 |
|
 |
|
♥ 1864 West Sunderland - † 1918 Glasgow ☼ Actor, ☺ Comedian, ♫ Musician www.marksheridan.org |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
Summer Seaside Song Became Pantomime Hit!
Glasgow Empire Audiences Heard It First Variety-goers at the legendary Empire Theatre in Glasgow were the first in the world to hear and give applause to the popular and well-known song “ I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside.” Mark Sheridan, the singer and comedian , who hailed from the north-east of England, sang it in 1909, that was the year he played the Empire on three occasions - in March, August and December. It was during his March visit that he introduced the song. A review from The Era, from his march week, reads : “ At the head of affairs here ( G;Glasgow ) is the inimitable Sheridan, who never fails to make his ‘ mark ‘ . He has this week increased his popularity by his seaside song and smart patter.”
Chorus Favourite That “ seaside song” was none other than “ I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside.” By October Mark had recorded it in London for the Ariel catalogue, and by the beginning of the pantomime season it had become " the biggest comedy chorus song in Glasgow " , evoking " plaudits loud and long ". Such was its popularity that many pantomime Principal Boys applied to the publishers, Feldman & Co., for " permissions and band parts. " Inevitably, " I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside" became a smash hit, and Feldman & Co., earned a small fortune from it. Interestingly, it also sent mark Sheridan's career into the Music Hall stratosphere! He was now a star. " I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside " is an easily recognisable song and many of us know it. Over half-a-century ago, W.Macqueen-Pope wrote " There are few anywhere who do not know it " and he was right. Today, the same holds true. The song has " survived the eras of rag-time, jazz and swing ", not to mention rock and rap. To quote a familiar and well-worn phrase, it is a " melody that lingers on."
Blackpool Inspired According to Onlooker, a Tyne-side journalist writing in the 1950's, Mark Sheridan " spent many winters by the sea at Blackpool, and it was there he commissioned the song-writer John A. Glover-Kind ( 1880-1918) to compose the tune for him." In the following year, Glover-Kind followed up with another seaside song for Mark. This one, titled " By The Sea ", was inspired by " the second line of the verse of " I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside " which ran : " By the side of the silvery sea." An outstanding success with music hall audiences, Sheridan proclaimed it " the best song of its type to have come my way for many years past." As predicted by the press, it was " everywhere by Christmas " and featured in pantomime from Edinburgh to Brighton. However, for all its fame and popularity then, this other seaside song is rarely recalled today. Does anyone recall its melody?
Exposure I suspect that its predecessor " I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside " " is the only seaside song the world today remembers. It has, in fact, become part of our collective consciousness through repetitive exposure on the bandstands, on radio and in children's books. it contains those two requisite qualities for a fine, lasting song - a catchy melody and clever lyrics. I'm not surprised that Glaswegians took it to their hearts close on a century ago, or that we remember it with affection today. Its appeal, I can safely say, will be timeless.
© Angelique Antal, 2002 This article appeared in Stagedoor, Issue 59 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
[Home] [Biography] [Book references] [Articles] [Making his Mark in Glasgow Pantomime] [Steps to Suicide] [Summer Seaside Song Became Pantomime Hit!] [What's In A Name?] [Reviews / Gossip] [Photo Gallery] [Recordings/Lyrics] |
|
|
|
|
|
Comments, information and suggestions to Angelica Antal e-mail: info@marksheridan.org |
|||
|
|
|||