Information about his
career collected by Judy Harris
Information about his
career collected by Judy Harris
Visit my homepage at http://judyharris.net/index.htm
Or e-mail me at foosie@bestweb.net
ANTHONY GEORGE NEWLEY, who has died aged 67, was an actor, singer, songwriter and director of unusual versatility; his career spanned more than 50 years and embraced film, repertory theatre, rock and roll, comedy revues, music hall and television.
Born Sept. 24, 1931, in Oswald Street, Hackney, east London, his education, at the Mandeville School for Boys, Clapton, was interrupted by the Blitz and he was evacuated to Morecambe, Lancashire, where he was fostered by George Pescud, a former music hall performer who first introduced the boy to the theatre. But the family was already musical. Newley's grandfather, Arthur Robert Newley, a cabinet and birdcage maker, played the oboe and was a keen amateur clog dancer. His wife, Frances, was an amateur dancer and singer; and her brother, Bob Morris, was a sometime professional comedian, a regular at the Holborn Empire. Newley's mother Gracie sang in the Salvation Army choir, often assigned solos.
After the war ended, Newley worked briefly in an insurance office until he saw an advertisement for the Italia Conti stage school, where - aged 14 - he was accepted as a pupil and tea boy. He had only been at the school for a few weeks when the film director Geoffrey de Barkus came to look for a boy to play the title role in THE ADVENTURES OF DUSTY BATES. Newley got the part at the age of 14. He also trained for the stage with the Dewsbury Repertory Co.
He made his theatre debut in 1946 in WINDS OF HEAVEN at the Colchester Repertory Theatre. He made his West End debut in 1955 in the revue CRANKS, which dispensed with sets and relied on John Addison's music, clever lyrics and surprise tactics to hold the attention. This played in New York at the Bijou in 1956 for 40 performances. CRANKS fired Newley's imagination, and in 1960, after his success in IDOL ON PARADE, he began his career as a director with his own television show, THE STRANGE WORLD OF GURNEY SLADE, a comedy about a social misfit.
He was the original East End boy made good, born illegitimately in Hackney and leaving school at 14. He then found success as a child actor, most notably as the Artful Dodger in David Lean's 1948 film OLIVER TWIST. Propelled by his role in OLIVER TWIST at the age of 17, Newley made his U.S. debut in 1956, appearing in six films that year. In the 1950s and 1960s, Newley was everywhere - on the screen, on television and, seven times, in the top ten.
His singing career came about almost by accident. In 1959, he took the part of rock and roll star Jeep Jackson - a spoof on Elvis Presley - in the film IDOL ON PARADE. A ballad from the film, I've Waited So Long, took Newley to the top of the British charts and started a three year run of hits which included Personality, If She Should Come to You, And The Heavens Cried and the novelty numbers Pop Goes the Weasel and Strawberry Fair. He also had two No 1s, with Why and Lionel Bart's Do You Mind? "So overnight I had this incredible power," he said years later. "I was a rock and roll singer and and it lasted for ten wonderful years."
His film appearances included DOCTOR DOLITTLE and THE COCKLESHELL HEROES. But he is likely to be best known for co-writing and starring in the hit musicals STOP THE WORLD - I WANT TO GET OFF and THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT - THE SMELL OF THE CROWD, as well as a number of best-selling hit singles, including What Kind Of Fool Am I?, The Candy Man and Goldfinger. In 1987 he and frequent collaborator Leslie Bricusse were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
STOP THE WORLD was a landmark in the history of the British musical, notable for its freedom of form and cynicism of content as it charted the bitter-sweet rise of its central character, played by Newley, from teaboy to millionaire. For Newley, its lasting legacy was its songs. They included Gonna Build a Mountain and What Kind of Fool Am I? which sold more than a million records and became his signature tune.
STOP THE WORLD for which he was the director, star and co-author (with his longtime collaborator, Leslie Bricusse), was his greatest showcase. The show was conceived as "a simple, lighthearted satirical life cycle of the seven ages of man." (Namely, youth-and-adolescence, decision, sophistication, maturity, sagacity, retirement and senility.) In the UK, it played to packed houses for 15 months before transferring to Broadway in 1962, where it ran for 555 performances. An allegory about acquiring fame and power but ending up disillusioned, STOP THE WORLD was a tour de force for the star, who portrayed a symbolic Everyman named Littlechap.
