VA - A History Of British Beat (British Beat Before The Beatles) Vol.1- 7 (1955-1962) @ 320

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This multi-volume series from British EMI is a much-expanded (and more expensive) successor to Sire Records' old two-LP retropective on pre-Beatles British rock. Each volume, broken down by year, contains 20 songs recorded between 1956 and 1962, by acts such as Art Baxter & His Rock 'n Roll Sinners, the Vipers Skiffle Group (George Martin's first "rock & roll" signing on Parlophone), Adam Faith, Don Lang, Vince Eager, Billy Fury, Marty Wilde, Joe Brown, and dozens of other performers whose names were, mostly, never even mentioned on this side of the Atlantic. There's an uneven quality to this material -- Ricky James turns in a surprisingly soulful rendition of Buddy Knox's "Party Doll" on Volume Two, but that same CD contains rubbish like Laurie London's version of "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands." The sad truth is that the British, even less than the Americans, knew how to define rock & roll -- anything that appealed (or seemed likely to appeal) to teenagers was lumped together, from bad pop and novelty tunes to raunchy, nearly proto-punk pieces. Mostly they muddled through with covers -- round-faced Don Lang's cover of Chuck Berry's "School Days" (and his much more comfortable-sounding original "Red Planet Rock") and future Kinks and Troggs manager Larry Page's version of "That'll Be the Day." Alma Cogan (a sort of British Teresa Brewer), Tommy Steele, Terry Dene, Colin Hicks (Tommy's brother) and the Cabin Boys ("Empty Arms Blues"), Terry Wayne ("Matchbox"), Bert Weedon (doing the original recording of "Apache"), Jody Gibson & the Muleskinners ("If You Don't Know"), the Vipers Skiffle Group ("Don't You Rock Me, Daddy-O")...they're all names out of another age, and their music sounds it, but the best of it has a beat and voices to be reckoned with -- the best may be Joey Castell, a superb, moody, thoroughly Southern-sounding white blues singer. The dazzle factor on a lot of these volumes, especially the early ones, is pretty high for anyone who thinks England was oblivious to rock & roll, and there are some real ear-openers to make up for dross like Laurie London.

British Beat Before The Beatles - Volume 1 (1955-1956)

01 Suzi Miller - Tweedle Dee

02 The Southlanders - Earth Angel

03 Suzi Miller - Dance With Me Henry

04 The Deep River Boys - (We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock

05 The Southlanders - Ain't That A Shame

06 Lonnie Donegan - Rock Island Line

07 Frankie Vaughan - My Boy Flat Top

08 Dickie Bennett - Dungaree Doll

09 The Four Jones Boys - Tutti Frutti

10 Alma Cogan - Why Do Fools Fall In Love

11 Humphrey Lyttleton - Bad Penny Blues

12 Don Lang - Rock'n'roll Blues

13 Ray Ellington - Left Hand Boogie

14 Alma Cogan - I'm In Love Again

15 Tony Crombie And His Rockets - Teach You To Rock

16 Tommy Steele - Rock With The Caveman

17 Ray Ellington - Giddy Up A Ding-Dong

18 Lee Lawrence - Don't Nobody Move

19 Tony Crombie And His Rockets - Let's You And I Rock

20 Tommy Steele - Singing The Blues

British Beat Before The Beatles - Volume 2 (1957)

01 - Art Baxter & His Rock 'n' Roll Sinners - Don't Knock The Rock

02 - The King Brothers - A White Sports Coat (And A Pink Carnation)

03 - The Vipers Skiffle Group - Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O

04 - Ricky 'Bongo' James - Party Doll

05 - Don Lang & His Frantic Five - School Days

06 - Rory Blackwell - Bye Bye Love

07 - Larry Page - Start Movin'

08 - Alma Cogan - Fabulous

09 - Tommy Steele - Butterfly

10 - Terry Wayne - Matchbox

11 - Frankie Vaughan - Wanderin' Eyes

12 - Jim Dale - Be My Girl

13 - Terry Wayne - Your True Love

14 - Larry Page - That'll Be The Day

15 - Laurie London - He's Got The Whole In His Hands

16 - Don Lang & His Frantic Five - Red Planet Rock

17 - Joey Castell - Trying To Get To You

18 - Terry Dene - Baby She's Gone

19 - Colin Hicks & The Cabin Boys - Empty Arms Blues

20 - Joey Castell - I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone

British Beat Before The Beatles - Volume 3 (1958)

