House of Fun - Madness (1982)

"House of Fun" was a song by British ska/pop group Madness, credited to Mike Barson and Lee Thompson. It was released as a one-off single on April 30, 1982, and reached No1 in the UK charts, spending 9 weeks in the charts. The song was re-released in 1992, reaching No40. As of 2008, it is the band's only number one single in the UK.

House of Fun was originally recorded under the title "Chemist Facade", without the "Welcome to the House of Fun" chorus. However, while the song was being recorded, head of Stiff Records, Dave Robinson demanded that the band add a chorus, to ensure the song was a hit. Upon hearing this, band member Mike Barson immediately wrote the "Welcome to the House of Fun" refrain on his piano.

However, at this point, the song was already recorded, and the management decided not to re-record the whole song. Instead, the recording was edited, and the chorus instruments and vocals dubbed onto the recording. This proved to be difficult, mainly due to technical limitations at the time, and it resulted in the first part of the word "Welcome" being cut off. Due to this, the chorus seemed to begin "Elcome to the House of Fun", so lead singer Suggs was forced to overdub the word "Welcome". Although this proved to be a tough task, it was completed successfully.

As well as the song's single release, it has featured on various compilation albums released by Madness. It was initially included on Complete Madness which also hit number 1 in the UK at the time of the single's release, meaning Madness were at the top of both the single and album charts. The song was then included on the 1992 compilation Divine Madness, which was later reissued as The Heavy Heavy Hits. The song was further included on The Business and It's... Madness. It featured in the Our House Musical, which was based on the band's songs, and as such appears on the accompanying soundtrack, Our House. Furthermore, it was part of the US releases Madness and Ultimate Collection.

In addition to these releases, the song also features on several "Best of the 80s" albums. In 2010, it was included on the re-release of the band's 1982 album The Rise and Fall, appearing on the second disc along with Driving In My Car, another stand-alone single from around that time. It's b-side Don't Look Back was also included.

Arthur Askey - This Is Your Life (1974)

  

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Arthur Askey, comedian, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at Thames TV’s Euston Road Studios.

Eamonn sprung from a Humpty Dumpty outfit to surprise the popular comedian, who was discussing the history of Pantomime with fellow comedians Jimmy Tarbuck and Ted Ray.

Arthur was celebrating 50 years in show business, and had previously been a subject of This Is Your Life in December 1959

  

Arthur recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in his autobiography Before Your Very Eyes, beginning with a reference to his first tribute..."I would not put my This Is Your Life show among the top twenty. But sixteen years later... It is now December 1974. I am asked to do a TV discussion show, talking about pantomime with Ted Ray and Jimmy Tarbuck.

We were surrounded by pantomime animals - the cow, the cat, etc. - and the fairy, when suddenly ‘Humpty Dumpty’ waddles on and throws back the top of the egg. Out pops Eamonn, book in hand, and says (giving an impression of Mike Yarwood), ‘Arthur Askey - for the second time, this is your life.’ 

  

What a star-studded cast I had this time: darling Gracie Fields who had flown in from Capri, Sabrini who had travelled from Hollywood, Val Doonican, Jack Warner, June Whitfield, Dickie Henderson, David Nixon, Kathleen Harrison, Norman Vaughan, Jimmy Jewel, MacDonald Hobley, Barbara Mullen, Cyril Fletcher, Charlie Drake, Peter Butterworth, Jimmy Logan, and Charlie Chester!  Dickie Murdoch was again in South Africa so had to appear on film (ed - telephone actually!), as did Ken Dodd, who spoke from a classroom at the Liverpool Institute.

They also unearthed one of my old colleagues from the Education Offices - Frank Ball, now happily retired, as I would have been had I followed Father’s advice.  And, of course, Anthea appeared with Bill, her husband, and my three darling grandchildren - and, naturally, my sister Rene.

All in all, it was a marvelous thrill for me, only marred by the fact that I could not stay for the orgy afterwards as I had to appear in cabaret at Bournemouth at 11 o’clock.