Frankie Vaughan
  • Real Name: Frank Abelson
  • Birth Date: 3rd February 1928
  • Birth Place: Liverpool

    • Frankie Vaughan's singing career began during the late 1940s in the Variety theatre. His song and dance routines became a popular stage act and he became renowned for his sexy image and stylish clothes- tail suit, bow tie, top hat and cane. During the 1950s he extended his audience through records. His singles sold well being especially popular with female record buyers. In 1955 he recorded the song that was to become his trademark and theme, 'Give Me The Moonlight' which he generally sang at the end of his high stepping stage act.

    Frankie had a very long recording career and could be relied on to reach the chart in most years up to the end of the 1960s. He was also recognised as a fine ambassador for his home city, Liverpool long before the Beatles. He also gave of his efforts freely in aid of his most favoured charity, the 'National Association Of Boys Clubs' for which he was eventually awarded an OBE.

    He appeared in several movies and starred alongside Marylin Monroe in 'Let's Make Love' during 1960. However, press stories that have tried to concoct a romantic link between him and the actress are apochryphal in nature.
     

    The EP on the left was typical of Frankie's output on that format during the 1960s which continued to be a successful period for the singer despite the ever changing musical fashions of the time. Strangely, I cannot find much in the way of Frankie Vaughan UK issued EPs beyond 1962.

    The record illustrated simply contained both sides of the two singles that immediately preceded his great hit "Tower Of Strength". This was Frankie's version of the song that Gene McDaniels took to #5 in the USA.
    Frankie Vaughan was one of the greatest British performers of the mid-20th century. He successfully made the transition from the variety stage to films and television and has one of the most enviable histories of record making of the era.

    1950s & 1960s 45rpm UK Discography

    • Upper list includes UK 45 singles releases only (Note: many of Frankie's recordings were available only on 78 rpm)
    • See Lower list for EP releases
    • Collector's Items are shown In Red

    HMV 7M167 1953 Istanbul (Not Constantinople)/ Cloud Lucky Seven #11
    HMV 7M182 1954 The Cuff Of My Shirt/ Heartless  
    HMV 7M252 1954 My Son, My Son/ Cinnamon Sinner  
    HMV 7M270 1954 Happy Days And Lonely Nights/ Danger Signs #12
    HMV 7M298 1955 Too Many Heartaches/ Unsuspecting Heart  
    Philips PB544 1956 My Boy Flat Top/ Stealin' #20
    Philips PB640 1956 The Green Door/ Pity The Poor Man #2
    Philips JK1002 (Juke Box) 1957 Garden Of Eden/ Priscilla  
    Philips PB660 1957 Garden Of Eden/ Priscilla #1 
    Philips JK1014 (Juke Box) 1957 What's Behind That Strange Door/ Cold Cold Shoulder  
    Philips PB681  1957 What's Behind That Strange Door/ Cold Cold Shoulder  
    Philips JK1022 (Juke Box) 1957 These Dangerous Years/ Isn't This A Lovely Evening  
    Philips PB674   1957 These Dangerous Years/ Isn't This A Lovely Evening  
    Philips PB729 1957 Man On Fire/ Wanderin' Eyes #6
    Philips JK1030 (Juke Box) 1957 Gotta Have Something In The Bank Frank/single with Kaye Sisters  
    Philips PB751 1957 Gotta Have Something In The Bank Frank/single with Kaye Sisters #8 
    Philips JK1035 (Juke Box) 1957 Kisses Sweeter Than Wine/ Rock-A-Chicka  
    Philips PB775 1957 Kisses Sweeter Than Wine/ Rock-A-Chicka #8
    Philips PB793 1958 We're Not Alone/ Can't Get Along Without You #11
    Philips PB825 1958 Kewpie Doll/ So Many Women #10
    Philips PB834 1958 Wonderful Things/ Judy #22
    Philips PB865 1958 Am I Wasting My Time On You/ So Happy In Love #25
    Philips PB423 1959 Give Me The Moonlight Give Me The Girl/ Happy Go Lucky (Re-Issue)  
    Philips PB895 1959 That's My Doll/ Love Is The Sweetest Thing/ #28
    Philips PB896 1959 Honey Bunny Baby/ The Lady Is A Square  
    Philips PB913 1959 Come Softly To Me/ Say Something Sweet To Your Sweetheart- with Kaye Sisters #9
    Philips PB930 1959 The Heart Of A Man/ Sometime Somewhere #5
    Philips PB931 1959 Walkin' Tall/ I Ain't Gonna Lead This Life #28
    Philips PB985 1960 What More Do You Want/ The Very Very Young #25
    Philips PB1054 1960 Kookie Little Paradise/ Mary Lou #31
    Philips PB1066 1960 Milord/ Do You Still Love Me #34
    Philips PB1195 1961 Tower Of Strength/ Rachel #1
    Philips PB1219 1961 Don't Stop Twist/ Red Red Roses #22
    Philips PB1233 1962 I'm Gonna Clip Your Wings/ Travellin' Man  
    Philips 326542BF 1962 Hercules/ Madeleine #42
    Philips 326566BF 1963 Loop De Loop/ There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight #5
    Philips BF1254  1963 Hey Mama/ Brand New Motor #21
    Philips BF1280 1963 You're The One For Me/ I Told You So  
    Philips BF1310 1964 Alley Alley Oh/ Gonna Be A Good Boy Now  
    Philips BF1339  1964 Hello Dolly/ Long Time No See #18
    Philips BF1373 1964 Susie Q/ I'll Always Be In Love With You  
    Philips BF1394  1964 Someone Must Have Hurt You A Lot/ Easter time #46
    Philips BF1438 1965 The Happy Train/ You Darlin' You  
    Philips BF1460 1965 Wait/ There Goes The Forgotten Man  
    Philips BF1467 1966 Hurt Yourself/ Nighthawk -with the Valli Boys  
    Philips BF1536 1966 Cabaret/ Gotta Have You  
    Columbia DB8248 1967 There Must Be A Way/ You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You #7
    Columbia DB8298 1967 So Tired/ If I Didn't Care #21
    Columbia DB8354 1968 Nevertheless/ Girl Talk #29
    Columbia DB8415  1968 Mame/ If I Had My Way  
    Columbia DB8467 1968 Souveneirs/ Getting Used To Having You Around  
    Columbia DB8573 1969 The Same Old Way/ You Can't Stop Me Dancing  
    Columbia DB8640 1969 Hideaway/ Hold Me Close To You  

