Harry Parr-Davies (24 May 1914 – 14 October 1955) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

and

songwriter A songwriter is a person who creates musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music genre and film scoring. ...

. He was born Harry Parr Davies in

Briton Ferry Briton Ferry () is a town and Community (Wales), community in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. The Welsh name may indicate that the church, ''llan'', is protected from the wind, ''awel''. Alternatively, ''Sawel'' may be a deri ...

Neath Neath (; ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a population of 19,2 ...

South Wales South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...

, and was educated at

Neath Grammar School Neath (; ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a population of 19,2 ...

. He was considered a musical

prodigy Prodigy, Prodigies or The Prodigy may refer to: * Child prodigy, a child who produces meaningful output to the level of an adult expert performer ** Chess prodigy, a child who can beat experienced adult players at chess Arts, entertainment, and m ...

, having composed entire operettas by the time he was in his teens. He came to the attention of composer Sir

Walford Davies Sir Henry Walford Davies (6 September 1869 – 11 March 1941) was an English composer, organist, and educator who held the title Master of the King's Music from 1934 until 1941. He served with the Royal Air Force during the First World War, du ...

, who encouraged him to study music at

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

. However, his early professional success meant that this opportunity was not pursued. By the age of fourteen, he had already composed six songs and soon left Wales to build on his early achievements.

Rex Walford Rex Ashley Walford, (14 February 1934 – 2 January 2011) was a British scholar, educator, and former journalist, who in later life specialised in teaching others to teach geography. Education Walford was a strong supporter of lifelong learning ...

'Harry Parr Davies'
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', 2004. ccessed 21 August 2011/ref> In 1931, in an uncharacteristic moment of assertiveness, he managed to gain access to the dressing room of the singing star

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 ...

at London’s Winter Garden Theatre. Starting in 1934, he worked as Fields' accompanist. He also wrote songs for

Jack Buchanan Walter John Buchanan (2 April 1890 – 20 October 1957) was a Scottish theatre and film actor, singer, dancer, producer and director. He was known for three decades as the embodiment of the debonair man-about-town in the tradition of George Gr ...

Anna Neagle Dame Florence Marjorie Wilcox (''née'' Robertson; 20 October 1904 – 3 June 1986), known professionally as Anna Neagle, was an English stage and film actress, singer, and dancer. She was a successful box-office draw in British cinema for 2 ...

, and others. His best-known songs included "Pedro the Fisherman," " Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Goodbye," and "

Sing as We Go ''Sing As We Go'' is a 1934 British musical film starring Gracie Fields, John Loder and Stanley Holloway. The script was written by Gordon Wellesley and J. B. Priestley. Considered by many to be British music hall star Gracie Fields' finest ...

." He provided additional lyrics for

Jan Peerce Jan Peerce (born Yehoshua Pinkhes Perelmuth; June 3, 1904 December 15, 1984) was an American operatic tenor. Peerce was an accomplished performer on the operatic and Broadway concert stages, in solo recitals, and as a recording artist. He is ...

's best-selling recording of "

Bluebird of Happiness The symbol of a bluebird as the harbinger of happiness is found in many cultures and may date back thousands of years. Origins of idiom Chinese mythology One of the oldest examples of a blue bird in myth (found on oracle bone inscriptions of the ...

," with music by

Sandor Harmati Sandor Harmati (9 July 18924 April 1936) was a Hungarian-American violinist, conductor and composer, best known for his song " Bluebird of Happiness" written in 1934 for Jan Peerce. Biography Sandor Harmati (''Harmati Sándor'' in Hungarian ortho ...

and original lyrics by

Edward Heyman Edward Heyman (March 14, 1907October 16, 1981) was an American lyricist and producer, best known for his lyrics to " Body and Soul", " When I Fall in Love", and " For Sentimental Reasons". He also contributed to a number of songs for films. Bi ...

