Val Doonican

  • Real Name: Michael Valentine Doonican
  • Birth Date: February 3rd 1928
  • Birth Place: Waterford, Ireland
  • Val Doonican's chart career began as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were reaching their peaks- proving, despite the nonsense claimed in some books about the music of the 1960s, that there was room in the music of the day for everything. Val had started his musical career in Ireland being an accomplished player of the banjo, guitar and mandolin. His personality, as well as his music, helped him soon become established when he made the move to England during the early 1950s. His big break came in 1963 from an appearance on ITV's 'Sunday Night At The London Palladium', following which he got his own TV series.

    His relaxed, good humoured, gentle style made him extremely popular with British audiences. His TV shows were evidence that Val owed a lot to American performer Perry Como- complete with knitted sweaters and rocking chairs. Although Val had many novelty songs- usually based on his own brand of Irish humour- 'Delaney's Donkey', 'O'Rafferty's Motor Car' etc, it was his gentle ballads that usually gained greatest chart success. These numbers became a staple part of his TV show which in turn became an accepted part of British life just as much as the 'Morecambe & Wise Show'.

    Val Doonican's enviable chart career came to an end during the 1970s but the TV show continued, retaining its popularity, until Val decided to take a less active show business life.

     

    The EP on the left "The Green Shades Of Val Doonican" (DFE8608) was a huge seller throughout 1965 and carried material that was all Irish in origin.

    The record's sleeve notes tell of Val's start as a professional in Ireland as part of a rhythm quartet playing for a hotel audience. This eventually led to his own show on Radio Eireann and thence his move to London in 1953.

    1950s & 1960s 45rpm UK Discography

    • This list includes UK 45 singles releases only
    • See list below for EP releases
    • Collector's Items are shown In Red

    Decca F11584 1963 Blue Blue Day/ I Still Love You  
    Decca F11660 1963 Kaw Liga/ I Told A Brook  
    Decca F11982 1964 Walk Tall/ Only The Heartaches #3 
    Decca F12042 1964 Delaney's Donkey/ Paddy McGinty's Goat  
    Decca F12049 1964 The Special Years/ Travelling Home #7
    Decca F12118 1965 I'm Gonna Get There Somehow/ Where Can I Find Her #25
    Decca F12242 1965 Million Miles From Nowhere/ Much Too Much  
    Decca F12294 1965 Just To Satisfy You/ Happy Just Like You  
    Decca F12358 1966 Elusive Butterfly/ That's How Much I Love You #5
    Decca F12505 1966 What Would I Be/ Gentle Mary #2
    Decca F12566 1967 Memories Are Made Of This/ I Was Born Ten Thousand Years Ago #11
    Decca F12608 1967 Two Streets/ It Must Be You #39
    Pye 7N17396 1967 If The Whole World Stopped Lovin'/ I'd Rather Think Of You #3
    Pye 7N17465 1968 You're The Only One/ Thunderclouds #37
    Pye 7N17534 1968 Now/ The Sun Always Shines #43
    Pye 7N17616 1968 If I Knew What I Know Now/ A Little Bit Of You #14
    Pye 7N17713 1969 Ring Of Bright Water/ New Dreams For Old #48
    Pye 7N17777 1969 Don't Cry My Angelina/ Times  
    Pye 7N17842 1969 Love Of A Gentle Woman/ Sunday Best  

    EP Discography

    • Collector's Items are shown In Red
    • See Upper List For Singles releases

    Decca DFE8587 1964 "Val Doonican"  
    Blue Blue Day/Kaw Liga/I Told A Brook/I Still Love You
    Decca DFE8608 1965 "The Green Shades Of Val Doonican" #1
    Paddy McGinty's Goat/Whistle Daughter Whistle/Delaney's Donkey/The Agricultural Irish Girl
    DECCA DFE8656 1966 "Doonican's Irish Stew" #4
    O'Rafferty's Motor Car/ The Devil And The Bailiff/I Was Born Ten Thousand Years Ago/Makin' The Charts
    Pye NEP24295 1968 "Mixed Bag Of Doonican"  
    O'Rafferty's Private Eye/Forty Coats/As Long As There Is You/Ten Girls Ago


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