This LP series, released by British MCA between 1975 and 1979, contains a wide selection of American rockabilly music originally released on the U.S. Decca label and its subsidiaries, Coral and Brunswick. Regrettably, I was never able to acquire Volume II, but the three volumes I did manage to obtain clearly demonstrate how the Decca organization attempted to "push" some its classic "country" artists into a rockabilly mold, and also shows some of the genuine links between "hillbilly" and rock 'n' roll. Through other sources, I have obtained a track listing for Volume II, which appears below. This is a package that probably would never have seen the light of day if we had to depend on U.S. MCA (which now owns Decca and its subsidiaries) to release it, the "mass appeal" just wouldn't be there.
Rex Allen, Patsy Cline, Red Foley and Webb Pierce - all generally accepted as "country" artists, appear here along with rocker Johnny Carroll and proto-rock 'n' roll artists Hardrock Gunter, Roy Hall and Moon Mullican. (See, for example, Nick Tosches' book Unsung Heroes Of Rock 'N' Roll for bios of Gunter, Hall and Mullican and their links to rock 'n' roll). Liner notes by British rock 'n' roll historian Bill Millar are extensive and worth reading, even if you disagree with some of the justifications for including certain tracks.
Like many European LPs these are 20 tracks each (19 on Volume II), not a dozen or less which was the U.S. standard. Not easy to find, and I have no idea if all of these tracks ever made it to CDs, so it's probably vinyl, if you can find 'em.
Vol. I
Side A:
1. Hot Rock - Johnny Carroll (Decca #30013) 26 Apr 1956
2. Rock 'N' Roll Ruby - Johnny Carroll (Decca #29940) 25 Apr 1956
3. Barking Up The Wrong Tree - Don Woody (Decca #30277) 21 Dec 1956
4.Make Like A Rock And Roll - Don Woody (Unreleased) 21 Dec 1956
5. Whole Lotta Shakin' Going on - Roy Hall (Decca #29697) 15 Sep 1955
6. Three Alley Cats - Roy Hall (Decca #30060) 2 Aug 1956
7. Cast Iron Arm - Peanuts Wilson (Brunswick # 55039) 16 Jul 1957
8. Be Bop Baby - Autrey Inman (Decca #29936) 29 Apr 1956
9. Sweet Love On My Mind - Jimmy and Johnny (Decca #30061) 25 Jul 1956
10. Alligator Come Across - Arlie Duff (Decca #29987) 8 Jun 1956
Side B:
1. Wild Wild Women - Johnny Carroll (Decca #29941) 26 Apr 1956
2. Tryin' To Get To You - Johnny Carroll (Decca #29940) 25 Apr 1956
3. Bird Dog - Don Woody (Decca #30277) 21 Dec 1956
4, Morse Code - Don Woody (Unreleased) 21 Dec 1956
5. Diggin' The Boogie - Roy Hall (Decca #30060) 2 Aug 1956
6. Offbeat Boogie - Roy Hall (Unissued) 15 Sep 1955
7. Crazy Baby - Gene Maltais (Decca #30387) 27 Jun 1957
8. Ruby Pearl - Jackie Lee Cochran (Decca #30206) 27 Nov 1956
9. Teenage Boogie - Webb Pierce (Decca #30045) 16 May 1956
10. Shaking the Blues - Donny Young (Decca #30887) 12 Jan 1960
Vol. II (not in my collection - info from alternate source)
Side B
Side A
1. Mama Don't You Think I Know - Jackie Lee Cochran (Decca #30206) 9 Feb1957
2. All By Myself - Roy Hall (Decca #29697) 8 Oct 1955
3. Crazy, Crazy Lovin' - Johnny Carroll (Decca #30013) 25 Aug 1956
4. Ten Little Women - Terry Noland (Brunswick #55010) 10 Jun 1957
5. Cool It Baby - Eddie Fontaine (Decca #30042) 25 Aug 1956
6. Shake Baby Shake - Wayne Raney (Decca #30212) 16 Feb 1957
