Mention the names of Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers and it is likely you will be instantly transported to the surreal humour of The Goon Show broadcast on BBC radio during the 1950s. Even if you weren’t around in that decade the chances are you have come across an example of their legacy be it on radio, television or on audio.
Although The Goon Show ended in 1960 there were several repeats on BBC radio during the 1960s as well as several albums released by EMI records. While Peter Sellers went on to become a major film star both Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan firmly came to grips with the world of television and radio.
In 1972, the BBC celebrated its 60th anniversary and one of the corporation’s biggest events that year was to reunite all three Goons for The Last Goon Show of All, a television special which was also broadcast on radio. No doubt this special served to remind the public who the real fathers of surreal comedy were. Although Monty Python’s Flying Circus and The Goodies were delivering the goods on screen, The Goons had done it all two decades earlier on radio.
The Histories Of BBC Goon Show Audio Releases
The BBC recognised this by firstly releasing an album of The Last Goon Show of All followed by an interview album Parkinson Meets the Goons. BBC records then plummeted for a release of their first Goon Show Classics album in 1975; a succession of releases followed evolving into audio cassettes in the late 80s and through to today in comprehensive collections of compact discs and audio downloads.
The releases have almost come full circle now as the very first BBC compilation Goon Show Classics is now available once again , but as a CD release from Vintage Beeb complete with original artwork and vinyl looking compact disc.
Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler Strikes a Humorous Chord on Goon Show Classics
The first episode to feature on the first volume of Goon Show Classics is The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler of Bexhill-On-Sea, originally broadcast in 1954. It sees The Goons take the listener back to The English Channel, 1941 where as announcer Wallace Greenslade describes to the backdrop of sinister sounding orchestrations: “Coastal towns were deserted…except for people!”.
Hercules Grytpype Thynne (Peter Sellers) of the Special investigations unit assigns the services of Inspector Neddie Seagoon (Harry Secombe) to investigate: “He’s made a fool of the police.” Grytpype tells Seagoon. “I disagree” replies Seagoon,” we were fools long before he came along”
The story continues with echoes of a period War Movie (that openly admits to forgetting about The Germans) mixed in with shades of the very worst kind of B movie. This of course, is garnished with wonderfully surreal Goon humour including a taxi that sounds like bagpipes.
Announcer Wallace Greenslade explains “it is all part of the BBC new economy campaign. They have discovered that it is cheaper to travel by bagpipes. Not only are they more musical, but they come in a wide variety of colours” Sympathising with the listener, Spike Milligan concludes: “It's all rather confusing really...”
Goon Show Classics Features Original Album Artwork by David Machell
The release continues with another slice of Goon humour of epic proportions with The Histories of Pliny the Elder, the series finale from 1957 in which Julius Caesar invades Ancient Briton, only to be confronted by Eccles. As Caesar’s Roman army prepare for battle, the Britons do what they do best and prepare for a game of football. This episode is also featured on The Goon Show Compendium - Volume Six: Series 7, Part 2.
Both episodes represent the very finest of Goon Show humour mixed in with delightful musical interludes from the Ray Ellington quartet and Max Geldray. The CD reissues certainly do the show justice with a clarity that defies the truth that they were recorded over half a century ago. The release comes complete with original album cover artwork by David Machell featuring a wonderful cartoon illustration of the featured stories.
- Goon Show Classics is available as compact disc and a download from AudioGO and has a total running time of 55 minutes. It is suitable for listening by comedy fans of all ages and serves as a brilliant introduction to the humour of the Goons.