01 Terry Wayne - Slim Jim Tie

02 Ken Mackintosh - Raunchy

03 Larry Page - Under Control

04 Wee Willie Harris - Riot In Cell Block No.9

05 The Most Brothers - Whole Lotta Woman

06 Vince Eager & The Vagabonds - Yea Yea

07 The Mudlarks (With The Ken Jones Jive Group) - Book Of Love

08 Marty Wilde & His Wildcats - Endless Sleep

09 Neville Taylor - Mercy Mercy Percy

10 The Five Chesternuts - Teenage Love

11 Craig Douglas - Nothin' Shakin'

12 Cliff Richard & The Drifters - Move It

13 Lord Rockingham's Xi - Hoots Mon

14 Tommy Steele - Come On Let's Go

15 Neville Taylor & The Cutters - Tears On My Pillow

16 Terry Dene - Pretty Little Pearly

17 Vince Eager - No More

18 Janice Peters With The Frank Barber Band - This Little Girl's Gone Rockin'

19 Don Lang - Queen Of The Hop

20 Adam Faith - High School Confidential

British Beat Before The Beatles - Volume 4 (1959)

01. Billy Fury - Maybe Tomorrow 

02. Vince Taylor - Brand New Cadillac 

03. Bill Forbes - Once More 

04. Janice Peters - A Girl Likes 

05. Dickie Pride - Slippin 'n' Slidin' 

06. Dean Webb - Hey Miss Fannie 

07. Vince Eager - This Should Go On Forever 

08. Johnny Kidd & The Pirates - Please Don't Touch 

09. Marty Wilde - Teenager In Love 

10. Duffy Power - Dream Lover 

11. Adam Faith - Ah Poor Little Baby 

12. Terry Wayne - She's Mine 

13. Cliff Richard & The Drifters - Apron Strings 

14. Craig Douglas - Only Sixteen 

15. Tommy Steele - Tallahassie Lassie 

16. The Drifters - Jet Black 

17. Dickie Pride - Frantic 

18. Lorne Lesley - I Don't Know 

19. Sally Kelly - Little Cutie 

20. Emile Ford & The Checkmates - What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For 

British Beat Before The Beatles - Volume 5 (1960)

01. The Shadows - Saturday Dance 

02. Dickie Pride - Betty Betty (Go Steady With Me) 

03. Vince Eager - Lonely Blue Boy 

04. Davy Jones - Amapola 

05. Jody Gibson & The Muleskinners - If You Don't Know 

06. Keith Kelly - (Must You Always) Tease Me 

07. Dave Sampson & The Hunters - Sweet Dreams 

08. Marion Ryan - Sixteen Reasons 

09. Tommy Bruce & The Bruisers - Ain't Misbehavin' 

10. Emil Ford & The Checkmates - You'll Never Know What You're Missing 

11. Billy Fury With The 4 Jays - That's Love 

12. Johnny Kidd & The Pirates - Shakin' All Over 

13. Adam Faith - Made You 

14. Bert Weedon - Apache 

15. Marty Wilde - Angry 

16. Ricky Valance - Tell Laura I Love Her 

17. John Barry Seven - Walk Don't Run 

18. Cliff Richard & The Shadows - Nine Times Out Of Ten 

19. Johnny Kidd & The Pirates - Restless 

20. The Hunters - Teen Scene 

British Beat Before The Beatles - Volume 6 (1961)

01. Rob Storme & The Whispers - Music 

02. Michael Cox - Teenage Love 

03. Josh Macrae - High Class Feeling 

04. The Allisons - Are You Sure 

05. Helen Shapiro - Don't Treat Me Like A Child 

06. Cliff Richard - Gee Whizz It's You 

07. Billy Fury - Halfway To Paradise 

08. The Krew Kats - Trambone 

09. Lee Diamond & The Cherokees - I'll Step Down 

10. Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers - You've Got What I Like 

11. Michael Cox - Sweet Little Sixteen 

12. Bobby Angelo & The Tuxedos - Baby Sittin' 

13. Paul Raven - All Grown Up 

14. Shane Fenton & The Fentones - I'm A Moody Guy 

15. Johnny Kidd & The Pirates - Please Don't Bring Me Down 

16. Cliff Bennett - When I Get Paid 

17. Marty Wilde - Tomorrow's Clown 

18. The Shadows - The Savage 

19. Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages - 'till The Following Night 

20. Doug Sheldon - Your Mama Said You Cried In Your Sleep Last Night 

British Beat Before The Beatles - Volume 7 (1962)

01. Brad Newman - Someone To Love 

02. Howie Casey And The Seniors - True Fine Mama 

03. Allisons - Lessons In Love 

04. Michael Cox - Honey 'cause I Love You 

05. The Shadows - Wonderful Land 

06. Jimmy Powell - Sugar Babe (Part 1) 

07. Fentones - The Mexican 

08. Joe Brown - A Picture Of You 

09. Lyn Cornell - I Sold My Heart To The Junkman 

10. Jimmy Crawford - I Shoulda Listened To Mama 

11. Carol Deene - Johnny Get Angry 

12. Cliff Richard - It'll Be Me 

13. Shane Fenton And The Fentones - Why Little Girl 

14. Michael Cox - Stand Up 

15. Marty Wilde - Ever Since You Said Goodbye 

16. Jackie Lynton - All Of Me 

17. The Shadows - Dance On 

18. Dean Shannon - Ubangi Stomp 

19. Johnny Kidd And The Pirates - I Can Tell 

20. Johnny Kidd And The Pirates - A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues 

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