In the States he became one of the very few British crooners to make it big on the US cabaret circuit (In Las Vegas he commanded the same attention as Tony Bennett, Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra) and his Cockney rags-to-riches story made him a chat show favourite. In 1977 he was voted the Male Musical Star of the Year in Las Vegas.
He had a gift for striking an emotional chord with a mass audience. But Anthony Newley was also an influence on David Bowie among later performers, because in all his songs he maintained a distinctively British voice, ending with his right arm extended for effect in his trademark signoff.
Anthony Newley married and divorced three times. His first marriage in 1956, to Elizabeth Ann Lynn, was dissolved in 1963, the same year he married Joan Collins; they divorced in 1971. His third wife was an air hostess, Dareth Dunn, whom he divorced in 1989. He was survived by his mother, Grace, 96 (with whom he lived in Surrey since 1992 after 22 years living in the U.S.), and four children, a boy (Sasha) and girl (Tara) with Joan Collins and another boy (Christopher) and girl (Shelby) with Dareth Dunn.
Newley was a lifelong home movie enthusiast and even filmed his first date with Collins. Twenty years later they teamed up again in London to appear in two of Noel Coward's one-act plays for BBC Television.
He recently appeared on BBC television in cameo appearances in the drama series THE LAKES and as an amorous used car salesman in 3 episodes of the soap EASTENDERS.
Ill health had plagued the star for many years. He was first diagnosed with renal cell cancer in 1985, and had one kidney removed. The cancer returned in 1997, this time attacking his lungs, then spreading to his liver.
Newley lived in Surrey for many years and moved to Florida permanently in December. He had donated his papers to the Boston University Library Special Collections Dept.
His third wife, Dareth Newley Dunn, described him as "a dear, sweet, loving friend and father ... consummate performer and ultimate composer".
The Official Anthony Newley Appreciation Society Worldwide is reachable at:
| Paul Goodhead (p.goodhead@virgin.net) Anthony Newley Society 49 Vauxhall St Rainbow Hill Worcester, WR3 8PA England UK |
Click here for a YouTube video of Newley singing with Shirley Bassey. MOVIES
1947 THE ADVENTURES OF DUSTY BATES
1947 THE LITTLE BALLERINA
1947 VICE VERSA
1948 OLIVER TWIST (Click here to see an image file of Newley as the Artful Dodger)
1948 VOTE FOR HUGGETT
1948 THE OUTSIDER
1949 A BOY, A GIRL AND A BIKE
1949 DON'T EVER LEAVE ME
1950 HIGHLY DANGEROUS
1950 MADELEINE
1952 THOSE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR
1953 TOP OF THE FORM
1954 UP TO HIS NECK
1954 THE BLUE PETER/NAVY HEROES
1955 COCKLESHELL HEROES
1956 ABOVE US THE WAVES
1956 LAST MAN TO HANG
1956 PORT AFRIQUE
1957 PURSUIT OF THE GRAF SPEE
1957 FIRE DOWN BELOW
1957 HIGH FLIGHT
1957 HOW TO MURDER A RICH UNCLE
1957 GOOD COMPANIONS
1957 X THE UNKNOWN
1958 TANK FORCE
1958 MAN INSIDE
1959 IDLE ON PARADE
1959 LADY IS A SQUARE
1959 HEART OF A MAN
1959 BANDIT OF ZHOBE
1960 IN THE NICK
1960 LET'S GET MARRIED
1960 KILLERS OF KILIMANJARO
1960 JAZZ BOAT
1963 THE SMALL WORLD OF SAMMY LEE
1967 DOCTOR DOLITTLE
1968 SWEET NOVEMBER
1969 CAN HIERONYMUS MERKIN EVER FORGET MERCY HUMPPE AND FIND TRUE HAPPINESS?
1975 IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME
1975 MR. QUILP
1986 OUTRAGE!
1987 GARBAGE PAIL KIDS MOVIE
1991 BORIS AND NATASHA
STAGE
1955 CRANKS
1961 STOP THE WORLD, I WANT TO GET OFF - Click here for a photo from the Playbill.
1965 THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT, THE SMELL OF THE CROWD
1972 THE GOOD OLD BAD OLD DAYS
1983 CHAPLIN
1989 a revival of STOP THE WORLD at the Lyric Theatre with a cast that included
Rhonda Burchmore as Evie, Martine McCutcheon and Denise (Van) Outen.
