Paddy Roberts (songwriter)’s biography, fact, career, awards, net worth and life story

Intro South African songwriter
Was Singer
Songwriter
From South Africa
Type

Music

Gender male
Birth

18 January 1910

Death

24 August 1975
(aged 65 years)

John Godfrey Owen “Paddy” Roberts (18 January 1910 – 24 August 1975) was a British songwriter and singer who lived in Devon, England having previously been a lawyer and a pilot (serving with the RAF in World War II). He then joined BOAC and flew Lockheed Constellations for that airline in the late 1940s/1950s.

Roberts, who was born in Durban, South Africa, enjoyed success with a number of songs in the 1950s and 1960s and wrote songs for several films. He released several LPs and EPs of his own material, often featuring what were, for the time, slightly risqué lyrics. One of his most popular and amusing compositions that he recorded himself was entitled “The Ballad of Bethnal Green” which was also recorded by Beatrice Lillie. Roberts was five times the winner of an Ivor Novello Award, four for songwriting and one for services to the British Music Industry. He co-wrote the 1955 UK chart-topper, “Softly, Softly”, as sung by Ruby Murray, and “Lay Down Your Arms” by Anne Shelton, which reached No. 1 in the UK charts in 1956.

Roberts died in August 1975 in Dartmouth, Devon, England.

Discography

Songs

  • “L’Anglais Avec Son Sang-froid”
  • “Follow Me”
  • “Love Isn’t What it Used To Be”
  • “The Book” (David Whitfield)
  • “Lay Down Your Arms” (Anne Shelton) (1956)
  • “Meet Me on the Corner” (Max Bygraves)
  • “Pickin’ a Chicken” (Eve Boswell)
  • “Evermore” (Ruby Murray)
  • “Softly, Softly” (Ruby Murray) (1955)
  • “Johnny Is the Boy for Me”
  • “It’s a Boy” (Lita Roza)
  • “That Dear Old Gentleman”
  • “Send For Me”
  • “The Three Galleons”
  • “Merry Christmas You Suckers” (released in the US as “And A Happy New Year”)
  • “The Belle of Barking Creek”
  • “The Big Deejay”
  • “The Lavender Cowboy”
  • “The Ballad of Bethnal Green” – Ivor Novello Awards winner (1959)
  • “Tattooed Lady”
  • “What’s All This Fuss About Love”
  • “I Remember Tilly”
  • “Our Little Village”
  • “Auntie Bridget”
  • “I Love Mary”
  • “Country Girl”

Soundtrack songs

  • “Magic Carpet” (from No Time for Tears)
  • “You Are My First Love” (from It’s Great to Be Young)
  • “I’m in Love for the Very First Time” (from An Alligator Named Daisy) – Ivor Novello Award winner (1955)
  • “The Heart of a Man” (from The Heart of a Man) (Frankie Vaughan)
  • “Play Rough” (from Violent Playground)
  • Several songs (from The Good Companions) (1957)
  • “Give Me a Man” (from To Dorothy a Son)

Albums

  • Strictly for Grown Ups (1959) – No. 8 UK Decca LF 1322
  • Paddy Roberts Tries Again (1960) – No. 16 UK Decca LK 4358/SKL 4104
  • Paddy Roberts at the Blue Angel (1961) Decca LK 4410
  • Songs for Gay Dogs (1963) Decca LK 4560
  • …But Not in Front of the Children (1966) Decca LK 4774
  • Funny World (1967) Decca LK4964/SKL 4964
  • Doctor Dolittle – With Marty Wilde and others (1967) Marble Arch MAL 738
  • The Best of Paddy Roberts (1968) – Re-recordings MFP 1276
  • The World of Paddy Roberts (1969) – Compilation Decca PA 37/SPA 37

EPs and singles

Singles: featuring recordings not issued on albums

  • “Love Is A Wonderful Thing” / “Send For Me” Decca F11446
  • “Merry Christmas You Suckers” / “Got An Idea” Decca F11552

EPs

  • Strictly for Grown Ups Decca DFE 6584
  • Paddy Roberts Strikes Again (with The Dennis Wilson Octet) Decca DFE 6641
  • Paddy Decca DFE 6701

Notes:

  • A ^ Featuring recordings not issued on albums.

