I was privileged to see Pickwick in San Francisco. Afterwards, my mother insisted we went round to the stage door. We were almost alone by the time Harry Secombe came out. He was charming to us and signed our LP. Meeting him felt like a little piece of home in foreign shores. His voice was even more amazing in reality. RIP Mr Secombe. I will never forget you.
Wonderful entertainer, funny , fabulous singer, and Welsh. Must be something in the coal dust, as many great singers hail from there- Harry Secombe, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, to name just a few.
I can still remember when he was knighted and in true "Goons" fashion he turned up to greet the news media wearing a suit of silver armour on a white horse. He was never pompous even when made a Knight of the realm.
That great English gent from Wales and the seasoned London performer from Yorkshire! I saw the revival in the 'nineties. Best live show ever I saw and I watched the Ramones in Barcelona! Sadly it was Roy Castle's last stage appearance... He was wonderful and had a 17 minute standing ovation, as we all knew the lung cancer would deprive us of a beautiful man very soon.
Wales truly the land of song have produced some great singers and Bassey , Jones and the name Secombe is on that list, this song has been covered by many artists but it is truly owned by Harry .
Just been listening to all the old The Goons Show with Harry being Neddy Seagood, grew up on them as a child and even now close to 70, I am laughing my head off. Now I can hear the friendship and love between Spike, Petter and Harry, wonderful days and show. But Harry Secombe until Pickwick Papers and this song he never got the recognition his two mates got in their lives, so I am so pleased he had this moment as ne was a great and kind guy as he showed on his Highway series, he matched Spike and Peter in comey skills as the show was really always structured around him and was just as good as the other two in off the cuff jokes at their expense but most of all that spike and Peter did not have, Harry Secombe could sing Opera and had a beautiful voice. All the best to you Neddy and thank you so much for your time as an entertainer.
There are many versions of this song but this is by far the best and I think when Dickens wrote the story of Pickwick its as if he wrote it for Harry .
Recall seeing play at Paington, when a line was fluffed. Went into add lib for a bit with Harry playing it along.Then a typical Seacombe raspberry with the line tet's get back to the script.
Wow what a great song I had never heard this version by this singer until today. If you guys haven't heard it, the version that I love so very much is from the korean movie Night Flight. It's very different, lighter sounding I think. But watching that movie, this song will make you cry. The lyrics are so hopeful, they make you yearn for that very future. This version also made me cry, it's just impossible not to.
I saw it at the Alexandra Theatre Birmingham......Roy Castle was already Very ill, but at curtain call, sir Harry brought him forward for a single curtain.....re the song.......we could do with a world of "Pickwick's"at the moment.....then we might get them all together at a summit a "Pickwick Picnic "....That would make this world Utopian.....and sir Harry.....I haven't forgotton the shaving brush!!!!!!!!
Am I the only one who's noticed that this British hit which faired poorly in NY has a show stopping song like "If I Ruled the World" where some of the current "hits" barely muster any musical finesse at all!
Surely one of the best songs from an English musical of that period. But where is the Secombe who could embody the part and hit the high notes. ..One reason why Pickwick isn't revived perhaps, besides a general ignorance of the treasures of our heritage. In America every school would perform it.
Harry Secombe was a delight and enjoyed a really varied career to the full. He is much missed I'm sure you will agree. I would have liked to hear him in more operetta - for instance he might have made a lovely job of the role of Schubert in 'Lilac Time. ' He did record an album of operatic arias which is worth searching for in charity shops and at car boot sales if you can find it. However an operatic career requires a focus on one thing and he and we would have missed out on his wide range of skills if he had gone in that direction I think. It is a similar case with Patricia Routledge who also has a fine voice that she used in a range of ways while nor pursuing a classical career.
Good thing he didn't ..he would have been picked apart by those dreadfull opera buffs and snobs...I can see them now with their librettos in hand going over every note just drooling for a mistake here and a flat tone there....good thing he stayed away from that bunch
Was this 1965 when the Broadway version opened? I believe the BBC did a tv version of Pickwick in 1969 which has never been released on dvd/blu-ray, though it absolutely should be. ua-cam.com/video/kTJrdaSsW9c/v-deo.html
I was privileged to see Pickwick in San Francisco. Afterwards, my mother insisted we went round to the stage door. We were almost alone by the time Harry Secombe came out. He was charming to us and signed our LP. Meeting him felt like a little piece of home in foreign shores. His voice was even more amazing in reality. RIP Mr Secombe. I will never forget you.
Imagine Harry to Ed after the show.....
" Call me English again Sullivan and you will be part of the next New York skyscraper.."
Wonderful entertainer, funny , fabulous singer, and Welsh. Must be something in the coal dust, as many great singers hail from there- Harry Secombe, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, to name just a few.
Katherine Jenkins, Charlie Church once they both stopped down the mines....:)
He certainly has the power of a Welshman in his voice. That was wonderful.
Harry Secombe from the land of song, brilliant voice.
I am just so glad that this clip of Pickwick exists. Thank you so much for posting it.
Sir Harry Secombe what a true Welsh legend RIP
I can still remember when he was knighted and in true "Goons" fashion he turned up to greet the news media wearing a suit of silver armour on a white horse. He was never pompous even when made a Knight of the realm.
“English”? Jeez, thanks, Ed. ;)
That great English gent from Wales and the seasoned London performer from Yorkshire! I saw the revival in the 'nineties. Best live show ever I saw and I watched the Ramones in Barcelona! Sadly it was Roy Castle's last stage appearance... He was wonderful and had a 17 minute standing ovation, as we all knew the lung cancer would deprive us of a beautiful man very soon.
So glad it’s still here. To my Dad, Sy. Enjoying in heaven.
