"The Laughing Policeman" is a music hall song recorded by British artist Charles Penrose (published under the pseudonym Charles Jolly in 1922). It is based on a similar laughing song by American singer George W. Johnson with the same tune but different subject matter, recorded in 1898.
| "The Laughing Policeman" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Charles Penrose | |
| Recorded | 1922 (original) 22 April 1926 |
| Genre | Music hall |
| Label | Columbia Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Billie Grey |
| Official audio | |
| "The Laughing Policeman" on YouTube | |
A song entitled The Whistling Coon, was written in 1878 by Sam Devere.[1] The Whistling Coon was recorded in 1896 by George W. Johnson, and on the back of its success he composed The Laughing Song which he recorded in 1898.[2] Penrose used its melody for The Laughing Policeman, adding his own lyrics.[3]
It is thought that the character of the Laughing Policeman was inspired by real-life police officer PC John 'Tubby' Stephens, a popular figure in Leicester. [4]
In June 1922, Penrose made the first recording of this song, which was released on Regal Records G-7816. The version more usually heard was recorded on 22 April 1926 and released on Columbia Records 4014 and later FB 1184.[5] The composition of the song is officially credited to his wife Mabel under the pseudonym "Billie Grey". 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.
In 1955, Stikkan Anderson gave the song lyrics in Swedish, as "Den skrattande polisen" ("The laughing police officer"), which was recorded and released by Ove Flodin.[6]
A dance mix was made,[7] released on a 10-inch 45rpm disc, resembling an old-style 78rpm record, with the original version on the other side.[citation needed]
Bernard Cribbins recorded a parody version called 'Giggling Gertie the Laughing Traffic Warden', with the laughter provided by Miriam Margolyes.
The song describes a fat jolly policeman who cannot stop laughing and has a chorus in which the sound of laughter is made in a sustained semi musical way by the singer. The first verse is:
I know a fat old policeman,
he's always on our street,
a fat and jolly red faced man
he really is a treat.
He's too kind for a policeman,
he's never known to frown,
and everybody says he's the happiest man in town.
- Chorus
- (Ha ha ha ha ha,
- Woo ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha,
- Woo ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha,
- Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha,
- Ha ha ha .)