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When I'm Cleaning Windows

"When I'm Cleaning Windows" is a novelty song performed by English comedian, singer, and ukulele player George Formby, recorded on 27 September 1936 and first featured in the film Keep Your Seats Please.^[1]^[2] Written by Fred E. Cliffe, Harry Gifford, and Formby himself, the track employs a rapid ukulele rhythm and Formby's characteristic Lancashire-accented vocals to deliver lyrics laden with double entendres about voyeuristic glimpses into private lives during window cleaning, all framed in mock-naïve humor.^[1] Despite—or perhaps because of—its cheeky innuendos, the song achieved widespread commercial success as one of Formby's signature hits, cementing his persona as a bumbling yet observant everyman.^[3] The recording faced immediate controversy when the BBC banned it from airplay, deeming the content too risqué amid concerns over implied obscenity, though Formby maintained the lyrics were harmless fun reflective of everyday cheekiness.^[3] This prohibition, part of a broader pattern of BBC censorship of Formby's output for perceived naughtiness, did little to hinder its popularity, as sheet music and record sales soared, making it a staple of British music hall and variety entertainment.^[3] Enduring as a cultural touchstone for pre-war British light entertainment, the song has been reissued, covered by artists including Peter Sellers, and referenced in later media for its blend of risqué wit and wholesome delivery.^[4]

Background

George Formby and His Career Context

George Formby, born George Hoy Booth on 26 May 1904 in Wigan, Lancashire, entered the British entertainment industry following the death of his father, music hall comedian George Formby Sr., in February 1921.^[5] Initially trained as a jockey and stable boy, Formby adopted his father's stage name and began performing in northern variety theaters, initially on banjo before switching to the ukulele-banjo around 1930 after a successful wager to incorporate it into his act at the Alhambra Theatre in Barnsley.^[6] This instrument defined his self-taught style of rapid tremolo strumming and bouncy rhythms, contrasting his father's more pathos-driven performances and aligning with the cheerful, working-class persona that propelled his career.^[7] By 1926, he had begun recording for labels like Columbia, building a repertoire of over 200 songs, many co-written, that emphasized comic timing and regional Lancashire dialect.^[8] Formby's breakthrough came in the mid-1930s with the advent of sound films, debuting in Boots! Boots! in 1934 under Associated Talking Pictures and starring in 21 features by 1946, often portraying hapless everymen in light comedies.^[9] His marriage to Beryl Ingham in 1923 placed her as his shrewd manager, steering him toward London opportunities and negotiating contracts that made him the UK's highest-paid entertainer during the decade.^[10] This era of economic depression and pre-war escapism amplified his appeal, with songs like "When I'm Cleaning Windows" in 1936 capturing his signature blend of innuendo-laced humor and relatable vignettes of ordinary life, recorded amid a string of chart-topping releases.^[11] His film roles, including in Keep Your Seats Please that year, integrated live performances that showcased his ukulele virtuosity and stage presence honed in music halls.^[9] Though Formby's popularity waned post-World War II after entertaining millions of troops and receiving the OBE in 1946, his 1930s output exemplified the transition from music hall traditions to mass media stardom, influencing British comedy and string-instrument playing.^[7] He died on 6 March 1961 in Penwortham, Lancashire, from a heart attack at age 56.^[12]

Songwriters and Inspiration

The song "When I'm Cleaning Windows" was credited to George Formby, Harry Gifford, and Fred Cliffe (also known as Frederick E. Cliffe), with Formby performing as the lead vocalist and ukulele player.^[13]^[14] Cliffe and Gifford were frequent collaborators with Formby, contributing to multiple hits in his catalog, including earlier novelty numbers like "With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock" in 1937. The composition emerged in 1936 specifically for Formby's role in the comedy film Keep Your Seats, Please, where it served as a musical highlight tailored to his character's occupation as a window cleaner.^[13] The inspiration for the lyrics centered on the voyeuristic opportunities afforded by window cleaning, portraying a working-class protagonist who inadvertently witnesses intimate or comedic domestic scenes—such as couples embracing, a violinist practicing nude, or an actress undressing—while emphasizing honest labor and cheeky observation.^[15] This drew from Formby's established comedic persona, which blended Lancashire humor with double entendres to evoke relatable, light-hearted mischief without overt vulgarity, reflecting the music hall traditions of the era.^[1] The song's structure and themes avoided explicit content, aligning with British censorship standards, though its suggestive undertones led to an initial BBC broadcast ban in 1937 for perceived indecency.^[1] No documented personal anecdotes from Formby or the writers indicate direct real-life events as the basis; rather, it exemplifies their formula for escapist entertainment amid the Great Depression, capitalizing on everyday trades for satirical effect.^[15]

