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)
Talking Guitar Blues
Lonnie Donegan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let me tell you how to do it
Get yourself a guitar and then you're right into it
You play all day and you play all night
People say you'll never learn to play the thing right
Always messing about, groaning at you
Moaning, won't let you practise
The man said I could learn it in a week or so
Gave me a little book, pick or two
Said ‘here y'are mate, it's up to you'
Dirty rotter, cost me ten nicker, all the loot I had
Good guitar, though – call it a pluckit
Anyway, spent me dough
And I couldn't let it all go to waste, you know
So I took the book, guitar, and all
And I went back home where the trees are tall
Down in Woodford - good place to be if you've got a guitar
Pretty rotten if you ain't
Well, for weeks and weeks I worked hard
And I tried to learn a few main chords
Book says they're easy as abc
Cor, my fingers is killing me
Got sore on the ends.
Couldn't hold the strings down
Wanted to pack up, cor, I felt rough
Anyway, kept on playing with all me might
I could see mum's hair was turning white
And her face was lined with discontent
She said her patience was pretty near spent
She was nervous, ears ringing, wanted to scream
You know, couldn't get no relief
So sister, anyway, she took it worst of all
‘Cause she got married the following fall
She said ‘for love' but I got me doubts
I think the guitar chased her out
She's a game girl, though
Just couldn't take it, you know
Limit to everything
Dad, he took it a different way
He said, you can turn your mum's hair grey
Drive your sister away from home
But you or me boy's gonna start to roam
And I ain't going - never intend to
You figure it out – so I did, fast, you know
Anyway, next day had me clothes all packed
And I slung me guitar across me back
Caught meself a great long train
Searched the world for me share of fame
Ain't found none - just hardships, messing about
Skiffle, Tommy Steele
In Lonnie Donegan's song Talking Guitar Blues, the singer tells the story of his pursuit of learning to play the guitar. He narrates how he bought a guitar and a book on how to play it, with the hopes that he would learn to play it in a week or so. However, the journey was not an easy one, as he encountered difficulties in mastering the main chords. This leads to frustrations and conflicts with his family members who found his playing style irritating.
However, the singer is undeterred by the difficulties and decides to follow his dream of making it big through music. He packs his things and heads for the city in search of fame. The song is a commentary on how difficult it can be to pursue one's passion and dreams, especially when others do not believe in or understand them. It is also a reminder that with determination and persistence, one can overcome the challenges that come with the journey.
Line by Line Meaning
‘Ere, if you wanna get in trouble
Hey, if you want to cause some problems
Let me tell you how to do it
I'll give you a hint on how to do it
Get yourself a guitar and then you're right into it
Buy yourself a guitar and you're already in trouble
You play all day and you play all night
Spending all day and night playing the guitar
People say you'll never learn to play the thing right
People doubt you will ever learn how to play properly
Always messing about, groaning at you
People always interrupt and complain about your playing
Moaning, won't let you practise
Continuously whining about you playing the guitar
So I bought meself a guitar about a year ago
I purchased a guitar a year ago
The man said I could learn it in a week or so
The salesman said I would learn how to play in a short period
Gave me a little book, pick or two
Received a small instruction book and picks
Said ‘here y'are mate, it's up to you'
The salesman told me that it was up to me to learn how to play
Dirty rotter, cost me ten nicker, all the loot I had
The salesman was dishonest and took all my money
Good guitar, though – call it a pluckit
The guitar is good despite the salesman's deceit
Anyway, spent me dough
Regardless, I spent all my money
And I couldn't let it all go to waste, you know
I couldn't let the guitar and instruction book go to waste
So I took the book, guitar, and all
I took the guitar, instruction book, and everything else
And I went back home where the trees are tall
I returned home where the trees are large
Down in Woodford - good place to be if you've got a guitar
Living in Woodford is great if you play the guitar
Pretty rotten if you ain't
However, it's terrible if you don't
Well, for weeks and weeks I worked hard
I worked tirelessly for weeks
And I tried to learn a few main chords
I attempted to learn the fundamental chords
Book says they're easy as abc
The instruction book said they were straightforward
Cor, my fingers is killing me
My fingers are extremely sore
Got sore on the ends.
My fingertips were particularly sore
Couldn't hold the strings down
I struggled to firmly press the strings
Wanted to pack up, cor, I felt rough
I wanted to give up because I was not feeling confident
Anyway, kept on playing with all me might
Despite feeling discouraged, I kept practicing with all my effort
I could see mum's hair was turning white
I noticed my mother's hair was becoming white
And her face was lined with discontent
I saw a sense of displeasure on my mother's face
She said her patience was pretty near spent
My mother claimed her patience was nearly depleted
She was nervous, ears ringing, wanted to scream
My mother was on edge and wanted to shout out in frustration
You know, couldn't get no relief
But she couldn't find a way to get any relief
So sister, anyway, she took it worst of all
My sister had the poorest response to my guitar playing
‘Cause she got married the following fall
She got married the next season
She said ‘for love' but I got me doubts
My sister claimed she got married for love, but I was skeptical
I think the guitar chased her out
I believe my playing drove her away
She's a game girl, though
Despite that, she's still a resilient person
Just couldn't take it, you know
She just couldn't tolerate it anymore
Dad, he took it a different way
My father's response was different
He said, you can turn your mum's hair grey
He jokingly said I was making my mother's hair turn white
Drive your sister away from home
I had managed to drive my sister out of the house
But you or me boy's gonna start to roam
However, one of us boys would inevitably leave home
And I ain't going - never intend to
He wasn't going anywhere, at least not soon
You figure it out – so I did, fast, you know
He left it for me to figure it out, and I acted on it quickly
Anyway, next day had me clothes all packed
The next day, I had all my clothes packed
And I slung me guitar across me back
I hung my guitar over my back
Caught meself a great long train
I got on a very long train
Searched the world for me share of fame
I sought fame all around the world
Ain't found none - just hardships, messing about
But I didn't find any - only challenges and difficulties
Skiffle, Tommy Steele
I found myself mainly playing Skiffle music or Tommy Steele songs
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mike Hannon
on Wabash Cannonball
If you want the donegan lyrics from the recording this link has provided instead of the johnny cash ones they are as fallows;
Wabash Cannonball
by Lonnie Donegan
She came down from Birmingham, one cold December day
As she rolled into the station, you could hear the people say
That train from Indiana, she's long and she's tall...
That’s a combination called the Wabash Cannonball
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she comes down the mountains through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear the lonesome hobos call
He’s racing through the jungle on the Wabash Cannon Ball
From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific shore
From the green and flowing mountains to the old mill by the moor
She's long and handsome, and quite well known by all...
That’s a combination called the Wabash Cannonball
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she comes down the mountains through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear the lonesome hobos call
He’s racing through the jungle on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Well here's to that old engineer his name will ever stand
And always be remembered in the courts throughout the land
When his mighty race is over and the curtains 'round him fall...
It'll carry him back to dixie on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she comes down the mountains through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear the lonesome hobos call
Yeah he’s racing through the jungle on the Wabash Cannon Ball