1996 SCROOGE
TV
1960 THE STRANGE WORLD OF GURNEY SLADE
1966 BELL TELEPHONE HOUR: SONG AND DANCE MAN (Newley was the song and Donald O'Connor was
the dance. They trace the history of the song and dance man from vaudeville, the
invention of the chorus girl, which they credit to whoever wrote FLORA DORA. They
recreate some of these old numbers, TELL ME PRETTY MAIDEN, MENTION MY NAME IN
SHEBOYGAN, YOU CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS AT THE SEASIDE THAT YOU CAN'T DO AT HOME
(Fancy seeing mother with her knees all bare,
Splashing in the fountain in Trafalgar square!),
ME AND MY GAL, I'M THE MAN WHO BROKE THE BANK AT MONTE CARLO.
Then the whole show shifts into songs written by Newley and Bricusse, which O'Connor
and Newley split between them. Newley sings GONNA BUILD A MOUNTAIN, they duet LOOK
AT THAT FACE while making themselves up as clowns (Newley goes up on one line),
O'Connor sings THE JOKER, they both sing NOTHING CAN STOP ME NOW, and Newley does an
elaborate mime in which you see him fall in love with, court, and then dump a series
of invisible girls, which culminates in him singing WHAT KIND OF FOOL AM I?
1966 Lucy in London - Click here to see an image file of Newley in this TV special.
1970 Kraft Music Hall Presents Petula Clark
1972 The Sound of Petula (U.K. Christmas Special)
1972 Grammy Awards
1974 Carol Burnett
1975 Cher
1983 MALIBU
1985 Fame
1985 ALICE IN WONDERLAND
1985 BLADE IN HONG KONG
1986 STAGECOACH
1988 Magnum P.I. "Legend of the Lost Ark"
1988 Simon & Simon "Cloak of Danger"
1989 POLLY - COMIN' HOME
1990 COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN
1991 PRIVATE LIVES (BBC)
1991 TONIGHT AT 8:30
1992 This is Your Life (U.K. version)
1994 ANNA LEE "The Dupe"
1998 EAST ENDERS
Update: July 2021 - while searching YouTube, I came across an episode of THE ANTHONY NEWLEY SHOW, a variety series I thought was completely wiped.
(Thanks to Elizabeth Scarlett - scarlett@acsu.buffalo.edu - for tracking down some
of these TV specials.)
Newley also directed SUMMERTREE, a 1971 film.
RECORDINGS - I am indebted to SHOW MUSIC magazine which published a discography/
article on Newley's career by Richard C. Lynch in their 1997/1998 issues V13N4 and
V14N1.
1955 CRANKS - HMV/U.K. CLP 1082 (LP)
Who's Who
Adrift
Where Has Tom Gone?
Cold Comfort
Passacaglia
Who Is It Always There
Chiromancy
New Blue
Valse Anglais
I Don't Let Him Know You
Sea Song
Telephone Tango
I'm the Boy You Should Say "Yes" To
Metamorphosis
Would You Let Me Know?
Dirge
Arthur, Son of Martha
Goodnight
1959 IDLE ON PARADE - Decca/U.K. DFE 6566 (45 rpm extended play)
I've Waited So Long
Idle Rock-a-Boogie
Idle on Parade
Sat'day Night Rock-a-Boogie
1960 LOVE IS A NOW AND THEN THING - Decca/U.K. LK4343 (LP),
London/U.S. LL3156 (LP)
Gone With the Wind
Some Other Spring
The Thrill is Gone
What's Good About Goodbye?
