Donegan was born as Anthony James Donegan in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of a professional violinist. His ethnic mix was Scottish/Irish. He moved with his mother to London at an early age, after his parents divorced. Inspired by blues music and New Orleans jazz bands he heard on the radio, he resolved to learn the guitar, and bought his first at the age of fourteen.
The first band he ever played in was the trad jazz band led by Chris Barber, who approached him on a train asking him if he wanted to audition for his group. Barber had heard that Donegan was a good banjo player; in fact, Donegan had never played the banjo at this point, but he bought one and managed to bluff his way through the audition. His stint in this group was interrupted, however, when he was called up for National Service in 1949. He also played in Ken Colyer's group
In 1952, he formed his first own group, the Tony Donegan Jazzband, which found some work around London. On one occasion they opened for the blues musician Lonnie Johnson at the Royal Festival Hall. Donegan was a big fan of Johnson, and took his first name as a tribute to him. The story goes that the host at the concert got the musicians' names confused, calling them "Tony Johnson" and "Lonnie Donegan", and Donegan was happy to keep the name.
With a washboard, a tea-chest bass and a cheap Spanish guitar, Donegan entertained audiences with folk and blues songs by artists such as Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie. This proved so popular that in July 1954 he recorded a fast-tempoed version of Leadbelly's "Rock Island Line", featuring a washboard but not a tea-chest bass, with "John Henry" on the B-side. It was an enormous hit in 1956 (which also later inspired the creation of a full album, An Englishman Sings American Folk Songs, released in America on the Mercury label in the early 1960s) but ironically, because it was a band recording, Donegan made no money from this recording beyond his original session fee. (Nevertheless, Donegan received considerable music publishing royalties from "Rock Island" simply by claiming the British copyright on an unregistered song which was considered to be in the Public Domain. This led to the peculiar situation that any "cover" version of "Rock Island Line" which was released on record in Britain from 1956 showed the song composition credited to Lonnie Donegan.) It was the first debut record to go gold in the UK, and reached the Top Ten in the United States. His next single for Decca, "Diggin' My Potatoes", was recorded at a concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 30 October 1954.[4] Decca dropped Donegan thereafter, but within a month he was at the Abbey Road Studios in London recording for EMI's Columbia label. He had left the Barber band by then, and by the spring of 1955, Donegan signed a recording contract with Pye. His next single "Lost John" reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart.
His success at the time saw Donegan sent to the United States, where he appeared on television on both Perry Como Show and Paul Winchell Show. Returning to the UK, Donegan recorded his debut album, Lonnie Donegan Showcase, in the summer of 1956, which featured songs by Lead Belly and Leroy Carr, plus "I'm a Ramblin' Man" and "Wabash Cannonball". The LP was a hit, securing sales in the hundreds of thousands.[4] The popular skiffle style encouraged amateurs to get started, and one of the many skiffle groups that followed was The Quarrymen formed in March 1957 by John Lennon. Donegan's "Gamblin' Man" / "Puttin' On the Style" single was number one on the UK chart in July 1957, when Lennon first met Paul McCartney.
Donegan went on to make a series of popular records with successes including "Cumberland Gap" and, particularly "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavour (On The Bedpost Over Night)", his only hit song in the U.S., released on Dot. He turned to a music hall style with "My Old Man's a Dustman" which was not well received by skiffle fans, or in an attempted but ultimately unsuccessful American release by Atlantic in 1960, but it reached number one in the UK Singles Chart. Donegan's group had a flexible line-up, but was generally formed by Denny Wright or Les Bennetts (of Les Hobeaux and Chas McDevitt's skiffle groups) playing lead guitar and singing harmony vocals, Micky Ashman or Pete Huggett - later Steve Jones - on upright bass, Nick Nichols - later Pete Appleby and Mark Goodwin - on drums or percussion and Donegan playing acoustic guitar or banjo and singing the lead.
He continued to appear regularly in the UK charts until 1962, before succumbing to the arrival of The Beatles and beat music.
Add 1: In the early fifties after Donegan was demobbed from National Service he joined Chris Barber and Ken Colyer and others called Ken Colyer's Jazzmen which consisted of Ken Colyer (trumpet), Chris Barber (trombone), Monty Sunshine (clarinet), Lonnie Donegan (banjo), Jim Bray (bass) Dickie Bishop (Guitar) and Ron Bowden (drums). This group recorded two excellent blues numbers with Lonnie Donegan as vocal called "In the evening when de sun go down" and "The Midnight Special" After a year, Ken colyer stormed out of the group and Chris Barber took over.
http://www.p.griggsy.btinternet.co.uk/Untitled/Lonnie.html (Memories of Lonnie Donegan by Paul Griggs)
Battle of New Orleans
Lonnie Donegan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Which was fit between the Yankees of course and them there English people
In which the British came off rather ignominiously
Means they never done no good, no how, alright, now shut up, right
Well in 1814, we took a little trip
Along with Colonel Packenham down the mighty Mississipp'
We took a little bacon and we took a little beans
Well, we fired our guns and the British kept a comin'
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago
We fired once more and they began a running
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, yeh
Well, we looked down the river till we see the British come
There must have been a hundred of 'em beatin' on the drum
They stepped so high and they made the bugles ring
Well, we stood beside our cotton bales and never sayed a thing
Well, we fired our guns and the British kept a comin'
And there wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago
We fired once more and they began a running
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico
Ederum a ohderum a ederum a ohderum
Well, Packenham said we could take em by surprise
If we didn't fire a musket till we looked 'em in the eyes
Well, we stood quite still till we see their faces well
Then we opened up our muskets and we really gave 'em
Well, we fired our guns and the British kept a comin'
And there wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago
And we fired once more and they began a running
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico
Weeeeell, they rrraan through the briars and they ran through the brambles
And they ran through the bushes where the rabbits couldn't go
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em
All down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico
Well, we fired our guns and the British kept a comin'
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago
We fired once more and they began a running
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico ah ha tiddly dee
Well, we fired our muskets so the barrels melted down
Then grabbed an alligator and we fought another round
Well, we stuffed his head with cannon balls and powdered his behind
So when we touched the powder off, the 'gator lost his mind
Well, we fired our guns and the British kept a comin'
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago
We fired once more and they began a running
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico
The lyrics to Lonnie Donegan’s song Battle of New Orleans retell the story of a major event in American military history - the Battle of New Orleans. During the War of 1812, American soldiers, or “Yankees,” fought against the British in the town of New Orleans. The song describes the battle, including the American strategy of firing upon the British as they advanced, causing them to retreat down the Mississippi River. The song also incorporates humorous and exaggerated elements, such as the description of stuffing an alligator’s head with cannonballs and powdering its behind, showing the lighthearted nature of the song.
