The Lambeth Walk

Album: Me And My Girl (1937)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The 1937 Noel Gay musical Me And My Girl spawned three popular songs: "The Sun Has Got His Hat On," "Leaning On A Lamp-Post" and "The Lambeth Walk." The title of this last comes from a street in Lambeth, South London. With lyrics by Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose, the song is the finale to Act 1. It is performed by Bill, Sally and Ensemble.

    The song contrasts Mayfair - an extremely expensive area of London even in the 1930s - with the working class Lambeth, though it remains to be seen if the skies are any bluer or the grass greener in Mayfair.
  • The phrase "Not like you but a bit more gay" should not be misinterpreted. At the time this musical was written, the word gay meant happy, lighthearted, etc., and would have had no sexual connotations for the audience.
  • This is a song that lends itself readily to parody, and has been used in at least one advertisement, for a travel company. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 3

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

George Clinton

George ClintonSongwriter Interviews

When you free your mind, your ass may follow, but you have to make sure someone else doesn't program it while it's wide open.

Cy Curnin of The Fixx

Cy Curnin of The FixxSongwriter Interviews

The man who brought us "Red Skies" and "Saved By Zero" is now an organic farmer in France.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.

John Kay of Steppenwolf

John Kay of SteppenwolfSongwriter Interviews

Steppenwolf frontman John Kay talks about "Magic Carpet Ride," "Born To Be Wild," and what he values more than awards and accolades.