Music Hall performers

<body bgcolor="#C3FFBB"> <p><a href="../index.html"><font size="+1"><img src="../images/home.GIF" alt="Home" width=71 height=28 border=0 align=right hspace=5 vspace=5></font></a></p> <h2><img src="mhpics/forde.JPG" alt="Florrie Forde" width=133 height=153 border=0 align=left vspace=5 hspace=10>FLORRIE FORDE</h2> <p>Florrie Forde was the queen of the 'everybody sing along' type of music-hall act. She was born in Australia in 1876, appearing for the first time in London in 1897. Her most famous songs were 'Down At The Old Bull And Bush', 'Hold Your Hand Out, Naughty Boy', and the First World War favourites 'Goodbye-ee' (based on Harry Tate's catchphrase), 'Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit bag' and 'It's A Long Way To Tipperary'. (Incidentally, the capitalization of all the initial letters in the song titles is in accordance with music hall tradition.)</p> <p>She had tremendous stage presence. About thirty years ago I was at a show of music hall films at Londons National Film Theatre: one of the clips was a sequence of songs by Florrie Forde. She not only got the audience singing along, but also stopped them easily when she wanted to change numbers - not bad for someone one film who had been dead for forty years (she died in 1940).</p> <p><img src="mhpics/sherid.JPG" alt="Mark Sheridan" width=183 height=316 x-claris-useimagewidth x-claris-useimageheight align=right>I've chosen her recording of what is perhaps, with hindsight, the most successful song of the Edwardian era - 'I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside' - everyone still knows the tune, even though few nowadays have ever heard the verses. It was originally sung by Mark Sheridan (1876-1918) (picture, right): he was much more of a comic performer, complete with eccentric dress, than Forde.</p> <p>So here is Florrie Forde: and do sing along with the chorus!</p> <p><font color="#000000"><b>I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside (Zonophone 223) rec. London, 29 November 1909.</b></font></p> <blockquote><a href="../mpeg/seaside.mp3"><b>Download mp3 file (1.5MB)</b></a></bLOCKQUOTE> <p><a href="musich.html" target="_parent">Return to Music Hall Performers</a></p> </body>