Songs and monologues of Stanley Holloway



The English comic singer, monologist and actor, Stanley Holloway (1890–1982), had a 54-year recording career, beginning in the age of acoustic recording, and ending in the era of the stereophonic LP. He mainly recorded songs from musicals and revues, and he recited many monologues on various subjects. Most prominent among his recordings (aside from his participation in recordings of My Fair Lady) are those of three series of monologues that he made at intervals throughout his career. They featured Private Sam Small, young Albert Ramsbottom and his family, and historical events such as the Battle of Hastings, Magna Carta and the Battle of Trafalgar. In all, his discography runs to 130 recordings, spanning the period 1924 to 1978. A review in The Gramophone of one of his 1957 albums containing recordings of his old "concert party" songs commented, "what a fine voice he has and how well he can use it – diction, phrasing, range and the interpretative insight of the artist".

Original albums

 * A Midsummer Nights Dream - 1954 (Audiobook)
 * Champagne Charlie - 1954
 * My Fair Lady (Original Cast) - 1956
 * Stanley Holloway's Concert Party - 1957
 * Nonsense Verse Of Carroll And Lear - 1957
 * Gobbledegook Songs - 1957
 * The Concert Party -1958
 * 'Ere's 'Olloway - 1958
 * Alice In Wonderland - 1958
 * Through The Looking Glass - 1958
 * Bab Ballads And Cautionary Tales - 1958


 * My Fair Lady (London Cast) - 1959
 * Join In The Chorus - 1960
 * The Mikado - 1960
 * Geoffrey Chaucer- Canterbury Tales - 1962
 * Oliver! - 1962
 * As You Like It - 1962
 * MacBeth - 1962
 * My Fair Lady (Soundtrack) - 1964
 * Stanley, I Presume - 1965
 * The World Of Stanley Holloway - 1971
 * Life In The Old Dog Yet - 1975

Compilation albums

 * Let's all go to the Music Hall Original release August 1975
 * EMI Comedy Classics: Stanley Holloway – Original release date – 17 May 1991
 * The Classic Monologues – Original release date – 4 September 2000
 * His Greatest Performances – Original release date – 22 March 2001
 * Monologues... And More! – Original release date – 5 November 2001
 * Stanley Holloway The Best Of – Original release date – 29 April 2002
 * Keep Smiling – Original release date – 3 June 2006
 * Penny On The Drum – Original release date – 6 July 2006
 * With A Little Bit O' Luck – The Songs and Monologues Of Stanley Holloway – Original release date – 7 May 2007
 * The Essential Collection (2CD) – Original release date – 2 August 2007
 * Stanley Holloway At His Very Best – Original release date – 26 February 2008
 * Beat The Retreat – Original release date – 3 March 2008


 * ere's 'olloway – Original release date – 18 November 2008
 * Let's Have A Banana – Original release date – 3 January 2009
 * British & American Comedy Legends – Original release date 1 August 2010 – Various Artists
 * The Bab Ballads – Original release date – 20 August 2009
 * Famous Adventures With Old Sam and the Ramsbottoms – Original release date – 3 January 2010
 * Old Sam & Young Albert – Original Recordings 1930-1940
 * War Songs That United a Country – the Complete Collection (War Songs That United a Country – the Complete Collection) – Original release date 1 January 2010 (featured only)
 * Highlights From The Co-Optimists Various Recordings by original cast members. Tracks featuring Stanley Holloway Disc 1 tracks: 6, 8, 13, 15. Disc two tracks: 1, 2. – Original release date – 1 August 2008
 * Stanley Holloway: Champagne Charlie – Original release date – 1 May 2011
 * Macbeth by William Shakespeare – Original release date – 1 January 2012 (Audio book)