Leslie Sarony - Ain't it Grand to be Blooming Well Dead (1932)

[@shannonfawcett1105]

My great grandmother had this played at her funeral

[@Phrixphrox]

That's fantastic !

[@Grandad-ofh]

My old dad was blooming well born the same year as this

[@MrGoneTroppo]

Our British sense of humour hasn't changed in 90 years!

[@princessAmazon]

We lost my dad on 12 June 2022, funeral was on 8th July. This was on his playlist. Says everything about him really, not often you get to have a laugh at a funeral. 😁

[@paulhaley5009]

What a smashing song...I'm definitely going to have this..when I'm blooming well dead...love it..

[@kevingordon8594]

Remember this on a 78. As a child my dad had a tea chest from local junk shop! Full of old 78s

[@28pbtkh23]

My father used to sing this from time to time when I was a child and it somehow stuck in my head. So today I wondered if it was on the web somewhere. A quick search and hey presto: here it is. Thanks for uploading this!

[@johnskinnwr4629]

Same here lol

[@3000waterman]

@@johnskinnwr4629 And here too.

[@sytariq1]

I often wondered about all the rest of the words. My mother had 7 children and often sang this song or parts of it. am so glad I found this song on tube. She passed away in 2007 at the age of 99, may the force rest her soul, she was a marvellous person.

[@michealmitchell3317]

Haha, My Nan has this on 78 record, we cleared out the roof and found most of her 78's we also cleared up the gramophone and played some of them never seen my Nan so happy.

[@geoffreypiltz271]

Just the lighthearted take on death that we need to cheer us up at the present.

[@frankienee5296]

I heard this when I was a child .its a classic ...

[@DrumBragg]

This used to freak me out as a child. :)

[@barbarawinterbourne3736]

Love it, they don't write songs like that any more lol

[@shorelineboy]

Makes you smile/ laugh great fun.

[@richardmcgowan5878]

Leslie Sarony appears in an early episode of The Sweeney as a shopkeeper who is robbed.

[@mikestanyer6175]

What a gem

[@will2741]

Perfect soundtrack

[@JimDixon55104]

AIN'T IT GRAND TO BE BLOOMING WELL DEAD Words and music by Leslie Sarony, ©1932. As sung by Leslie Sarony, 1932. [Part 1] Lately there's nothing but trouble, grief and strife. There's not much attraction about this bloomin' life. Last night I dreamt I was bloomin' well dead. As I went to the funeral, I bloomin' well said: Look at the flowers, bloomin' great orchids. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! Look at the corfin, bloomin' great 'andles. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! I felt so 'appy to think that I'd popped off, I said to a bloke with a nasty, 'acking cough: Look at the black 'earse, bloomin' great 'orses. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! Look at the bearers, all in their frock coats. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! Look at their top 'ats, polished with Guinness. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! Some people there were praying for me soul. I said, 'It's the first time I've been off the dole.' Look at the mourners, bloomin' well sozzled. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! Look at the children, bloomin' excited. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! Look at the neighbours, bloomin' delighted. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! Spend the insurance on merriment, for alack, You know I shan't be with you going back. Look at the Missus, bloomin' well laughing. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! Look at me sister, bloomin new 'at on. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! Look at me brother, bloomin' cigar on. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! We come from clay and we all go back they say. Don't aim a brick. It may be your Auntie May Look at me grandma, bloomin' old haybag. Ain't it grand, to be bloomin' well dead! [Part 2] OTHER VOICES: Where oh where has our Leslie gone? Oh where oh where can he be? He promised to be on the other side. Ha-ha, ho-ho, hee-hee! LESLIE: I've got me eye on ya! You're the blokes that told me to learn to play the bloomin' 'arp. I 'aven't played a bloomin' note since I've been 'ere. Look at the florists countin' their profits. Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! Look at the lawyers readin' the will out. Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! Taxes an' rent I'll 'ave no need to pay. I've dodged 'em by bloomin' well snuffin' it. Hooray! Look at the landlord, bloomin' ol' shylock! Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! Look at the bulldog (arf!) bloomin' well barkin'. Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! Look at the tomcat (meow!) bloomin' well flirtin'. Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! People said 'e was so good to the poor. I said as I thought what they called me before: Look at the sexton. Bloomin' great shovel! Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! Look at me schoolmates bloomin' well gigglin'! Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! Look at the earthworms bloomin' well wrigglin'! Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! All my old Chinas* I saw them standin' round. I said as they slowly lowered me in the ground: Look at the tombstones, granite with knobs on. Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! Now it's all over. Look at them scarpering. Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! Look at the weather bloomin' well raining. Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! Then I awoke with a really shocking start. I found me in bed with the missus of me 'eart. I got the milk in. Baby was screaming. Ain't it grand to be bloomin' well dead! [* Chinas = China plates = mates (I think)]

