The Laughing Policeman (song)
Encyclopedia
"The Laughing Policeman" is a music hall
song by Charles Jolly, the pseudonym of Charles Penrose
.
FB 1184). The composition of the song is officially credited to his wife Mabel under the pseudonym "Billie Grey"; however, the music and melody are taken from The Laughing Song by George W. Johnson
which was originally recorded in the 1890s. . The Penroses wrote numerous other laughing songs (The Laughing Major, Curate, Steeplechaser, Typist, Lover, etc), but only "The Laughing Policeman" is remembered today, having sold over a million copies. Its popularity continued into the 1970s, as it was a frequently requested recording on the BBC Radio 1
show Junior Choice. It even had a dance mix
made of it, which was released on a 10 inch 45rpm disc, resembling an old-style 78rpm record, with the original version on the other side.
Stikkan Anderson gave the song lyrics in Swedish
, as "Den skrattande polisen" ("the laughing police officer"), which was recorded and released in 1955
by Ole Flodin.
and film of the same name: Fictional Swedish detective Martin Beck
gets it as a Christmas present from his daughter Ingrid, but doesn't think it is funny. Beck's first laugh after the murder comes when Stenström's death is fully vindicated.
(of the singer laughing) has been used twice as a buzzer on the television panel game
QI
, and in 2007 for a Cuprinol
television advertisement.
In The Man who Blew Away, an episode of One Foot in the Grave
, the Meldrews are constantly kept awake by a late night party across the road, the worst comes when the partygoers join in the chorus of the song.
In an episode of the BBC
police drama City Central criminals stole an officer's radio and used it to broadcast the song continuously, disrupting police communications.
In the BBC detective drama, Bergerac (TV series)
, the episode Natural Enemies features the song being played on a gramophone in a children's home, as several children laugh at Charlie Hungerford.
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
song by Charles Jolly, the pseudonym of Charles Penrose
Charles Penrose
Charles Penrose was an English music hall and theatre performer, and later radio comedian, who is best known for his unusual comic song "The Laughing Policeman"...
.
The Song
In 1922, Penrose made the first recording of this song, (Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
FB 1184). The composition of the song is officially credited to his wife Mabel under the pseudonym "Billie Grey"; however, the music and melody are taken from The Laughing Song by George W. Johnson
George W. Johnson
George Washington Johnson was a singer and pioneer sound recording artist, the first African American recording star of the phonograph.-Early life:...
which was originally recorded in the 1890s. . The Penroses wrote numerous other laughing songs (The Laughing Major, Curate, Steeplechaser, Typist, Lover, etc), but only "The Laughing Policeman" is remembered today, having sold over a million copies. Its popularity continued into the 1970s, as it was a frequently requested recording on the BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show Junior Choice. It even had a dance mix
Dance mix
Dance mix is a form of music, created by mixing Techno House and Electronica. It reached its peak of popularity in the mid to late 1990s. However, it can also imply manipulating alternative rock and adult contemporary songs that are otherwise not dance songs so that "pop songs" can be more...
made of it, which was released on a 10 inch 45rpm disc, resembling an old-style 78rpm record, with the original version on the other side.
Stikkan Anderson gave the song lyrics in Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
, as "Den skrattande polisen" ("the laughing police officer"), which was recorded and released in 1955
1955 in music
-Events:*January 1 – RCA Victor announces a marketing plan called "Operation TNT." The label drops the list price on LPs from $5.95 to $3.98, EPs from $4.95 to $2.98, 45 EPs from $1.58 to $1.49 and 45's from $1.16 to $.89...
by Ole Flodin.
Novel
The song is referenced in the novelThe Laughing Policeman (novel)
The Laughing Policeman , by Sjöwall and Wahlöö, is the fourth police detective novel, in the ten-part 'Martin Beck' series. Originally published in Sweden in 1968 as Den skrattande polisen, it is the first novel in the series to criticize the shortcomings of the Swedish welfare state...
and film of the same name: Fictional Swedish detective Martin Beck
Martin Beck
Martin Beck is a fictional Swedish police detective who is the main character in a series of ten novels by Sjöwall and Wahlöö, collectively titled The Story of a Crime...
gets it as a Christmas present from his daughter Ingrid, but doesn't think it is funny. Beck's first laugh after the murder comes when Stenström's death is fully vindicated.
Other appearances
The chorusRefrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
(of the singer laughing) has been used twice as a buzzer on the television panel game
Panel game
A panel game or panel show is a radio or television game show in which a panel of celebrities participates. Panelists may compete with each other, such as on The News Quiz; facilitate play by guest contestants, such as on Match Game/Blankety Blank; or do both, such as on Wait Wait.....
QI
QI
QI is a British comedy panel game television quiz show created and co-produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring permanent panellist Alan Davies. Most of the questions are extremely obscure, making it unlikely that the correct answer will be given...
, and in 2007 for a Cuprinol
Cuprinol
Cuprinol is a brand of garden woodcare treatments made by ICI Paints.-History:The product was developed in the 1930s to prevent dry rot and woodworm, essentially to waterproof wood. It is brand leader for garden woodcare....
television advertisement.
In The Man who Blew Away, an episode of One Foot in the Grave
One Foot in the Grave
One Foot in the Grave is a BBC television sitcom series written by David Renwick. The show ran for six series, including seven Christmas specials, two Comic Relief specials, over an eleven year period, from early 1990 to late 2000...
, the Meldrews are constantly kept awake by a late night party across the road, the worst comes when the partygoers join in the chorus of the song.
In an episode of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
police drama City Central criminals stole an officer's radio and used it to broadcast the song continuously, disrupting police communications.
In the BBC detective drama, Bergerac (TV series)
Bergerac (TV series)
Bergerac was a British television show set on Jersey. Produced by the BBC in association with the Seven Network, and screened on BBC1, it starred John Nettles as the title character Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac, a detective in "Le Bureau des Étrangers" Bergerac was a British television show...
, the episode Natural Enemies features the song being played on a gramophone in a children's home, as several children laugh at Charlie Hungerford.
External links
- Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project Publication information and mp3 of George W. Johnson's recording: "The Laughing Song"
- Library of Congress image of sheet music for The Laughing Song published in 1894