Here's an action-packed double-disc anthology dedicated to the nutty, irreverent, corny and occasionally obnoxious world of classic British humor. The recordings, dating from 1928-1936, introduce a veritable parade of seasoned comedic performers, some of them survivors from the golden age of music hall entertainment. The collection begins with "The Laughing Policeman," a somewhat deranged performance by
Charles Penrose. Comedic categories represented thenceforth include the quirky ("I Lift Up My Finger and Say Tweet-Tweety"); the cute ("I Faw Down an' Go Boom"); the ethnic ("The 'Oi' Song"); the silly march ("Clonk-Er-Ty-Clonk"); the singalong ("The Sun Has Got His Hat On" and "You Can't Do That There 'Ere"); the utterly fabulously grand ("Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing," "Give Yourself a Pat on the Back" and "I Like Bananas Because They Have No Bones"), and the masterfully cynical ("I'd Like to Find the Guy That Wrote the Stein Song"). Some of England's top dance bands appear in this slaphappy grab bag of goofiness, including
Bert Ambrose,
Jack Hylton,
Ray Noble and
Debroy Somers.