[78-L] George Formby on the other side of the pond

[David Lennick]

Not surprising..Sparton released a lot of Formby discs here in the early 40s. 
First pressings are the soft unlaminated ones, very easily broken, but they 
stayed in print long enough to be laminated by the mid 40s. 8 sides were 
reissued in an album on blue label MASTERWORKS (!) in 1950 when Formby came 
here. What is also odd is that I saw my first Canadian Formbys in New York, at 
Merit. For some reason The Window Cleaner (RZ MR 2199) wasn't issued here 
(although the later Decca/London version was).

You're a Li-a-ty was originally RZ MR 2430, flip is When We Feather Our Nest. 
RZ flip of Lamp Post is Hi-Tiddley-Hi-Ti Island (info from Rust's Music Hall book).

Columbias were imports till CBS set up Sparton as its Canadian presser and 
distributor in late 1939.

dl

On 4/16/2011 2:29 PM, agp wrote:
> Paid a visit to Whistin' Willies today. Among the goodies I was
> surprised to find a George Formby 78 on Canadian Columbia --
>
> Columbia C670 - Leaning on a Lamp Post (mx. CAR 4655) b/w You're a
> La-i-ty (mx. CAR 4407)
>
> Its a Sparton pressing that is a bit ugly with a few 'bumps and
> dings' in the run in grooves! (Could this mean it was not a 1937 pressing?)
>
> These look to match Regal Zonophone mx numbers. I see that Leaning
> was on Regal Zonophone  MR.2490. Can anyone tell me what the original
> Regal Zonophone release was the Canadian B-side? Was this Columbia
> release in parallel with the UK release - as I see it says its from
> the 1937 the film Feather Your Nest? Not even sure if the film came
> out in the USA.
>
> so -- Second question -- did he see any releases in the USA.
>
> I am in particular looking for the scandalous and banned When I'm
> Cleaning Windows - -anyone have a catalogue number for that
>
> T
>