This never gets old. The song is still a treasure as Harry Secombe was.
The tremendous Welsh tenor Sir Harry Seacombe !!!!
Wales truly the land of song have produced some great singers and Bassey , Jones and the name Secombe is on that list, this song has been covered by many artists but it is truly owned by Harry .
Tony Bennett.
I can't stop watching this, incredible. 😂
Just been listening to all the old The Goons Show with Harry being Neddy Seagood, grew up on them as a child and even now close to 70, I am laughing my head off. Now I can hear the friendship and love between Spike, Petter and Harry, wonderful days and show. But Harry Secombe until Pickwick Papers and this song he never got the recognition his two mates got in their lives, so I am so pleased he had this moment as ne was a great and kind guy as he showed on his Highway series, he matched Spike and Peter in comey skills as the show was really always structured around him and was just as good as the other two in off the cuff jokes at their expense but most of all that spike and Peter did not have, Harry Secombe could sing Opera and had a beautiful voice. All the best to you Neddy and thank you so much for your time as an entertainer.
what a voice..there is no auto tune there
What a wonderful vision! The future needs to be like this. Well done, Harry Secombe, such a voice! 👏👏👏
There are many versions of this song but this is by far the best and I
think when Dickens wrote the story of Pickwick its as if he wrote it for
Harry .
Wow, what a column of sound!
It’s amazing to have this footage! It certainly has one foot back in operetta.
What a great song. One of my favorites.
Wonderful. This deserves at least a run with Encores!
This is some of his best work. It's worth also, watching "Oliver" just for his two songs.
I hadn't placed him!!! I knew I knew the name, and I certainly know this song. Amazing... what a voice. (And agree, everyone should watch Oliver!)
Recall seeing play at Paington, when a line was fluffed. Went into add lib for a bit with Harry playing it along.Then a typical Seacombe raspberry with the line tet's get back to the script.
Great classic song 🎵
I met Harry in the Falkland Islands in 1987. Such a fine fellow
Two comedy legends R.I.P.
Wow what a great song I had never heard this version by this singer until today. If you guys haven't heard it, the version that I love so very much is from the korean movie Night Flight. It's very different, lighter sounding I think. But watching that movie, this song will make you cry. The lyrics are so hopeful, they make you yearn for that very future. This version also made me cry, it's just impossible not to.
To think he was Spike Milligan’s best friend! Goon and brilliant entertainer. What a voice!
Harry Secombe, Magnificent, and the late, great Roy Castle, a fine, Christian gentleman, too.
One of the most beautiful (and thus) moving songs ever written…If I ruled the World every man would be as free as a bird 😔
I saw the original production at the New Theatre, London in the 60s-it was wonderful
Great high B flat!
I shed tears every time I hear this
I do too
A beautiful song, sung by the best!
I love that. It makes me very happy.
wow! What a gem from a long forgotten show
wow amazing upload glad ive seen it
lovely film, thanks for posting it
2 great men,!!!
I saw it at the Alexandra Theatre Birmingham......Roy Castle was already
Very ill, but at curtain call, sir Harry brought him forward for a single curtain.....re the song.......we could do with a world of "Pickwick's"at the moment.....then we might get them all together at a summit a "Pickwick Picnic "....That would make this world Utopian.....and sir Harry.....I haven't forgotton the shaving brush!!!!!!!!
This was the first record I bought when I was a child 😊
I saw him in the London revival, still singing well at 71!
English star? Harry was Welsh, boyo!
Ha ha. Thought you would comment. Quite rightly.
Yanks call anyone from the U.K. english.
Oh dear, how sad, never mind
Bloody ignorant Yanks. They have never heard of Wales. 😂
what a performer
Harry Secombe.
Am I the only one who's noticed that this British hit which faired poorly in NY has
a show stopping song like "If I Ruled the World" where some of the current "hits"
barely muster any musical finesse at all!
No, but it's good you pointed it out. Thanks.
❤❤ brilliant ❤❤❤❤
Monty Python Bicycle tour....Lenin sang this :)
If I ruled the world, I'd free all my sons. Black diamonds and pearls. If I ruled the world.
Only One Sir Harry Seccombe
GOOSEBUMPS!!!
Surely one of the best songs from an English musical of that period. But where is the Secombe who could embody the part and hit the high notes. ..One reason why Pickwick isn't revived perhaps, besides a general ignorance of the treasures of our heritage. In America every school would perform it.
It's a shame Harry Secombe didn't have a career in opera. He would've owned.
Harry Secombe was a delight and enjoyed a really varied career to the full. He is much missed I'm sure you will agree.
I would have liked to hear him in more operetta - for instance he might have made a lovely job of the role of Schubert in 'Lilac Time. '
He did record an album of operatic arias which is worth searching for in charity shops and at car boot sales if you can find it. However an operatic career requires a focus on one thing and he and we would have missed out on his wide range of skills if he had gone in that direction I think. It is a similar case with Patricia Routledge who also has a fine voice that she used in a range of ways while nor pursuing a classical career.
Not sure about that.
Good thing he didn't ..he would have been picked apart by those dreadfull opera buffs and snobs...I can see them now with their librettos in hand going over every note just drooling for a mistake here and a flat tone there....good thing he stayed away from that bunch
Why isn't there a revival???
Munchausen45 There was, in '93, if I recall correctly.
George Costanza does Dickens
Wow! Proper entertainment?
Was this 1965 when the Broadway version opened? I believe the BBC did a tv version of Pickwick in 1969 which has never been released on dvd/blu-ray, though it absolutely should be. ua-cam.com/video/kTJrdaSsW9c/v-deo.html
abide with me⛩
Fantastic performance, terrible bald cap.
Probably only that visible on TV.
Bold and brash
Fold cash