William Edward "Billy" Cotton (6 May 1899 – 25 March 1969) was an English band leader and entertainer, one of the few whose orchestras survived the British dance band era. Cotton is now mainly remembered as a 1950s and 1960s radio and television personality, but his musical career had begun in the 1920s. In his younger years Billy Cotton was also an amateur footballer for Brentford F.C. (and later, for the then Athenian league club Wimbledon F.C.), an accomplished racing driver and the owner of a Gipsy Moth, which he piloted himself. His autobiography, "I Did It My Way", was published in 1970, a year after his death.
Life and career
Born in Smith Square, London, to Joseph and Susan Cotton, Cotton was a choirboy and started his musical career as a drummer. He enlisted in the Royal Fusiliers by falsifying his age and saw service in World War I in Malta and Egypt, before landing at Gallipoli in the middle of an artillery barrage. He was recommended for a commission and learned to fly Bristol Fighter aircraft. He flew solo for the first time in 1918, on the day the Royal Flying Corps became the Royal Air Force. He was not yet 19 years old. In the early 1920s, he worked at several jobs, including as a bus driver, before setting up his own orchestra, the London Savannah Band, in 1924.
"Away in a Manger" is a Christmas carol first published in the late nineteenth century and used widely throughout the English-speaking world. In Britain, it is one of the most popular carols; a 1996 Gallup Poll ranked it joint second. The two most-common musical settings are by William J. Kirkpatrick (1895) and James R. Murray (1887).
History of the lyrics
The first two verses of the lyrics were published in the May 1884 issue of The Myrtle, a periodical of the Universalist Publishing House in Boston, Massachusetts. The article claims, under the heading "Luther's Cradle Song", that
(This text would already have been out-of-date in May 1884, since the four hundredth anniversary of Luther's birth occurred in November 1883.)
The first two verses generally agree with the currently accepted text: the only major difference is "Watching my lullaby" instead of "Til morning is nigh" for the last line of verse two. No music accompanies the words, but the melody of Home! Sweet Home! is suggested.
Podcasts:
Billy Cotton
ALBUMS
- Santa Baby - 24 Festive Favourites released: 2010
- 1953 British Hit Parade: Britian's Greatest Hits, Volume 2 released: 2009
- British Wartime released: 2009
- Bring Me Sunshine released:
- All-Time Childrens Classics released:
Santa Baby - 24 Festive Favourites
Released 2010- Santa Baby
- Frosty The Snowman
- Sleigh Ride
- Winter Wonderland
- The Merry Christmas Polka
- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
- St. Nicholas Waltz
- Santo Natale (Merry Christmas)
- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
- Jingle Bells
- The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot
- Snow
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Happy Holiday
- Blue Christmas
- Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
- Silver Bells
- Little Jack Frost Get Lost
- Away In A Manger
- Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithfull)
- Ave Maria
- Christmas In Killarney
- The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
- White Christmas
1953 British Hit Parade: Britian's Greatest Hits, Volume 2
Released 2009- Faith Can Move Mountains
- Make It Soon
- Outside of Heaven
- The Glow-Worm
- Faith Can Move Mountains
- Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes
- Vanessa
- Got You on My Mind
- Now
- Everything I Have Is Yours
- She Wears Red Feathers
- Broken Wings
- Wonderful Copenhagen
- Why Don't You Believe Me
- How Much Is That Doggie in the Window
- All the Time and Everywhere
- Girl in the Wood
- Night Train
- Broken Wings
- How Much Is That Doggie in the Window
- Oh Happy Day
- Little Red Monkey
- I Believe
- Ma Says Pa Says
- Somebody Stole My Gal
- Full Time Job
British Wartime
Released 2009- A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
- I Remember You
- They Can't Black Out the Moon
- Hometown
- Could You Please Oblige Us With a Bren Gun
- I Did What I Could With My Gas Mask
- Yours
- A Very Little Nazi
- In Our Village
- (We're Gonna Hang Out) The Washing on the Siegfried Line
- We're in the Army Now
- The Home Guard
- Rhymes of the Times
- A Nice Cup of Tea
- Bless 'em All
- Sam Goes to It
- The Very Thought of You
- I've Heard That Song Before
- (It's Just Too Bad for) Nasty Uncle Adolf
- Who Is This Man (Who Looks Like Charlie Chaplin)
- No Lika Da War
- Can I Do You Now Sir
- Kiss Me Goodnight Sergeant Major
- Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Goodbye
Bring Me Sunshine
- Cigareetes, Whusky and Wild Wild Women
- Woody Woodpecker Song
- Spaniard That Blighted My Life
- Open the Door, Richard
- Your Feets Too Big
- All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
- Dry Bones
- One Meat Ball
- I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts
- Mairzy Doats
- The Hut-Hut Song
- She Had to Go and Lose It at the Astor
- The Stately Homes of England
- Three Little Fishes
- Siegfried Line
- Walter, Walter Lead Me to the Alter
- My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock
- With Her Head Tucked Under Her Arm
- Mary From the Dairy
All-Time Childrens Classics
- The Laughing Policeman
- Daddy Wouldn’t Buy Me a Bow-Wow
- The Runaway Train
- On the Good Ship Lollipop
- The Teddy Bears’ Picnic
- I’m the Guy Who Found the Lost Chord
- The Bee Song
- The Little White Duck
- Run, Rabbit, Run
- I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts
- Old MacDonald Had a Farm
- The Galloping Major
- The Biggest Aspidistra in the World
- The Haunted House
- I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream
- Leaning on a Lampost
- I Taut a Saw a Puddy-Tat
- Three Little Fishes
- Woodman, Spare That Tree
- Coronation Scot
Born: 1899-05-06
Died: 1969-03-25
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Away In A Manger
by: Cedarmont KidsAway in a manger, no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes
The little Lord Jesus no crying He makes
I love Thee Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle 'til morning is night
Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
By me forever and love me, I pray
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care
And take us to heaven to live with Thee there
Away in a manger, no crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
The stars in the heaven looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay