The Music of Peter Brodie

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Written by my mother, Irene Brodie, in the 1950s, London Town evokes a bygone era. She writes of flower sellers selling their violets around Piccadilly, of coppers on the beat and the cockney that you meet - good hearted pals who never will let you down. She talks about Pearly Kings and Queens who go to the Fair on Hampstead Heath on August Bank Holiday Monday. There may not be many violet sellers left, but policemen on their beat, cockneys and Pearly Kings and Queens are still very much unique features of one of the greatest cities in the world.

Born in 1918 within the sound of Bow Bells and hence a cockney herself, Irene Brodie is one of the finest, undiscovered, songwriting talents of the mid 20th century, writing in the style of the 1940s. She wrote many songs of which 'London Town' is the most catchy.

We feature a recording made by Irene in the 1950s in the recording studio of Selfridges Department Store in London, a facility long gone. We apologise for the quality of the recording which has been taken from a 78rpm record.

Peter Brodie

Listen to the song

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London Town
Words and music by Irene Brodie

They sing about the lights of Broadway and of Gay Paree
But how about the lights of London Town
They sing about the romance of the good old Zuy-der-Zee
But how about our good old London Town

We hear about these places and though we admit they're grand
There's Copenhagen and there's County Down
But how about a big cheer for the place that beats the band
A cheer for lovely good old London Town

Let's all sing of London once again
Of the boys who wheel their barrows down the lane
And of flower girls who sell their violets around Piccadilly
These are the folks who make the pulse of a wonderful city

The Pearly Kings and Queens who go
To the fair on Hampstead Heath on August Bank Holiday Monday
The copper on his beat
And the cockney that you meet
Are good-hearted pals who never will let you down
God bless 'em
All of these things make wonderful London Town

They sing about Killarney and the Isle of Innisfree
But how about a song of London own
They sing of many places far away across the sea
But how our good old London Town

A city of tradition, of her sights we never tire
Her history of fame and great renown
And though we sometimes stray away at heart we've one desire
To come right back to dear old London Town

Instrumental

The Pearly Kings and Queens who go
To the fair on Hampstead Heath on August Bank Holiday Monday
The copper on his beat
And the cockney that you meet
Are good-hearted pals who never will let you down
God bless 'em
All of these things make wonderful London Town