Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs

Subject: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,Lutz Eikelmann
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 02:04 PM

You may know elder Tribute Songs like "Lonnie D" ( Chas&Dave ) or "All Together Now" by the Sarstedt Brothers, but what has happened during the last three years?

In November 2002 the dutch MOSAM SKIFFLE TRAIN recorded the first time "Song For Lonnie" ( sometimes called WALTZ FOR LONNIE ), Music: Lutz Eikelmann, Lyrics: Peter Houben. They re-recorded it in December 2002 ( this version was issued on Raucous Records/UK --> "Skiffle Revival Vol.1" in 2004 ) and another time in 2003 ( this version took place on their latest album. )
http://mosamskiffle.tripod.com

The same number was recorded by Twins78 and Lutz Eikelmann for their Lonnie Donegan Tribute Album in 2003, too.

There has been another Tribute song written and recorded by Mark Knopfler in 2004 which you can find on his latest album Shangri-La.
www.mark-knopfler.com

Peter Donegan wrote his own song for his dad, "I love you", which he performed at Royal Albert Hall on June 21, 2004, but as far as I know there exist no recording or release which is a pity, I guess.
www.lonniedoneganinc.com

There is another tribute song, "Express Line 56", written by young Donegan-Admirer Warren Bradley; release: CD "Remembering Lonnie Donegan" ( Germany/2004 )
www.lutz-eikelmann.de

Do you know anymore Lonnie Donegan Tribute songs?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,Klaus Müller
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 03:12 AM

Hi Lutz, ich werde die Augen offen halten!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,Lutz Eikelmann
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 01:01 PM

Mach das!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,KM
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 12:34 PM

Don´t forget Leinemann with "Lonnie Donegan"!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 12:09 PM

When was this?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 12:12 PM

UK-group "Please Y´rself" did "Play Lonnie Play Lonnie Donegan" in the 80s

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,Lutz Eikelmann
Date: 19 Feb 05 - 01:45 AM

Regarding Leinemann´s old Donegan-Tribute Song, it was probably recorded late seventies or early eighties; I heard it only one time in a german radio programme in the late eighties.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,MikeofNorthumbria (no cookie)
Date: 19 Feb 05 - 06:18 PM

The following lyric was a collaborative effort from myself and another 'catter ("The Dane"), shortly after Lonnie's passing. He was planning to record it, but so far I've had no news of its appearance on CD.

"Lonnie Donegan - RIP"

On a cold winter's day, at the start of November,
Came the end of a story we'll always remember,
When they gave out the news that a hero of mine
Had made his last ride down the Rock Island Line.

Chorus:        And we sang all the old songs as we sat round the bar,
        On the night Lonnie Donegan laid down his guitar.

Now do you recall the way things used to be?
No room on the bandstand for you, or for me.
Just men in tuxedos, with brilliantined hair
And songs about "Lurve", to a beat that was square. Ch.

Then up jumped Lonnie, guitar in his hand,
And went singing his folk songs all over the land.
And thousands of youngsters soon found it was true -
Although he sang them better, they could all sing them too. Ch.

With a washboard for a drum kit, and a tea-chest for a base,
In a church hall, a coffee bar, or any old place,
The kids gathered round, just to sing and to play
Those three magic chords you could learn in one day. Ch.

We learned songs about the farmer whose crop got wiped out,
The miner, the lumberjack, and the old roustabout,
The hobo and the drifter in search of a meal,
And all the good folks who never get a square deal. Ch.

You taught us about Woody, and Leadbelly too -
Would we ever have heard them, if it hadn't been for you?
May your memory stay green, and your legend live on,
And we'll tell 'em Lonnie Donegan's done been here and gone.

Chorus:        And we sang all the old songs as we sat round the bar,
        On the night Lonnie Donegan laid down his guitar.

Sing it to the tune of the cowboy song "I ride an old paint", and honour the memory of the man without whom ...

Wassail!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,Lutz Eikelmann
Date: 20 Feb 05 - 01:31 AM

Yes, I know, you´ve posted it then here in the Mudcat forum, too. Great idea.
There was somebody from UK who wrote some fine words about Lonnie on the melody of "Wabash Cannonball" and he searched in 2000 musicians who would like to record it. I don´t know if this happened. It was suggested to me because we were planning to record a Skiffle album with Dickie Bishop in July 2000 ( we did, release: "Dickie Bishop meets Lutz Eikelmann: No Other Baby" ) and I discussed it with Dickie, but he didn´t want to do that.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,Roger Rettig
Date: 19 Apr 05 - 06:27 AM

'All Together Now', credited to Peter Sarstedt, but actually written by all three Sarstedt brothers (Rick, Clive and Peter). Peter, of course, had a huge hit with his 1969 song, 'Where Do You Go To, My Lovely?' in 1969, Clive (as 'Robin' Sarstedt) scored in the '70s with 'My Resistance Is Low', while Rick - as Eden Kane - had a string of top five hits from 1961 to 1964.

The brothers were avid Donegan fans in their youth, and I knew them all well as I played guitar in Eden's band from '62 to '66. I've just spent a few days with him in Los Angeles where he now lives (I was doing a show there), and he was glowing with pride when he told me that Lonnie himself had 'covered' their song, 'All Together Now', on what was to be his last studio album, 'Muleskinner Blues'.

Here's another one.....

'He's the man, he's the guitar man....
You'd better watch out when he makes his stand,
He's putting on the agony, putting on the style,
You can count yourself lucky if you see him smile.....'

Written by Eric Clapton at about 14 years old.


RR

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,Lutz Eikelmann
Date: 20 Apr 05 - 01:22 AM

Very interesting, Roger.

I know "All Together" done by Lonnie, it´s great.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,Allen
Date: 20 Apr 05 - 04:13 AM

Mark Knopfler wrote a tribute song called Lonie's Gone.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Lonnie Donegan Tribute Songs
From: GUEST,KM
Date: 20 Apr 05 - 07:56 PM

Yes,as written above ( see first message please! )