Thursday, 4 September 2014

Sing a song of love



Their famous Eurovision song Sing Little Birdie (Sing, Sing) was a hit in 1959, four years before I was born. Their last appearance as performers on stage was twenty-seven years ago in a revival of Sondheim's Follies in 1987.



Today, to our joy, we discover that Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson - Britain's favourite singing sweethearts in the mid-20th century - are still alive (and, happily, still living together in Brinsworth House, a care home for retired performers)!

To celebrate Teddy's 94th birthday today, let us pay due homage to the ultimate light entertainment survivors. First, up, their Music Hall Medley:


Their famous Eurovision runner-up song:


There's a bird on a branch
There's a branch on a tree
Where we carved our initials there
For all the world to see

'Neath that bird on a branch
'Neath that branch on a tree
Where we promised our true love
For all eternity

Sing, little birdie, sing your song
Sing, you'll help our love along
Sing, little birdie up above
Sing a song of love


And here's a fabulous discovery - a mini-documentary (created by students at MaD Theatre Company) about the history of the form of entertainment (sadly now disdained by "reality"-obsessed TV execs) known as "Variety".

Narrated by another "national treasure" Roy Hudd, Variety of Memories features (among others) a splendid interview with Pearl and Teddy, talking about their memories of that long-lost era:

[2024 UPDATE: Gone from the interwebs, unfortunately.]

Happy birthday, Teddy!

Teddy Johnson (born Edward Victor Johnson, 4th September 1920)

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