Love Is a Now and Then Thing
When Your Lover Has Gone
It's the Talk of the Town
I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan
Speak Low
This Time the Dream's on Me
Ask No Questions
I Get Along Without You Very Well
1961 TONY - Decca/U.K. LK4406 (LP, London/U.S. PS244 (LP)
Yes! We Have No Bananas
You're Free
I Was Never Kissed Before
Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes
All or Nothing At All
Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile
Pop! Goes the Weasel
Who Can Say
Bye Bye Blackbird
I Should Care
Basic Street Blues
All By Myself
1961 STOP THE WORLD - I WANT TO GET OFF - Decca/U.K. SKL 4142; or LK 4408
CD reissue, Deram/U.K. 820 958
Music and Lyrics: Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse
ABC
I Wanna Be Rich
Typically English
Lumbered
Gonna Build a Mountain
Glorious Russian
Meilinki Meilchick
Typische Deutsche
Nag, Nag, Nag
All American
Once in a Lifetime
Mumbo Jumbo
Someone Nice Like You
What Kind of Fool Am I?
1962 STOP THE WORLD - I WANT TO GET OFF - London AM 588001;
CD reissue Polygram 820 261
Overture
The A.B.C. Song
I Wanna Be Rich
Lumbered
Glorious Russian
Meilinki Meilchick
Typically English
Gonna Build a Mountain
Typische Deutsche
Family Fugue/Nag! Nag! Nag!
Once in a Lifetime
All American
Mumbo Jumbo
Someone Nice Like You
What Kind of Fool Am I?
STOP THE WORLD opened October 3, 1962 at the Shubert Theatre and ran for 556 performances.
1962 THIS IS TONY NEWLEY - London/U.S. LL362 (LP) Girls Were Made to Love and Kiss If She Should Come to You Do You Mind? Why? What Now My Love? Strawberry Fair I'll Walk Beside You Lifetime of Happiness A Boy Without a Girl Addio...Addio Lonely Boy Someone to Love 1963 PEAK PERFORMANCES - London/U.S. LL3283 (LP) What Kind of Fool Am I? Once in a Lifetime Pop Goes the Weasel Why If She Should Come to You I'll Walk Beside You All or Nothing at All Do You Mind Yes, We Have No Bananas I Should Care Strawberry Fair Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag
This is my favorite Newley recording; plus the album art is very clever; on the front it has a photo of Newley in Littlechap makeup looking into a mirror at Newley not in makeup; and on the back it has a photo of Newley not in makeup looking into a mirror at Newley in Littlechap makeup.
1963 FOOL BRITANNIA - Acapella AC-11 (LP) Whatever Happened to John and Marsha? The House that Mac Built Wry on the Rocks Mightier than the Sword Is There a Doctor in the House? There's No Business Like No Business There Goes That Song Again Common Market They Only Fade Away Vice Italian Style Eugenius! Twelve Randy Men Two Old Ladies Locked in Conversation The running order of the CD (Fatboy FATCD 282) is different (and contains some typos!): Whatever Happened to John and Marcia Countess interrupts The House that Mac Built Wry on the Rocks Mightier Than the Sword The Common Market The Secret Service There's No Business Like No Business Vice - Italian Style They Only Fade Away We are Not Amused Eugenius Twelve Randy Men There Goes That Song Again Two Old Ladies Locked in Conversation
This is a comedy satire on the infamous Profumo scandal devised and written by Newley and Bricusse.
