War & Postwar Years 2 [Box set, Original recording remastered]

George Formby | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 31, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 5
• Format: Box set, Original recording remastered
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Jsp Records
• ASIN: B000BPN2K4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #354,826 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Swinging Along

2. A Lad From Lancashire

3. The Lancashire Romeo

4. Imagine Me In The Maginot Line

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. It Might Have Been A Great Deal Worse

2. You'd Be Far Better Off In A Home

3. I Did What I Could With My Gas Mask

4. Delivering The Morning Milk

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Andy The Handy Man

2. They Laughed When I Started To Play

3. Talking To The Moon About You

4. Got To Get Your Photo In The Press

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. It Serves You Right (You Shouldn't Have Joined)

2. If I Had A Girl Like You

3. Swim, Little Fish

4. Bell Bottom George

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Disc: 5

1. Saving Up For Sally

2. Pleasure Cruise

3. Ordinary People

4. Zip Goes A Million

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

One of the most beloved British entertainers of the '30s won even more hearts entertaining troops far and wide during WWII. Here's his morale-boosting wartime work (including some wonderful live stuff) and his best postwar tracks: Swinging Along; On the Beat; Smile All the Time; Hold Your Hats On; Unconditional Surrender; Ordinary People ; his signature Chinese Laundry Blues CDs from a music-hall icon!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars George Formby - The War and Postwar Years, February 16, 2007

By 

William D. Gaston - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: War & Postwar Years 2 (Audio CD)

Absolutely one of the best compilations I have purchased. All the best songs by George Formby. An absolute must have for any WWII reenactor or historian wanting some insight into the British sense of humor at the time.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Volume 2 completes George's music to 1951, March 30, 2009

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: War & Postwar Years 2 (Audio CD)

Overall, this volume doesn't quite match the brilliance of the first volume, partly because most of George's really famous songs were recorded before the outbreak of war, but also because this set contains many more re-recordings than the first volume did; most of the final CD contains alternate versions of songs found elsewhere here or on the first volume. Nevertheless, there's still a lot of great material here, perhaps the most famous song featured (if one doesn't count re-recordings) being Auntie Maggie's remedy, a song revived in the sixties by the Fourmost.

Very much continuing where the first volume England's clown prince of song left off, this collection includes more songs telling the story of George's favorite Chinese character. Mr Wu's a window cleaner now, Mr Wu's an air raid warden now and Mr Wu's in the air force. On a more contemporary note, it is somewhat ironic that the opening track on the second CD here, It might have been a great deal worse, refers to two characters called Brown and Blair.

Like the first volume, this boxed set doesn't have a comprehensive booklet, but a little booklet with each CD. Between them, they tell us about George (from 1939), the war and its aftermath. It's particularly interesting to note that George and Beryl Formby toured South Africa and gave a free concert to black people despite being forbidden to do so. They were kicked out of the country after Beryl swore at the prime minister, but were allowed back a few years later to do another tour.

Although the first volume is stronger overall, there is still plenty of great music here - and unlike some of their rival labels, JSP don't keep their boxed sets in print indefinitely, so buy both boxes while you can. For myself, I always expected to by some of George's music eventually, but I never thought I'd buy these volumes until I bought a 4-CD boxed set compilation of ukulele music, one CD of which was devoted entirely to George's music. I realized that, for me, a single CD was not enough, so I eventually bought the two boxed sets - and I certainly don't regret it. Whatever George's vocal limitations, the fact remains that he was a great entertainer and there has never been anybody else like him and never will be. He was - and remains - one of a kind.