Visiting Jim Dale's birthplace in Rothwell led me to this record from 1957, a parody of Lonnie Donegan's popular recording of Rock Island Line.
The songwriting credits on Piccadilly Line are Dale-Robinson-Dale - perhaps a British anticipation of Motown's Holland-Dozier-Holland?
Jim Dale himself is the first Dale and I suspect the second, no relation, is Stanley Dale, a sort of skiffle entrepreneur. Jim Dale compered his his National Skiffle Contest in 1957-8.
Robinson must be the composer and arranger Harry Robinson - a not very imaginative pseudonym for Harry Robertson.
His story was that he once received a cheque made out to Harry Robinson and reasoned that it would be easier to open a bank account in that name than get the cheque reissued. From then on he used the two names interchangeably.
Robertson's most interesting credit in a long career is that he arranged the strings on what is probably Nick Drake's best known song, River Man.
Oh, and the record's producer is George Martin.
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