With my little Stick of Blackpool Rock

A live performance of 'Blackpool Rock' at the Winter Gardens. Evidently from the same performance as the 'Maginot Line.'

[@skywalkerranch]

God bless you George you are still making people laugh and smile, and you always will.

[@SuperNevile]

"If you see any flashing don't take any notice" ~ innuendo before the song starts! ~ GF was a big influence on John Lennon and George Harrison.

[@liverpoolreds8]

I keep skipping back to the uke solo. I still can't wrap my head around how great the banjolele sounds and how much precision and skill it takes to play that. I never thought I'd enjoy this kind of music, but it just blows my mind every time.

[@benstevinson764]

George Formby Never Gets Old!!! 🎸🎶

[@moominpic]

“It may be sticky but I never complain, it's nice to have a nibble at it now and again”

[@Bazza8199]

Better than the lyrics to Let it be.

[@st.apollonius5758]

George once lamented on the fact that he would've loved to have had kids well I say he had millions of adoring kids who will always love him. God Bless him.

[@shifty2755]

so did Jimmy Savile. and we all know how that ended......

[@horse69outside]

his little stick of blackpool rock got sticky?

[@adamwhite1556]

@@shifty2755what a reply this is 😂

[@Isochest]

He was always a fave of mine: That silly grin while he plays with his ukulele is forever classic

[@billygillan821]

One of Britain's greatest,when Brittan was great,God bless you George, Legend

[@althejazz]

It's good to see that so many people still love George- his entertainment is timeless. I am old enough to have had the privilege of seeing him live on a number of occasions in the 1950s.

[@nipper44]

Alan Bond me too!

[@brianganstine2137]

You're a lucky guy. Love his music.

[@adriancastaneda3530]

Lucky

[@noelwilde]

You're so lucky. I'm 68 now and have been a fan of his from when I first saw him on tv as a child. He was not only a virtuoso of his instrument but a great singer too. Pure genius.

[@colinbryan8265]

I was born 1934, and saw him in several variety music halls. In our street of 70 houses only I person had a phone. Nowadays you can talk to anyone in the world on your mobile. Listen to my brother on a radio station in Canada. I’m amazed at the change’s made, and also that I’m taking part of it.

[@G0IMB]

Always liked that ecstatic grin while he played with his ukelele:-))))) What a star George was on and off stage!

[@vintagebrew1057]

Our George doing what the Brits are great at.....Innuendo! And it was our withering sense of humour that won the war. Im proud of ya and I lovez ya Engerland!

[@paddymitchell4995]

Those lyrics are brilliant what a talent he had

[@johnsalton5772]

OUR GEORGE ------God bless him, and theirs been no other like him, a true Lancashire lad ☺

[@janeclarkson8471]

I life George and the North of English is esqusitly beautiful and wild! My dad was a Northern lad and I adored him. I can also imagine having a cuppa tea with George. What a great entertainer!

[@tenodogblu]

Turned out nice again. What a treasure George was and how could you not love that face ??

[@Marakesh7]

One of the true UK Legends. Great character, charisma and the template for the ukulele/banjo.

[@talladale]

I agree! Isn't he brilliant? This is one of my favourites, too, although all of them are very entertaining. I just can't keep my feet still, especially when he gets into the solo. I love the way he syncopates. He must have been very musical. I suppose I sound old-fashioned, but it's a pity this sort of entertainment isn't popular any more. Thank goodness for KZbin. There are now thousands of people out there who are seeing things they never dreamed they could see again.

[@janeclarkson8471]

I agree with every word you say. Long live our George! KZbin takes you anywhere you want to get! ❤️👌😳 🌈🤣🤣🤣

[@pauloldfield12]

im 51 have never played a musical instrument after listening to this icant wait to get my 1st ukulele

[@Petey1308]

He's just amazing. Better than anyone out there nowadays! :) RIP George

[@hannahwebster5606]

My parents used to play this all the time when I was a kid. The other year I heard this again and died when I realised the innuendo.

[@janeclarkson8471]

Brilliant isn't it!!! What a great all-rounder George was! Today's high tech seems to deprive songs and performance, of its heart and soul!

[@duncanstrickland2550]

Basically finding as many words as possible to rhyme with c*ck. LOL!

[@CathyKitson]

2:26 I cracked up. "Well, if you're drowning, do you mind letting go of my little stick of Blackpool rock?"

[@deniseclayton517]

George Formby is the most OUTSTANDING performer of his era. Musician, Comic and Actor all rolled into one. A VIRTUOSO and much loved performer. He made our family laugh for hours on end with his songs and in his films. He his an EXTRAORDINARY talented performer. The memory of our George Formby will live on FOREVER. I am PROUD, HONOURED & DELIGHTED that my home town of Barnsley is where George Formby made his stage debut.

[@ericpurkey7502]

I discovered George Formby because I heard part of the song I told my baby with a ukulele on a record called Highway one and typed the song into youtube and found the entire song great singer and Ukulele player live in the United states.

[@BananaDuck]

How did I get from street fight videos to this...

[@mcfcguvnors]

You fink thats bad - Ive gone From Motorheads killed by death - to this ?! :D

[@AshinAsia]

I think the 40 seconds -from 2mins 30 - is perhaps one of the finest works I've ever seen, in any player of any music, regardless of the instrument.

[@AshinAsia]

also to add, he plays the same thing at 5min30sec, and even though it's still brilliant, you can tell he didn't put as much effort in, as the first time.

[@noelwilde]

Totally agree. The Heifetz of the ukulele.

[@nebula1919191]

He taught himself with his little stick of blackpool rock.

[@claymor8241]

⁠​⁠@@noelwildeOr should that be ‘Heifetz - the George Formby of the violin’? One is given to understand that, even though near contemporaries, they apparently never spoke to each other. It’s a shame that scaling the peaks of virtuosity should give rise to such bitter, if unspoken, rivalry.

[@noelwilde]

@@claymor8241 I don’t see anything bitter just complimentary of their unique talent.

[@JesterJukebox]

George was a great favourite of ours at the Saturday morning kids' matinees in our GB (Gaumont British) King's Club in Dundee's King's Theatre. Of course, we were too young to understand the naughty stuff ! Another highlight of the show was community singing, with 'Uncle Tom' at the organ. Happy days!

[@kirstyisonfire]

im 15 and although this is why before my time i think this is pure genious music.

[@adamwhite1556]

Reading this comment in 2023. I would have been 17/18 back then.

[@cravi_ni]

The man who taught me my comfort instrument anytime Im feeling down I just bust out the uke

[@7554EdwardG]

Phenomenal uke playing - especially considering it was live. Respect!

[@johndunhill314]

7554EdwardG hu

[@fridgemagnet]

his rhythm was great but he knew limited chord shapes, he used different tuned ukuleles depending on the song he was singing, you can see he has four ukuleles on stage with him.

[@7554EdwardG]

@@fridgemagnet Cheers for that! Are you a Uke player as well, then?

[@SuperMG1980]

Who fancies getting this to Christmas Number 1 instead of the X Factor winner? It would be so random and is probably a better song!

[@inconceivabledark]

Hell yes!

[@OrganMusicYT]

If you listen carefully at 2:32 onwards, you can hear everyone in the theatre singing along!

[@NonInflatable]

The closest we have to George Formby is the great Ken Dodd, the last link to the days of Music Hall. But George was irreplaceable.

[@BluntForceTrauma-bf1xe]

Everytime I meet someone from Wigan George always comes to mind ❤

[@ollyovwf1bruv]

he has so much fun singign his songs , evry time he makes himself laf , he must of been a very happy person uno xx

[@stingray4real]

The song was originally banned by the BBC. George Formby's wife Beryl told the BBC it was Queen Mary's (King Charles great grandmother's) favourite song. The BBC lifted the ban.

[@djch123]

I remember loving George's films when I was little and they used to show them on telly and my dad was a fan and was at George's last concert. I started playing uke * years ago and got sick of people doing the 'when i'm cleaning windas' thing whenever i told them- but this has had me laughing out loud, he just projected joy and fun so well - bless im.

[@roybennett9284]

Love his accent

[@carolegleeson5494]

turned out nice again 😍😍

[@horse69outside]

the sun is always cracking't flags in blackpool....

[@ideadzombiez]

Love this Guy, many child hood memories!! love oh George!!

[@JustClaude13]

He's actually talking about a stick of rock candy, but he makes it sound both charming and obscene at the same time. That's a level of innuendo which has been lost, sadly. Now everything is G-rated or they club you over the head with the sex. Class is a lost art.

