Don Lang (musician) explained

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

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. 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. He died of cancer in London on 3 August 1992, aged 67.

Discography

Albums

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

Singles

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"

External links

• Mini biography at 45-rpm.org.uk

Notes and References

1. Book: The Guinness Who's Who of Fifties Music. Colin Larkin. Guinness Publishing. 1993. First. 0-85112-732-0. 197.
2. News: Danter . John . 24 August 1992 . Obituary: Don Lang . Independent .
3. Book: Roberts, David. 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records. London. 1-904994-10-5. 312.
4. Web site: Eder . Bruce . Don Lang . . 28 November 2018.
5. http://www.chartwatch.co.uk/TopTen/acts/act02339.htm