Billy Cotton band
51 records in the collection· mostly on Regal, Rex, Regal Zonophone
Billy Cotton and his band were fixtures of British popular entertainment from the dance-band years of the 1920s and 30s through to post-war radio and television. Cotton combined straightforward dance music with comedy and showmanship, eventually becoming a household name through The Billy Cotton Band Show and its famous “Wakey Wakey” opening.
This introduction was written by AI from what is known of the artist. Ask us if you want to know more about a particular record.
Records by Billy Cotton band
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- A(+WesternBrothers)
- BShe was only somebody's daughter
Billy Cotton Band with the Western Brothers on Regal, a British dance orchestra and the Western Brothers (a variety act), recording a novelty number 'She Was Only Somebody's Daughter'—popular music from the 1940s.AI summary
Regal MR658 Music Hall
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- AAfter you've gone
- BDoin the new low down
Billy Cotton and his orchestra, a hugely successful British dance band, recorded 'After you've gone' and 'Doin the new low down' for Regal in the late 1920s or early 1930s.AI summary
Regal MR2028 Dance
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- AAin't misbehavin
- BShine
Billy Cotton's Band, one of Britain's best-known swing orchestras, recorded 'Ain't Misbehavin'' and 'Shine' for Regal MR2161. Cotton was a major British bandleader and personality from the 1930s through the 1950s, and his orchestra was prolific on record.AI summary
Regal MR2161 Dance
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- AChocolate soldier's daughter
- BThere's a lady in Calais
Billy Cotton's band, a well-known and prolific British dance orchestra, recorded 'Chocolate Soldier's Daughter' and 'There's a Lady in Calais' for Rex; Cotton was a popular bandleader and entertainer.AI summary
Rex 9321 Dance
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- ADid you go sown Lambeth Way
- BPark parade
Billy Cotton and his band, one of Britain's most famous orchestras, recorded extensively for Rex, a budget British label, as well as other imprints. This pressing of 'Did You Go Down Lambeth Way' represents his popular comic and novelty material.AI summary
Rex 9503 Dance
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- AEverybody kiss your partner
- BCounting crochets in my sleep
Billy Cotton and his band on Regal Records, catalogue MR2101, with 'Everybody Kiss Your Partner' and 'Counting Crochets in My Sleep'. Cotton was a prolific British bandleader of the 1930s-40s.AI summary
Regal MR2101 Dance
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- AGoodnight Vienna
- BAuf wiedersehen
The Billy Cotton band performing 'Goodnight Vienna' and 'Auf Wiedersehen' on Regal MR-series, a professional swing or dance side from the late 1930s.AI summary
Regal MR560 Dance
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- AHe was a handsome young soldier
- BRast round up
The Billy Cotton band with He Was a Handsome Young Soldier and Rast Round Up on Twin FT1622.AI summary
Twin FT1622 Dance
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- AI paid for the lie that I told you
- BAnd the angels sing
Billy Cotton was one of Britain's most popular bandleaders from the 1930s through the 1950s; this Rex disc from the mid-1930s carries two popular ballads.AI summary
Rex 9569 Dance
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- AI'm beginning to see the light
- BToor-ie on his bonnet
Billy Cotton and his band in the mid-1940s, recorded for the budget Rex label. Cotton was a popular British bandleader and entertainer of the swing era.AI summary
Rex 10225 Dance
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- AI'm on a see saw
- BIt's home
The Billy Cotton band recorded 'I'm on a See Saw' and 'It's Home' for Regal. Cotton was a prominent British bandleader and entertainer of the 1930s–50s.AI summary
Regal Zonophone MR1565 Dance
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- AI've got my eyes on you
- Bbegin the beguine
Billy Cotton Band performing 'I've Got My Eyes on You' and 'Begin the Beguine' on Rex 9795, a post-war dance-band recording from the British bandleader.AI summary
Rex 9795 Orchestra
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- ALazybones
- BHold me
Billy Cotton's band recorded 'Lazybones' and 'Hold Me' for Regal MR1021. Cotton was a prominent British bandleader and entertainer of the 1930s-1950s.AI summary
Regal MR1021 Dance
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- ALet's all sing like the birdies sing
- BI laughed so hard I nearly died
Billy Cotton was one of Britain's most popular bandleaders from the 1930s through the 1950s, later a household name through his radio and television show; this Regal disc from the late 1930s carries two comic novelty numbers.AI summary
Regal MR747 Personalities (Prs)
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- AListen to the german band
- BWe just couldn't say goodbye
Billy Cotton Band on Regal MR675, performing 'Listen to the German Band' and 'We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye'. Cotton was a British bandleader, organist and entertainer, immensely popular from the 1930s through the 1950s.AI summary
Regal MR675 Dance
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- ALove in bloom
- BI've had my moments