[@itsmewill8725]

No it has not been lost, us cheeky British gents still have that tongue in cheek humour:) Well some of us atleast;)

[@andaccount3]

so true

[@Lpph96]

Very true, can't beat some cheeky comedy prevalent in older music. It takes skill to get the balance right

[@themadplotter]

oh fuck off

[@evanssm1]

Although I think this is the only one that actually got banned by the BBC, which, I suspect is the reason why it has a "preview only" watermark stamped on it.

[@ollyovwf1bruv]

no matter how much he sings his songs , he still smiles and enjoys it like it was the first tiem he played it :)

[@banjomansmate]

What a shame it finished so suddenly & we didn't get the close up of the break to amaze us all! Thanks for posting the maestro!

[@fincaman2]

I am a fan but this confirms something I was told many years ago,George could only play in one key and had several banjoleles on stage tuned to different keys,you can see them on the table behind him and he changes at the beginning.Perhaps that's normal does anyone know,anyway after this I am going to buy a banjolele and learn to play it.Rock on George !!!

[@richardtwat5871]

Mary Whitehouse's worst nightmare, this.

[@BeatlesN01]

I started singing this lately after finding a stick of Rock. My mother looked shocked

[@janeclarkson8471]

I'd have had a huge grin 😁!

[@jonb6417]

Blimey. Never heard anybody do smut as well as that! Lol. :-) Ace on the Uke too.

[@FalconSupreme]

@jpgee1 - I absolutely agree with you there ! The joy that great artist brought to many during Britains worst hour and its still great listening to his songs. Sometimes his songs spontaniously run through the mind and one starts singinging or humming them whilst occupied with daily matters.

[@st.apollonius5758]

Not much gets me laughing these days but George always does. I'll be looking for him on the other side one day.

[@earlysunsets3]

the godfather of punk rock

[@simontaylor2319]

Heavy metal, surely!!

[@taiterobinson793]

It’s none of those despicable genres (jk) but this pre war music is some of the first ever recorded music in history

[@kyewilson7837]

It'sTaite it's technically the 1dt because he was anti authority I get what your saying but he's kinda right

[@AH-be6bu]

Banned by the BBC long before the Sex Pistols ever were. Respect.

[@showbizsam4440]

Shut your eyes and it could be Frank Sidebottom.

[@peaco1000]

You've got to love that. Great use of euphemism, his 'Blackpool rock' and all that.

[@heinzer69]

Perfectly innocent song about Willy the trouser snake lol

[@MikaSaka2912]

I remember laughing to this song when I was young. love it.

[@brutusmuerto]

George Formby: Something to make Mrs Mary Whitehouse just faint away! Makes Chuck Berry's "Ding-a-ling-a-ling" look positively religious! Kenny Everett

[@stopthatimmediately]

he has many gorms, actually

[@problemchimp4231]

Hard not to smile...

[@philnotley5138]

Brilliant player right hand like a machine gun

[@nikkismith9488]

OMG I was there I watch George do this! I bless you

[@leejacksondev]

A total genius! 5:30 :)

[@AshinAsia]

also at 2mins 30 in the first practice, both same piece, but arguable which is best!

[@AshinAsia]

I think the first one better. 2nd sounds more tired as he's probably knackered by then.

[@richwiz2]

Like ringing a bell.

[@fishybishbash]

wow amazing post - this must be rare as hens teeth

[@paul_solomons]

Its charming yet cheeky i love it x

[@delb0y1967]

so darn good, ***** I love this man he's great

[@dandare6623]

Brilliant & apparently innocent lyrics at first hearing but....innuendo! Absolute Master of his instrument too...ooh err! ha

[@6thi874]

Shut that door!

[@susanmason6476]

Dan Dare you naughty boy 😂

[@dandare6623]

Not at all Only those with naughty minds would say that! 😊

[@BethDiane]

There's a wonderful novel by Jasper fforde called "Something Rotten," which is SciFi/fantasy alternative history, in which George Formby survives another 30 years or so and becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain. This song actually appears in the novel, but I won't say how, because it would be a major spoiler. But it's charming!

[@krackajackz]

That solo omg

[@AlexGreenwoodUkulele]

You should listen to 'I Told My Baby With The Ukulele' if you liked that solo; this one is even faster and sounds absolutely beautiful!

[@rowgli]

George sure knew how to strum

[@supershotbattymanbor]

Another Classic , WONDERFUL !

