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Loved the version you posted, it takes me back to my first short lived record collection.
I inherited it from an uncle in the late 40's, who having just been married was issued with an ultimatum by his new bride, that it was her, or his music, that had to go. And to my delight and lasting gain, he chose the latter. So I was the lucky recipient of two dozen records, a windy up HMV record player and a large supply of needles.
The records were an eclectic assembly covering jazz, blues and negro spirituals, and strangely amongst others included Bing Crosby singing Mcnamara's Band and Artie Shaws Begin the Beguine, these two were to become firm favourites, but my enthusiasm was not apparently shared by all. I was only six or seven at the time, and on my walk to and from school passed a few second hand shops which were landmarks for pennyless window gazers, peering into one such Aladdins Cave (Jamiesons) I was surprised to see a very similar sound system to my own, proudly taking the center stage. And imagine my surprise and disappointment when arriving home, to be told that Uncle Sam (yes his real name) had popped in and reclaimed his legacy. It was some time afterwards that the truth dawned, and that my taste, and that of my uncles, was not universal.
NB I cant put up attachments but another classic included in this collection was Stone Cold Dead in the Market, I have just looked it up and it was by Louise Jordan and Ella Fitzgerald. Like many of these songs they originated in the Carribean, so the Specials,Madness et al go a long way back. Another, very good exponent of this earlier style, in recent years imo. was August Darnell (Kid Creole and his Coconuts). Not sure about Smug tho.