[@ianroberts4981]

Jim Dixon MATE!!!! You wrote out all of the lyrics!!! ALL OF THEM!!! I’m listening to this song for the first time RIGHT NOW and I thought I’d google the lyrics later and here in the comments you’ve painstakingly provided them so I can sing along!!! You, sir, are an absolute gentleman and I wish you riches and victories beyond your wildest dreams!!!! Merry Christmas, Mr Dixon, and a very happy new year!!!!

[@aDogNamedHandsome]

Thanks for the lyrics. Never heard of him before or this song. Thanks for making its so easy.

[@VintageBritishComedy]

This is the original by writer/performer Sarony. There are lots of other covers of it too; George Jackley, Roy Leslie, Billy Cotton etc.

[@diskochimp]

Brilliant!

[@nevittwoods1730]

He used to live in sunbury on thames about 1938🎙

[@p123-i9s]

At 4:59 he refers to "my old chinas" - "china" is Cockney rhyming slang for "mate" - from "china plate", "mate". 🤗

[@GriefTourist]

The London Nobody Knows.

[@johnkevinwilshaw2490]

I remember listening to a 78rpm recording of this song at my grandmother's house in Carlisle in the early 1970's. She had an old wind up gramophone in the upstairs back room. It leaves me cold. I suppose that in times when death was more immediate ( my aunt died of diphtheria at my grandmother's Carlisle home in 1939), it was a way of making light of mortality. Honestly, I didn't think I'd hear it again after all these years and I don't want to repeat the experience.

[@glennhubble1378]

Great Song

[@RatPfink66]

In the USA this was apparently too British for public consumption, so Alex Bartha's band did something of a ripoff called "It Sure Is Swell to Be Laying Out Dead." Unfortunately the depression had hit a lot harder over here, and Bartha's lyric called attention to it with grim humor. RCA Victor pulled the record from stores immediately. Alex Bartha & His Orchestra - It Must Be Swell

[@metafis2490]

Part of this song is the melody of Chopins 'Funeral march'. (eg..."we come from clay and we all go back they say"). Nice :)

[@alpspitz1]

My dad used to tell me about this song...

[@bobwelch9932]

The version by the Barmy Brothers was in a collection of 78's I purchased today. I prefer this original version by Mr Sarony. The rolled 'Rs' definitely add something.

[@jamescohenmassage500]

that's genuine 19th Century Cockney, m.

[@markholland7592]

For Jesse Payne my great grandfather x

[@diskochimp]

I think I like this version best though...

[@RaoYiLan]

Why are the top hats polished with Guinness?

[@georgewren981]

Why is life given to them that seek death ? Even to them that seek it more than hid treasure !

[@lesdixon3031]

It was banned. “. The grave diggin bloke had to move the s. S away “

[@berylashforth6796]

Hi

[@richardmcgowan6383]

3:57 Ouch.

[@FellingPX]

Does this song have any connection to the Clancy Brother's 'Isn't it Grand?'

[@MagentaMoonshadow]

Yes

[@alpspitz1]

This song was considered very contraversional at the time..... This was before the days of sex and drugs and rock n roll....

[@1tinosugar]

When Lily Plays My Little Ukulele (Short Version)

[@alextrubshaw5015]

This off a sterno record ? I got the same one sounds like a better recording though.

[@richardmcgowan5878]

Leslie Sarony appears in an early episode of The Sweeney as a shopkeeper who is robbed.