[@phillipoos]

Phenomenal !

[@brcp4321]

Fantastic George Formby Britian really has had some talent this man could really perform

[@harryoakley]

The finished version of this film, in better quality and without the annoying text across the picture can be seen in the Dailymotion Video Group "Classic Jazz Club".

[@timmy1991991]

will I ever be able to pull off one of those solo's.....

[@darryll1973]

its just fun and makes you smile !!!

[@mufc99ok]

no gimmicks here brilliant

[@JOHNROBBofficial]

George Formby...Blackpool based genius...

[@MartinWillett]

@monkeytennis1972 George's sentiments exactly. - That song you sent me last week - mucky doesn't cover it. Pure filth it were. Can I have another six like it?

[@BisphamSeasider]

Eeeh I love Blackpool!

[@johnpierrepoint-green1455]

I think he was the first Punk

[@N9BJJ]

The number one George Formby tribute act in the UK is Paul Casper. So good in fact that he's playing at the Queens Golden Jubilee. That's the guy to book.

[@PetertheRock.]

I love this! And being beside the seaside is heaven! Go George!

[@althejazz]

If you look carefully you will see that George uses several different banjos which were all tuned differently according to the key of the tune he was singing as he could only play in one key.

[@AlexGreenwoodUkulele]

Alan Bond No, it's cause he didn't know how to tune his ukes. He never knew how to read or write properly, and also didn't understand music very well. You're right that he used lots of different banjoleles because of his problematic tuning skills, but as long as he knew which chord shapes to play in standard tuning, he could play anything on any tuning. Just like the G7 chord on GCEA (standard) is something totally different on a different tuning, but was still used in his songs. He was a true banjolele player, he just didn't know much about music, which makes him all the better.

[@althejazz]

YoloMcSwaggins Whatever, he's still one of my favourite entertainers.

[@AlexGreenwoodUkulele]

Alan Bond same lol x3

[@BILLYnKAREN]

George, you were the greatest entertainer of your generation, and probably every generation since, This is the true X factor, Cowell go jump!!!!!!!!!!!

[@booyahboyuk]

Wow this guy shows them Mumford and Sons ponces how it's done....

[@georgiepeorgie3315]

it was played on radio 2 @ 1940 Friday 3 July 2015

[@WezHoward]

Love it

[@skywalkerranch]

Incredible just incredible.

[@SuperPhonograph]

What a rhythm hand.

[@SuperSundae]

Yes, he was very adept at the five-knuckle shuffle 🤭

[@mishasutherland]

thanx so much I luv george xxxxx amazing xxxx

[@sniff001]

RIP George Formby - I think he's fantastic and wish I could play my 70 year old Ukelele banjo!

[@feeder123456]

Brilliant

[@johnduffy6926]

Now that's how you play th ukulele, george formby is the master

[@alanglasgowbassist]

Absolutely brilliant

[@24323151]

How did heget away with it! Love it.

[@davidharrison6615]

christoper karl Robinson he didn't, the bbc banned a lot of his stuff . i think he still holds the record for the most banned material by the bbc .

[@glynnevans1851]

@@davidharrison6615 Hi David, I love George s songs ' funny n not offensive. May I ask you why did the BBC ban George s songs. Kind regards Glynn n greetings from Stourbridge West Midlands 🤝

[@feeder123456]

legend

[@kittyjones6809]

OH THIS FEELS GOOD

[@ajay999999]

The first british pop star

[@CATHERINEDAVIES123]

a fun record with a double entendre.....subtle......and funny

[@Ianpbx]

Ooh dear, missus. ain't he a naughty boy!

[@BOT101st]

@wrathallll There use to be 240 pence to a pound and the old currency use to be £ s d... or pound shilling pence. This song was recorded in 1937. In 1937 £1 would be worth £36.98!

[@ukuleletheatre]

its lovely to listen to this music and very nostalgic , we are going to cover this lovely tune...

[@janeclarkson8471]

GENIUS 👌❤️👌

[@syrac07]

wahey! i love blackpool :)

[@joules780]

never get away with it now, love it, we need more george formby

[@SuperSundae]

Yes you would, you sill right-wing reactionary loon.

[@kayannamaria1994]

My grandpa love this music^^

[@stentorp]

Great to see un-edited film like this...the turret lens changes and the snip of reality as the chap shouts "Right" ! to start.....fantastic.........