George Le Brunn (1864-1905) was the son of a Brighton coachbuilder who started his career as a musician in the orchestra pit of various music halls, before becoming a full-time professional songwriter in 1883. He wrote many songs with John P Harrington, earning them the nickname of the “Gilbert and Sullivan of the halls”. Many of their songs were written to suit particular performers: Harrington wrote lyrics which matched their onstage personae, whilst Le Brunn knew the pitch and range of every major music hall star. Harrington said this about his partner:
George could compose songs as easily and deftly as another man might write a letter. A rapid glance at the Lyric, a grunted “this is in 6/8 time,eh?” And after a nod of my acquiescence, Presto! his fluid pen would positively fly over the sheet of music paper before you had time to gasp “Geewhiz!”. Seldom, if ever, was so much as a note of altered afterwards and never once was the piano touched, until the melody was completed… Some of our most popular songs were composed in 10 or 15 minutes… Foolishly, at first, I was a little indignant that George earned his money so easily whilst the lyric took me perhaps an hour or two to write.
Songs of his collected from traditional singers :
- Arry, Arry, Arry
- The Golden Dustman
- Half past nine
- He’d never been there before : (he’s going there every night)
- If it wasn’t for the ‘ouses inbetween
- It’s a great big shame
- Just as I was getting into bed
- Little Annie Rooney
- The Future Mrs. Hawkins
- Song of the thrush
- Wild man of Borneo, The
An attempt at a full song list:
Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by John Baxter | Published: April 26, 2022