Composition

Lyrics and Musical Structure

The lyrics of "When I'm Cleaning Windows," credited to songwriters Fred Cliffe, Harry Gifford, and George Formby, narrate the voyeuristic experiences of a window cleaner who observes domestic and romantic scenes from outside homes, employing working-class British slang and innuendo for comedic effect. The song begins with a verse establishing the narrator's occupation and curiosity: "Now I go cleanin' windows to earn an honest bob / For a nosy parker it's an interestin' job / Now it's a job that just suits me / A window cleaner you see / We would not hurry if the dirt was on the pane / But when the lady smiles we work like hell again."^[16] Subsequent verses build through specific anecdotes, such as eavesdropping on a quarreling couple ("Sometimes in a bachelor 'ouse you hear somethin' nice / I heard a lady sayin' 'Don't stop, George, isn't it nice?'"), witnessing a woman's morning routine ("At eight o'clock a girl she wakes, at five past eight a bath she takes / At ten past eight my ladder breaks—when I'm cleaning windows"), and glimpsing honeymooners ("Honeymooning couples too, you should see them bill and coo / You'd be surprised at things they do—when I'm cleaning windows").^[15] The refrain repeats the titular phrase, reinforcing the theme of incidental revelations: "When I'm cleaning windows / Old soldiers never die, they say / Now I don't want to pass away / I kick the bucket every day—when I'm cleaning windows."^[16] The musical structure follows a verse-refrain format common to 1930s British popular songs, with three principal verses each transitioning into the refrain, bookended by an instrumental introduction and outro featuring ukulele flourishes. Composed in F major, the melody emphasizes stepwise motion and syncopated rhythms suited to Formby's rapid plectrum strumming on banjolele, creating an energetic, bouncy feel that underscores the lyrics' cheeky humor.^[17] Chord progressions center on I-IV-V patterns (e.g., F-B♭-C in the key), with the refrain modulating slightly for emphasis, and the overall form totals around 2:30 in duration as recorded in 1936.^[18] This structure, derived from sheet music and chord analyses, prioritizes lyrical delivery over complex harmonic development, aligning with Formby's vaudeville-influenced performance style.^[19]

Themes of Innuendo and Working-Class Humor

The lyrics of "When I'm Cleaning Windows," released in 1936, employ innuendo through the first-person narrative of a window cleaner who inadvertently witnesses intimate or compromising scenes behind the glass he polishes. This voyeuristic setup allows for double entendres, where seemingly innocent observations carry sexual undertones, such as the verse describing a "blushing bride" who "looks divine" while the "bridegroom he is doing fine," culminating in the line "I'd rather have his job than mine," implying envy of the consummation rather than mere admiration.^[15]^[20] Similarly, sightings of honeymooning couples "bill and coo" lead to the claim that listeners "would be surprised at things they do," evoking risqué bedroom antics without explicit description.^[15] The song's BBC ban upon release underscores the perceived obscenity of these veiled references, particularly allusions to women in bed and other "saucy" implications deemed unfit for broadcast in 1930s Britain.^[3] Formby's delivery amplifies the innuendo's effect, blending a Lancashire accent with wide-eyed feigned innocence that heightens the humor through contrast—suggestive content emerges from an ostensibly wholesome working routine. This technique aligns with his broader oeuvre, where Formby, drawing from music hall traditions, infused songs with "clever, saucy" wordplay that skirted censorship while entertaining audiences accustomed to euphemistic titillation.^[20] The innuendo remains "innocent" in tone, avoiding outright vulgarity, yet provoked official backlash, as evidenced by the BBC's prohibition alongside tracks like "With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock" for comparable double meanings.^[3] The working-class humor manifests in the protagonist's cheeky, irreverent commentary on social superiors, positioning the window cleaner as an everyman eavesdropper who gleans amusement from the foibles of doctors, politicians, and parsons—figures of authority exposed in private vulnerability. This reflects Formby's own northern, proletarian roots in Wigan, where he channeled relatable banter from manual labor into escapist comedy, portraying underdogs who triumph through wit over pomposity.^[20] Lines like polishing "me wife's thingummy-tights" while daydreaming of the job parody domestic drudgery, evoking self-deprecating laughs grounded in 1930s economic realities of odd jobs amid Depression-era austerity, yet delivered with upbeat resilience that resonated with audiences of similar backgrounds.^[15] Such humor critiqued class pretensions subtly, as the cleaner's vantage reveals universal human mischief, fostering camaraderie through shared, knowing winks at propriety's hypocrisies.^[10]

