Release Date: 1978

A light-hearted “Lankyphone” course in the Lancashire dialect or “Lanky”, written by leading Lanky expert Dave Dutton. It was recorded in front of a live audience at the Derby Room in Leigh in the heart of central Lancashire, and featured various artists from the Lancashire area including The Fivepenny Piece. Much of the record was spoken and illustrated the rich vein of humour in the Lanky lingo, with the colourful phrases “translated” into English for the benefit of “foreigners”!

The track listing below is from the album cover and only lists the songs, which only form a small part of the record. The rest consists of the spoken sections, which are not listed on the cover or label.

Side 1 includes

1. Lanky Spoken Here! – Gary & Vera Aspey
2. Brewer’s Droop – Bob Williamson
3. Saturday Cowboys Interpolating ‘The Magnificent Seven’ (Bernstein) – The Fivepenny Piece

Side 2 includes

1. Buggerlugs Luvs Sugar Butty – Bernard Wrigley
2. I’m Powfagged – The Fivepenny Piece
3. The Heavy Breather – Bernard Wrigley
4. Reprise: Lanky Spoken Here! – Gary & Vera Aspey and whole cast

The Lanky language course was interspersed with songs, two of which were by The Fivepenny Piece. The participants in the spoken bits included Lynda Meeks, George Radcliffe and Eddie Crotty of The Fivepenny Piece. Other participants in the record were Gary & Vera Aspey, who sang the title song; Bob Williamson, Dave Dutton, Tony Melody, and future 5PP member Bernard Wrigley; and posh-voiced former BBC TV newsreader Robert Dougall who provided the English translations along with Sheila Tracy.

Label: EMI Gold 5840162 (first issue)

Release Date: 5th May 2003

The long-awaited CD of the much sought-after 1978 Lanky Spoken Here album was released in May 2003. Advertised as being ‘now bigger and better than before!’, EMI added some extra songs that weren’t included on the original release, including three new ones by The Fivepenny Piece – Ee By Gum, Big Jim and A Gradely Prayer. The other extra songs are by erstwhile band member Bernard Wrigley (although the album was recorded before he joined the group).

However, due to ‘a mastering error’, the CD was issued without any of the spoken passages, thus defeating the whole object of the record. Following complaints from fans, EMI deleted the 1st Edition CD, and hastily issued a 2nd Edition with the spoken passages restored (but without the promised bonus tracks) later in the year.

1. 1. Lanky Spoken Here! – Gary and Vera Aspey
   2. Brewers Droop – Bob Williamson
   3. Buggerlugs Luvs Sugar Butty – Bernard Wrigley
   4. Black Pud Stud – Bernard Wrigley *
   5. When Granny Sang Me Songs – Bernard Wrigley *
   6. I’m Powfagged – The Fivepenny Piece
   7. The Heavy Breather – Bernard Wrigley
   8. Ee By Gum – The Fivepenny Piece *
   9. Big Jim – The Fivepenny Piece *
   10. Let’s All Shout For Hughie! – Bernard Wrigley *
   11. A Gradely Prayer – The Fivepenny Piece *
   12. The Martians Have Landed In Wigan – Bernard Wrigley *
   13. Saturday Cowboys – The Fivepenny Piece
   14. Reprise: Lanky Spoken Here! – Gary and Vera Aspey

* Bonus songs not included on the original album

Label: EMI Gold 5840162 (second issue)

Release Date: 18th October 2003

This is the 2nd Edition of the EMI CD reissue of the much sought-after 1978 Lanky Spoken Here album. After a “mastering problem” with the 1st Edition, EMI decided to re-issue the original album without the promised bonus tracks. It is a shame that there aren’t any of the promised extras, but at least fans have got the original Lanky speech in all its glory.

1. Lanky Spoken Here! – Gary and Vera Aspey
2. Brewers Droop – Bob Williamson
3. Saturday Cowboys (interpolating The Magnificent Seven) – The Fivepenny Piece
4. Buggerlugs Luvs Sugar Butty – Bernard Wrigley
5. I’m Powfagged – The Fivepenny Piece
6. The Heavy Breather – Bernard Wrigley
7. Reprise: Lanky Spoken Here! – Gary and Vera Aspey

Note: The catalogue number and cover of both editions are identical; so you may have trouble telling them apart. The track listing on the back and on the printed insert however have been updated.