What, of a comedy nature?
Quote: Tim Azure @ April 10 2013, 5:38 PM BSTYour favourite singer/group?
Comedy Records Page 25
Quote: Agnes Guano @ April 10 2013, 7:57 PM BSTWhat, of a comedy nature?
Yep...
Hmmmm, interesting. It's a slightly different question than my favourite comedy teams or comedians. Taking their output via the medium of the comedy record as the sole criteria, I would probably nominate the following as some very rough top five....
Monty Python - A 'group' that really exploited and understood the medium. Feeling a little bit cheated by the BBC produced 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' album which saw the team copy TV sketches verbatim in front of a largely indifferent audience, they struck out for themselves and produced some of the most original comedy records ever made. As they did with TV programmes, films and books, the Pythons played with the technical limitations of the medium, went crazy with the packaging and experimented with daring innovative material. This experimentation reached its zenith in 1973's 'Matching Tie and Handkerchief', a record with three sides, a load of inserts and some wonderfully reproduced sketches that built on the TV series rather than simply re-recorded it.
The Barron Knights - The comedy record that started it all for me really. As a child I loved their parodies of popular hits. 'A Taste of Aggro' was my particular favourite and I would faithfully tape any appearance of them on the radio on my clunky old audio cassette recorder, even doing the old trick of holding it near the telly to reproduce their Top of The Pops appearances. My parents eventually took pity on me and bought this record for Christmas. True to form, as with most parents from time immemorial, the record did not have any of the hits on. Oh well, it was silly nonsense packed with novelty songs galore, from old music hall singalongs to contemporary parodies. And as I had no clue what the parodies were of I ended up knowing the Barron Knights versions better than the originals. The Barron Knights have delivered nigh on 50 years of comedy record silliness and I still love them. 'One Mans Meat' is by the way one of their least funniest records but one of their best.
Jake Thackray - Quite simply one of the funniest men who ever lived. His elegant witty songs are delivered in perfectly phrased and wonderfully crafted tones that easily evoke Noel Coward at his finest. His songs were many things; cynical, observant, delicate, bawdy, satirical and gentle. In a just world Thackray would be revered and respected and above all still alive.
The Goons - To employ a particularly muso phrase, the Goons were more of a singles band than an album band, even though thanks to the efforts of the BBC reissuing their radio shows they have released more albums than most comedy troupes could dream of. The songs they released on singles, 78s and EPs back in the day were a wonderful addition to their radio series. Never seeking to simply reproduce their radio madness verbatim The Goons made a real effort to produce enduring musical nonsense. By turns silly, crazy, irreverent and like Python playful with the medium, the Goons were immensely popular and successful recording artistes. Beyond their justly famous Ying Tong there were many other joys for me to discover as a child. Raiding my dad's collection I marvelled at Bluebottle Blues, Walking Backwards to Christmas and Russian Love Song.
Benny Hill - Ernie was number one the day I was born (which really dates me) so I may be slightly biased on this point, but the man was a genius. If Ernie's the only song of his that you have ever heard and if all you know about his TV work is the later rather lazy formulaic Thames series then you are missing out on a wealth of comedy. Benny could really write a clever comedy song, as he could once construct clever TV sketches. Benny delivered comedy songs that parodied, entertained and amused in a variety of musical styles. Peppered with sketches and some wonderfully silly songs his albums are a joy to discover.
Quote: Agnes Guano @ April 11 2013, 10:41 PM BSTBenny Hill - Ernie was number one the day I was born (which really dates me)
No, it really dates me 'cos I was 25 !
And we're all growing old and frumpy together, marvellous. I thought of at least another five artistes by the time I'd given up and retired to my divan last night.
Another collection of random oddities from this month's searches.
Various - The Secret Policeman's Other Ball, The Music:
Billy Connolly - A Change is as Good as Arrest:
John Bluthal and Joe Lynch - Act One, Scenes One and Two in a Pub:
Ken Dodd - The Song of the Diddymen:
Mike Harding - Rooted!:
Richard Stilgoe - Doesn't Live in Australia:
Have I already asked this? Have you got 'Clinton the Clown' by Clinton Ford ?
I have yes, although for some reason I don't seem to have a photo of it. A shame as it's quite terrifying. 'Fanlight Fanny' is one of my favourite silly songs.
I used to belong to a Black Country / traditional folk group but we'd suddenly branch off and do The Old Bazaar In Cairo complete with scarf dance with an arab mask on !
Always went well !
I just pulled it out and put on 'He Played his Ukulele as the Ship Went Down' - I love Clinton Ford! I presume you have seen these records, the charity shops of the West Midlands are full of them:
Worked with all of those !
Dolly was a treasure, Jon Raven we found a bit hard going, Tommy, well it's Tommy, Brian Clift had a lovely deep voice (baritone?).
Harry was a gem! One night we were asked to appear on one of those showcase things at a local social club. We didn't need to but we went. When Harry found out we weren't being paid, he bought a bottle of scotch from behind the bar, gave it to us and said 'Have a drink Lads.'
And then of course, there's Jimmy Nobrot & The Squits. Sorry, couldn't resist.
You cheeky monkey!"
(but its a good song)
Arthur Mullard and Hylda Baker - Band on the Trot:
Spike Milligan - Puckoon:
Bill Oddie - Distinctly Oddie:
Charlie Williams - You Can't Help Liking...:
Spike Milligan - Milligan Preserved:
Mike Neville and George House - Radio Jarra Slax:
Hector Nicol - Bravo Juliet!:
Tony Hancock - The Publicity Photograph:
Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - TV Theme Music:
Tony Fayne - Fayne Again:
Roy Chubby Brown - Is A Little Bit Suggestive:
Peter Cook and Dudley Moore - By Appointment:
Tony Fayne - British Institutions:
Bernard Manning - Sings:
Various - The Secret Policeman's Third Ball:
I am really REALLY hating Flickr at the moment. They've taken a nice clean easy to use site and turned into an absolutely bollocking pig's breakfast of a mess. Anyway, before I storm off in a huff and take my phots with me, here are a few more random bits from May.
Mel Smith - Mel Smith's Greatest Hits:
Billy Connolly - In the Brownies:
Some goodies in here, Various - The TV Hits Album:
Vintage comedy star is massive pot user shock! Tommy Trinder - Tommy Trinder's Party:
Great title, that's probably about it, Krankies - The Krankies Go To Hollywood:
From their 1973 stage show, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore - Behind the Fridge:
A compilation issued in 1977 after the death of Michael Flanders, Michael Flanders and Donald Swann - Tried by the Centre Court:
They bombed his chippy you know. Stan Boardman - The Jeermans:
And errrr, this. You couldn't get away with this now etc etc. I had to stuff this bugger in my Ryanair hand luggage all the way from Derry. It was worth it.
Various - Top of the Tots Pop Party
