Vintage Music and Me by Lili La Scala

Retro Chick is taking a well earned break, but to keep you entertained today’s post comes from Lili La Scala, singer of vintage songs, collector of vintage clothes, lover of shoes, cat lady, pin up girl, burlesquer and comedy WAG. You can catch Lili in Norwich next week at the Spiegeltent.

Musica-Lili speaking!

My fascination with vintage songs began when I was very small. Growing up, I spent an awful lot of time with my Great-Aunt who told me stories of WW2 and first introduced me to the wonderful songs that she’d learnt all those years before. Since then, my collection has steadily grown, although in the last few years it has begun to sky rocket.

People who have seen me sing and have heard about my hoarding habits have started to send me their old piles of vintage music. Music that they have found in a deceased relative’s house, or that was left to them, or that they have bought and framed to hang on the wall. My collection currently takes over a cupboard, a 3 drawer filing cabinet, half my office floor (temporarily, I have assured my long suffering husband!) and I have music from the late Victorian era all the way through to the late 50’s . Each day a new brown paper package arrives, like the song says, tied up with strings, and I have to tell my husband that it has been there weeks! Piles of music are gradually making their way towards the front door.

I thought I would share some of my favourite pieces with you.

I adore songs from WW2, these covers tickle me especially.

A coronation album from 1937

A song from 1913, what a fabulous dress.

Just one small selection of my collection.

Of course, there are some pieces that I would love to find but have yet to lay my hands on, I’m desperately looking for ‘The Deepest Shelter in Town’, a rather naughty song from WW2. You never know, it might just be in the next pile to arrive. Until then, I’ll just keep searching.