THE RADIO FUN BUMPER SONG BOOK TUBE-A-THON--Part 2 of 2
THE FLEET'S NOT IN PORT VERY LONG (Noel Gay): The Crazy Gang
The crazy gang was formed in the early 1930s by three "double acts" from the music hall: Bud Flanagan & Chesney Allen, Jimmy Nervo & Teddy Knox, and Charlie Naughton & Jimmy Gold. Their brand of "knockabout comedy" was hugely popular and inspired many later comic groups. They performed regularly at the Palladium and appeared in several movies. King George VI was a big fan.
"The Fleet's Not in Port Very Long" is a sort of sequel to another Noel Gay composition, "The Fleet's in Port Again," which seems to have been introduced by Alan Breeze with Billy Cotton's band in 1935. Fans of odd musical numbers will enjoy this excerpt from The Crazy Gang's 1937 film
O-Kay for Sound. In the film the number is performed on a movie screen before an audience. The camera switches back and forth from shots of the theater to shots "inside" the movie world. The presentation climaxes in a giant montage of marching military bands, battleships firing their cannon, and cheering Britons. The orchestra quotes "The Fleet's in Port Again" in the opening of the number and that song is also referenced in the lyrics. The singer is Peter Dawson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTWmk71smkk
THE HUMMING WALTZ (Damerell-Evans): Sam Browne
This is not the General Sam Browne who created the Sam Browne belt. This Sam was the vocalist for Bert Ambrose's popular dance orchestra. The only recording I found of "The Humming Waltz" was this 1938 Mantovani recording. I doubt if the song had much of a life. Even by the standards of 1930s schmaltz it's pretty lame.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sng20TuL6q0GOODNIGHT TO YOU ALL (Denby-Watson): Gert and Daisy
Gert and Daisy were sisters Elsie and Doris Waters. They began performing as singer-comedians in the early 1930s but gained their greatest fame during World War II. The duo played their gossipy housewife characters on the stage, the radio, and even on 1950s television. "Goodnight to You All" isn't typical of their work, which was mostly lively humorous songs. I couldn't find "Goodnight" on YouTube, but here's a jolly example of their work from 1940, "Knees Up, Mother Brown." By the way, the pair's brother John Waters was Jack "Dixon of Dock Green" Warner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdRxWZ5-mvgGANGWAY ( Lerner-Goodhart-Hoffman): Jessie Matthews
Energetic, charming Jessie Matthews started her career as a singer and dancer at the age of twelve. In the 1920s and 1930s she appeared in a string of successful stage musicals. In the early 30s she crossed over into movies and became even more popular. Though her popularity faded in the 1940s she continued to appear on radio and TV into the 1970s. "Gangway" is a number from the 1937 film of the same name. I love this number not only for Jessie's exuberant performance but also for the clever staging and the gleaming Streamline Deco set.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo_ob8muHjoTHERE'S RAIN IN MY EYES (Ager-McCarthy-Schwartz): The Three in Harmony
I don't know who The Three in Harmony were. I found a British Pathe soundie of "The Radio Three." I wonder if it might be them.They were a female harmony group in the vein of the Boswell Sisters and the Three X Sisters. "There's Rain in My Eyes" was covered by a number of swing bands in the late 30s. Here's a typical example from Ben Pollack. This 1938 recording features a vocal by Paula Gayle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9l-eDLZ-AFor the record, here's the Radio Three video because I'm a sucker for 30s female harmony trios (the Bozzies topping the list). They're singing "I'm Gonna Wash My Hands of You."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FZ7k8l82Po
MR MIDDLETON SAYS IT'S RIGHT (London-More): Arthur Askey
Arthur Askey was a major British comedian. His career began in the early 1930s and continued until his death in the early 1980s. Beginning in 1940 he appeared in a number of popular movies. I couldn't find this particular song among his many YouTube videos. In its place I offer this British Pathe short in which he sings "The Moth," a very funny song which reminds me of Flanders & Swann's animal songs. The song follows a rather flat opening monologue. It's worth waiting for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjXqGjTZu1AIN SANTA MARGHERITA (Morrow-Scher): Al Bowlly
Al Bowlly (the
Bumper Song Book misspells his name) was born in Mozambique and raised in South Africa by Greek and Lebanese parents. In the mid-1920s he joined a dance band that toured various British colonies, ending up in England just in time for the Great Depression. He was saved by two music contracts: simultaneously recording with Ray Noble's dance band and singing live at Lew Stone's nightclub, Monseigneur's. His career faltered in the late 30s as a result of medical problems with his voice. He continued to perform, though, until his 1941 death in the London Blitz. Bowlly had recorded over a thousand songs in his short career. Here's his 1938 recording of "In Santa Margherita" backed by Lew Stone's orchestra.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjXqGjTZu1AIT'S A GRAND OLD WORLD (Kennedy-Carr): Sandy Powell
Albert "Sandy" Powell was a cheerful comedian with extensive music hall experience. He had great success with recordings of his comic sketches and went into radio in the 1930s. He worked steadily into the 1950s. Here's a film clip of him singing "It's a Grand Old World," a catchy, upbeat song, while driving before some of the worst rear-projected backgrounds to appear in British film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G_PryRffPo
THE WHISPERING WALTZ (Damerell-Evans) Joe Loss and his Band
Joe Loss was still working his way up the musical ladder when the
Bumper Song Book came out. He'd started leading bands in the early 30s and was currently leading the band at the Astoria Ballroom. Loss accompanied legendary vocalist Vera Lynn in her first radio broadcast. His popularity grew throughout the 1940s and 1950s. He remained active until his death in 1990. I couldn't find "The Whispering Waltz," but here's "The Whistling Gypsy Waltz," a pretty instrumental version of the song Arthur Tracy sang earlier in the
Song Book.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0JFFCKB5nYI haven't a clue who the J.J.P. was who wrote the closing poem.
A final note: The British Pathe company have an amazing library of vintage films, not just musical shorts but also historical and documentary clips. The collection is viewable online. Watching music hall favorites like Arthur Askey and Al and Bob Harvey I was struck by how stilted some of their performances were. These were seasoned pros with years of experience in front of audiences. Maybe that was the trouble. They had no audience and were stuck on a bare, echoing sound stage a few feet from a camera crew. They didn't know how to play for the camera. Arthur Askey's soundie is an interesting instance. His opening monologue is stiff and self-conscious but when he rolls into his song he really comes alive.