Recording and Production

Studio Session Details

The original studio recording of "When I'm Cleaning Windows" occurred on 27 September 1936, during a session that also produced the B-side "Keep Your Seats Please".^[21] The track was released shortly thereafter as a 78 rpm single on the Regal Zonophone label (EMI), under catalogue number MR2199, marking one of Formby's signature releases tied to his film Keep Your Seats, Please.^[21] Formby performed vocals and ukulele, backed by Harry Bidgood and His Orchestra, a common ensemble for his recordings of the period that provided rhythmic support through brass, strings, and percussion to complement his rapid strumming and comic delivery.^[22] Session specifics such as exact takes or engineering credits remain undocumented in primary sources, reflecting standard practices for British novelty records of the 1930s, where focus centered on capturing Formby's live-wire energy in a single day.^[23] A re-recording was made in January 1950 for Decca (F.9444), coupled with "Leaning on a Lamp Post," but this version did not supplant the 1936 original in popularity or cultural impact.^[24]

Instrumentation and Formby's Style

George Formby's performance of "When I'm Cleaning Windows" centers on his self-accompaniment on the banjolele, a hybrid instrument combining ukulele tuning with banjo construction for a brighter, resonant tone suited to his vaudeville roots.^[25] The recording, made on September 27, 1936, credits an orchestral ensemble providing rhythmic and harmonic support, typical of mid-1930s British popular music sessions where house orchestras supplied strings for melody, brass for accents, and light percussion for drive.^[26] This backing avoids dense arrangements, allowing Formby's banjolele and vocals to dominate while adding polish to the music hall aesthetic.^[27] Formby's style exemplifies his signature split-stroke technique, a syncopated strumming method that alternates thumb-down strokes on individual strings with full finger-up strums, creating off-beat accents and rapid rhythmic complexity.^[28] Developed from music hall traditions, this approach—often executed at tempos exceeding 120 beats per minute—produces a percussive, driving pulse that underscores the song's cheeky narrative without relying on elaborate solos.^[29] In "When I'm Cleaning Windows," the technique manifests in the verses' lively ostinato patterns and instrumental breaks, where Formby intersperses single-note plucks amid strums for humorous emphasis, enhancing the track's playful energy.^[30] His nasal Lancashire accent and exaggerated phrasing further integrate with the banjolele's twang, forming a cohesive, performer-centric sound that prioritized live-stage adaptability over studio orchestration.^[31]

Film Integration

Role in Keep Your Seats, Please

In the 1936 British comedy film Keep Your Seats, Please!, directed by Monty Banks, George Formby portrays George Withers, a struggling musician who accepts a window-cleaning job to avoid eviction after his landlady threatens to pawn his ukulele for unpaid rent.^[32] The song "When I'm Cleaning Windows" serves as a pivotal musical number performed by Formby's character during this window-cleaning sequence, aligning directly with the lyrics' depiction of a window cleaner's voyeuristic glimpses into domestic scenes.^[33] This integration not only showcases Formby's ukulele-playing and comic timing but also propels the plot forward, as Withers overhears a conversation about a planned theft of a valuable necklace while cleaning windows at a society event, leading to his involvement in thwarting the crime.^[32] The performance, rendered in the key of A♭, emphasizes Formby's working-class persona and innuendo-laden humor, contributing to the film's lighthearted tone amid its treasure-hunt narrative centered on a chair hiding gems.^[34] As one of several musical interludes—including the title song—it helped establish Formby as a box-office draw, with the sequence highlighting physical comedy elements like chases and mishaps tied to his cleaning antics.^[33] The song's debut in the film marked its initial public exposure, predating the commercial single recording in November 1936, and underscored the era's popularity of variety-style musicals where songs advanced character development and comedic set pieces.^[2]

