Freight Train - Chas McDavitt - Nancy Whisky

Nancy Whiskey
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Nancy Whiskey (b Anne Alexandra Young Wilson, Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland, 4 March 1935 -- d 1 February 2003) was a Scottish folk singer, best known for the 1957 hit song "Freight Train".

While attending art school in Glasgow, Anne Wilson performed on the local folk club circuit where she met fellow singer and guitarist Jimmie MacGregor who introduced her to blues and hillbilly music. She took her stage name from a folk song which had a chorus of "Whiskey, whiskey, Nancy, whiskey".

She was signed to Topic Records and moved to London in 1955. Although reluctant to surrender her reputation as a solo performer, she was persuaded to join the Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group to record Elizabeth Cotten's song "Freight Train". The record made the UK top five in 1957, and she also toured the USA with McDevitt's group.

After a second, smaller hit, "Greenback Dollar", Whiskey left the group to resume a solo career and marry musician Bob Kelly, who became a member of her backing group, the Teetotallers. By the 1970s, she had largely retired from music.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• skiffle
• donegan
• jazz
• nancy
• whisky

[rosiesgirl50]

Hi, Chas Mcdevit is my godfather and Shirley my cousin. I've fond memories as a young child of my mother Rosie taking me to work with her and my Aunty Lily, Shirley's mother, in Chas' coffee bar in Berwick Street, Soho, appropriately called "Freight Train." I met a varity of colourful characters from little Cathy to Prince Monolulu, in between the late Long John Baldry, a regular customer and player on the pinball machine. I've always loved this song and the happy memories it evokes for me

[maolchalium]

I used to bump into Ras Prince Monolulu at times " I've gotta horse" was his call. A great character.

[toronstganymede]

.....hi maolchalium ! ( that's celtiberian for die walpurgistnacht ? ) ... my internet hypnotherapist/regressionist just phased me back ( i put it on my new "The Sun" cash card ) ... Sabrina ... Jean -on Berwick St ... flying RB66 bombers ... raf station brize norton ... paddington station ... the allnighters - wardour st ... lovelies at 0430 ... douglas house ... union jack ... the cobra ... does any of this register ? lmkwythink.....

[maolchalium]

Not a lot. Wardour st. yes. 'Snows' in Piccadily. And something about Sabrina seems to poke at my sub-conscious. Wasn't she very tall or something :-) VV.

Hello Playmates.

[toronstganymede]

really a classic ! can anyone tellme what "skiffle" is ? was tommy steele skiffle ? .....

[maolchalium]

A while back I stuck a recording of a short radio talk on skiffle on youtube that might help. If you search youtube with "The History of Skiffle" you might find it or you'll find it on this channel somewhere.

[Edward245100]

This is the best version of this song ever. It is classic! Brava Nancy Whisky!

[26highstreet]

crikey, half a century ago i bought this record from a record shop in a road that doesnt exist anymore and ive come across it on youtube.

[vangelovan]

I got to play washboard with Chas one night when he was short. Great memories.

[northlad5]

Oh and at 45 I'm not that ancient!

[northlad5]

I grew uo in this and have the 7 inch single, thats vinyl to the youth of today!

Love it!

[harald131000]

Et godt gammelt nr.Fin video

[vlissingse]

Already loved this song at a time when I did not even know what a 'Freighttrain" was, but got the "going so fast" part :) Very, very popular in my teen-age days in the Netherlands- early sixties...we mostly liked the tune, rhythm and guitars...

Thanks for a great posting that brings back fond memories!

[dodiemuehleisen50]

Great distraction and great vide0!! thank u downloadmusic .im

[mikeham1]

@mikeham1

I've found the song it's called "Face in the rain"

[mikeham1]

Hi this brings back a lot of memories. I heard a track from Nancy on an EP but can't seem to trace it. it was a haunting melody, and no-one that I have asked on the net can tell me what it is. I met Chas when he featured on the old BBC "Easybeat" but by that time he had Shirley Douglas with him. There were some gret skiffle bands and i was a great time.

best wishes,

mike

[gitakg]

hi, i love this song. It was one of the first songs in english, I listened to. I remember my aunt had the record and played it on a small recordplayer with a build in speaker, haha. Is it possible to get the lyrics and the chords?

[boardey]

Good tune and so is the railway