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The Worlds of Gilbert and Sullivan

George Grossmith was the Savoy 'character actor' in its formative years. He was also a musical comedy artist and pianist in his own right and performed sketches including many of his own 600 songs!

After 12 years with D'Oyly Carte he left this £2,000 a year job to resume his solo career, and earned £10,000 in the first seven months! He appealed to all audiences, being funny without a hint of smut or vulgarity. In 1892 he and his brother Weeden wrote one of our best loved books in the English language - 'The Diary of a Nobody'.

George first became prominent as John Wellington Wells in the G&S operetta 'The Sorcerer'. He then went on to play all the great character parts. He was a shy, not very ambitious man, and was rather reluctant to take the John Wellington Wells part - thinking he was not good enough! After this he never looked back.

Here is a song which was in his own musical sketch 'How I discovered America'. Written and composed by George Grossmith, the score is marked: 'To be played with grace, and sung with mock gravity'. It is witty, quirky and not a little macabre! One can only imagine the stage antics in performance! I have added some bits of fun into our arrangement (with apologies to George)! Please feel free to join in the seaside merriment with him in . . .

The Baby on the Shore

The sun was shining brightly,
Yes, shining as it never shone before;
We were thinking of the old folks at home,
And we left the baby on the shore,
Yes, we left the baby on the shore,
A thing which we've never done before;
Oh, way down the old Swannee river,
You will find the baby on the shore.
We are leaving, leaving now for ever,
A thing which we've never done before;
If you see the mother tell her gently,
She will find her baby on the shore.

In the far, far west the sun was setting,
Yes, setting as it never set before;
We were thinking of the old folks at home,
And we found the baby on the shore.
Yes, we found the baby on the shore,
A thing which we've never done before;
So, get the pipes and whiskey ready,
And we'll feed the baby on the shore.
Yes, we'll feed the baby on the shore,
A thing which we've never done before;
Oh, way down the old Swannee river,
We will feed the baby on the shore.

The moon was slowly rising,
Yes, rising as it never rose before;
We were feeling weary, very weary,
And we sat upon the baby on the shore.
Yes, we sat upon the baby on the shore,
A thing which we've never done before;
If you see the mother, tell her gently,
That we sat upon her baby on the shore.
The baby's qui-et-ly sleeping,
A thing which it never did before;
So, after all it is better
To leave the baby on the shore.

Like to visit the G&S operetta 'The Sorcerer' now . . .?

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