    EP Discography

    • Stereophonic Versions have Cat. No. in parentheses
    • Collector's Items are shown In Red
    • See Upper List For Singles releases

    Philips BBE12022 1956 "Seventeen"  
    Seventeen/Stealin'/Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road?/Give Me The Moonlight/Give Me The Girl
    Philips BBE12071 1956 "Here's Frankie Vaughan"  
    Honey Hair, Sugar Lips, Eyes Of Blue/This Is The Night/Lucky 13/Lets Go Steady
    Philips BBE12111 1957 "Frankie Vaughan"  
    The Green Door/Pity The Poor, Poor Man/Priscilla/The Garden Of Eden
    HMV 7EG8245 1957 "Mister Elegant"  
    Happy Days And Lonely Nights/My Sweetie Went Away/Look At That Girl/No Help Wanted
    Woman's Own P1172E 1957 "Swingin' with.."  
    Milord/Green Door/Gotta Have Something In The Bank/Give Me The Moonlight
    Philips BBE12157 1958 "It's Frankie"  
    Wanderin' Eyes/Man On Fire/Isn't This A Lovely Evening/Single
    Philips BBE12171 1958 "Happy Go Lucky"  
    Happy Go Lucky/Shoe Shine Boy/Lazy River/Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
    Philips BBE12220 1958 "Frankie Vaughan"  
    So Happy In Love/Wonderful Things/Am I Wasting My Time On You?/Judy
    Philips BBE12247 1959 "The Lady Is A Square"  
    The Lady Is A Square/Love Is The Sweetest Thing/Honey Bunny Baby/That's My Doll
    Philips BBE12299 1959 "Heart Of A Man"  
    My Boy Flat Top/Sometime, Somewhere/Walkin' Tall/The Heart Of A Man
    Philips BBE12317 1960 "Frank In Films"  
    These Dangerous Years/Wonderful Things/The Lady Is A Square/The Heart Of A Man
    Philips BBE12412 1960 "Frankie Vaughan Favourites"
    Kookie Little Paradise/Mary Lou/Milord/Do You Still Love Me
    Philips BBE12484 (SBBE9071) 1961 "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy" (w.Basil Tait Orch.)  
    Let Me Sing And I'm Happy/Cecilia/On Mother Kelly's Doorstep/Roamin' In The Gloamin'
    Philips BBE12485 (SBBE9072) 1961 "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy No2"  
    Ohio/Last Night On The Back Porch/Tiptoe Through The Tulips/Leaning On A Lamp Post
    Philips BBE12486 (SBBE9073) 1961 "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy No.3"  
    Broken Doll/Teasing/Oh, You Beautiful Doll/I Will Come Back
    Philips BBE12527 1962 "Fabulous Frankie"  
    Tower Of Strength/Rachel/Don't Stop-Twist/Red Red Roses

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