Which is the best version of TOM HARK?

Where's The Piranhas?

Elias and His Zig-Zag Jive Flutes - the original, from South Africa. I heard it for the first time quite recently and was astounded. It seemed so contra with everything else that was going on in the charts at that time (Vera Lynn, Jo Stafford, Elvis et al). Then I remembered skiffle, and its popularity made more sense. Apparently, this style of music is called Kwela:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR9v485xrnU

Ted Heath and his Music - one of the big band-leaders of the era, along with Joe Loss. Lots of brass, lots of swing, a clear debt to Glenn Miller. Seems there are separate UK and US versions of the single? Anyway this is the US one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AneFeZbMGkU

Jimmy Powell - first version with lyrics, setting a theme that you could sing whatever words you pleased along with it! Powell was an opportunist singer from Birmingham who changed styles as often as Joe Jackson, and was briefly in a band with Rod Stewart:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsLtXeI9BEQ

Millie Small - the Jamaican singer of 'My Boy Lollipop' fame made this squeaky version. First appearance of a ska beat, hidden as it is at times by brass and guitar noodling:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1Mf8FKNL5g

Whistling Jack Smith - what more can I say? He was Kaiser Bill's batman, y'know! If you dont like it, fine, it's soon over:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEtEvIx-r08

The Dynamites - Reggae singer Clancy Eccles's backing band. They slow it right down and change the name of the track to John Public, unaccountably. Lots of "hey"s. Sees the return of the flute:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw9UJytMmy8

Bert Kaempfert - Tom Hark goes easy listening, thanks to this Teutonic band leader who always looks grumpy in photos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnSxasqvaAo

Mango Groove - Another South African version, though the singer Claire Johnston comes from Bishop Stortford originally. Party time! You could imagine them handing cardboard trumpets to the audience, like Modern Romance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Deej77rfAXw

Chas McDevitt - couldn't find this one on Youtube so can't comment on it. Ex- of the Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group.

Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers - Yes, really. Who knew they had a life beyond their string of medleys which went to #1 in the UK in 1989? Not me, that's for sure! This isn't as bad as I thought it would be and is mercifully free of the "c'mon everybody":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ8H6V5qsks

Seagulls Ska - A one off, this. Subtitled "We Want Falmer!" and featuring new lyrics by Attila The Stockbroker, this is a group of Brighton & Hove Albion football club fans, who were struggling to move from the hated Withdean Stadium to their new ground at Falmer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAEKVB7nmtc

Where's The Piranhas?

Good question, Stirmonster. I deliberately omitted them, not coz I have anything against Boring Bob Grover and his pals, but merely coz I feel it is by far the most well-known version amongst the maority of people on ILM and it was guaranteed to win by miles!

It's the only one I've heard!

Until now!!!

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

good point! x post

bert k got my vote.

The whole poll’s daft
I do know why..

Nah not really. Voted Elias obviously

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

You know it

Missed this poll. Noticed it first thing this morning & have had an excerpt from Tom Hark going round my head for about three hours now. Getting a little tired of it tbh.

(It's just a generic version in my head - maybe a bit Piranhas, a bit Whistling Jack Smith. My auditory imagination is pretty lo-fi).