and some Ska.

I have Cockney roots. Both my grandparents were Londoners and Christmas used to be big family get togethers with my Nan playing the piano and everyone joining in for a sing a long.

The songs that stick in mind (it was about 40 years ago) are:

My Old Mans a Dustman
Down At the Old Bull And Bush
Daisy Daisy
Knees Up Mother Brown
Don't Dilley Dalley On The Way
Okey Cockey
Conga
On Mother Kelleys Doorstep

My cousins were more into cockney music and at their weddings there was plenty of Chas n' Dave and Sing a Long with Max.

Racking my brains for what else was played and I can only remember rock n' roll (Bill Hailey Rock around the clock), Hi Ho Silver Lining and other sing a long's like I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles and Ferry 'cross the Mersey but I expect these days you have to be careful about playing tunes associated with football teams.

Only other artist I can remember that got played lots was Lonnie Donegan and other Skiffle.

Robbie, if they want the genuine cockney article and not some jive bunny tosh then ave a butchers for Harry Champion, Stanley Holloway, Sweet Georgia Brown, Billy Jones and Monica Rose for starters.
Tracks such as:
Wotchya, knocked em down the ol Kent rd
Boiled beef and carrots
Yes we have no bananas
Any old iron
Don't dilly dally on the way
I was 'oldin me coconuts in me 'and!

Even tracks such as Hello Dolly, We'll meet again, Won't you come home Bill Bailey, Long way to Tipperary (and other favourites from WWII!)

Bit of Lonnie Donegan & George Formby would probably go down well n all!

There is an album available called "Kings of Cockney Music Hall" with tracks by people such as Dan Leno, Albert Chevalier, Harry Champion etc., which covers the period from the turn of the (last) century to the mid 1930's.

Excellent! Thank's for your help everyone - particularly Eskie.

Much appreciated.

Lonnie Donegan certainly.

Small Faces is a must as well - Lazy Sunday would be an ideal track.

(The song is actually sung half cockney and half spoof-American but is what you're after!)

And not forgetting The Theme From Only Fools and Horses.....

and of course Knees Up Mother Brown etc


Inicidently there's also a fine version by Tony Newley of Yes We Have No Bananas