Underneath the Arches (song)
Encyclopedia
"Underneath the Arches" is a 1931 popular
song
with words and music by Bud Flanagan
, and additional lyrics by Reg Connelly. It was one of the most famous songs of the duo Flanagan and Allen
.
According to a television programme broadcast in 1957, Bud Flanagan said that he wrote the song in Derby
in 1927, and first performed it a week later at the Pier Pavilion, Southport
. It refers to the arches of Friar Gate railway bridge
and to the homeless men who slept there during the Great Depression
.
, and Andy Russell
in the United States
. A well-known version in the United Kingdom
was done by Max Bygraves
. A sequel to the song Where the Arches Used To Be
was sung by Flanagan and Allen in the film A Fire Has Been Arranged
in which the arches are knocked down and flats built in their place.
The Primo Scala recording, with The Keynotes, was released by London Records
as catalog number
238. The record first reached the Billboard
charts
on August 6, 1948, and lasted 16 weeks on the chart, peaking at #6.
The Andrews Sisters
' recording was released by Decca Records
as catalog number 24490 (the flip side of their recording of You Call Everybody Darlin'
). The record first reached the Billboard charts on August 27, 1948, and lasted 10 weeks on the chart, peaking at #10.
The Andy Russell
recording was released by Capitol Records
as catalog number 15183. The record first reached the Billboard charts on October 1, 1948 and lasted 5 weeks on the chart, peaking at #21.
In 1970 the artist duo Gilbert & George did a performance of the song in Nigel Greenwood Gallery
, which launched their career as "singing and living sculptures".
The song is used in the television mini-series A Perfect Spy
, based on the John le Carré
novel, while father and son (the key figures) are running under arches near a British beach. It was also the signature tune for the Radio London Underneath the Arches
programme.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
with words and music by Bud Flanagan
Bud Flanagan
Bud Flanagan was a popular English music hall and vaudeville entertainer from the 1930s until the 1960s. Flanagan was famous as a wartime entertainer and his achievements were recognised when he was awarded the O.B.E. in 1960.- Family background :Flaganan was born Chaim Reuben Weintrop in...
, and additional lyrics by Reg Connelly. It was one of the most famous songs of the duo Flanagan and Allen
Flanagan and Allen
Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act popular during World War II. Its members were Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen...
.
According to a television programme broadcast in 1957, Bud Flanagan said that he wrote the song in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
in 1927, and first performed it a week later at the Pier Pavilion, Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
. It refers to the arches of Friar Gate railway bridge
Derby Friargate railway station
Derby Friargate Station was the main station in Derby on the Great Northern Railway Derbyshire Extension popularly known as the Friargate Line.- History :-Friargate Bridge:...
and to the homeless men who slept there during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
Covers
The song has also been covered by Primo Scala, The Andrews SistersThe Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews , soprano Maxene Angelyn Andrews , and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews...
, and Andy Russell
Andy Russell (singer)
Andy Russell was an American popular vocalist, specializing in traditional pop and Latin music.He was born Andrés Rabago Pérez in the Boyle Heights area of East Los Angeles. He was one of ten children born to parents who were Mexican immigrants of Spanish descent...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A well-known version in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
was done by Max Bygraves
Max Bygraves
Max Bygraves OBE is an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs...
. A sequel to the song Where the Arches Used To Be
Where the Arches Used To Be
Where the Arches Used To Be is a song performed by the comedic act Flanagan and Allen in the 1935 film A Fire Has Been Arranged. It was a sequel to their popular theme song Underneath the Arches...
was sung by Flanagan and Allen in the film A Fire Has Been Arranged
A Fire Has Been Arranged
A Fire Has Been Arranged is a 1935 British comedy film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Chesney Allen, Bud Flanagan and Alastair Sim....
in which the arches are knocked down and flats built in their place.
The Primo Scala recording, with The Keynotes, was released by London Records
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
as catalog number
Catalog numbering systems for single records
This article presents the numbering systems used by various record companies for single records.- Capitol :...
238. The record first reached the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
on August 6, 1948, and lasted 16 weeks on the chart, peaking at #6.
The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews , soprano Maxene Angelyn Andrews , and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews...
' recording was released by Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
as catalog number 24490 (the flip side of their recording of You Call Everybody Darlin'
You Call Everybody Darlin'
"You Call Everybody Darlin" is a popular song. It was written by Sam Martin, Ben Trace, and Clem Watts and published in 1946.Several versions were recorded that charted in 1948 : by Al Trace , Bob Vincent, Jack Smith, The Andrews Sisters, Jerry Wayne, and Jack...
). The record first reached the Billboard charts on August 27, 1948, and lasted 10 weeks on the chart, peaking at #10.
The Andy Russell
Andy Russell (singer)
Andy Russell was an American popular vocalist, specializing in traditional pop and Latin music.He was born Andrés Rabago Pérez in the Boyle Heights area of East Los Angeles. He was one of ten children born to parents who were Mexican immigrants of Spanish descent...
recording was released by Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
as catalog number 15183. The record first reached the Billboard charts on October 1, 1948 and lasted 5 weeks on the chart, peaking at #21.
In 1970 the artist duo Gilbert & George did a performance of the song in Nigel Greenwood Gallery
Nigel Greenwood (art dealer)
Nigel Palin Greenwood was an erudite and independent-minded art dealer.-Early career:Nigel Greenwood was educated at Christ Church, Oxford and at the Courtauld Institute . He started his career in the art world at the Axiom Gallery in London...
, which launched their career as "singing and living sculptures".
The song is used in the television mini-series A Perfect Spy
A Perfect Spy
A Perfect Spy by John le Carré is a novel about the mental and moral dissolution of a secret agent.-Plot introduction:A Perfect Spy is the tale of Magnus Pym, a long-time spy for the United Kingdom. After attending his father's funeral, Pym mysteriously disappears...
, based on the John le Carré
John le Carré
David John Moore Cornwell , who writes under the name John le Carré, is an author of espionage novels. During the 1950s and the 1960s, Cornwell worked for MI5 and MI6, and began writing novels under the pseudonym "John le Carré"...
novel, while father and son (the key figures) are running under arches near a British beach. It was also the signature tune for the Radio London Underneath the Arches
Underneath the Arches (documentary)
Underneath the Arches is a documentary broadcast on BBC Radio London in 1977. The programme broke tradition by enabling London’s homeless people to tell their own stories. Underneath the Arches was presented by the homeless people themselves without any links from a programme presenter...
programme.