The song is widely popular due to its catchy tune and lively lyrics, but it also has a historical significance. The Battle of New Orleans is often regarded as a crucial and pivotal moment in American history, as it brought a clear victory to America over the British and bolstered national morale. The battle also led to the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, which officially ended the War of 1812.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, this here's the story about the Battle of New Orleans
This song is about the Battle of New Orleans
Which was fit between the Yankees of course and them there English people
The battle was fought between the Americans (Yankees) and British
In which the British came off rather ignominiously
The British were defeated and didn't do well
Means they never done no good, no how, alright, now shut up, right
The British did poorly and the artist wants people to stop mentioning it
Well in 1814, we took a little trip
The battle took place in 1814
Along with Colonel Packenham down the mighty Mississipp'
The Americans, led by Colonel Packenham, traveled down the Mississippi River
We took a little bacon and we took a little beans
The Americans brought food with them
And we fought the bloomin' British in the town of New Orleans
The Americans fought the British in New Orleans
Well, we fired our guns and the British kept a comin'
The Americans shot at the British soldiers
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago
There were fewer British soldiers as the battle went on
We fired once more and they began a running
The Americans shot again and the British started to retreat
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, yeh
The British ran away and went south towards the Gulf of Mexico
Well, we looked down the river till we see the British come
The Americans saw the British soldiers coming towards them down the river
There must have been a hundred of 'em beatin' on the drum
There were many British soldiers and they were playing music
They stepped so high and they made the bugles ring
The British soldiers marched in step and played their bugles
Well, we stood beside our cotton bales and never sayed a thing
The Americans didn't say anything and stood behind cotton bales
Well, Packenham said we could take em by surprise
Colonel Packenham thought they could surprise the Americans
If we didn't fire a musket till we looked 'em in the eyes
They were supposed to wait to shoot until they saw the whites of the British soldiers' eyes
Then we opened up our muskets and we really gave 'em
When they started shooting, the Americans shot a lot at the British soldiers
Weeeeell, they rrraan through the briars and they ran through the brambles
The British soldiers ran away through thick vegetation
And they ran through the bushes where the rabbits couldn't go
The British soldiers ran through areas too dense for even rabbits
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em
The British soldiers ran very quickly and even dogs couldn't catch them
All down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico
The British ran south along the Mississippi River towards the Gulf of Mexico
Well, we fired our muskets so the barrels melted down
The Americans shot so much that their muskets became too hot to hold
Then grabbed an alligator and we fought another round
The Americans fought an alligator after the battle
Well, we stuffed his head with cannon balls and powdered his behind
The Americans put cannon balls in the alligator's head and gunpowder on its tail
So when we touched the powder off, the 'gator lost his mind
When they set off the gunpowder, the alligator appeared crazy
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico
The British and Americans went south along the Mississippi River towards the Gulf of Mexico
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: James Morris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Randy Goodnight
My favorite uncle “Shorty” (a Vietnam veteran) used to blast this song in my grandmother’s house when I was 4 or 5 (I’m 50 now) and sing it at the top of his lungs. I can see, smell and feel those past moments each time I hear this song.
Rikkyhardo
Whatever the ins and outs of the song I think Lonnie's version of this tune is freeking ace and I loved it when I was young and it still gives us a thrill when I hear it now
amd64alan
remember this from myearrly days still hqve the 45 rpm
James Larkin
This was in my teens - in the olden days. It was initially banned in UK. I still like it - so much rhythm and brings back lovely old London memoroes.
karekarenz
Love Lonnie; funny how the Americans fought the English for independence, but they still love the Royals!
Darren Forster
Lonnie had some great songs - always think that some of these songs would be amazing if someone took them and remixed them for 2015. There are plenty of bits to create samples from.
Circumpunk
This is a very intresting rendition of this song. I was familiar with the Johnny Horton version but never heard of Lonnie Donegan before you sent this. I have enjoyed it immensely! Thank you kind Sir! Oh, the battle was waged after the Treaty of Ghent declared the war over, ha ha ha . Our communications have only slightly improved since then ; )
Liz Mac
My big brother sang this song in the 1950s, in our front room, with his friends on the various home made instruments that were the thing then. what a time that was. He introduced our large family to music, and it has never stopped and Ah hope it never will. We lost him in February 2018, we miss him so much. but he left us with the priceless gift of music. Thank you Ian. Miss you so much.
Adrina The Great
Lonnie added a lot of mannerisms and his own unique style to a lot of cover versions and really made them his own
Dai Beech
this man inspired me to learn guitar.........I went on to have several bands and was a solo artist on the club circuit..across south wales and England...good times....DAIGUITAR