7. Here Comes The Night - Billy Guitar (Decca #30634) 23 Jun 1958
8. Behave, Be Quiet Or Begone - Roy Duke (Decca #29962) 7 Jul 1956
9. Flip Flop And Fly - Johnny Bell (Brunswick #55142) 31 Aug 1959
10. Rock It On Down To My House - Justin Tubb (Decca #30606) 24 Mar 1958
1. See You Later Alligator - Roy Hall (Decca #29786) 7 Jan 1956
2. Corrine, Corrina - Johnny Carroll (Decca #29941) 2 Jun 1956
3. Hypnotized - Terry Noland (Brunswick #55010) 10 Jun 1957
4. Tennessee Rock N' Roll - Bobby Helms (Decca #29947) 9 Jun 1956
5. Crazy Chicken - James Gallagher (Decca #29984) 28 Jul 1956
6. Is That All To The Ball (Mr. Hall) - Billy Riley (Brunswick #55085) 11 Aug1958
7. She Wanna Rock - Arnie Derksen (Decca #30906) 1 Jun 1959
8. Don't Go Baby (Don't Go) - Al Coker (Decca #30053) Sep 1956
9. Wee Willie Brown - Lou Graham (Coral #61931) 6 Jan 1958
Vol. III
Side A
1. Lorraine - Buddy Covelle (Coral #62181) 27 Aug 1959
2. Don't Stop Now - Roy Hall (Decca #29786) 1 Dec 1955
3. It Would Be A Doggone Lie - Autrey Inman (Decca #29936) 19 Apr 1956
4. Everybody's Tryin' To Be My Baby - York Brothers (Decca #303473) 18 Jul 1957
5. Moon's Rock - Moon Mullican (Coral #62042) 1 May 1958
6. Jukejoint Johnny - Red Sovine (Decca #30239) 12 Nov 1956
7. You Gotta Move - Chester Smith (Decca #30603) 20 Jan 1958
8. Teenage Love Is Misery - Jerry Kennedy (Decca #30577) 14 Dec 1957
9. Way Out There - Chuck and Bill (Brunswick #55011) 25 Mar 1957
10. I Wanna Bop - Billy Harlan (Brunswick #55066) 31 Mar 1958
Side B:
1. Cheat On Me Baby - Rockin' Saints (Decca #31144) 4 Feb 1960
2. Move On - Roy Hall (Unreleased) 15 Sep 1955
3. Knock Knock Rattle - Rex Allen (Decca #30651) 23 Feb 1958
4. Crazy Little Guitar Man - Red Foley (Decca #30674) 26 Mar 1958
5. Hey Babe Let's Go Downtown - Joe Therrien Jr. & His Rockets (Brunswick #55005) 25 Mar 1957
6. Pan American Boogie - Lonnie Glosson (Decca #46215) 5 Jan 1950
7. Sputnick (The Satellite Girl) - Jerry Engler (Brunswick #55037) 2 Oct 1957
8. Baby's Gone -Vernon Claud (Decca # 30692) 15 Nov 1956
9. Hey Ruby - Arthur Osborne (Brunswick #55068) 31 Mar 1958
10. Schoolhouse Rock - Billy Harlan (Brunswick #55066) 31 Mar 1958
Vol IV
Side A:
1. Tennessee Toddy - Billy Gray & his Western Okies - 19 Dec 1955
2. Baby Don't Leave Me - Chavis Brothers - 9 May 1961
3.Uncle John's Bongos - Johnny and Jack - 12 Jul 1961
4. Jenny Lee - Moon Mullican - 5 May 1958
5. One And Only - Eddie Fontaine - 30 Apr 1957
6. Rockabilly Boogie - Joe Therrien, Jr. & his Rockets - 18 Jun 1957
7. Touch Of Loving - Bobby Sykes - 6 Nov 1957
8. Crazy Bullfrog - Lewis Pruitt - 22 Nov 1960
9. You've Got Me - Wayne Walker - 5 May 1959
10. Rock-A-Boogie Lou - Glenn Reeves - 28 Jan 1958
Side B:
1. I Got A Lot Of Rhythm In My Soul - Patsy Cline - 9 Jan 1959
2. Be My Bride - Charlie Phillips - 15 Feb 1958
3. Show Me How - Veline Hackett - 7 Jul 1959
4. California Blues - Webb Pierce - 7 Mar 1951
5. Falling In Love - Warner Mack - 30 Jan 1958
6. Come Back To Me- Joe Therrien, Jr. & his Rockets - 25 Mar 1957
7. You Played On My Piano - Hardrock Gunter - 14 Jan 1952
8. It Hurts The One Who Loves You - Ray Doggett - 15 Mar 1957
9. All Nite Boogie - Tommy Sosebee - 15 Dec 1952
10. Rock Around the World - Glenn Reeves - 28 Jan 1958