Performance Context in the Movie

In the 1936 British comedy film Keep Your Seats, Please, directed by Monty Banks and produced by Associated Talking Pictures at Ealing Studios, George Formby portrays the protagonist George Withers, a hapless inheritor of jewels concealed within one of six antique chairs auctioned off separately. The performance of "When I'm Cleaning Windows" occurs during a pivotal farcical sequence where Withers transports a goat—having eaten the seat of a suspect chair and thus potentially ingested a jewel—to an X-ray examination, disguising the animal as a dog to board a public bus without incident.^[35]^[36] As chaos ensues from the goat's flatulence and restlessness among passengers, Withers climbs atop the bus and sings the song to distract and pacify the crowd, embodying the film's titular exhortation to "keep your seats" amid escalating absurdity. Accompanied solely by his signature banjolele, Formby's rendition leverages the lyrics' voyeuristic innuendo—depicting a window cleaner's inadvertent glimpses into private lives—to inject levity, with his cheery Lancashire accent and rhythmic strumming reinforcing the character's resourceful everyman charm. This integration serves the plot's satirical nod to Alexander Kuprin's 1928 novel The Twelve Chairs, adapted into a chase for hidden treasure, while highlighting Formby's emerging formula of musical comedy resolution in early sound films.^[35]^[34] The scene exemplifies 1930s British cinema's blend of music-hall traditions with narrative farce, positioning Formby as both comic lead and musical centerpiece, though co-star Florence Desmond's impersonations provide counterpoint rivalry. Despite the film's modest runtime of approximately 80 minutes and black-and-white presentation, the performance propelled the song's popularity, cementing Formby's status as a box-office draw through such self-contained musical interludes.^[33]

Release and Commercial Performance

Chart Success and Sales

"When I'm Cleaning Windows," released as the A-side of Regal Zonophone MR2199 in November 1936, became one of George Formby's most successful recordings, with sales exceeding 100,000 copies in its initial run.^[37]^[38] The strong performance prompted Regal Zonophone to award Formby its inaugural silver disc, recognizing the milestone as a benchmark for hit records in the pre-official charting era.^[39]^[37] Lacking formalized national charts prior to 1952, the song's commercial dominance was gauged through estimated record and sheet music sales, theater bookings, and public demand, positioning it among Formby's top sellers alongside tracks like "Leaning on a Lamppost."^[37] Despite a temporary BBC broadcasting ban due to perceived suggestive content, the recording's appeal endured, contributing to Formby's status as Britain's highest-paid entertainer by the late 1930s.^[40] Cumulative sales, including reissues and compilations, later surpassed one million units, earning a retrospective platinum certification in 2002.^[41]

Distribution and Formats

"When I'm Cleaning Windows" was originally released as the A-side of a 10-inch, 78 rpm shellac disc single by Regal Zonophone, catalog number MR2199, in the United Kingdom in late September 1936, shortly after its recording on September 27, 1936.^[22]^[21] The B-side featured "Keep Your Seats Please," both tracks composed by George Formby, Harry Gifford, and Fred Cliffe, and tied to the film Keep Your Seats Please.^[22] Regal Zonophone, a budget imprint of EMI, handled primary distribution in the UK market, targeting popular music consumers through retail and theater tie-ins.^[22] Represses of the original 78 rpm single appeared into the late 1940s, including a 1948 UK edition maintaining the same format and coupling.^[42] A variant version (V2) was re-recorded and issued by Decca on 78 rpm disc F9444 in January 1950.^[43] Excerpts also appeared on extended-play compilations like Columbia DX820.^[21] No evidence exists of contemporaneous 45 rpm or long-playing vinyl formats, as these emerged later in the 1940s and 1950s.^[22] Subsequent reissues proliferated in compilation albums across vinyl LP and compact disc formats from the mid-20th century onward, often bundled with other Formby hits on labels such as Capitol, Pegasus, and ASV, reflecting archival interest in his catalog rather than standalone singles.^[44]^[45] Digital streaming platforms later included the track in remastered collections, but physical distribution remained centered on UK and Commonwealth markets historically.

