Sold Date: December 13, 2022
Start Date: April 13, 2022
Final Price: £24.00 (GBP)
Seller Feedback: 13715
Buyer Feedback: 0

AN EXCELLENT PLAYING COPY OF THIS WAR TIME CLASSIC 78 FROM FLANAGAN AND ALLEN

RUN RABBIT RUN  

b/w   THE WASHING ON THE SIEGFRIED LINE

Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act popular during World War II. Its members were Bud Flanagan (1896 - 1968) and Chesney Allen (1893 - 1982). They were first paired in a Florrie Forde revue, and were booked by Val Parnell to appear at the Holborn Empire in 1926.

As music hall comedians, they would often feature a mixture of comedy and music in their act; this led to a successful recording career as a duo and roles in film and television. Just prior to and throughout the Second World War they appeared in several films helmed by Marcel Varnel and John Baxter. Flanagan and Allen were both also members of The Crazy Gang and worked with that team for many years concurrently with their double-act career.

Flanagan and Allen's songs featured the same, usually gentle, humour for which the duo were known in their live performances, and during the Second World War they reflected the experiences of ordinary people during wartime. Songs like 'We're Gonna Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line' mocked the German defences (Siegfried Line), while others like 'Miss You' sang of missing one's sweetheart during enforced absences. Other songs, such as"home town" and their most famous, 'Underneath the Arches' (which Flanagan co-wrote with Reg Connelly), had universal themes such as friendship. The music was usually melodic, following a binary verse, verse chorus structure, with a small dance band or orchestra providing the accompaniment. The vocals were distinctive because while Flanagan was at least a competent singer and sang the melody lines, Allen used an almost spoken delivery to provide the harmonies.

The recordings of Flanagan and Allen remain popular, and the duo are frequently impersonated by professionals and amateurs. Royal Variety Performances often feature people 'doing a Flanagan and Allen', notably Roy Hudd and Christopher Timothy, Bernie Winters and Leslie Crowther.

Run Rabbit Run

Sung by Flanagan & Allen

This song was written by Noel Gay for his show 'The little Dog Laughed' which opened in October 1939. In typical Flanagan & Allen style they changed some of the lyrics to poke fun at the Germans 

We're Gonna Hang Out The Washing On The Siegfried Line

Sung by Flanagan & Allen written by Jimmy Kennedy & Michael Carr. 

The Siegfried Line was originally built as a defense system by Germany during World War One and consisted of numerous bunkers, anti tank traps and an extensive network of tunnels. The lyrics implied that the line would provide as much defense as a washing line and as such it was no defense against the allies 

DISC DETAILS

UK  10" DECCA F 7265 SHELLAC 78rpm 

CONDITION - E- 

A SIDE: - RUN RABBIT RUN    (The letter B is written on the label in white ink on this side)

B SIDE: - (We're gonna hang out the washing on) THE SIEGFRIED LINE

TWO GREAT SIDES ON THIS WARTIME CLASSIC 78 FROM FLANAGAN AND ALLEN