REFERENCE" English songs....

...speaking from both sides of the fence, I would say there is a huge difference between English songs and American songs. English songs are just plain fun no matter how they're put together while American songs tend to be technically perfect compositions...beautiful and "technically perfect" for listening and dancing, but lacking the down-home gutsy "make you happy" feeling that British songs brought to the home front!

When I first heard Knees Up Mother Brown, I thought it was the silliest things I ever heard, but I played it because people "wanted to hear it!" One day I realized the allure of British music......it was "happy" music...stuff with a feel that made you want to get up and dance. At the very least, it made you want to get up off your butt and move around, even if it was to just touch glasses and do a sing-a-long.

Americans don't know how to have fun with music. I think the last really great American "fun" song was the Charleston!

In the days that New York, NY was the biggest hit song in America, something like Daisy, Daisy or the Dilly, Dally song would be happening in a British pub. And Tony Orlando was probably idolized more than the Prime Minister. And Tie A Yellow Ribbon was played 2-3 times a night for years!

Those times were so much fun, it hurts me to think about them even!

So when Donny gets asked to play those English songs: I've Got Sixpence, Bless 'em All, Lambeth Walk, etc it's 'cause those songs are not just "heard".....they're "felt"....down in the gut. I have a huge collection of British traditional music. I'll never get to play them again, but I wouldn't give them up for anything......just too many great memories associated with each one!

If anyone ever actually gets to build a "time machine," the first place I'd ask to go back to would be England during the "war" years when those songs were more than just music. They were a unifying force that brought people together and gave them community spirit and dance hall fun!

Tony......I'd be curious if you had any comments about what I just wrote???

Mark