GEORGE FORMBY "With My Little Stick Of Blackpool Rock"

[pentoad]

I have a 78rpm disc GEORGE FORMBY "With My Little Stick Of Blackpool Rock" - I understand this was banned by the BBC. Is it of value? as I'm not sure whether I should play it on the old Ekco radiogram in case I damage it.

[paulsherwin]

It's unlikely to be worth much, as recordings of this and other Formby songs sold in large numbers despite the BBC bans. Formby was well known for songs with 'naughty' double entendre lyrics, and the BBC was distinctly Reithian and prudish at the time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Green_Book_(BBC)

[AC/HL]

Banning usually means increased sales, so it could have the opposite effect. Pretty harmless by modern standards, as all the banned songs eventually become!

[Heatercathodeshort]

I doubt very much if it has any real value. It is a GM classic but sold in large numbers.
Don't worry about playing it on your Ekco radiogram providing of course the pick up damping is serviceable as it would need to be for any record. [I presume it has the old heavy magnetic cartridge]
It has probably been played with just about every type of needle available including very worn examples. 78's are very tough and are not easily damaged and can give a very good account of themselves audio wise.
The BBC banned everything that was the slightest bit suggestive! George Formby's father came from a Music Hall background where a lot more loved 'vulgarity' could be sustained. George was incredibly popular, a particular favourite of my Nan! You either love him or hate him. A bit like Marmite! John.

[bluepilot]

I have a few George Formby 78s. You can generally pick them up for a few quid. I don't think being banned by the BBC will have any effect on the value.

Spike Milligan was well known for trying to get dubious Goon Show scripts past the BBC censors. The censors read them very carefully before they were broadcast live so he had to be very clever to write things which weren't immediately obvious when you read them. One I remember was a reference to the company of "Novark and Goode". Bloodnock once threatened to give someone "last turkey in the shop", the meaning of which was obviously not known to the censor.

[pentoad]

Thanks - I will go ahead and play it then

[rontech]

I grew up listening to George Formby records on my fathers radiogram. I still have the "When I'm Cleaning Windows" one. That plus a a couple more: "Daredevil Dick" & "Bunkham's Travelling Show" are equally BBC bannable when the double entendres are decoded.

[emeritus]

The BBC were so concerned about anything that might be seen as advertising that they banned any Flanders and Swann records that mentioned products or companies. So "Design for living" was out because it mentioned Times Furnishing, Liberty's and Heals. They did make an exception for "A transport of delight" with its mention of London Transport, no doubt because it was a public service rather than commercial.

[Dave757]

Hi,

And who can forget Lonnie Donegan's Diggin my Potatoes EP!

Kind regards
Dave

[dave walsh]

I watched George Formby in "Get Cracking" the other week on T Pictures-building his own tank for the war effort [I think it had some radio content].
A great film. You don't get that in Dad's Army One of his biggest fan's was another George [Harrison]. Frank Skinner is an enthusiast but a bit tedious with it. The double entendre's probaly drove most of the the sales, especially in Lancashire, although they are clever songs anyway! Further to the Beatles guitarist, the Beeb misapplied it's moral indignation to "A Day In The Life"... refusing to play that as well in 1967. Quiz Question. Who was the only person to win both The Grand National and The Isle of Man TT Race? George! The latter on his Motorbike named [another Quiz Question] The Shuttleworth Flyer! Shuttleworth is a district of Ramsbottom.

Dave W

"If you could see, what I can see,
When I'm cleaning windows!"

[4wheeldave]

George Formby is buried in Warrington cemetery. As I live in Warrington just thought I'd say.

[bluepilot]

After he won the Isle of Man TT, they erected a statue of him in Douglas.
George Formby
with his little ukelele in his hand, and leaning on a lamppost.

[TonyDuell]

Originally Posted by emeritus

The BBC were so concerned about anything that might be seen as advertising that they banned any Flanders and Swann records that mentioned products or companies. So "Design for living" was out because it mentioned Times Furnishing, Liberty's and Heals. They did make an exception for "A transport of delight" with its mention of London Transport, no doubt because it was a public service rather than commercial.

I seem to remember 'BBC versions' if that's the term of some of the Flanders and Swann Songs. (From memory) :

Design for living

Our quest for self expression leaves us barely time for meals
One day we're taking Liberty's in, the next we're down at Heals.

became

Our boudoir on the open plan has been a great success
Now everwhere's so open, there's nowhere safe to dress

and the first lines of A Transport of Delight

Some choose a Lagonda
Some prefer a smart MG

became

Some people like a motorbike
Some say 'A tram for me'

['LIVEWIRE?']

As a(slight) aside to the above, wasn't it true that the only brand names which could be mentioned were 'The Times' and 'Rolls-Royce'?

[Ted Kendall]

I remastered Formby's entire commercial output bar the two 1960 Pyes some years back, and realised that he wasn't half as gormless as he'd have you believe. Granted, he worked with a battery of pre-tuned banjoleles because he couldn't otherwise change key, but his right hand technique was phenomenal. Try "Rhythm in the Alphabet", of which the last half is a solo exhibiting every trick in the book. And they thought heavy metal was something new...

The trouble in remastering these recordings wasn't so much finding originals as finding pressings which were quiet and didn't blast on banjolele peaks. Australian laminated pressings, where available, gave a head start on surface noise, but were prone to "rip" if they had been played on clumsy pickups. Other than that, it was down to leg work.

[Bazz4CQJ]

There is a flourishing Society devoted Formby which I think is based in Warrington and they would probably trade gold bars for something like that!

If you cannot find their direct details by any other way, the son of a friend of mine is deeply involved, so I could connect you.

B

[Karen O]

He had a hit in the 80s, didn't he? His band was called 'The Range'. 'The way it is', as I remember. Nothing like his previous stuff though

[paulsherwin]

He died in 1961 at a relatively young age.

He embraced the 'gormless Lancashire idiot' as part of his stage persona, but certainly knew how to play his instrument.

[teetoon]

Karen, You are thinking of BRUCE HORNSBY AND THE RANGE .
Gave me a good laugh though. I'm sure George would have been amused if he had seen that.

David.

[ms660]

My Mum worked on George Formby's "estate" I think it was after the war, he had a property at Mere Nr. Knutsford, Mum was in the Women's Land Army.

My Dad couldn't stand the bloke....

Lawrence.