1963 Acapella AC778 (45 rpm single) upon the assassination of JFK Tribute (written by Newley) Lament for a Hero (by Walt Whitman) 1964 IN MY SOLITUDE - Decca/U.K. LK4600 (LP), RCA Victor/U.S. LSP 2925 (LP) Solitude I See Your Face Before Me It's All Right With Me The Winter of My Discontent I Didn't Know What Time It Was For All We Know So Far Rain, Rain (Don't Go 'Way) Like Someone in Love Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry I'll Teach You How to Cry The Party's Over
1965 THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT - THE SMELL OF THE CROWD - RCA Victor LSO 1109; CD reissue: RCA Victor 60351 Music and Lyrics: Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse 1965 WHO CAN I TURN TO? - RCA Victor LSP 3347 (LP) Who Can I Turn To? Look At That Face The Beautiful Land Where Would You Be Without Me? It Isn't Enough This Dream The Joker A Wonderful Day Like Today Feeling Good That's What It Is to be Young My First Love Song Sweet Beginning 1965 RCA 47-8785 (45 rpm) Why Can You Try to Digeridoo Is There a Way Back to Your Arms? 1966 THE GENIUS OF ANTHONY NEWLEY - London/U.S. PS 361 (LP) What Kind of Fool Am I? Young Only Yesterday She's Just Another Girl You Made Me Love You Little Golden Clown You Are Too Beautiful There's No Such Thing as Love I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire The Father of Girls My Claire de Lune Deep River And the Heavens Cried 1966 NEWLEY DELIVERED - Decca/U.K. LK 4654 (LP) I Guess It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy Letters to My Love What Kind of Fool Am I? Young Only Yesterday You Made Me Love You You Are Too Beautiful There's No Such Thing as Love I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire Deep River And the Heavens Cried I Saw Her Standing There Pop! Goes the Weasel What Now My Love? Girls Were Made to Love and Kiss Addio...Addio Strawberry Fair 1966 NEWLEY RECORDED - RCA Victor RD 7873 (U.K. LP), LSP 3614 (U.S. LP) Smile, Darn Ya, Smile No More Let's Begin I Have Dreamed This is the Beginning of the End All Together The Ballad of Yesterday's Idol Old Devil Moon Bye Bye Brown Eyes Run, Run, Run Keep Away Here I'll Stay 1967 DOCTOR DOLITTLE - 20th Century-Fox Records DTCS 5101 (LP); CD reissue: Philips 314 534 500 Music and Lyrics: Leslie Bricusse Overture My Friend the Doctor The Vegetarian Talk to the Animals At the Crossroads I've Never Seen Anything Like It Beautiful Things When I Look In Your Eyes Like Animals After Today Fabulous Places Where Are the Words? I Think I Like You Something in Your Smile My Friend the Doctor 1967 ANTHONY NEWLEY SINGS THE SONGS FROM DOCTOR DOLITTLE - RCA Victor LSP 3839 (LP) Talk to the Animals Something in Your Smile I Think I Like You After Today Where Are the Words? My Friend the Doctor Beautiful Things Doctor Dolittle When I Look in Your Eyes At the Crossroads Fabulous Places 1968 Warner Bros. Records 7174 (45 rpm) SWEET NOVEMBER Sweet November, they say you're wintry and grey And yet this love that you bring Is sweeter than spring and warmer than May. Come December, when our November is through, We'll face the winter and smile For you know that I'll be staying with you. When we remember November's sunshine We won't mind December's rain; For us it will be like sweet November again. 1969 CAN HIERONYMUS MERKIN EVER FORGET MERCY HUMPPE AND FIND TRUE HAPPINESS? Kapp Records KRS 5509 (LP) Music: Anthony Newley; Lyrics: Herbert Kretzmer Overture If All the World's a Stage Piccadilly Lily Oh, What a Son of a Bitch I Am Sweet Love Child Astrological Ballet Chalk & Cheese I'm All I Need On the Boards Lullaby Piccadilly Lily (reprise) Once Upon a Time When You Gotta Go I'm All I Need (reprise) Finale 1969 THE BEST OF ANTHONY NEWLEY - RCA LSP-4163 Who Can I Turn To The Joker Where Would You Be Without Me? Solitude Smile, Darn Ya, Smile Talk to the Animals Something in Your Smile What Kind of Fool Am I? Once in a Lifetime Gonna Build a Mountain The Party's Over 1969 THE ROMANTIC WORLD OF ANTHONY NEWLEY - Decca SPA 45 What Now My Love Strawberry Fair The Father of Girls Deep River And the Heavens Cried You Made Me Love You What Kind of Fool Am I? Yes! We Have no Bananas! If She Should Come to You I Saw Her Standing There Girls Were Made to Love and Kiss Pop Goes the Weasel 1970 FOR YOU - Bell Records 1101 (LP) You and Me - Inevitable I Flooded You with My Love What Sets You Apart? There is No Lyric for the Music of You We Took Our Love Outside Feline, Wild and Domesticated I Am a Fool Ocean, Greet My Love! Darling, It's Time The Secret Places I Want You for My Wife So That Now Remains Forever Your Mouth-Shaping Demands of One Syllable The Anatripsis of Love We Climb Yesterday's Stairway That Eternal Whore, Time The Eternal Instant of Our Parting Couples - I Do Not Envy Them I Reside in Hell Will the Windows Continue to Mock Me? Memoria
This is a spoken word album based on a book by Jennings Cobb.