Reception

Contemporary Popularity

The song achieved immediate and widespread appeal following its recording on September 27, 1936, and release as a single by Regal Zonophone later that year, captivating audiences with its cheeky narrative of a window cleaner's misadventures and Formby's jaunty ukulele accompaniment.^[46] Integrated into the 1936 film Keep Your Seats, Please, the performance amplified its visibility, drawing large cinema crowds eager for Formby's blend of humor and Lancashire charm, which mirrored the era's fondness for light-hearted escapism amid economic recovery.^[47] Public enthusiasm was evident in its rapid adoption as a sing-along favorite in music halls and variety shows, where Formby's live renditions elicited strong audience responses, solidifying his position as a leading entertainer.^[38] The track's risqué undertones, interpreted by some as voyeuristic innuendo, fueled its notoriety after the BBC banned it from airplay in January 1937, citing indecency—a decision by director-general John Reith that paradoxically boosted its allure through word-of-mouth and press coverage.^[48] Rather than diminishing interest, the prohibition underscored public defiance against institutional prudishness, with sales surging as listeners sought out the forbidden ditty via records and sheet music, reflecting broader 1930s tastes for subversive comedy in popular song.^[38] This backlash-driven demand highlighted the song's resonance with working-class audiences, who appreciated its unpretentious wit over elite sensibilities, contributing to Formby's peak fame before World War II.^[49] By mid-1937, "When I'm Cleaning Windows" had cemented its status as a cornerstone of British light entertainment, frequently reprised in Formby's stage acts and emblematic of his trademark style that blended innocence with sly observation, endearing him to millions despite official disapproval.^[47] Its enduring draw in contemporary variety circuits demonstrated the public's preference for Formby's accessible, regionally flavored humor, which outperformed more polished contemporaries in capturing the zeitgeist of pre-war Britain.^[50]

Critical Assessments

Critics have characterized "When I'm Cleaning Windows" as a prime example of George Formby's mastery of double entendre, employing cheeky wordplay and risqué narratives to tweak conservative sensibilities while preserving an air of innocence through euphemistic lyrics like references to glimpsed nighties and bedroom activities.^[51] The song's humor, rooted in working-class vernacular and a nosy window cleaner's voyeuristic observations, exemplifies Formby's unpretentious "lad-on-the-street" persona, blending saucy innuendo with comic timing that propelled it to become his most popular number of this style.^[51] Contemporary assessments, such as the BBC's labeling of the track as "smutty" due to its bursting innuendo, reflect period discomfort with its suggestive content, resulting in an initial broadcast ban despite commercial success.^[52] Later analyses praise Formby's innovative use of the banjolele to underpin the song's rhythm and bawdy lyrics, crediting him as co-writer and highlighting how he sneaked past censors with layered meanings, establishing a template for modern pop's cheeky, multimedia appeal.^[53] In scholarly examinations of British music hall traditions, the track's euphemisms—evoking seaside postcard humor—are seen as enjoyable for audiences because they permit dual interpretations, fostering collective escapism and empathy through performance-focused delivery rather than strict narrative, thereby reinforcing populist cultural specificity. This subtlety enabled the song to comment on societal norms indirectly, enhancing its enduring role in light entertainment. Modern critiques occasionally underscore a darker undertone, portraying the lyrics' Peeping Tom-style voyeurism as emblematic of Formby's "dirty little Northern would-be casanova" side, clashing with his outwardly naive image and inviting reevaluation through contemporary lenses on consent and propriety.^[54] Despite such views, the song's subversive wit and Formby's adept phrasing continue to be lauded for influencing British comedic songcraft, prioritizing clever evasion of explicitness to maximize audience engagement without outright offense.^[53]^[51]

Censorship and Controversy

BBC Ban and Rationale

The British Broadcasting Corporation prohibited the broadcast of George Formby's "When I'm Cleaning Windows" on its radio stations shortly after the song's release as a single in November 1936, classifying its lyrics as indecent and potentially offensive to public morality.^[55] The decision aligned with the BBC's stringent content policies under Director-General John Reith, who enforced a puritanical standard to safeguard listeners from material perceived as morally compromising, even amid the song's widespread commercial popularity.^[55] The primary rationale centered on the song's double entendres and implied voyeurism, with Formby portraying a window cleaner peering into private homes and witnessing intimate scenes, including lines such as "Pajamas lying side by side" and "ladies' nighties I have spied," alongside references to a "blushing bride" and groom whose activities prompted the quip, "I'd rather have his job than mine."^[55]^[3] These elements were interpreted as evoking saucy innuendo, including suggestions of bedroom encounters and, in some readings, allusions to homosexuality through shared pajamas, rendering the content too risqué for 1930s broadcast standards despite its comedic intent.^[3] Critics within the BBC viewed such portrayals as smutty, prioritizing the avoidance of any perceived moral offense over artistic expression or audience demand.^[55] The ban exemplified early BBC censorship practices, which extended to other Formby tracks like "With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock" for similar reasons, though public pressure and the song's sales exceeding 500,000 copies led to partial mitigation; Formby's wife, Beryl, lobbied for reinstatement, and edited versions of the lyrics eventually permitted limited airplay.^[3]^[55] Reith's reported dismissal of the song as a "disgusting little ditty" underscored the Corporation's elitist stance, favoring "good music" over populist entertainment that risked challenging societal decorum.^[56]

