A 1110th GARLAND OF BRITISH LIGHT MUSIC COMPOSERS
In Garland 1109 the name of Ralph Butler cropped up as a co-song writer with Harry Tilsley. Butler was a prolific song-writer, often of songs very popular in his day and usually combined with someone else. Here is a sampling: There was When The King Goes By with Reg Connelly. Then Tolchard Evans was the collaborator in England’s Good Enough For Me, I’m Off To Join The Army, Sailor Sail Me Round, The Haunted House, Let’s Sing a Bright Song and She’s Fallen For The Foreman.
With Noel Gay he brought out Hey Little Hen (1941), Let’s All Sing At The Top Of Our Voices, I’ve Got A Hunch, My Old Car, Round The Marble Arch, The Sun Has Got His Hat On (two popular ones there) and We Mustn’t Miss The Last Bus Home. Will Haines was the co-writer of I’m The Monster of Loch Ness, Barney Bernard and Paddy Roberts of Riding in a Char-a-banc, Stan Merrell and Eva Church of The Army Fell For Little Isabel. Ronnie for Our Little Baby Boy, Raymond Wallace for Give Yourself A Pat On The Back, Come And Have A Cuddle On The Common, I’m Happy When I’m Hiking, Shovel Up Your Troubles, There’s A Good Time Coming, We Must All Stick Together, We’re Uncomfortable and When A Black Sheep Meets A White Sheep and, finally Julian Wright and Howard Flynn collaborated with Butler for Riding On A Camel (this from a film).
Second, and finally, for another Butler, Roger Butler (no relation I believe) is worth a mention for Arachnaphone, a harp solo dating from 1996.
Philip L. Scowcroft
August 2010
