Old music: Bernard Cribbins – Right Said Fred
Bernard Cribbins' records have been loved by such unlikely champions as Danny Baker and Noël Coward. He explains how his best-known hit came to be
The children of 2012 probably know Bernard Cribbins best for his recent role as Doctor Who's sidekick Wilfred Mott. But readers of a certain age will recall that in the early 60s he had a string of hit comedy records produced by the pre-Beatles George Martin.
One was Right Said Fred. Cribbins, in an impeccable cockney accent, is one of two bungling workmen attempting to move an unwieldy yet unidentified item, eventually leaving it standing it on the landing after dismantling it (and drinking numerous cups of tea).
I've known it all my life. I probably first heard it on Junior Choice, a children's request show hosted by Ed "Stewpot" Stewart on BBC Radio 1.
Speaking to me on the phone, Cribbins recalls his foray into the record industry: "The origins of my recording career go back to a revue show in 1961 or 62, something like that, called And Another Thing. We had a very nice cast of young up-and-comings, like Joyce and Lionel Blair, and some very good writers, including Barry Cryer – he wrote some of the sketches.
"I had two numbers in it, and one was called Folksong. And George Martin, who was then head of A&R at Parlophone, and had made records with Charlie Drake and Peter Sellers, came to see the show with a view to recording it."
After Martin's recording of Folksong got into the charts, its lyricist Myles Rudge and composer Ted Dicks came up with Hole in the Ground.
"They're both gone now – Ted died not long ago," Cribbins says. "Anyway, when Hole in the Ground went to No 1, EMI said: 'More, please! Then Right Said Fred happened."
The song was inspired by the difficulties Dicks experienced getting some workmen to move a piano.
"Ted Dicks was living on the second or third floor somewhere, and he moved to a basement flat in Islington. He'd ordered a grand piano from Harrods. He said to the removal men: 'It's just down these stairs.' 'Oh, I don't think so.' 'OK, what'll we do?'
"And they took it all to pieces! That became the lyrics from Myles Rudge."
"I recorded it at Abbey Road, at number three studio. It was like a little concert hall. This was just before the Beatles got in there – we warmed it up for them!
"When I arrived there were about 12 or 13 musicians. I sang it live with them. We did a couple of takes, and that was it. Then George worked on it with his sound effects, like running up a ladder and so on. George used a lot of the techniques he went on to use on the Beatles' records. He used a lot of lovely little noises."
Right Said Fred followed Folksong and Hole in the Ground into the upper reaches of what was then termed the "hit parade". "Because I'm a non-singer, to suddenly find myself in the charts was fabulous," Cribbins says.
Cribbins' successful recorded career extended into the late 60s, when he recorded an album with George Martin that even included a surprisingly faithful version of Lennon and McCartney's When I'm Sixty-Four.
"I've grown accustomed to my fame," he says. "Danny Baker chose I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face as the one record he'd keep on Desert Island Discs. And Noël Coward chose Hole in the Ground. He said he could translate it into French as he walked along the beach."
In the 90s, Right Said Fred took on an unexpected afterlife when it was adopted as a name by Richard Fairbrass and his group, who had a run of hits including I'm Too Sexy and Deeply Dippy.
"I don't think Right Said Fred had permission to use the title," Cribbins says. "But they were quite a good group. Quite camp! I met them and did a song for Comic Relief with them, Stick It Out."
Cribbins is still a jack-of-all-trades – he's currently working on the narration for a nature series. But he's palpably delighted that 50 years later, Right Said Fred has stood the test of time.
"It's become a little classic. It's a real joy," he says. "Long-range applause, I call it." But after all – you never get nowhere if you're too 'asty.
One was Right Said Fred. Cribbins, in an impeccable cockney accent, is one of two bungling workmen attempting to move an unwieldy yet unidentified item, eventually leaving it standing it on the landing after dismantling it (and drinking numerous cups of tea).
I've known it all my life. I probably first heard it on Junior Choice, a children's request show hosted by Ed "Stewpot" Stewart on BBC Radio 1.
Speaking to me on the phone, Cribbins recalls his foray into the record industry: "The origins of my recording career go back to a revue show in 1961 or 62, something like that, called And Another Thing. We had a very nice cast of young up-and-comings, like Joyce and Lionel Blair, and some very good writers, including Barry Cryer – he wrote some of the sketches.
After Martin's recording of Folksong got into the charts, its lyricist Myles Rudge and composer Ted Dicks came up with Hole in the Ground.
"They're both gone now – Ted died not long ago," Cribbins says. "Anyway, when Hole in the Ground went to No 1, EMI said: 'More, please! Then Right Said Fred happened."
The song was inspired by the difficulties Dicks experienced getting some workmen to move a piano.
"Ted Dicks was living on the second or third floor somewhere, and he moved to a basement flat in Islington. He'd ordered a grand piano from Harrods. He said to the removal men: 'It's just down these stairs.' 'Oh, I don't think so.' 'OK, what'll we do?'
"And they took it all to pieces! That became the lyrics from Myles Rudge."
"I recorded it at Abbey Road, at number three studio. It was like a little concert hall. This was just before the Beatles got in there – we warmed it up for them!
"When I arrived there were about 12 or 13 musicians. I sang it live with them. We did a couple of takes, and that was it. Then George worked on it with his sound effects, like running up a ladder and so on. George used a lot of the techniques he went on to use on the Beatles' records. He used a lot of lovely little noises."
Right Said Fred followed Folksong and Hole in the Ground into the upper reaches of what was then termed the "hit parade". "Because I'm a non-singer, to suddenly find myself in the charts was fabulous," Cribbins says.
Cribbins' successful recorded career extended into the late 60s, when he recorded an album with George Martin that even included a surprisingly faithful version of Lennon and McCartney's When I'm Sixty-Four.
"I've grown accustomed to my fame," he says. "Danny Baker chose I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face as the one record he'd keep on Desert Island Discs. And Noël Coward chose Hole in the Ground. He said he could translate it into French as he walked along the beach."
In the 90s, Right Said Fred took on an unexpected afterlife when it was adopted as a name by Richard Fairbrass and his group, who had a run of hits including I'm Too Sexy and Deeply Dippy.
"I don't think Right Said Fred had permission to use the title," Cribbins says. "But they were quite a good group. Quite camp! I met them and did a song for Comic Relief with them, Stick It Out."
Cribbins is still a jack-of-all-trades – he's currently working on the narration for a nature series. But he's palpably delighted that 50 years later, Right Said Fred has stood the test of time.
"It's become a little classic. It's a real joy," he says. "Long-range applause, I call it." But after all – you never get nowhere if you're too 'asty.
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