We have a very extensive repertoire covering most well-known Sixties plus a selection of Fifties artists. So far we’ve performed a total of 160 different numbers by 71 artists to live audiences. The list continues to grow; we make a point of asking for requests when we take bookings and we enjoy playing so much that we have regular weeks of daily practice in our constant search for new inspiration.
To give you an impression of the diversity and size of our repertoire and our thinking behind the arrangements, here is an alphabetical list with notes of our 100 most performed numbers:
– Albatross (Fleetwood Mac 1968) : in this wonderful Peter Green instrumental we use the dobro to play the famous double guitar solo (see YouTube video)
– All Shook Up (Elvis Presley 1957) : a guitar part with an acoustic feel, vocal harmonies in the verses, together with a driving bass and tight percussion make this a popular number with our audiences (see YouTube video)
– All You Need Is Love (The Beatles 1967) : using the bass to play the Marseillaise intro and the harmonica to play the guitar solo, this rhythmically interesting number just about sums up the mood of the late Sixties
– And I Love Her (The Beatles 1964) : a memorable early Beatles tune where we use the bass to play the typical Harrison guitar solo
– Apache (The Shadows 1960) : probably our most popular guitar instrumental, performed with two acoustic guitars of course plus some solid foot percussion (see YouTube video)
– April Come She Will (Simon & Garfunkel 1966): first recorded as a vocal solo by Simon and also performed live by Garfunkel, we’ve added some harmony to our version, as well as a mandolin accompaniment to give it some double string shimmer
– Around And Around (Chuck Berry 1958) : probably more famous in its 1964 Rolling Stones version, we use two guitars in this rocker so we can get the classic Berry licks and solos
– As Tears Go By (The Rolling Stones 1964) : one of our more recent additions, with a mandolin accompaniment and touches of vocal harmony added to give this beautiful song our own feel
– Baby It’s You (The Beatles 1963) : originally by The Shirelles in 1961 and covered by The Beatles on their first album, we love the vibe of this number, where we’ve added some touches of vocal harmony, with the bass taking the melody guitar solo (see YouTube video)
– Black Slacks (Joe Bennett & The Sparkletones 1957) : an uptempo two-part vocal harmony rock & roll classic that goes down well on the dance floor
– Blue Suede Shoes (Elvis Presley 1956) : we stick closer to the Carl Perkins original in our version, with a walking bass and the harmonica taking the guitar solos
– Blueberry Hill (Fats Domino 1956) : in this timeless classic the bass takes the piano left hand and the harmonica takes the saxophone fills in the bridge
– Bus Stop (The Hollies 1966) : performed many times in different incarnations, where we’ve finally settled on a nice percussive version where the ukulele plays the signature intro and tune
– Cecilia (Simon & Garfunkel 1970) : our version follows the classic vocal harmonies, but adds harmonica and ukulele to the theme tune (see YouTube video)
– Come Together (The Beatles 1969) : one of our more recent additions which seems to fit in well with the current mood of the times, featuring our rendition of the classic McCartney bass part and a harmonica solo taking the guitar/keyboard part
– Dance On (The Shadows 1962) : another instrumental classic performed with two acoustic guitars and some solid foot percussion
– Daydream (The Lovin’ Spoonful 1966) : one of our favourite numbers which finds its way onto just about every playlist; we’ve added a touch of vocal harmony and arranged it for the ukulele (see YouTube video)
– Dedicated Follower Of Fashion (The Kinks 1966) : we’re great admirers of Ray Davies’ songwriting skills and we’ve arranged this one with some harmonica and a bass solo (see YouTube video)
– Dock Of The Bay (Otis Redding 1968) : inspired by Tommy Emmanuel and JD Simo’s rendition, we use the dobro to accompany this one, with vocal harmony and a dobro whistle tune outro providing our own touch (see YouTube video)
– Don’t Be Cruel (Elvis Presley 1956) : with a walking bass and the backing vocals beefed-up a bit with a harmoniser, we try to provide a touch of authenticity to this Elvis classic
– Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right (Bob Dylan 1963) : another one of our big favourites to perform, with vocal harmonies and the mandolin to give this number a folky and bouncy feel (see YouTube video)
– Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby (Carl Perkins 1957, The Beatles 1964) : we’ve given this number a bluegrass feel by adding a mandolin accompaniment and solo, harmonica and some tight vocal harmonies (see YouTube video)
– FBI (The Shadows 1961) : an entertaining and highly recognisable guitar instrumental performed on two acoustic guitars and some driving percussion
– Feelin’ Groovy (Simon & Garfunkel 1966) : we play this early S&G hit with the ukulele to give it that folky and uncomplicated feel