Discography notes

Many of Robert’s recordings were made available in the United States. “Merry Christmas You Suckers” was issued with an alternative title of “And A Happy New Year”.

Although most the albums were only issued in mono, it appears that the studio albums at least were recorded in stereo. The tracks from Strictly For Grown Ups that are included on The World of Paddy Roberts” are in stereo, leading to the assumption that the whole album was recorded that way (but never issued that way). Songs for Gay Dogs was issued in stereo for the first time in 2006 when released on CD which indicated that …But Not in front of the Children was also recorded that way.

The musical director on most recordings was Dennis Wilson. The exceptions being Songs For Gay Dogs (Peter Knight), Funny World (Ronnie Aldrich), Live at the Blue Angel (Barry Morgan) and Doctor Dolittle (Cyril Stapleton). The director for “Love Is A Wonderful Thing” / “Send For Me” was Johnny Pearson. There is no director listed for his MFP album.

All Decca Material with the exception of …But Not in front of the Children and Funny World was produced by Hugh Mendl.

CD releases

  • Strictly For Grown Ups/Paddy Roberts Tries Again
  • Must Close Saturday Records MCSR 3022
  • Songs For Gay Dogs/Funny World
  • Must Close Saturday Records MCSR 3034′

Strictly For Grown Ups has also been released without Paddy Roberts Tries Again, but with various other Roberts compositions sung by others on MCSR 3046.

You May Also Like

Marvin Harrison’s net worth, biography, fact, career, awards and life story

Marvin Harrison Net Worth: Marvin Harrison is a former American football player who has a net worth of $26.8 Million. Born Marvin Daniel Harrison on August 25, 1972, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he is a wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL). Harrison first started playing football at Syracuse University, where he played with Donovan McNabb in his final year. There, he managed to build up a school record with 2,718 career receiving yards and ranked second in school history with 20 receiving touchdowns to Rob Moore. Next, Harrison was chosen by the Indianapolis Colts with the 19th selection in the 1996 NFL Draft. This selection which was obtained in a trade that sent Jeff George to the Atlanta Falcons. Harrison spent his entire 13-year-long career with the Colts, thus becoming widely considered as one of the greatest and most productive wide receivers in NFL history. It was in 2002 that he broke Herman Moore’s single season receptions record by 20 receptions, having finished with 143 catches and over 1,700 yards receiving. Four years later, Harrison became just the 4th player in the history of the sport to record 1000 receptions, joining Jerry Rice (1549), Cris Carter (1101) and Tim Brown (1094). Being one of only seven wide receivers in NFL history to reach 100 touchdowns, Marvin Harrison hasn’t stop building up his resume until the end of his career. December of 2008 was the month when he caught his 1,095th career reception and passed Tim Brown for third all time, as well as he passed Cris Carter to become second on the all-time NFL reception record list with 1,102 receptions. After his successful 2008 NFL season, Harrison asked for and was granted his release by the Colts. Having spent the entire 2009 season sitting out, he quietly retired from the sport the same year. Marvin Harrison was inducted into the Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor on November 27, 2011.
Read More

Avant’s net worth, biography, fact, career, awards and life story

Avant net worth: Avant is an American singer and songwriter who has a net worth of $4 million. Avant was born in Cleveland, Ohio in April 1976. His debut studio album My Thoughts was released in 2000 and reached #6 on the US R&B chart and #45 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album was certified Platinum and sold more than one million copies. Avant’s second album Ecstasy was released in 2002 and reached #2 on the US R&B chart and #6 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified Gold. His album Private Room was released in 2003 and reached #4 on the US R&B chart and #18 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified Gold. Avant’s album Director was released in 2006 and reached #1 on the US R&B chart and #4 on the Billboard 200. His self-titled album was released in 2008 and reached #6 on the US R&B chart and #26 on the Billboard 200 chart. Avant also had success with his albums The Letter in 2010, Face The Music in 2013, and The VIII in 2015. His debut single “Separated” reached #1 on the US R&B chart and #23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. His single “You & I” (featuring Keke Wyatt) reached #1 on the US R&B chart.
Read More