Rock Island Line

Rock Island Line
Customer Review: If anybody asks you “Who sung the song?”….
Influence is curious currency. And Lonnie Donegan as a performing artist had bags of it.

The Quarrymen became The Beatles and the three chord tricks became British R&B. Whilst skiffle itself was not durable in terms of the public eye it spawned a whole era of music that charts British music history.

Mr Donegan then. Here is probably the most comprehensive and best value compilation of the man’s material. There are decent alternatives but this collection of Singles (both A-sides and B-sides) does a good job of covering the man’s career from the mid-1950s to the mid-late 1960s.

“Rock Island Line” sounds like it’s in the eye of the storm when it gathers pace. Magic but accessible magic. Sounds American but quintessentially British.

(Just for note “Diggin’ My Potatoes” is curiously risque for the 1950s.)

CD1 documents some of the most essential British popular music. “Lost John” is insistent and bluesy and charming in a ram-shackle kind of way. “Bring A Little Water Sylvie” is insistent and energetic and steamrollers its way into your consciousness.

“Cumberland Gap” is breathtaking.

And yeah so its Britain and its the 1950s and so there is a bit of (coughs) music hall. “Putting On The Style” is of its time but not without its charm. Even if the audience show that intrinsic British sense of rhytmn by clapping along in the only way they know how like parents at a pantomime (it’s a live recording).

“Does Your Chewing Gum…” quite possibly should be overlooked. It’s not wrong maybe it’s just so of its time that it’s a peice of work to get enthusiastic about.

CD2 contains the well-known My Father Works For Tendered Out Environmental Services. Once again, this does not do much for Merry Terry… but much else on this CD does.

Two over-looked stunners on here is the majestic single “The Comancheroes” which is a stunner and backed by the intoxicating “Rambling Round.”

The blistering “Have A Drink On Me” is infectious and irrestistable. Even for Adam Faith fans who must be forgiving.

CD3 is more reflective and some might say patchy. “Where In The World Are We Going?” is quite charming. But the influence is documented on the first 2 discs.

An excellent package and a worthy document to a huge influence and talent.

This is infectious, joyous music with class and soul. If you can forgive the music-hall tendencies in places and I think I can, this is an excellent 3 CD set from one of the most influential figures in British music in the last 50 to 60 years.

Customer Review: Can be a hit with the youngsters now - just as it was 50 years ago
My daughter sang ‘My old mans a dustman’ in the primary school choir and asked for the record (well CD). I bought her this anthology as it seemed incredible value for three CDs (and it is). My daughter (now 12) fell in love with the music and it’s been on her CD or MP3 player ever since. As a child I loved ‘John Henry’, ‘Rock Island Line’, ‘Cumberland gap’ and ‘Does your chewing gum lose it’s flavour’, and the humorous way many of the tracks are recorded. Although being born in the East End in the late 1950s, I missed nearly all of the rest of these tracks first time around though (at 18 I was into Deep Purple, Hawkwind, The Strawbs and Genesis) - although my mother & father taught me the words ‘Skiffle’ and ‘Washing board’ at an early age.

The musical variety of tracks on offer here, all delivered in LD’s enthusiastic style, is quite impressive, ranging from his early classics to pretty good cover versions of contemporary songs, e.g. The parties over - although most of his 50s hits were covers as well, and none the worse for that. His use of simple ‘instruments’ like tea chests, tins, washing boards and a cheap Spanish guitar gave the impression that anyone could do it, and he kicked off the teenage garage bands of the 50s and 60s. He became unfashionable in the 1970s (although he wrote ‘I’ll never fall in love again’ for Tom Jones). However his influence on the pop stars from the 60s onwards meant that he was always well respected in the industry, leading to tribute concerts and recordings later in life. In 2002 he died at 71 while still touring. It could be said his music, combined with the Buddy Holly sound, lead to the Beatles and British domination of popular music in the 1960s and 1970s.

The triple CD set comes in three separate CD cases, each with neat inserts making them look like Lonnie Donegan 45rpm singles (CD3: The party’s over, CD2: Does your chewing gum lose it’s flavour) and a 78rpm sleeve (CD1: Rock Island Line). There’s also a large detailed folded illustrated pamphlet about Lonnie’s life and music. This all fits, rather tightly, into a 1950’s period cardboard sleeve. It’s all very well presented and clearly made by people who care about Lonnie’s part in pop music history. So a great selection of Lonnie Donegan tracks, in a nicely presented set, and at a bargain price, plus his music can still be a hit with the youngsters today.

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