Share | Visit us on FB |
Scroll down to see a list of all available titles. To view the songs choose required section on the top nav-bar A-G, H-K, L-R or S-Z
THIS COLLECTION of songs is taken from the repertoire of various popular Skiffle bands, and artists such as Lonnie Donegan, Chris Barber, The Vipers, Chas McDevitt, Ken Colyer, Johnny Duncan, Van Morrison, The Quarrymen, and others.
DEFINITION: SKIFFLE was a music genre popular in the UK and having it's origins in the folk revival of the 1950's and 1960's, some commentators place it origins with the African-American musical culture of the 1920's and 30's namely, Jug bands using improvised musical instruments such as the washboard, jugs, tea chest bass, cigar-box fiddle, musical saw, and comb-and-paper kazoos, as well as more conventional instruments, such as acoustic guitar and banjo. The term skiffle was one of many slang phrases for a rent party, a social event with a small charge designed to pay rent on a house. It was first noted in Chicago in the 1920s and may have been brought there as part of the African-American migration to northern industrial cities. The first use of the term on record was in 1925 in the name of Jimmy O'Bryant and his Chicago Skifflers. Most often it was used to describe country blues music records, which included the compilation "Hometown Skiffle" (1929) and "Skiffle Blues" (1946) by Dan Burley & His Skiffle Boys. It was used by Ma Rainey (1886–1939) to describe her repertoire to rural audiences. The term skiffle disappeared from American music in the 1940s. s a style, Skiffle is characterised by often up tempo songs and major chord harmonisation - tendencies also shared with the bluegrass genre.
Skiffle performers took songs from many mainstream and particularly folk music sources and adapted them to suit the skiffle style. Skiffle was truly a music of the people, simple enough to be played by inexperienced amateur musicians but capable of being finessed to high degree by professional musicians. This accessibility inspired many young performers to start musical careers, including many famous names; Van Morrison, Alexis Korner, Mick Jagger, John Renbourn, Roger Daltrey, Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore, and most notably, The Beatles who evolved from John Lennon's skiffle group The Quarrymen.
Most of the songs listed mention artist, vocalist or composer names, however, this should not be taken to mean that they are an accurate version of the piece as performed or composed by the named person. Also the keys and chord sequences chosen may also vary considerably between versions by different artists. Some of these songs are in the public domain or traditional categories, but most are not, and should you wish to use them as a basis of a performance or for any non-personal study purpose you are advised to contact the copyright holders (where available, copyright info has been included with the song). These transcriptions are made by many different individuals from all over the world for their own research and instruction, and as such are liable to great variation in interpretation and opinion. They are being shared on this site for personal educational and study purposes only, please see our copyright page for more info.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Some of the songs have both Lyrics and Chords(suffix CRD) versions, some just lyrics, a few of the songs also have versions from different artists. About two thirds are lyrics with chords marked for playing accompaniment and should be suitable for use with instruments such as Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo or Mandolin etc.
IMPORTANT
Some of the songs, particularly those including tablature, extend to several screens. To avoid slow to load pages only the first page is displayed, in these cases you will need to DOWNLOAD the PDF file to see all the song pages.
Should you need version of the song, for printing (without banners or adverts) an PDF file is available for downloading by the link at the bottom of the song pages..
To view the songs choose required section on top nav-bar e.g. A,B,C etc To search this page in your browser press control and F. Suffix CRD=has chords | |
Im Tore Down Eric Clapton CRD It Makes No Difference Now Ernest Tubb CRD It Takes A Worried Man Trad CRD It Was A Very Good Year Lonnie Donegan CRD I Aint Got No Home In This World Anymore W Guthrie CRD I Gave My Love A Cherry The Riddle Song Sonny James CRD I Heard The Bluebirds Sing The Browns CRD I Know The Lords Laid His Hands On Me Traditional I Saw The Light Trad CRD I Thank My Lucky Stars Eddy Arnold CRD I Want A Little Girl Murray Mencher CRD I Want To Go Home Sloop John B Lonnie Donegan CRD I Was Born Born About 10000 Years Ago CRD Jack Odiamonds Lonnie Donegan CRD Jack Of Diamonds 2 Lonnie Donegan CRD Jamaica Farewell Trad CRD Jesse James Traditional CRD Jig Along Home Woody Guthrie Jimmy Brown The Newsboy Carter A P CRD Jim Dandy Lavern Baker CRD John Henry Bruce Springsteen CRD John Henry Traditional CRD Just Over In The Gloryland Merle Travis CRD Kansas City Fats Domino CRD Kaw Liga Hank Williams CRD Keep On The Sunny Side A P Carter CRD Last Train To San Fernando Johnny Duncan Leave My Woman Alone Ray Charles Lemon Tree Peter Paul And Mary CRD Little Boxes Pete Seeger CRD Little Girl Leadbelly CRD Lonesome Traveller Lonnie Donegan Long Time Gone Tex Ritter CRD Lorelei Leiber Lost John Lonnie Donegan Louisiana Man Buck Owens CRD Love Is Strange Lonnie Donegan Lumbered Lonnie Donegan Maggie May The Vipers Market Song Tit Bits Lonnie Donegan Michael Row The Boat Ashore Traditional CRD Midnight Special Leadbelly CRD Midnight Special Traditional CRD More And More Van Morrison CRD Moving On Muleskinner Blues Mule Skinner Blues Lonnie Donegan CRD My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean Wally Whyton CRD My Dixie Darling A P Carter CRD My Lagan Love Lonnie Donegan CRD My Little Baby Lonnie Donegan My Lucky Love Marty Wilde My Old Man’s A Dustman Lonnie Donegan CRD New Orleans House Of The Rising Sun Lonnie Donegan CRD Nobodys Child Cy Coben Mel Foree CRD Nobodys Child Nobodys Child 1 Mel Foree Cy Coben CRD Nobody Knows The Trouble Ive Seen Trad Nobody Loves Like An Irishman Lonnie Donegan CRD No Other Baby Bishop Watson CRD Oh Mary Dont You Weep B Springsteen CRD Old Riley Trad CRD On A Monday Lead Belly CRD Outskirts Of Town Van Morrison Over The Rainbow Judy Garland CRD Pay Me My Money Down Pete Seeger CRD Pick A Bale Of Cotton Leadbelly CRD |
Pick A Bale Of Cotton |
And some more specialised items
1940s Top Songs, 200+ songs popular during world-war 2, from Vera Lynn, George Formby, Gracie Fields, Glen Miller, the Andrews Sisters etc WW1 Songs, 190 Lyrics for songs from the World War One(WW1) Era(c1900-1925), also with PDF GEORGE FORMBY SONG BOOK,190 songs some with chords and MP3 of original audio recordings, inc PDF NOVELTY SONGS, 300 song lyrics, of popular comedy, parody and one-hit-wonders, with PDF PROTEST SONGS, 380 songs about anti-war, civil-rights, injustice, racism, social exclusion etc. lyrics & chords with pdf THE SKIFFLE SONG BOOK,200+ greats from Lonnie Donegan,The Vipers,Chris Barber, Chas Mcdevitt and other Jug and Skiffle bands