Ralph Butler

Ralph Thomas Butler (12 October 1886 – 8 April 1969) was a British songwriter, responsible for the lyrics of many popular songs of the 1930s and later, mostly with comic or novelty elements.

He was active as a songwriter from the late 1920s until the mid-1950s. Among his most famous songs were "All By Yourself In The Moonlight" (1929), published under the pseudonym Jay Wallis, which reportedly sold over a million copies; "Let’s Sing The Cuddly Song" (written with Julian Wright, 1929); "The Sun Has Got His Hat On" (1932), "Run Rabbit Run" (1939), and "Hey! Little Hen" (1941), all co-written with Noel Gay; "Let's All Go To The Music Hall" (1934), written with Harry Tilsley and Lawrence Wright; "There's A Lovely Lake In London" (1935), with Tolchard Evans and Stanley Damerell; "Horsey Horsey" (1938), with Paddy Roberts; "Come And Have A Drink At The Victory Arms" (1941), with Tolchard Evans; and "Nellie the Elephant" (1956), written with Peter Hart. Another song, also co-written with Noel Gay, "We Don't Know Where We're Going" (1944), was used to great effect during war scenes in the movie Overlord.

He died in 1969 in a London hospital, at the age of 82.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 12, 1886, Died April 8, 1969

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1940

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, lyricist, songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-62702 10-in. 6/6/1930 Anímese a sí mismo Marimba Centro-Americana Marimba band composer  
Victor BS-80641 10-in. 6/18/1934 Old White's whiskers Red Nichols ; Pennies ; Songcopators Jazz/dance band, with male vocal ensemble songwriter  
Victor PBS-042370 10-in. 1/16/1940 Run, rabbit, run! Four King Sisters ; Alvino Rey Female vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor BS-045987 10-in. 1/24/1940 Run, rabbit, run Enoch Light Orchestra ; Bunny O'Dare Jazz/dance band, with vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia [W]150386 10-in. 5/3/1930 Give yourself a pat on the back Bill Coty ; Hotel Pennsylvania Music [Lloyd Keating and his Music] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Columbia W150411 10-in. 5/13/1930 Give yourself a pat on the back Johnny Walker and his Rollickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet composer  
Brunswick E32771 10-in. 5/14/1930 Give yourself a pat on the back Hal Kemp Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble composer  
Gramophone 0EA642 10-in. On or before 12/14/1934 Where the mountains meet the sea Jack Jackson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Gramophone Bb18570 10-in. 1/17/1930 Give yourself a pat on the back Jack Hylton Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal composer  
Columbia (U.K.) WL2381 10-in. 7/8/1930 Donne-toi une tape dans le dos Pierre Chagnon ; Georges Milton Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Butler, Ralph," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113219.

Butler, Ralph. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113219.

"Butler, Ralph." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/113219

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