. In 1939, the show ''Black Velvet'' featured Parr-Davies's song "Crash, Bang, I Want to Go Home." Other wartime shows that included his work were ''Big Top'', ''Happidrome'' (starring

Tessie O'Shea Teresa Mary "Tessie" O'Shea (13 March 1913 – 21 April 1995) was a Welsh entertainer and actress. Early life O'Shea was born at 61 Plantagenet Street in Riverside, Cardiff to newspaper wholesaler James Peter O'Shea, who had been a soldier a ...

), ''Full Swing'', ''The Knight Was Bold'', and '' The Lisbon Story''. During the war, he was seconded from his regiment to join Gracie Fields in

ENSA The Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) was an organisation established in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel during World War II. ENSA operated as part of the Navy, ...

. In 1944, his musical, '' Jenny Jones'', which had a Welsh setting, was a flop, but it was followed by the successful revue ''Fine Feathers'' (1945), ''

Her Excellency Excellency is an honorific style (manner of address), style given to certain high-level officers of a sovereign state, officials of an international organization, or members of an aristocracy. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder ...

'' (1949) starring

Cicely Courtneidge Dame Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge (1 April 1893 – 26 April 1980) was an Australian-born British actress, comedian and singer. The daughter of the producer and playwright Robert Courtneidge, she was appearing in his productions in the West End ...

, and ''

Dear Miss Phoebe ''Dear Miss Phoebe'' is a musical with a book by Christopher Hassall and music by Harry Parr-Davies. It is based on the play '' Quality Street'' by J.M. Barrie. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham before transferring to the Phoenix The ...

'' (1950). He collaborated on the hit 1952 musical ''

The Glorious Days ''The Glorious Days'' is a 1952 British musical composed by Harry Parr Davis and Harold Purcell from a book by Robert Nesbitt and Miles Malleson. It was designed as a vehicle for Anna Neagle, showcasing her in several roles throughout history ...

'', a vehicle for

. In 1944, his musical '' Jenny Jones'', set in Wales, was a flop. However, it was followed by the successful revue ''Fine Feathers'' (1945), ''

'' (1949), starring

, and ''

'' (1950). He also collaborated on the hit 1952 musical ''

,'' which was a vehicle for

. Parr-Davies was at the peak of his success when he died on 14 October 1955 from an internal hemorrhage caused by a

perforated ulcer A perforated ulcer is a condition in which an untreated ulcer has burned through the mucosal wall in a segment of the gastrointestinal tract (e.g., the stomach or colon) allowing gastric contents to leak into the abdominal cavity. Signs and symp ...

. According to his sister, Billie David, he had declined to seek medical attention for this condition. He died at his

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

home in

Knightsbridge Knightsbridge is a residential and retail district in central London, south of Hyde Park, London, Hyde Park. It is identified in the London Plan as one of two international retail centres in London, alongside the West End of London, West End. ...

and is buried beside his father and mother (whom he outlived) in

Oystermouth Cemetery Oystermouth Cemetery ( Welsh: ''Mynwentydd Ystumllwynarth'') is a municipal cemetery in the village of Oystermouth, Swansea, South Wales. It was opened in 1883 and remains in use today, run by the Cemeteries and Crematorium Division of the City and ...

near Swansea.

Songs by Parr-Davies used in
George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961), was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he ...
films

*"Bell Bottom George" (Park/Parr-Davies) *"If I Had a Girl Like You" (Park/Parr-Davies) *"In My Little Snapshot Album" (Harper/Haines/Parr-Davies) *"It's in the Air" (Parr-Davies) *"Noughts and Crosses" (Hunter/Parr-Davies) *"Swim Little Fish" (Park/Parr-Davies) *"Your Way Is My Way" (Parr-Davies)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:ParrDavies, Harry 1914 births 1955 deaths People from Briton Ferry Welsh male songwriters Welsh classical composers Welsh male classical composers Welsh musical theatre composers People educated at Neath Grammar School for Boys 20th-century British classical composers 20th-century Welsh male musicians 20th-century British musicians Deaths from ulcers

Songs by Parr-Davies used in George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961), was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he ... films

References

External links

Songs by Parr-Davies used in
George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961), was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he ...
films