1971 PURE IMAGINATION - MGM Records SE 4781 (LP) The Candy Man Pure Imagination Little Golden Clown Pop Goes the Weasel Cheer Up, Charlie There's No Such Thing as Love The Beautiful Land Best of all Worlds I've Got a Golden Ticket I'll Begin Again 1971 AIN'T IT FUNNY - MGM/Verve MV 5096 (LP) Overchewer The People Tree Ain't It Funny Me Without You The Good Old Bad Old Days It's a Musical World The Fool Who Dared to Dream Easy for You, Captain Candy I Do Not Love You What Did You Do in the Great War, Daddy? 1972 THE GOOD OLD BAD OLD DAYS - EMI Records/U.K. EMA 751 (LP); reissued as AEI/U.S. 1116 (LP) Music and Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley The Gold Old Bad Old Days Mustn't Grumble The Fool Who Dared to Dream The Wisdom of the World Thanksgiving Day And Women Must Wait Today Tomorrow Yesterday It's a Musical World I Do Not Love You A Cotton Pickin' Moon The Good Things in Life What's the Matter, God--Can't You Take a Joke? They've Got a Cure for Everything on Broadway The People Tree Broadway Finale
Newley again collaborated with Bricusse in this show, in which Newley played the Devil. Before it opened, it was known briefly as IT'S A FUNNY OLD WORLD WE LIVE IN, BUT THE WORLD'S NOT ENTIRELY TO BLAME. This opened on December 20, 1972 in London's West End at the Prince of Wales Theatre, ran for 309 performances, but never made it to Broadway. In fact, Newley himself never returned to the Great While Way in a book show; although he was heading there in 1983 with a musical version of CHAPLIN (as in Charlie Chaplin), which closed out of town.
1972 Columbia 45 rpm DB 8933 The Good Old Bad Old Days Mister Sniffles
In 1974 Newley appeared for two weeks on Broadway in a show with Henry Mancini doing essentially his nightclub act.
1977 THE SINGER AND HIS SONGS - United Artists Records LA718-G (LP)
Lunch With a Friend
Shelby
Learning to Love You Again
Gay Girl
My Last Song
Teach the Children
A Woman Holding Roses
My Friend Howie
The Man Who Makes You Laugh
1985 MR. PERSONALITY - Decca/U.K. Tab 84 (LP)
Personality
Strawberry Fair
Why
I've Waited So Long
D-Darling
Bee-Bom
Once in a Lifetime
Pop Goes the Weasel
Do You Mind?
That Noise
If She Should Come to You
And the Heavens Cried
Girls Were Made to Love and Kiss
What Kind of Fool Am I?
1989 First Night Records Score 20 (45 rpm)
What Kind of Fool Am I?
Gonna Build a Mountain
1992 SCROOGE, THE MUSICAL - That's Entertainment Records 1194 (CD);
U.S. issue Jay 1272 (CD)
Music and Lyrics: Leslie Bricusse
I Hate Christmas
No Better Life
I Hate Christmas (reprise)
It's Not My Fault
Happiness
You...You
It's Not My Fault (reprise)
I Like Life
A Better Life
Thank You Very Much
I'll Begin Again
Finale
bonus tracks: A Better Life, I'll Begin Again
This musical version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, with music and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse, from the 1970 Albert Finney movie SCROOGE started regionally in Birmingham in 1992 and eventually opened November 1996 in London. Newley hoped to bring it to Broadway, but at the time there were competing versions: a one-man show with Patrick Stewart; and a different musical adaptation with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Alan Menken.
