WHEN FATHER PAPERED THE PARLOUR
(Williams & Weston)
REGAL G6860 recorded c. June 1911
Billy Williams (real name Richard Isaac Banks) was born in Australia in 1878. He came to England in 1899 and became a popular music-hall and recording artist, singing cheerful comic songs about 'Father' and lively young men, rooted in the experience of his Edwardian working-class audience. Even after his death in 1915 his records were hugely popular and continued selling for years. Many of his records were for Zonophone, though these are often the worst quality: the songs I've chosen here are typical, though the recorded quality is a bit variable. (Mouse over the list for notes).
IF THE WORLD BELONGED TO ME
(Carlton & Godfrey)
CINCH 5050 recorded 21 April 1911
WAIT TILL I'M AS OLD AS FATHER
(Williams & Godfrey)
JOHN BULL B126 recorded c. December 1912
THE DAYLIGHT BILL
(composer not credited)
ZONOPHONE X42841 recorded 16 September 1908
SINCE FATHER JOINED THE TERRITORIALS
(Hyde)
ZONOPHONE 1683 recorded 27 July 1909
PUT A BIT OF POWDER ON IT FATHER
(composer not credited)
ZONOPHONE X42767 recorded April 1908
I WISH IT WAS SUNDAY NIGHT
(Williams & Godfrey)
COLUMBIA-RENA 1854 recorded c. March 1912
WHEN FATHER TRIED TO KILL THE COCK-
-A-DOODLE-DOO (Weston & Barnes)
CINCH 5050 recorded 21 April 1911