Read on Twitter
Spent a happy afternoon digitising. Read on for some of a 62 y/o revue. It's a bit of comedy history, a musical treat- and *there's some Dudley Moore on here that only a handful of living people have heard*. Have a look at the OG thread for background then we'll get into it. https://twitter.com/jondrytay/status/1346441564944478208
Our opener: Island In The Rain (the film and song Island In The Sun had been released the previous year). This is my mum! This is a very musical theatre pastiche number- I love how their opening melodies are restated together. And the CHARM!
(Sidebar: I suspect most of this music was by Herbert Chappell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Chappell) Fans of my dad's play The Exorcism will know him for the creepy harpsichord music, which he improvised.)
Island In The Rain has a lovely big sweeping tune for its chorus. And mum here clearly relishes playing the kind of coy ingenue she never really got to play again, little Betty Boop 'Ooooh!' and all. Denis Moriarty became a TV producer and mayor of Henley-On-Thames.
Here's Dudley Moore! In the earlier thread I mentioned that this song bored me as a child. I think now it's because the gags are very difficult to hear, but I've tidied up the end as best I can. I think they're Chicago gangsters- you can hear that the audience are LOVING it.
It's Dark In Here: a quickie opera parody, like comedians do now all the time. This is definitely mum and I think Moriarty as well.
Manchester, My Manchester. I remembered the tune as being catchier than this, but it's as great a lyric as I remember and really being SOLD here (I don't know the performer but intend to find out). You can sense the baffled poshos too.
Now a song I'd forgotten, and shame on me! LPs were relatively new so what better subject for a comic song than different playing speeds? Mo(o)re Moore ahead, but here's the opening of Turntable of Love. I think this is Moriarty again. Another CRACKING melody.
If you've got a nice tune, why not do it in a round?
And here he is to bring the house down: Moore, representing 45rpm.
And to end at the beginning, here's a snippet of the overture. Couple of restatements of Island In The Rain here- complete with MJQ marimba- and another big tune from a very long topical number about children's books which doesn't really land now. Nice calypso tune though.
Amazing to think that in those days stage sketch shows started with a medley of the upcoming songs played as an overture- again, just like a musical. Amazing too that this crackly ancient historical document comes from only 15 years before I was born. Yikes.
I'm aware by the way that I don't own the copyright to this stuff (if it's anything like Footlights was in my day, then I suspect the rights automatically belong to the Oxford Revue) but I thought the historical interest was enough to justify digitising and posting.
People I think will get a kick out of this: @JasonHazeley @robthor @breathwick @mollykh @jameslark @jaylett @gralefrit @rufusjones1 @AlanKelloggs and I hope loads more of you all. Enjoy!
