Don Lang (born Gordon Langhorn; 19 January 1925 – 3 August 1992) was an English trombonist and singer who led Don Lang and his Frantic Five.[1]

Biography edit

Lang was born in Halifax, England, on 19 January 1925.[2] He and his band appeared on Six-Five Special, the first BBC Television show for teenagers, from 1957.[2] In 1958, his cover version of "Witch Doctor" reached the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart.[3] Lang played trombone on the song "Revolution 1" on the Beatles' 'White Album'.[4] Lang retired in the late 1980s.[4] He died of cancer in London on 3 August 1992, aged 67.[2][4]

Discography edit

Albums edit

  • The Complete '50s Singles – 2012 (Peaksoft) (includes HMV POP714 from 1960)

Singles edit

Don Lang

  • HMV POP115: "Cloudburst"/"Seventeen" (1955) – UK No. 16[3]
  • HMV POP150: "Four Brothers"/"I Want You to Be My Baby" (1956)
  • HMV POP178: "Rock Around the Island"/"Jumpin' to Conclusions" (1956)
  • HMV POP224: "Rock and Roll Blues"/"Stop the World I Wanna Get Off" (1956)
  • HMV POP260: "Sweet Sue – Just You"/"Lazy Latin" (1956)

Don Lang and his Frantic Five

  • Electrola HMV 45-EG 8775: "Red Sputnik Rock (Red Planet Rock)"/"Texas Tambourine" (1956)
  • HMV POP289: "Rock Around the Cookhouse"/"Rock Mister Piper"
  • HMV POP335: "Rock-a-Billy"/"Come Go with Me"
  • HMV POP350: "School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes the Bell)" (1956) – UK No. 26[3]/"Six Five Special"
  • HMV POP382: "White Silver Sands"/"Again 'N' Again 'N' Again" (1957)
  • HMV POP414: "Red Planet Rock"/"Texas Tambourine" (1957)
  • HMV 7EG 8208: "The Big Beat"/"Rock, Rock, Rock"/"Baby Baby"/"Rock Pretty Baby" (1957)
  • HMV POP465: "Tequila"/"Junior Hand Jive" (1957)
  • HMV POP488: "Witch Doctor" (1958) – UK No. 5[3]/"Cool Baby Cool"
  • HMV POP510: "The Bird on My Head"/"Hey Daddy" (1958)
  • HMV POP547: "Queen of the Hop"/"La-Do-Da-Da" (1958)
  • HMV POP585: "Wiggle Wiggle"/Teasin'" (1959)
  • HMV POP623: "Percy Green"/Phineas McCoy" (1959)
  • HMV POP649: "A Hoot and a Holler"/"See You Friday" (1959)
  • HMV POP682: "Reveille Rock"/"Frankie and Johnny" (1959)
  • HMV POP714: "Sink the Bismarck"/"They Call Him Cliff" (1960) – UK No. 43[3][5]
  • HMV POP805: "Time Machine"/"Don't Open That Door"

References edit

  1. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Fifties Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 197. ISBN 0-85112-732-0.
  2. ^ a b c Danter, John (24 August 1992). "Obituary: Don Lang". Independent.
  3. ^ a b c d e Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records. p. 312. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^ a b c Eder, Bruce. "Don Lang". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  5. ^ [1] Archived April 29, 2005, at the Wayback Machine

External links edit