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JOHNNY CHESTER & JIGSAW
Shame and Scandal (In The Family) (Pinard - Alexander [attrib. Donaldson - Brown]) Australia 1972 #1 Melbourne #2 Brisbane #2 Perth Johnny Chester: Melbourne singer, guitarist and songwriter who started out with the Chessmen in the late 50s, performing at dances he organised in the northern suburbs. Signed to Melbourne's W&G label, he had a number of Top 10 hits in Melbourne from 1961. He became a disc jockey with Top 40 station 3UZ in 1966, and built a successful national career in country music from the 1970s. His website is at JohnnyChester.com. The band Jigsaw had a number of charting records in its own right, including Yellow River (1970) and How Do You Do (1972). Not to be confused with the British Jigsaw (Sky High). References for this page: research by honeydhont (email to PopArchives); song histories at The Originals and calypsoworld.org; further online discussion with honeydhont and Joop Jansen. Biography at JohnnyChester.com. 
LANCE PERCIVAL
Shame and Scandal In The Family UK 1965 Influential version #37 UK Single on Parlophone by British comedian. It seems likely that this minor UK hit was the immediate influence on Johnny Chester's recording. (Thanks to Jon Stratton) On CD: Golden Oldies  at Amazon.com
PETER TOSH & THE WAILERS
Shame And Scandal Jamaica 1965 Early single on Island by important reggae artist Peter Tosh (1944-1987) and The Wailers, formed in early 60s Kingston with Bob Marley and Bunny Livingston.
Further reading: Peter Tosh profile by Roger Steffens at All Music Guide
THE BLUES BUSTERS
Shame And Scandal USA 1964 Possibly influential version by pioneer Jamaican R&B-ska duo, Lloyd Campbell and Phillip James, formed late 50s, often working in the US with legendary reggae producer and promoter Byron Lee.  Reference: All Music Guide entry.
SHAWN ELLIOT
Shame And Scandal In The Family (Pinard - Alexander [attrib. Donaldson - Brown]) USA 1964 Single on Roulette by singer mainly remembered for this record. According to Bruce Eder, writing at All Music Guide, this was an influential version:
THE KINGSTON TRIO
Ah, Woe, Ah, Me (Pinard - Alexander [attrib. The Kingston Trio]) USA 1964 On live album Back In Town, recorded at famous folk venue The Hungry i, San Francisco. 
LORD MELODY
Wau Wau [aka Shame And Scandal In The Family] (Pinard [Sir Lancelot] - Alexander [Lord Melody]) USA 1962 Influential version Caribbean calypso singer, real name Fitzroy Alexander, active in the USA from the late 50s. He rewrote Scandal In The Family with an altered storyline, using the title Wau Wau, although the song has usually been known as Shame And Scandal In The Family. The song has been recorded and reworked by numerous artists, with various titles and composer credits. See the list of versions at The Originals. The ultimate source for the song's lyrics lies in a comic story from 18th Century France.
ODETTA
Shame And Scandal USA 1956 On early album Sings Ballads And Blues (1956) by major African-American folk artist, full name Odetta Gordon (b.1930).  Further reading: All Music Guide entry on Odetta.
SIR LANCELOT WITH GERALD CLARK'S CARRIBEAN SERENADERS
Scandal In The Family (Pinard [Sir Lancelot] - Wray) USA 1943-1946. Exact date not determined.
The song comes off very different from its film incarnation, with a much more extroverted treatment and arrangement here. - Bruce Eder, All Music Guide.
References: Dated partly by reference to the Abrams 78 Data Archive at www.78online.com Thanks to Steven C. Barr. See also: Calypsoworld's song history, label shots, and biographies of Sir Lancelot and Lord Melody.
SIR LANCELOT
The Fort Holland Calypso Song [later known as Scandal In The Family] (Pinard [Sir Lancelot] - Wray) USA 1943 Original version: soundtrack Sung by Sir Lancelot in the 1943 movie I Walked With A Zombie. In the screenplay the song is referred to as The Fort Holland Calypso Song: The co-writer is presumably Ardel Wray, one of the writers of I Walked With A Zombie. Sir Lancelot was Lancelot Victor Edward Pinard (1902/3-2001), a calypso singer and actor born in Trinidad who worked in the USA from the early 40s. His filmography is at IMdB; see also tedstrong.com and and the Val Lewton B-unit. Also released by Sir Lancelot on Keynote label (see above).
Later versions:
MADNESS
Shame and Scandal In The Family UK 2005 Later version #38 UK Charting single by perpetually reuniting British ska-style band that had a series of hits in the first half of the 80s, notably It Must Be Love, House Of Fun and Our House. On the album The Dangerman sessions Vol. 1. Thanks to Jon Stratton for version alert. Corrections or comments? Contact the writer. |
