Description
Directed by American Wesley Ruggles with a score by Oscar-winning tunesmiths Burke and Van Heusen London Town was filmed at Shepperton Studios, with an all-star cast led by comedian Sid Field who by 1945 was the toast of London’s West End having starred in a succession of highly successful wartime variety shows. Fourteen year old moppet Petula Clark, already a popular radio and variety performer, also featured, alongside Norwegian screen siren Greta Gynt, British Variety star Tessie O’Shea (affectionately known as Two Ton Tessie), newcomer Kay Kendall and the music of Ted Heath.
British songstress Beryl Davis introduced the new Burke/Van Heusen score, which included “So Would I” and “My Heart Goes Crazy”, as both herself and the singing voice of Kay Kendall. Much of the comedy material featured in London Town is drawn from Sid Field’s West End wartime variety reviews. “Strike It Again” (Prince of Wales Theatre 1944) featured the golf sketch which would be reprised by Field in London Town and is included on this compilation as a valuable historical record of 1940’s British Variety.
The music of London Town was originally released on five 78rpm gramophone records in 1946 and holds the distinction of being Britain’s first motion picture soundtrack album. This CD marks the first reissue of these historic recordings and the 60th anniversary of one of the milestones of British cinema.
To complement the London Town soundtrack we include Greta Gynt performing “Lady Spiv” (written by Vivian Ellis) which she sang in the 1948 British film Easy Money, and Petula Clark performing her first ever commercial recordings which she recorded for the Columbia label in 1949. Tessie O’Shea’s commercial recording of “The ‘Ampstead Way” is also included.
1. Overture – Salvador Camarata & Orchestra 2:35
2. You Can’t Keep A Good Dreamer Down – Sid Field 2:29
3. Daffodil Hill – Salvador Camarata & Orchestra 6:31
4. My Heart Goes Crazy – Beryl Davis 2:52
5. If Spring Were Only Here To Stay – Ann Sullivan 3:06
6. So Would I – Scotty Mcharg & Beryl Davis 3:13
7. The ‘Ampstead Way – Sid Field & Beryl Davis 3:30
8. Sid Field Plays Golf – Sid Field & Jerry Desmond 6:30
9. So Would I (Reprise) – Scotty Mcharg & Beryl Davis 2:43
10. The ‘Ampstead Way (Reprise) – Beryl Davis 2:42
BONUS TRACKS
11. London Town Film Songs Selection – Peter Yorke & Orchestra 6:08
12. My Heart Goes Crazy – Ted Heath With Jack Parnell 2:54
13. So Would I – Ted Heath With Paul Carpenter 3:10
14. Wot Cher! – Ted Heath And His Music 2:46
15. The ‘Ampstead Way – Tessie O’shea 2:38
16. Any Old Iron – Ted Heath And His Music 2:28
17. Lady Spiv – Greta Gynt 3:11
18. Put Your Shoes On, Lucy – Petula Clark 2:41
19. House In The Sky – Petula Clark 3:01
20. Clancy Lowered The Boom – Petula Clark 2:54
21. I’ll Always Love You – Petula Clark 3:07
22. Don’t You Know That I Care – Beryl Davis 3:23
23. No One Else Will Do – Beryl Davis 3:02
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