Lambeth Walk, The (1937)

First Published1937

Writer/composerNoel GayRoudRN25672

Music Hall PerformersLupino Lane
Folk performancesCollected from the singing of:

Modern performances
The Lambeth Walk (Noel Gay 1937)

Lambeth you've never seen,
The skies ain't blue, the grass ain't green.
It hasn't got the Mayfair touch,
But that don't matter very much.
We play the Lambeth way,
Not like you but a bit more gay
And when we have a bit of fun
Oh, Boy.

Anytime you're Lambeth way
Any evening, any day,
You'll find us all, doin' the Lambeth walk.
Ev'ry little Lambeth gal
With her little Lambeth pal,
You'll find 'em all, doin' the Lambeth walk.

Ev'rything's free and easy,
Do as you darn well pleasey,
Why don't you make your way there,
Go there, stay there,
Once you get down Lambeth way,
Ev'ry evening, ev'ry day,
You'll find yourself doin' the Lambeth walk.

Ev'rything's free and easy,
Do as you darn well pleasey,
Why don't you make your way there,
Go there, stay there,
Once you get down Lambeth way,
Ev'ry evening, ev'ry day,
You'll find yourself doin' the Lambeth walk.

Ev'rything's free and easy,
Do as you darn well pleasey,
Why don't you make your way there,
Go there, stay there,
Once you get down Lambeth way,
Ev'ry evening, ev'ry day,
You'll find yourself,
Doin' the Lambeth... Doin' the Lambeth...
Doin' the Lambeth walk!

Noel Gay wrote a huge number of hits for variety artists of the 1930s and 40s including Leaning on a lamppost for George Formby and Run rabbit run for Bud Flanagan, but according to Richard Anthony Baker:

The crowning glory of Noel’s career was the musical Me and My Girl (1937)… It’s hit song The Lambeth Walk set London alight… It ran for 1646 performances.

Old Time Variety, p 83

The song was inspired by the song of the same name from the 1890s but apart from the name is a completely different song. It was a hit in America too and inspired a dance craze on both sides of the Atlantic.

It is listed in the Roud Folk Song Index as it appears in the private family songbook collated by Jeanine Lebastard

From Me and My Girls in 1939:

In 1938 The Times suggested that: While dictators rage and statesmen talk, all Europe dances – to The Lambeth Walk. This film was made in 1941 and widely shown in UK cinemas:

Sources:

Last Updated on January 25, 2023 by John Baxter | Published: January 25, 2023

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