Billy Cotton and his band were one of Britain's most famous dance and variety orchestras, with a recording career from the 1920s through the 1950s. This Regal recording of 'Love in Bloom' is from the early 1930s.AI summary
Regal MR1414 Dance
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- ALove me tonight
- BSong of the harp
Billy Cotton and his band, one of Britain's most popular and prolific dance and variety orchestras, recorded these two sides for Regal in the mid-1940s.AI summary
Regal MR681 Dance
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- AMemory of a tiny shoe
- BTo you sweetheart
Billy Cotton and his band, performing two sentimental ballads for Rex Records, likely from the 1930s or 1940s.AI summary
Rex 8941 Dance
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- AMoon was yellow
- BDancing with my shadow
Billy Cotton band, a leading British dance orchestra of the 1930s–50s, performing 'Moon was yellow' and 'Dancing with my shadow' on Regal MR1585. Cotton was one of the most popular and prolific British bandleaders.AI summary
Regal MR1585 Dance
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- AMoon was yellow
- BDancing with my shadow
Billy Cotton was a hugely popular British bandleader and radio personality of the 1930s–50s. This Regal recording pairs two well-known standards from his peak popularity period.AI summary
Regal MR1585 Dance
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- AMore rhymes
- BOnce aboard the lugger
Billy Cotton Band, the British dance band led by Billy Cotton (1899–1969), recorded for Regal; 'More Rhymes' and 'Once Aboard the Lugger' are likely novelty or comic dance-band sides from the late 1920s or early 1930s.AI summary
Regal MR493 Dance
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- AMrs Brown
- Blet's all dance the polka
Billy Cotton and his orchestra, a well-known British dance and light music band, recorded two novelty numbers including a polka medley on Regal in the late 1930s-1940s.AI summary
Regal MR737 Dance
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- AMusic gors round and round
- BSunset trail
Billy Cotton and his band on Regal MR1982 performing two light orchestral numbers. Billy Cotton was a prominent British bandleader and radio personality of the 1930s–50s; Regal was a major British label subsidiary.AI summary
Regal MR1982 Orchestra
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- AMy heart belongs to daddy
- BI'll remember
Billy Cotton was a leading British bandleader and comedian, and this Rex recording of 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy' and 'I'll Remember' dates to the 1930s. Rex was a budget label.AI summary
Rex 9667 Dance
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- AOh! What a surprise ...
- BBless 'em all
Billy Cotton Band on Rex 9906, performing 'Oh! What a Surprise...' and 'Bless 'Em All'. Cotton was a hugely popular British bandleader and entertainer. 'Bless 'Em All' was one of his signature pieces and a major wartime hit.AI summary
Rex 9906 Dance
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- AOn a typical tropical night
- BLeft-Right-Out-in
Billy Cotton, a British bandleader and entertainer, performing two novelty dance numbers on Rex Records in the 1930s-40s.AI summary
Rex 8974 Music Hall
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- AOn my little toboggan
- BA feather in her Tyrolean hat
Billy Cotton band on Rex 8914 with novelty dance numbers 'On My Little Toboggan' and 'A Feather in Her Tyrolean Hat', from the 1930s.AI summary
Rex 8914 Dance
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- AOoh that kiss
- BI beg your pardom madamoiselle
Billy Cotton was a hugely popular British bandleader and entertainer; this Regal pressing captures his dance-band style on what appear to be novelty or light comic numbers from the 1930s.AI summary
Regal MR715 Dance
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- ARide tenderfoot
- BChange partners
Billy Cotton's dance band, a popular British band, recorded on Rex with "Ride Tenderfoot" and "Change Partners".AI summary
Rex 9422 Dance
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- AShoe shine boy
- BLaughing Irish eyes
Billy Cotton's Band on Regal, the British dance-band broadcaster and bandleader who became famous from the 1940s onwards. This is one of his mid-1930s recordings for Regal, a major British label.AI summary
Regal MR2189 Dance
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- ASome of these days
- BDinak
Billy Cotton and his band recorded 'Some of these days' and 'Dinak' for Regal MR1946, likely late 1930s or 1940s.AI summary
Regal MR1946 Orchestra
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- ASomewhere in France with you
- BDay in day out
Billy Cotton was a hugely popular British bandleader, famous for his radio show from the 1950s onwards. This Rex label side from the 1930s predates his greatest fame. Rex was a budget British label, and Cotton's pre-war sides are less commonly found than his later releases.AI summary
Rex 9696 Dance
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- ASunshine and roses
- BThree little times
Billy Cotton's band on Regal, a British dance and light music ensemble that became famous post-war on BBC radio—'Sunshine and Roses' and 'Three Little Times' are from the Regal catalogue of the 1930s-1940s.AI summary
Regal MR516 Dance
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- ASunshine at midnight
- BEmpty saddles