1992? TOO MUCH WOMAN - BBI/UK (CD); issued in the U.S. as GNP/Crescendo 2243 The Candy Man Too Much Woman Why? Rainbows Do You Mind? The Way That I Did Be-Bom Nearly Wonderful Who Can I Turn To? White Boy Autumn What Kind of Fool Am I? Remember Centerfold 1994 THE SONGS OF LIONEL BART - Music Club/U.K. 176 (CD) Do You Mind? You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two Reviewing the Situation 1995 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF - Carlton/U.K. 30362 (CD) Tradition If I Were a Rich Man Sabbath Prayer To Life The Dream Sunrise, Sunset Do You Love Me? Chava Sequence Anatevka 1996 THE VERY BEST OF ANTHONY NEWLEY - Carlton 30364 00122 The Candy Man Too Much Woman Why? Rainbows Do You Mind? The Way That I Did Bebom Nearly Wonderful Who Can I Turn To? White Boy Autumn What Kind of Fool Am I? Remember Centrefold If I Were a Rich Man Do You Love Me? Make 'Em Laugh Puttin' on the Ritz They Can't Take That Away From Me Thank Heaven for Little Girls ? ANTHONY NEWLEY'S GREATEST HITS - Deram/U.K. 820 694 (CD) Personality Strawberry Fair Why? D-Darling Be-Bom Once in a Lifetime Pop! Goes the Weasel Do You Mind That Noise If She Should Come to You And the Heavens Cried Girls Were Made to Love and Kiss What Kind of Fool Am I? Someone to Love It's All Over Letters to My Love Lonely Boy and Pretty Girl I Get Along Without You Very Well Yes! We Have No Bananas The Little Golden Clown 1997 ONCE IN A LIFETIME: THE ANTHONY NEWLEY COLLECTION - Razor & Tie/U.S. RE 2145-2 (CD) On A Wonderful Day Like Today What Kind of Fool Am I? Gonna Build a Mountain Who Can I Turn To? The Joker Once in a Lifetime The Candy Man Talk to the Animals Something in Your Smile This Time the Dream's on Me It's the Talk of the Town I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan The People Tree I Do Not Love You The Good Old Bad Old Days 1997 THE VERY BEST OF ANTHONY NEWLEY - Spectrum Music 552 090-2 Personality Why Do You Mind If She Should Come to You Strawberry Fair And the Heavens Cried Pop Goes the Weasel Bee-Bom What Kind of Fool Am I? D-Darling That Noise My Blue Angel Lifetime of Happiness I'll Walk Beside You She's Just Another Girl I've Waited So Long I Guess It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy Young Only Yesterday Girls Were Made to Love and Kiss You are Too Beautiful 2000 ON A WONDERFUL DAY LIKE TODAY BMG 74321 752592
On a Wonderful Day Like Today
When I Look In Your Eyes
Old Devil Moon
I Have Dreamed
The Joker
Look at That Face
Talk to the Animals
Feeling Good
Something in Your Smile
Doctor Dolittle
After Today
Smile, Darn Ya, Smile
This is The Beginning of the End
The Ballad of Yesterday's Idol
Here I'll Stay
My First Love Song
The Beautiful Land
Sweet Beginning
My Friend the Doctor
Beautiful Things
At the Crossroads
Where Would you Be Without Me?
Bye Bye, Brown Eyes
That's What It is to be Young
Keep Away
Who Can I Turn To? 2000 THE DECCA YEARS 1959-1964 (Decca 466 918-2) Idle on Parade I've Waited So Long Personality Someone to Love Why? Do You Mind? Girls Were Made to Love and Kiss If She Should Come to You Lifetime of Happiness Strawberry Fair And the Heavens Cried Lonely Boy and Pretty Girl Bee-Bom Once in a Lifetime D'darling I'll Walk Beside You That Noise There's No Such Thing as Love The Father of Girls You Made Me Love You I Wanna Be Rich Lumbered Gonna Build a Mountain Meilinki Meilchick Nag Nag Nag Mumbo Jumbo Someone Nice Like You What Kind of Fool Am I? Yes, We Have No Bananas You're Free I Was Never Kissed Before Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes All or Nothing at All Pack Up Your Troubles Pop Goes the Weasel Who Can Say Bye Bye Blackbird I Should Care Basin Street Blues By Myself Gone With the Wind The Thrill is Gone Love Is a Now and Then Thing When Your Lover Has Gone It's the Talk of the Town Speak Low I Get Along Without You Very Well Deep River What Now My Love? I Don't Want To Set the World on Fire What Kind of Fool Am I? My Clair De Lune Solitude I'll Teach You How to Cry The Party's Over
(This double CD is almost worth buying just for the photos and liner notes which were written by Raymond Horricks who produced these original recordings. Among other anecdotes, he says that STRAWBERRY FAIR "went at such a frantic lick that I remember it as the session when we wore out three guitarists." He also reports that BEE-BOM was written by Johnny Worth to the theme tune of Tony's short lived British TV series GURNEY SLADE. This is probably the only place Newley fans are going to get to hear on CD the songs he sung on the original British cast recording of STOP THE WORLD, including ONCE IN A LIFETIME, LUMBERED, GONNA BUILD A MOUNTAIN, MEILINKI MEILCHICK, NAG NAG NAG and MUMBO JUMBO. The CD has 2 versions of WHAT KIND OF FOOL AM I, one from the Broadway original cast album, but not the one from the British original cast album.)
