|
Post by Lydia Purple on Dec 11, 2013 12:56:01 GMT -8
Popular British comedian Benny Hill, who'd had UK Top Twenty hits early in the 60s with "Gather in the Mushrooms" and "Harvest of Love", had his greatest chart success when he went to no.1 for four weeks with "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)".
The lyric's story line is inspired by Hill's early experience as a milkman for Hann's Dairies in Eastleigh, Hampshire. Market Street mentioned in the lyrics is an actual road in Eastleigh.
Hill performed the song on The Benny Hill Show in 1970. The original clip is seldom repeated as it was made in black and white owing to a technicians' strike, but the episode has been released on DVD on both sides of the Atlantic. In the original TV broadcast version, as part of the song's comedy plot, Benny incorrectly sings the name "Ernie" several times as: "Hernie", to which the backing singers would correct him by strongly replying the name as: "Ernie!". To this, Benny would then pull an embarrassed/annoyed face. This comedy plot was concluded at the end of the song when Benny, pulling a mischievous face, sang a final: "Hernie!". On the record release, only the final: "Hernie!" is heard.
The following year, it was included with minor lyrical revisions on Hill's album Words and Music. When it was released as a single on EMI's Columbia label, it became a surprise no.1 hit, topping the UK singles chart for four weeks at Christmas 1971. A promotional film was shot starring Hill as Ernie and Henry McGee as Ted. (Source: Wikipedia)
|
|