Alma Cogan, The Girl With A Giggle In Her Voice

ROBERT M. · Post by **ROBERT M.** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:43 pm

I was wishing it was ME

DutchDean · Post by **DutchDean** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:52 pm

Part one: Of my discography of Alma's backcatalogue has been added to the website today.

www.almacogan.com

More will be added soon, this part deals with the tracks recorded between 1950 and 1955 for HMV UK (Later part of Parlophone/Columbia/EMI) and issued mainly on 78rpm singles.

ROBERT M. · Post by **ROBERT M.** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:11 pm

Now, that's a lot of singles Dean

DutchDean · Post by **DutchDean** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:33 pm

Yes and in just four years, as nothing was released until 1952.
Alma actually only made four complete LP's the rest of her releases were all singles. This was the normal pattern of course up until the mid 1950's and the popularity of the LP. Infact I believe in 1956, with Capitol records releasing Frank SInatra albums on a 10" album with 8 tracks and later a 12" album on 33.3rpm with 10 to 12 tracks. RCA actually invented the vinyl LP as early as 1930 but WWII halted the grow of this market, the real introduction of the classic 12" LP was by Columbia Records in 1948, but it took several years for the record buying public to catch up with this format.
Of course Matt Monro also released many tracks not issued on any original album, and many B-sides that have never been re-issued.

michduncg · Post by **michduncg** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:41 pm

Hi Dean, and greetings from sunny Hants

By sheer fluke, I stumbled across Alma's recording of 'More' last night on i-tunes! I see what you mean by her later stuff (although not sure what year this version dates from - haven't checked yet). There is clearly 'more' to Alma (if you'll pardon the pun!) than her slightly twee, tongue in cheek 50s stuff (not that she didn't sound fantastic on those too!). On more she actually growls and purrs her way throught the lyrics. I will have to look further into her later stuff!

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:16 pm

We have received and watched the DVD "The Fabulous Story of Alma Cogan" and what a great result from "Odeon Entertainment " in the remastering of previously unreleased footage that brought back to us, more memories of how big a star Alma was, and how she lit up our screens with her great personality, her fabulous gowns, her love life, including famous stars who attended her parties, added to this a line up of- who's who in showbusiness do you recognise ? Comments and compliments from well known celebrities throughout and another highlight for us "The British Dance Band " music. There is also a booklet to compliment this DVD, so we recommend you go out and buy it. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

john · Post by **john** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 3:00 pm

I TOO HAVE GOT A COPY OF THE NEW ALMA COGAN DVD THIS MORNING, HAVE NOT WATCHED IT AS YET, BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

DutchDean · Post by **DutchDean** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 11:23 pm

Have ordered it but it still has not arrived. There are reports that the BBC are doing a docu on her life later in the year.

Mark Fox · Post by **Mark Fox** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 12:42 pm

Watch out for LEGENDS with Alma-I think BBC THREE or FOUR TV-check the TV listings!

Mark Fox · Post by **Mark Fox** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 5:16 pm

I think it's on Friday-next week,Petula Clark.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 1:09 pm

Just watched the "Alma Cogan " tribute from last nights tv---what a brilliant programme--pure nostalgia all the way. I had forgotten about all those songs she sang--but they came back to me immediately.

But just a sad and tragic end to her story.!

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 3:15 pm

Marian, we didn't realise it was on last night, and was just waiting to watch it this Sunday on BBC4.
From what we have read about the programme it must be the DVD that we purchased recently, but as you say a brilliant programme.
We have a video that we taped from the tv some time ago of Alma's life, of her illness and her passing that's so sad.

ROBERT M. · Post by **ROBERT M.** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 5:46 pm

Does anyone remember the terrible illness the athlete Lillian Board went through all those years back. She was a star British athlete, when I was a young lad and she became a household name at the time. But like Alma Cogan, Lillian Board also had the same terrible illness. I remember seeing Lillian being filmed from her hospital bedside on the TV news, she looked absolutely terrible. I was very upset, and that image of Lillian Board has stayed with me for all these years

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 5:50 pm

Hi Robert--yes I do remember Lilian Board very well--and her brave fight against an awful illness. However, I seem to recollect that Lilian Board had Crohns Disease. And although I had always understood that Alma Cogan died from Leukeamia--in the programme it mentioned Ovarian Cancer.

Whichever way, they were 2 tragedies to 2 very differently talented ladies.

ROBERT M. · Post by **ROBERT M.** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 6:20 pm

Just read this BBC news page on Lillian, so tragic. She was only 22.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/date ... 542813.stm (she passed away on Boxing Day 1970 of a virulent form of Bowel cancer) after many complications.