– Ferry ‘Cross The Mersey (Gerry & The Pacemakers 1964) : a nice relaxing and haunting tune with the harmonica playing the iconic theme and the bass following the original closely
– Foot Tapper (The Shadows 1963) : another catchy Shadows number one, which endured for 34 years as the closing theme for the BBC Sounds of the 60s radio programme (see YouTube video)
– Girl (The Beatles 1965) : we’ve arranged this gorgeous tune for the mandolin and love trying to get as close as we can to the feel of the Beatles harmonies (see YouTube video)
– Groovin’ (The Rascals 1967) : we use the ukulele and the harmonica to capture the haunting melodies that form the basis for this song
– Guitar Boogie (Arthur Smith 1945) : in this instrumental we use elements from the many versions that exist to make our own acoustic version of this energetic classic
– Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen 1984) : our version leans more towards the 1994 Jeff Buckley recording, but adds the mandolin, a harmonica solo and some harmony singing to make it our own
– Happy Together (The Turtles 1967) : in this indeed cheerful tune we use the ukulele and a touch of harmony vocals to give it our acoustic duo feel
– Hello Mary Lou (Ricky Nelson 1961) : a proper singalong this one, where we use the ukulele and the classic chorus harmony to give it bounce and authenticity (see YouTube video)
– Here Comes The Sun (The Beatles 1969) : always appropriate to play during sunny outdoor gigs, we’ve replaced the original 12-string guitar part with a mandolin arrangement (see YouTube video)
– Hey Baby (Bruce Channel 1962) : one of our most popular numbers, with the harmonica playing the signature tune and a driving bass part and backing vocals in the bridge (see YouTube video)
– Honey Don’t (The Beatles 1964, Carl Perkins 1956) : a popular set starter with the bass and the harmonica taking the part of the guitar solo (see YouTube video)
– Honky Tonk Women (The Rolling Stones 1969) : relatively new on our set list, we’ve arranged this singalong classic for the dobro as we think the twangy nature of its sound suits this number well
– I Could Easily Fall (Cliff Richard 1964) : another one of our uke arrangements with a few spots of vocal harmony to help recreate the optimistic feel of the day
– I’ll Be Back (The Beatles 1964) : we love the classic Beatles harmonies in this number and feel it suits the acoustic guitar, bass and foot percussion that we have at our disposal
– I’m A Believer (The Monkees 1966) : in this catchy tune the harmonica takes the part of the organ and the bass takes the organ solo (see YouTube video)
– In My Life (The Beatles 1965) : we’ve arranged this one for the mandolin as we feel it suits the signature riff and George Martin baroque style solo
– It Doesn’t Matter Anymore (Buddy Holly 1958) : the ukulele takes a mix of the guitar and plucked strings part that form the accompaniment to the original
– It’s All Over Now (The Rolling Stones 1964) : a powerful Stones classic performed with guitar, bass and harmonica
– Johnny Guitar (The Spotnicks 1964) : this instrumental version of a 1954 Peggy Lee song was a hit for Swedish guitar group The Spotnicks who performed it dressed in space outfits, a gimmick we prefer to leave out
– Lazy Sunday (The Small Faces 1968) : our interpretation of this number uses the dobro to take the funky sounding keyboard part
– Leaving On A Jet Plane (Peter, Paul and Mary 1967) : this John Denver composition was a No. 1 hit for Peter, Paul and Mary and we’ve used their wonderful harmonies as the basis for our bass and guitar arrangement
– Let It Bleed (The Rolling Stones 1969) : the dobro plays a crucial role in our version of this number from the December 1969 album of the same name, with harmony vocals and a harmonica solo completing the picture
– Let’s Twist Again (Chubby Checker 1961) : we tend to play this classic as a dance floor request number
– Little Red Rooster (Howlin’ Wolf 1961, Rolling Stones 1964) : a popular classic blues standard using the dobro and the harmonica, which finds its way onto practically every set list (see YouTube video)
– Living Doll (Cliff Richard 1959) : the guitar and percussion are complemented by the ukulele to play the guitar solo and create a catchy accompaniment (see YouTube video)
– Love In Vain (Robert Johnson 1936, Rolling Stones 1969) : our interpretation of this blues classic uses the mandolin to provide a fresh accompaniment and play one of the solos, the other taken by the harmonica
– Love Is All Around (The Troggs 1968) : another mandolin number, with a couple of harmony verses inspired by Wet Wet Wet’s version to provide variety and interest
– Lucille (The Everly Brothers 1957) : a great rock & roller with its haunting harmonies, driving bass run and harmonica solo
– Man Of Mystery (The Shadows 1960) : another fantastic mid-tempo Shadows tune supported by some great chord progressions
– Marrakesh Express (Crosby, Stills & Nash 1969) : we use the ukulele to recreate the bounce and groove of this tune from a more relaxed era
– Memphis Tennessee (Chuck Berry 1959) : another rock & roll classic which we perform as a vocal harmony with two guitars so we can get the licks and solos in
