Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme

Subject: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Feb 20 - 05:18 PM

Anyone else enjoying this on TV right now? Origins of the song, and the various skiffle groups that used to sing it. I used to rave over Lonnie Donegan all those years ago, and his version of Rock Island Line was a classic.

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: Stanron
Date: 21 Feb 20 - 07:15 PM

I watched bits of it. It conflicted with a program on Channel 5 about barging. I found the Channel 5 program surprisingly good. I'd expected typical 'Channel 5 programming for thickos' but was actually impressed with the program. The 9:30 program on BBC 4 is repeated at 3:am. If I can I'll watch that and report back.

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: Stanron
Date: 21 Feb 20 - 11:40 PM

Yes I watched the repeat at 3:00 am.

Leadbelly, Lonnie Donegan, the world as we know it. A perfect chain. I am what I am because this all happened.

Happy Days.

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 02:40 AM

I didn't as I think I saw it last time it was broadcast but I may look at it again.
RtS

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 04:48 AM

Yes, I guessed it was a repeat of the programme shown last year, so didn’t bother viewing again. I enjoyed it first time around but it’s still too in the memory to enjoy it again just yet.

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: Stanron
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 07:11 AM

I also watched, and enjoyed, the Chas and Dave program. And yes, both were repeats. They were still enjoyable. Not a bad night for BBC 4.

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 07:19 AM

The record was exciting. Donegan had a fantastic personality and prompted people to change their lives.

I'm afraid the programme wasn't exciting. The presenter - Billy Bragg - nodded eagerly but showed little emotion. All I wanted to change was channels.

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 07:44 AM

I hadn’t seen the Chas and Dave one before, but I agree it was more interesting than I expected. There was a time when they took the place of headline acts at UK folk festivals, which I think some of us resented at the time, regardless of how good they actually were at their own (non- folk) stuff.

As for the Lonnie D programme, is it not always a bit disappointing when as a viewer you actually know a lot more about the subject than producers seem to, especially if presented by someone too young to be that familiar with the culture at that time? Or is that just me?

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 12:06 PM

I actually bought the single when it came out, but at that point I was more interested in Trad Jazz. As Jerry says, Lonnie had a great personality and could excite an audience in much the same way as C and D could....it's all about connection, some performers have it in spades, while other who may be more technically proficient couldn't excite anything.

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: Brian Peters
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 02:50 PM

Great footage of a 14-year-old Jimmy Page, playing guitar in a skiffle band, and hen telling a BBC interviewer that he was planning a career, not in music, but in 'biological research'? Where did it all go wrong?

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 03:09 PM

Well.. that infamous Led Zep urban legend about the groupie and the fish
might count as errrrmm.. biological research...???

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: Brian Peters
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 03:19 PM

Ha ha, nice to know those childhood dreams were fulfilled!

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: The Sandman
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 03:40 PM

i prefer leadbellys version of rock island line
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCiJ4QQG9WQ

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: Senoufou
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 03:45 PM

I like Johnny Cash's version too. But I have such fond memories of Lonnie Donegan ('Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour?' and 'My Old Man's A Dustman') As the programme said, Donegan's skiffle seemed to mix Cockney, American jazz and the beginnings of jive, and to us it was all very exciting.
I also fancied Lonnie like anything hee hee!

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 04:20 PM

There's a certain naff quality about early British Rock n Roll copyists
that's quite charming 60 odd years later..

I love collecting compilation CDs of that period..
before Cliff and the Drifters started getting quite good at rock n roll....

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: The Sandman
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 04:26 PM

leadbellys version was the one that inspired donegan, i am not sure donegan credited leadbelly he may have even copyrighted it for himself

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: G-Force
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 05:10 PM

As did Johnny Cash.

Subject: RE: Review: BBC4 Rock Island Line Programme
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 22 Feb 20 - 05:46 PM

Dave van Ronk once told me a wonderful story about Donegan coming up to Moe Asch's Folkways Records in New York attempting to get royalties from Asch's Leadbelly reissue of Rock Island Line. According to Dave, Asch threw Donegan down the stairs.

Which Side Are You On? by Dick Weissman