The ability to play and sing funny songs and really bring them off, like the ability to write funny poems or funny stories and really bring them off, is IMO under-appreciated. George Formby is clearly one of the masters. Special great funny couplet award for: "His medals break our hearts./He won them playing darts."
I love this. The lyrics are funny enough for its time, but the whole melody and the chord structure together are just out standing and beautiful plus the ancient recording somehow makes it sound like its from an unreachable world.
I came across this video about 5 years ago by accident. Since that time I have probably watched it perhaps 150 times. During my tour of duty in the Canadian Army I wrote and sang songs to the troops. And I thought I was good. But this song, by George Formby, is by far the most amazing military song I have ever heard.
George Formby brings back many fond and sad memories for many people worldwide. His wife made sure he was not leaving her for anyone trying to take advantage of his stardom.
the music and this scene is around 83 years old, but this is funny and makes me wanna sing :) though im only 22 years old, im a kinda fan of George Formby. We seriously need actors and musicians like him :)
In the film George is told that the Sgt Major has entered the room and heard him singing about his many faults-he immediately turns the song around and sings his praises-which greatly pleases him! I haven't heard it though for about sixty years or so!
Whitewashing does wonders to paint over segregation, labor riots, interment/concentration camps and every other horrible thing that "the greatest generation" was apart of. That said I do love the music from the era among many other things.
@Benjamin Finny it is funny because they had a taste for comedy and now almost everyone uses crude comedy because they are to lazy to come up with anything good like this
Hi spotter09, this is from military wiki "Until the 1930s, these ranks were often known as Sergeant Major 1st and 2nd Class. In 1939, the RAF abolished the rank of WOII and retained WOI as simple Warrant Officer, which it remains to this day.". BUT the film was made 5 years or so after the change; maybe they wrote it before? (I commented on this very topic about 7 months ago!).
1:00 The gentleman with the blonde has a "Sergeant's Flunky" look to him. I wish we could get these DVDs in America. I may have to get a region free player someday.
Why aren't Geoge's films shown in comeplete. It appears that only small segments are shown of George singing. The full length of the films should be shown not just parts of the films.
Sergeant Major in the RAF? Never! The SNCO who came in was a Warrant Officer. What about the guy by George's right shoulder? Leading Aircrafsman - at his age? He must have been in trouble a lot!
Now there's a sergeant major Enjoys life while he can He proves to all the ladies He's a soldier and a man! He sticks out his chest Two pillows in his vest A bolster under His rotunda Our sergeant major! His medals break our hearts He won them playing darts! And while competing Who was cheating? Our sergeant major! He's far away the worst friend we've ever had When he's far away, well, we're mighty glad! In the canteen bar You know what sergeants are! When we've passed out Who's the last out? Our sergeant major! He's got a raucous voice His language isn't choice! In clink we'd shove him How we love him Our sergeant major! His weight about he'll throw The wicked so and so! Who'd even smother His own mother? Our sergeant major! He's far away the worst friend we've ever had When he's far away, well, we're mighty glad! Our bugler goes his rounds And when the bugle sounds For everlastin'! Who's he blastin'? Our sergeant major! Now he makes raw recruits Just tremble in their boots He calls 'em slackers! Who's gone crackers? Our sergeant major! His feet fill up the road Knock-kneed and pigeon-toed We'd sooner shoot him Than salute him Our sergeant major! He's far away the worst friend we've ever had When he's far away, well, we're mighty glad! The mascot goat we own Though big and fat has grown Wild and warlike It's far more like Our sergeant major!
My Grandfather as DNA can proove-as Oscar was his son,and Oscar Angel was my biological father,made in 1955,as my Brothers Ola and Edmund saw this happening beetwen my mother and Oscar on the third floor.Honestly Thomas Kallmyr