Nothing much seems to have been mentioned about Newley's sense of humor. In fact, in addition to writing humorous songs, he often seemed to have chosen songs to record which were funny and kind of "music hall" type songs, including YES! WE HAVE NO BANANAS, POP GOES THE WEASEL, PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES , STRAWBERRY FAIR and ALL TOGETHER, the lyrics of which I list here:
ALL TOGETHER (Miles Rudge - Ted Dick) It goes all together, with a pum tiddle liddle Can't think whether there's a pum in the middle Once you've heard it you'll sing it all day long - What a lovely song! Hang on a mo-- It goes all together, and it-- no, wait a minute - Can't think whether there's a pum tiddle in it - What a pity, I've forgotten it because You'd love it, I know, if I knew what it was. The bit in the middle is kind of sort of More like a waltz gone wrong. A singable song of the sort that we're short of As soon as I begin You'll want to join in - It goes all together, but there's no use in going Hell for leather, when there's no way of knowing Even whether I'm singing it all wrong So hang on a mo-- While I have a go At sorting out this simple yet very unforgettable song. The fella what sung it was kind of, sort of More or less drunk with song. Long in the hair, it was breath he was short of As soon as I heard it I knew every word Of this song that I heard. It goes all together with a pum tiddle liddle Can't think whether there's a pum in the middle Words were clever, what a lovely song No, hang on a mo-- I remember every part of it Oh, let yourself go, And we'll do it from the start of it: Now, all together, we're getting in the mood- No, hang on a mo-- It's rude!
In addition to writing the score with Leslie Bricusse for 1971's film WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Newley wrote the score for the 1975 film MR. QUILP (now broadcast on TV under THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP) and, with Bricusse, the title song for the 1968 film SWEET NOVEMBER; and, finally with Bricusse, the songs for the 1976 TV version of PETER PAN. He also co-wrote with Stanley Ralph Ross the book, music and lyrics for the 1983 stage show CHAPLIN and created the 1985 revue ONCE UPON A SONG. Newley had been working for many years on a musical version of RICHARD III and sang some of these songs during his last New York cabaret appearance at Rainbow and Stars in 1996. The BMI database lists 195 songs for which Newley wrote the music or lyrics. His four U.S. hit songs were Why?, If She Should Come to You, Pop Goes the Weasel and What Kind of Fool Am I? By contrast, he had 12 hit singles in three years in the U.K., all included in the 1997 CD, THE VERY BEST OF ANTHONY NEWLEY. He and Bricusse won two Ivor Novello Awards, for Best Musical Score (STOP THE WORLD) and Best Song (WHAT KIND OF FOOL AM I?). Newley went from child star to pop idol, to composer, author, director and leading man and leaves an amazing body of work.
Garth Bardsley has written an authorized biography of Newley entitled STOP THE WORLD - THE BIOGRAPHY OF ANTHONY NEWLEY published by Oberon Books (2003). Leslie Bricusse's autobiography THE MUSIC MAN (Metro Publishing Ltd. 2006) contains interesting insights into the creation of STOP THE WORLD and THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT.
You can hear full versions of Newley singing some songs if you click here.