Billy Cotton was one of Britain's best-known bandleaders; this Regal recording couples 'Sunshine at Midnight' with 'Empty Saddles'.AI summary
Regal MR2168 Dance
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- AThat's my mammy
- B(Selby)I'm sorry Sally
The Billy Cotton band were one of Britain's most popular dance orchestras from the 1930s through to the 1950s; this Curry's Records pressing is from an obscure or short-lived British label, making it scarce.AI summary
Curry's 186 Dance
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- AThe Handsome Territorial
- BWe've come a long way together
The Billy Cotton band, a popular British dance orchestra, recorded these two sides for Rex, a budget label: 'The Handsome Territorial' and 'We've Come a Long Way Together'. Both are patriotic British dance numbers, likely from the Second World War period.AI summary
Rex 9577 Dance
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- AThe Third Tiger
- BSt Louis blues
Billy Cotton's orchestra, a major British dance band, recorded 'St Louis Blues' and 'Third Tiger' for Regal, a budget imprint owned by HMV.AI summary
Regal Zonophone MR1413 Dance
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- AThere's something wrong with the weather
- BWish me luck
Billy Cotton was a leading British bandleader and entertainer, recorded here on Rex for 'There's Something Wrong with the Weather' and 'Wish Me Luck'. The Rex label was a budget imprint.AI summary
Rex 9605 Dance
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- AThirty thirsty sailors
- BDon't ever walk in the shadows
Billy Cotton and his band on Rex Records, a budget label of the 1940s–50s, with 'Thirty Thirsty Sailors' and 'Don't Ever Walk in the Shadows'.AI summary
Rex 10152 Dance
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- ATrade winds
- BBlueberry hill
Billy Cotton's Band recorded 'Trade Winds' and 'Blueberry Hill' for Rex Records 9896. Cotton was a major British bandleader; 'Blueberry Hill' was a popular standard of the 1940s–50s.AI summary
Rex 9896 Dance
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- ATwo cigarettes in the dark
- BI saw stars
Billy Cotton was a British bandleader, entertainer and showman, famous for his 1950s radio show 'Band Wagon'. This earlier Regal side, 'Two cigarettes in the dark' and 'I saw stars', comes from the mid-1930s and represents his work as a working dance-band leader.AI summary
Regal MR1458 Dance
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- AWhen the King goes riding by
- BThe Coronation Waltz
Billy Cotton and his band on Rex Records with 'When the King Goes Riding By' and 'The Coronation Waltz'—likely a topical or patriotic recording from the 1950s, tied to a British royal event.AI summary
Rex 9024 Orchestra
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- AWhen the new moon shines
- BWho made little boy blue
Billy Cotton, one of Britain's most popular bandleaders, recorded 'When the New Moon Shines' and 'Who Made Little Boy Blue' for Regal.AI summary
Regal MR1457 Dance
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- AWho made little boy blue
- BWhen the new moon shines
Billy Cotton and his orchestra recorded "Who Made Little Boy Blue" and "When the New Moon Shines" for Regal in the mid-1930s. Cotton was a prolific and popular British dance-band leader.AI summary
Regal MR1457 Dance
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- AWhy did she fall for the leader of the band
- BBird on the wing
Billy Cotton band on Regal MR2005 from the 1930s. Cotton was a popular British dance bandleader and later television personality.AI summary
Regal MR2005 Dance
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- AWings over the navy
- BLords of the Air
The Billy Cotton band was a prominent British dance and entertainment orchestra of the 1930s-1950s; this Rex record of 'Wings Over the Navy' and 'Lords of the Air' showcases their patriotic or military-themed novelty material.AI summary
Rex 9665 Dance
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- AWishing
- BMy prayer
Billy Cotton Band, British bandleader and radio personality, performing the sentimental ballads 'Wishing' and 'My Prayer' on the budget Rex label, catalogue 9576.AI summary
Rex 9576 Orchestra
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- AWith her head tucked underneath her arm
Billy Cotton and his orchestra, one of the most popular British dance bands, recorded this novelty song for Regal; Cotton became famous for his radio and television variety shows in the 1950s.AI summary
Regal MR1474 Music Hall
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- AYou say the sweetest things baby
- BThe king is still in London
Rex 9943
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- AYou're pretty as a picture
- BMy own
Billy Cotton and his band, a popular British dance orchestra and radio personality, perform 'You're Pretty as a Picture' and 'My Own' on Rex, a cheap British budget label. Cotton was a prolific recording artist and British variety entertainer.AI summary
Rex 9472 Dance
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- AYou're pretty as a picture
- BMy own
Billy Cotton and his band, one of the most popular British dance orchestras of the 1930s–50s, recorded for Rex records. Cotton led the house band at the Ciro Club, London, and was beloved for his comedy and energy; he became a television star after the war.AI summary
Rex 9472 Dance