William Herbert Lee (11 June 1880 – 23 January 1946) was an English songwriter. He wrote for
music hall
Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...
and the musical stage, often in partnership with
R. P. Weston.
Life and career
Lee was born in
Ravensthorpe,
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
.
[Richard Anthony Baker, ''British Music Hall: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2014, , pp.145–146] He played organ in his local chapel as a child, and initially worked as a
piano tuner in
Manchester
Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
, before joining a travelling
concert party as a pianist.
[Roy Hudd, "R. P. Weston and Bert Lee, 'A Song a Day'", ''Theatrephile'', vol. 2 no.6, 1985, pp.55–58] His first successful song as a writer was "Joshu-ah!", co-written with
George Arthurs and performed by
Clarice Mayne in 1910. He found further success in 1913 with "
Hello! Hello! Who's Your Lady Friend?", written with
Worton David and the song's performer,
Harry Fragson.
[
In 1915, music publisher David Day, of Francis, Day and Hunter, introduced Lee to R. P. Weston, the collaborator with whom Lee had the most lasting relationship.][ They immediately found success together with " Lloyd George's Beer Song" (1915), " Good-bye-ee!" (1917, made popular by Florrie Forde),][ and " Paddy McGinty's Goat", revived by Val Doonican in 1964. They worked together over the next twenty years on some 3000 songs and ]monologue
In theatre, a monologue (also known as monolog in North American English) (in , from μόνος ''mónos'', "alone, solitary" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts ...
s, 75 stage shows and musicals, and 17 films, as well as for pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment, generally combining gender-crossing actors and topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or ...
s and radio shows.[ As well as songs for revues, notably those produced by Lupino Lane, they wrote sketches for such stars as Fred Karno, Robb Wilton and Wee Georgie Wood.][ Their collaborations were conducted in Weston's house in ]Twickenham
Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...
. They kept office hours, met every day and aimed to write at least one song each day. Both Lee and Weston wrote both words and music,[ but according to Lee: "Bob estonhas the brains. I put the laughs in."][ "Weston and Lee", ''Folk Song and Music Hall'']
Retrieved 15 January 2021
In the 1920s, Weston and Lee wrote for many theatre productions, and adapted many American productions for the British stage. In 1926, they started working with theatre producers Jack Waller and Joe Tunbridge, and wrote several musical comedies together, mostly featuring the comedian Bobby Howes. They also worked with Gracie Fields
Dame Gracie Fields (born Grace Stansfield; 9 January 189827 September 1979) was a British actress, singer and comedian. A star of cinema and music hall, she was one of the top ten film stars in Britain during the 1930s and was considered the h ...
and the Crazy Gang. They wrote the popular monologue " My Word, You Do Look Queer", first recorded by Ernest Hastings in 1922 and later popularised by Stanley Holloway.[
Weston and Lee wrote several of Holloway's monologues in the 1930s. Together with Weston's son Harris Weston (born Robert Edgar Harris, 1901–1978), they wrote Holloway's 1934 monologue " With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm", about the ghost of ]Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn (; 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the Wives of Henry VIII, second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and execution, by beheading ...
haunting the Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...
, seeking revenge on Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
for having her beheaded.[
The duo also wrote music for film, including the book and lyrics for ''O-kay for Sound'', a 1937 film. Much of their music was written specifically for actors Sydney Howard and Stanley Holloway, both noted comedians of the 1920s and 1930s. These included "Splinters in the Air" for Howard and "Squibs" for Holloway.][Halliwell, Leslie. ''Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies'', 15th edition, HarperCollins, 2003. ] Among Lee's most enduring tunes is " Knees Up Mother Brown", which is traditionally associated with Cockney
Cockney is a dialect of the English language, mainly spoken in London and its environs, particularly by Londoners with working-class and lower middle class roots. The term ''Cockney'' is also used as a demonym for a person from the East End, ...
culture. This was written in 1938 in collaboration with R. P. Weston's son, Harris Weston. In 1938, Lee and Harris Weston co-wrote the hit stage revue '' These Foolish Things'' which starred The Crazy Gang and the Sherman Fisher Girls. The same year Lee contributed to the musical '' The Fleet's Lit Up''.
In 1939, Lee and his wife went on holiday to Llandudno
Llandudno (, ) is a seaside resort, town and community (Wales), community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located on the Creuddyn peninsula, which protrudes into the Irish Sea. In the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 UK census, the community â ...
in north Wales
North Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdon ...
, and at the outbreak of the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
decided to settle in the town.[ He died there in January 1946, aged 65.]
Select filmography (as writer)
* '' Yes, Madam?'' (1939)
* '' Hold My Hand'' (1938)
* '' Splinters in the Air'' (1937)
* '' Fame'' (1936)
* '' Squibs'' (1935)
* '' Where's George?'' (1935)
* '' Girls, Please!'' (1934)
* ''It's a Cop
''It's a Cop'' is a 1934 Cinema of the United Kingdom, British police-themed comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Sydney Howard, Chili Bouchier and Garry Marsh. It was made at British and Dominions Imperial Studios, British and Do ...
'' (1934)
* '' This Is the Life'' (1933)
* '' Up for the Derby'' (1933)
* '' It's a King'' (1933)
* '' Trouble'' (1933)
* '' The Mayor's Nest'' (1932)
*'' Up for the Cup'' (1931)
* '' Splinters in the Navy'' (1931)
* '' No Lady'' (1931)
Selected stage works
* '' He Wanted Adventure'' (1933)
* '' These Foolish Things'' (1938)
Songs (partial list)
* 1910 "Joshua" w.m George Arthurs & Bert Lee
* 1912 " Hello, Hello, Who's Your Lady Friend?" w.m. Harry Fragson, Worton David & Bert Lee
* 1915 " Lloyd George's Beer Song" with R. P. Weston
* 1916 "At Finnigan's Ball" w.m. Bert Lee
* 1916 "Blighty, the Soldier's Home Sweet Home" w.m. R.P. Weston & Bert LeeVirginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
''
* 1932 "Sing, Brothers" w. Bert Lee & R. P. Weston m. Jack Waller & Joseph Tunbridge from the Musical '' Tell Her the Truth''
* 1932 "Horrortorio" w. Bert Lee & R. P. Weston m. Jack Waller & Joseph Tunbridge from the Musical ''Tell Her the Truth''
* 1934 " With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm" w.m. R. P. Weston & Bert Lee
* 1936 "And The Great Big Saw Came Nearer And Nearer" w.m. Robert E. Harris, Dwight B. Latham, Bert Lee & R. P. Weston
* 1938 " Knees Up Mother Brown" w.m. Harris Weston & Bert Lee
* 1940 "Brahn Boots" w.m. R. P. Weston & Bert Lee
References
External links
*
Works by Bert Lee on Great War Theatre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Bert
1880 births
1946 deaths
English male songwriters