Public and Royal Response

The song garnered significant public acclaim in Britain following its release on November 6, 1936, topping sheet music sales charts and achieving brisk record sales exceeding 100,000 copies within weeks, qualifying for silver disc status at the time.^[37] Public enthusiasm stemmed from its cheeky, lighthearted innuendos, which resonated with audiences accustomed to music hall traditions of suggestive humor, rendering the BBC's ban ineffective and arguably counterproductive in boosting its appeal through word-of-mouth and sheet music popularity.^[3] ^[38] Formby's rendition at the Royal Variety Performance on November 4, 1936, before King George V and Queen Mary, elicited a positive response from the royals, who laughed along despite the song's double entendres—a reaction that highlighted a divergence from the BBC's stricter prudery and reportedly influenced the corporation's decision to permit airplay after initial resistance.^[37] This royal endorsement underscored the song's broad acceptability among high society, contrasting with institutional censorship efforts.^[47] Later, Queen Elizabeth II expressed fondness for Formby as her favorite singer, nodding appreciatively to a performance of the track at a 2018 event.^[57]

Legacy and Cultural Impact

Influence on British Music Hall Tradition

George Formby's 1936 recording of "When I'm Cleaning Windows" exemplified the cheeky innuendo and working-class humor central to British music hall, a tradition originating in the mid-19th century that featured variety acts in pubs and theaters with songs emphasizing double entendres and relatable vignettes.^[58] The song's narrative of a window cleaner's voyeuristic observations—such as spying "pajamas lying side by side" and "ladies' nighties"—mirrored the bawdy yet lighthearted style of earlier music hall performers, sustaining audience engagement through topical, self-deprecating comedy amid the tradition's decline due to cinema and radio competition in the 1930s.^[51]^[48] Formby, inheriting his father George Formby Sr.'s music hall legacy as a Lancashire comedian, adapted these elements for broader dissemination via film and phonograph records, thereby perpetuating the tradition's essence when physical music halls waned.^[58] His films, including Keep Fit (1937) where the song featured, grossed significantly—such as over £30,000 provincially for earlier works like Off the Dole (1935)—drawing on music hall's populist appeal to reach mass audiences and embed its regional dialect, ukulele accompaniment, and everyman persona into national consciousness.^[51] This transition preserved music hall's structure of feeling, as described in cultural analyses, by linking pre-war variety entertainment to wartime morale-boosting performances.^[58] The song's success, topping charts and enduring in variety revivals, reinforced music hall's influence on post-war British comedy, informing acts like those in The Good Old Days stage shows and inspiring later humorists through its unpretentious resilience against elite cultural shifts.^[48] Formby's 40-year career, culminating in over 100,000 attendees at his 1961 funeral, underscored how such works maintained the tradition's vitality, countering its institutional fade by embedding it in everyday British leisure.^[51]