– Mother’s Little Helper (The Rolling Stones 1966) : in our version the dobro plays the riff originally performed by Brian Jones on a 12-string slide guitar
– Mr. Tambourine Man (Bob Dylan, The Byrds 1965) : our version leans more towards the Byrds interpretation, with the vocal harmonies in the chorus and the mandolin taking the part of the signature 12-string guitar
– Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel 1968) : for this classic we stick as closely as we can to the original vocal harmonies, whilst giving the acoustic bass a more dominant and melodic role (see YouTube video)
– My Girl (Otis Redding, Temptations 1964, Rolling Stones 1967) : our version is a mix of influences from all these famous recordings, with the bass playing the signature guitar riff and a spot of vocal harmony completing the picture
– Need Your Love So Bad (Fleetwood Mac 1968) : a blues original from the fifties, we use Peter Green’s unforgettable version as the basis for our rendition, where the dobro takes the signature solo
– Nine Times Out Of Ten (Cliff Richard 1960) : we’ve turned this Cliff rocker into a vocal harmony mover and shaker, complete with punchy bass line and ditto percussion
– No Reply (The Beatles 1964) : such an enjoyable number to play with the bass riding its catchy shuffle rhythm, together with the typical Beatles chord structure and harmonies
– Norwegian Wood (The Beatles 1965) : we use the dobro to play the part of the Harrison sitar in this John Lennon composition
– Not Fade Away (Buddy Holly 1957, Rolling Stones 1964) : in our version of this classic Nigel gets to play two harmonicas, which makes this the only number where he has no hands free to play another string instrument at the same time
– Off The Hook (The Rolling Stones 1964) : in our version the dobro plays the punchy guitar riff at the root of the song, with a spot of vocal harmony and a harmonica solo completing the palette
– Old Friends / Bookends (Simon & Garfunkel 1968) : although not performed very often due to its lack of percussion, we do love this song, as apart from its beautiful harmonies it is personally meaningful to us, having been friends and fellow musicians now for 38+ years
– One After 909 (The Beatles 1969) : a very early John Lennon song from 1957, this number first reached the wider public during the 1969 rooftop concert; our version is often used as a gigstarter and follows the original quite closely, with the addition of the harmonica taking the part of the guitar solo and a different bass line in the bridge (see YouTube video)
– Out Of Time (The Rolling Stones 1966) : in this classic that was also a number one hit for Chris Farlowe in the same year, the bass takes the part of the marimba that was played by Brian Jones on the original recording (see YouTube video)
– Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones 1966) : this one is played at virtually every gig due to its popularity and instantly recognisable signature riff, which we perform with the dobro (see YouTube video)
– Peggy Sue (Buddy Holly 1957) : in a move away from the heavy drum roll, for which we lack the required number of hands and drums, we’ve put the ukulele up front to emphasise the signature rapid chord moves
– Penny Lane (The Beatles 1967) : we love this tune with its haunting melody and its signature McCartney bass line, and we’ve added a vocal intermezzo where the trumpet solo would have been
– Revolution (The Beatles 1968) : in this unusually heavy Beatles number we use the dobro to play the guitar part minus the distortion
– Ruby Tuesday (The Rolling Stones 1967) : described by Mick Jagger as ‘a wonderful song’, we capture the baroque style of this unique Brian Jones/Keith Richards composition with the mandolin playing both the accompaniment and the Brian Jones recorder fills
– Running On Faith (Eric Clapton 1988) : even though this number is out of era, it still sounds like it should be from the Sixties, and Clapton sets such a fine example of how to play the dobro in open G that we had to include it in our repertoire
– She’s Not You (Elvis Presley 1962) : performed with two guitars to allow for the signature guitar solo, this early Presley easy listening classic is popular with our audiences
– Shindig (The Shadows 1963) : seldom missing from our set list, this instrumental has been on our repertoire for as long as we can remember (see YouTube video)
– Sleepwalk (Santo & Johnny 1959, The Shadows 1961) : a lovely slow instrumental which puts in an appearance on appropriate occasions; our rendition features two acoustic guitars and a melody that’s a cross between the different versions
– Stand By Me (Ben E. King / The Drifters 1961) : probably the most recognisable bass intro of all starts off this soulful classic with gospel roots, and the theme continues with two haunting harmonica solos
– Summertime Blues (Eddie Cochran 1958) : a driving and instantly recognisable fifties rock & roller that used to be a staple on our electric repertoire
– Sunny Afternoon (The Kinks 1966) : another Ray Davies number that we absolutely love playing with its signature run-down riff, taken by the bass in our version (see YouTube video)
– That’ll Be The Day (Buddy Holly 1957) : in this wonderful classic by the late great Buddy Holly, we have the ukulele share the accompaniment and perform the intro, outro and solo (see YouTube video)
– The Mighty Quinn (Bob Dylan 1967, Manfred Mann 1968) : another one where we felt the ukulele would fit, as does a harmonica to play the riffs in between the verses
– The Wanderer (Dion & The Belmonts 1962) : a number famously covered by Status Quo in 1984, we stick closer to the original with its doo-wop backing vocals, but have the dobro replacing the guitar and the harmonica taking the solo
– The Young Ones (Cliff Richard 1962) : we use two guitars to perform this one, so we can get the Hank Marvin solo and licks that form an integral part of this song
– Those Were The Days (Mary Hopkin 1968) : originally a Russian folk song by Boris Fomin who was never able to enjoy its global success, we use the mandolin to bring back the original balalaika feel in this very popular tune (see YouTube video)
– To Know Her Is To Love Her (The Teddy Bears 1958) : originally recorded as ‘Love Him’, retitled by The Beatles as ‘Love Her’ and by Peter & Gordon as ‘Love You’, we use the Beatles lyrics and parts of the Peter & Gordon harmony to create our own version with guitar and bass accompanying
– Travellin’ Light (Cliff Richard 1959) : another one where we use two guitars to make it possible to play the very tasteful Hank Marvin solo that he performed in one of their live versions
– Twenty Flight Rock (Eddie Cochran 1956) : this energetic rock & roll classic always goes down well with the dance floor audience, as does the story that it was this song that got Paul McCartney into The Beatles; in our version the bass plays the guitar riff and the harmonica takes the solo, with a spot of harmony in the chorus (see YouTube video)
– Under My Thumb (The Rolling Stones 1966) : with the bass taking the part of the marimba played by Brian Jones in the original and the harmonica providing various fills, our version of this innovative Stones classic always goes down well with our audiences, as can be heard on the recording
– Uptown (Roy Orbison 1960) : with the harmonica, backing vocal replies and a bluesy bass line we considered this number worthy of recording in our recent studio session (see YouTube video)
– Wake Up Little Susie (The Everly Brothers 1957) : instantly recognisable as one of the greatest Everly hits, our bass, guitar and harmony vocal rendition follows the original pretty closely
– Walk Don’t Run (The Ventures 1960) : our popular acoustic version of this hit by the American guitar group features two acoustic guitars and some energetic percussion (see YouTube video)
– Walkin’ Blues (Robert Johnson 1936, Eric Clapton 1992) : another classic blues for the dobro that we thoroughly enjoy playing live on stage
– Waterloo Sunset (The Kinks 1967) : listening to this song instantly transports you to Waterloo station on the banks of the Thames; we use the bass to play the signature guitar riff in the intro and the outro (see YouTube video)
– When I’m Sixty-Four (The Beatles 1967) : a great singalong this one, where we use the bass to play the clarinet parts in the intro, outro and fills
– When The Girl In Your Arms (Cliff Richard 1961) : one of the few slow waltz rhythms in our repertoire, and performed just for that purpose when it is called for, with a little ukulele part to give it our acoustic flavour
– When Will I Be Loved (The Everly Brothers 1960) : starting off as it means to go on with the bass and the harmonica playing the intro riff, this lovely little harmony number moves with energy and conviction (see YouTube video)
– While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Beatles 1968) : we’ve turned this one into a ukulele instrumental, inspired by Jake Shimabukuro’s YouTube hit version
– Wild Horses (The Rolling Stones 1971) : just edging into the seventies, we feel the atmosphere of this song works well with our dobro arrangement and provides some variety from the many uptempo numbers we play
– With A Little Help From My Friends (The Beatles 1967) : another one that seems to fit the mood of the times, we try to keep it authentic with McCartney’s great bass line and a touch of harmony
– Wonderful Land (The Shadows 1962) : a great melody and interesting chord changes form the basis for this guitar instrumental, which was No. 1 in the charts for 8 weeks at the time
– You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away (The Beatles 1965) : an attempt by John Lennon to write a song in Dylan style, we perform this one with the mandolin to give it the folky feel it deserves
In addition to this considerable list, there are still some 40 numbers performed that were one-off requests or only occasionally played for themed performances, plus another 13 Christmas numbers that only get an airing during the appropriate season (we have recordings of Blue Christmas, Merry Christmas Everyone and Rockin’ This Christmas).
Thanks for taking a look, we hope you enjoyed listening as well!