Paddy Roberts (songwriter)

John Godfrey Owen Roberts (Paddy Roberts) (b. 1910 Durban, South Africa; d. 24 August 1975, Dartmouth, Devon, England) was a popular songwriter and singer, having previously been a lawyer and a pilot (serving with the RAF in World War II).

Roberts 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. 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 UK chart-topper, "Softly, Softly", as sung by Ruby Murray.

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 U.S. 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) - #8 UK Decca LF 1322
• Paddy Roberts Tries Again (1960) - #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 & Singles

Featuring recordings not issued on albums

Singles

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

EP

• Paddy Decca DFE 6701

Discography Notes

Many of Paddy Robert's recordings were made available in the USA. "Merry Christmas You Suckers" was issued with an alternate 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" SPA 37 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 indicates that "...But Not In front Of The Children" was also recorded that way

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 MD for "Love Is A Wonderful Thing/Send For Me" single was Johnny Pearson. There is no MD 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 Tries Again, but with various other Paddy Roberts Compositions sung by others on MCSR 3046

See also

• List of artists under the Decca Records label

External links

• Paddy Roberts discography at Discogs
• Paddy Roberts biography and discography at Sterlingtimes
• Ivor Novello Awards winners list at Bucksmusicgroup