Modern References and Covers

The song has been covered by numerous artists since the mid-20th century, often in medleys preserving its music hall style or as standalone tributes emphasizing ukulele accompaniment. Chas and Dave incorporated it into a medley on their 1981 album Gospel According to the Daleks, Vol. 1, blending it with other novelty tunes in their characteristic pub rock vein. Joe Brown recorded a version in 2012, maintaining Formby's rhythmic strumming and cheeky delivery. Jeff Lynne, founder of Electric Light Orchestra, performed an acoustic cover in 2014, highlighting the song's enduring appeal among rock musicians familiar with British variety traditions.^[59] More recent interpretations include Joe Black's 2020 macabre rendition, which reimagines the lyrics with a sinister tone while retaining the original melody.^[60] Instrumental and international adaptations have also appeared. The Spacemen released an instrumental version in 1997, and LiTHe Blås offered a brass rendition in 2012.^[13] Swedish artist Svante adapted it as "När jag putsar fönster" in 1970, localizing the window-cleaner's voyeuristic narrative for Scandinavian audiences. Finnish group Solistiyhtye Suomi translated it as "Ikkunanpesijä" in 1988, demonstrating the song's cross-cultural adaptability despite its English-specific slang. In modern media, the tune has influenced sampling and nods to its innuendo-laden humor. It was sampled in a chiptune remix by 2 in a Tent for Amiga retrogaming music in the 1990s, repurposing the melody for electronic nostalgia.^[61] George Harrison of The Beatles repeatedly played the song during 1960s sessions with Bob Dylan, reflecting its role in reviving ukulele interest among rock artists; Harrison covered Formby tracks like this one up to six times in one sitting, per accounts from band associates.^[62] A 2024 episode of Midsomer Murders ("Vengeance Most Fowl") evoked its style through a window-cleaning scene with suggestive undertones, alluding to Formby's original without direct quotation.^[63] These instances underscore the song's persistence as a cultural touchstone for British eccentricity and double entendre in post-war entertainment.

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Naughty but nice | Biography books - The Guardian
Nov 24, 2001 · Jonathan Glancey cheers the innocent innuendo of George Formby in David Bret's thoughtful biography. ... When I'm cleaning windows... And they're ...Missing: class humor<|separator|>
[22]
Discography of George Formby
... 1936 Regal Zonophone MR2162 Wallace Quickfire Medley 19 Juy 1936 Regal Zonophone MR2162 Various When I'm Cleaning Windows V1 (The Window Cleaner) 27-Sep-36 ...Missing: session | Show results with:session
[23]
https://academic.oup.com/book/58057/chapter/485235532
[24]
Common Roots | Sixties British Pop, Outside In: Volume 1
Oct 24, 2024 · “When I'm Cleaning Windows” features wordplay from the perspective of the voyeur as he observes “honeymooning couples,” a “chamber maid,” a ...<|separator|>
[25]
https://ukulelemagazine.com/lessons/2-techniques-that-sound-great-on-banjo-ukulele
[26]
2 Techniques that Sound Great on Banjo-Ukulele
Apr 16, 2021 · Here are a couple techniques that work well with banjo-ukulele. George Formby's Legendary Split Stroke This technique is also known as the syncopated strum.
[27]
Performance: When I'm Cleaning Windows by George Formby with ...
Release date, Info. When I'm Cleaning Windows · George Formby with His Ukulele and Orchestra, 1936, First recording on September 27, 1936. First release
[28]
George Formby Music Theory Analysis - Matthew Quilliam - YouTube
Mar 30, 2020 · This is the start of a series of videos analysis key musical characteristics that define a particular artist or composer's output.Missing: 1930s | Show results with:1930s
[29]
Learn to Play George Formby's Legendary Ukulele Split Stroke
What makes the split stroke different is that it breaks the rules of normal strumming, interspersing single notes with full strums and, more important, shifting ...Missing: banjolele | Show results with:banjolele
[30]
Tips, Tricks, Techniques - Formby style split strokes tutorial
Apr 9, 2016 · There is a great book on how to play in the Formby style. It explains everything piece by piece and gives examples and exercises to build up your skill set.Formby Song a structured approach | Ukulele Underground ForumVideo - Formby Style on Goldtone BanjoleleMore results from forum.ukuleleunderground.com
[31]
Play like George Formby in UNDER 7 minutes! | Ukulele-Banjo Lesson
Mar 21, 2023 · Learn George Formby's sensational right-hand technique in under 7 minutes... Ukes in C! Dive into even deeper depths and sound just like ...
[32]
Constructing George Formby Solos - Ukulele-Banjo - WordPress.com
Dec 13, 2022 · This video looks at applying all the split stroke techniques into one cohesive George Formby ukulele banjo solo.
[33]
Keep Your Seats, Please (1936) - Where to Watch, Reviews, Trailers ...
Keep Your Seats, Please ... When I'm Cleaning Windows'. Read More. My Friends' Ratings. None of your friends have rated this yet. Cast. Full Cast & Crew ...Missing: plot summary
[34]
Keep Your Seats, Please! (1936) - IMDb
Rating 6.1/10 (297) KEEP YOUR SEATS, PLEASE! