A Review of Famous Songs of the Past 'Fascinating Facts' February
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A Review of Famous Songs of the Past ‘Fascinating Facts’ February 2020 Track 1 The Dashing White Sergeant The Dashing White Sergeant is a Scottish Country Dance, performed to a similarly titled piece of music. The dance is in the form of a reel performed by groups of six dancers. The title comes from the original lyrics, traditionally attributed to the 18th century General, John Burgoyne. The better known lyrics were written by the Scottish Composer, Sir Hugh S. Roberton for the Glasgow Orpheus Choir. It quickly became very popular in the United States both as a song and a dance tune, and was added to the repertoire of the West Point Military Academy, where it is still played today at certain events. Robert Wilson (2 January 1907 – 25 September 1964) was a Scottish tenor. Wilson was born in Cambuslang. His father, Alexander, was a tailor, and his mother was Marion née McLurg. He trained at first as a draughtsman, then, in his twenties, as a professional singer in Glasgow. He initially performed for several seasons as part of the Rothesay Entertainers in Scotland. At the same time, he sang at Clan concerts and Scottish Festivals. In 1931, Wilson joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. After this, Wilson became a solo artist, heading his own concert party singing Scottish ballads for several years on tour throughout Britain. He also continued in demand as a recording artist, signing with HMV in 1943. His recordings of such Scottish songs as "A Gordon for Me" and "Down in the Glen" were big sellers. He became a well-known variety performer and in the 1950s he was an early presenter of the White Heather Club and recorded with them.[2] He continued to tour into the 1960s. Track 2 The Happy Wanderer The Happy Wanderer is a popular song by Friedrich-Wilhelm Möller written shortly after World War II. It is often mistaken for a German folk song, but it is actually an original composition. His sister Edith Möller conducted a small amateur children's and youth choir in Northern Germany. In 1953 a BBC radio broadcast of the choir's winning performance at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod turned the cheerful encore into an instant hit. Available at www.dailysparkle.co.uk and via our App Frank Weir (30 January 1911 - 12 May 1981) was a British orchestra leader and jazz musician. He reached Number 1 on the UK Singles Chart in 1954 with Vera Lynn and the song "My Son, My Son". His version of "The Happy Wanderer" became one of the most popular recordings of 1954, in both the UK and the US. It featured Weir's soprano saxophone solos between verses. Track 3 Pack Up Your Troubles Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag, is a World War I marching song, published in 1915 in London. It was written by George Henry Powell. Music Hall stars rescued the song from their rejects pile and re-scored it to win a wartime competition for a marching song. It became very popular, boosting British morale despite the horrors of that war. It was one of a large of music hall songs aimed at maintaining morale, recruiting for the forces, or defending Britain's war aims. The title of Wilfred Owen's bitter anti-war poem "Smile, Smile, Smile" (September 1918) was derived from the song. Max Bygraves OBE (born Walter William Bygraves on 16 October 1922 – 31 August 2012) was an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs. Shows he presented included the game show Family Fortunes. Bygraves was born the son of poor parents in London, England. His father was a professional boxer, known as Battling Tom Smith, and a casual dockworker. Bygraves later changed his name from Walter William to Max after comedian Max Miller. Track 4 Leaving of Liverpool Also known as "Fare Thee Well, My Own True Love", is a folksong. The song's narrator laments his long sailing trip to California and the thought of leaving his loved ones (especially his "own true love"). He pledges to return to her one day. Liverpool was a natural point of embarkation for such a song because it had the necessary shipping lines and a choice of destinations and infrastructure, including special emigration trains directly to The Prince's Landing Stage (which is mentioned in the song's first line). The Seekers are an Australian folk-influenced pop quartet, originally formed in Melbourne in 1962. They were popular during the 1960s. The Seekers were offered a twelve-month position as on-board entertainment on the Sitmar cruise liner, Fairsky, in March 1964. In May, they travelled to the UK and had intended to return to Australia after staying ten weeks, but upon arrival they were offered work in London. The group had Top 10 hits in the 1960s with "I'll Never Find Another You", "A World of Our Own", "Morningtown Ride", "Someday, One Day" (written by Paul Simon), "Georgy Girl" and "The Carnival Is Over”. Tom Springfield who was Dusty Springfield’s brother wrote many of their big hits - I'll Never Find Another You, World of Our Own and Georgy Girl. Available at www.dailysparkle.co.uk and via our App Track 5 When Father Papered the Parlour When Father Papered the Parlour is a popular song, written and composed by R. P. Weston and Fred J. Barnes in 1910. It is performed by comedian Billy Williams, and was one of his most successful hits. Richard Isaac Banks (1878 – March 1915), who changed his name to Billy Williams after leaving his birthplace of Australia, was one of the most recorded popular entertainers of his time. His many recordings sold in their thousands long after his early death in 1915. Born in Melbourne, Williams tried a number of jobs before embarking on an entertainment career which led him to come to England in 1899. He became a popular entertainer in the music halls singing what were known as chorus-songs – he also appeared in pantomime. Track 6 Be Like The Kettle And Sing Be Like the Kettle and Sing is a fantasy, upbeat song from 1943 era England sung by Vera Lynn. She sung it in the movie ‘We'll Meet Again’ in which she starred. Dame Vera Lynn, DBE (born Vera Margaret Welch on 20 March 1917) is an English singer, songwriter and actress whose musical recordings and performances were enormously popular during World War II. During the war she toured Egypt, India and Burma, giving outdoor concerts for the troops. She became known as "The Forces' Sweetheart". The songs most associated with her are "We'll Meet Again", "The White Cliffs of Dover", "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" and "There'll Always Be an England". She remained popular after the war, appearing on radio and television in the UK and the United States and recording such hits as "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" and "My Son, My Son". In 2009 she became the oldest living artist to make it to No. 1 in the British chart, at the age of 92 with her album We'll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn. She has devoted much time and energy to charity work connected with ex-servicemen, disabled children and breast cancer. Track 7 Greensleeves There is a persistent belief that Greensleeves was composed by Henry VIII for his lover and future queen consort Anne Boleyn. Boleyn allegedly rejected King Henry's attempts to seduce her and this rejection may be referred to in the song when the writer's love "cast me off discourteously". However, Henry did not compose "Greensleeves", which is probably Elizabethan in origin. James Roger McGuinn (born James Joseph McGuinn III on July 13, 1942) was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were involved in journalism and public relations, and during his childhood, they had written a bestseller titled Parents Can't Win. He attended The Latin School of Chicago. He became interested in music after hearing Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" and asked Available at www.dailysparkle.co.uk and via our App his parents to buy him a guitar. During the early 1980s, he paid tribute to the song by including ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ in his autobiographical show). Around the same time, he was also influenced by country artists and/or groups such as Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent, and The Everly Brothers. Track 8 I Won’t Forget You I Won't Forget You is a single by American singer Jim Reeves. It was released in 1964 James Travis "Jim" Reeves (August 20, 1923 – July 31, 1964) was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well known as a practitioner of the Nashville sound (a mixture of older country-style music with elements of popular music). Known as "Gentleman Jim", his songs continued to chart for years after his death. Reeves died at age 40 in the crash of a private airplane. Track 9 Love’s Old Sweet Song This delightful ballad is composed by James Lyman Molloy in the nineteenth century. Richard Tauber (16 May 1891 – 8 January 1948) was an Austrian tenor acclaimed as one of the greatest singers of the 20th century. Some critics commented that "his heart felt every word he sang". Track 10 Me And My Shadow Me and My Shadow is a 1927 popular song. Officially the credits show it as written by Al Jolson, Billy Rose, and Dave Dreyer.