PADDY ROBERTS/STRICTLY FOR GROWN-UPS LF1322 (-59) UK MONO

Old-school singer/songwriter, born in South Africa as John Godfrey Owen Roberts (1910-75). After moving to England he got a carreer as composer and performer, creating UK list toppers for artists as Ruby Murray and Ann Shelton in the mid-fifties and later on writing soundtrack songs for popular movies, but also recording his own comedy style numbers. These were mostly on the edge of what was PC in England at the time, indicating sex and other things that usually weren't brought to public there and then. As he treated slightly risqué subjects, mostly accompanied by piano, it's tempting to look for similarities with Tom Lehrer and there are, but also differences depending on what clutures they rose from. Lehrer's humor came from being intelligently cheeky in a very funny way. Roberts lyrics seem more coy and though in the same way trembling under society's skirt he mostly does it by hints and innuendos. An exemple from "Love Isn't What It Used To Be" - "...No shrinking violets to scared to say yes, not leading up to a gentle caress. Just grab a handful and damn the finesse. Love isn't what it used to be". That kind of wit probably hopelessely dated in this day and age, so maybe you must have been there to appreciate it fully. Anyway it still makes me smile and as this has more of the same furtive fun I'm in. This was UK only, reissued on CD 2010 by Hallmark (709172). Most of the songs can also be found on the 1968 "The Best Of Paddy Roberts" (Music For Pleasure MFP 1276). Premiere UK 10 inch had label as shown here and laminated cover with crescent flips. (SYSÖ*)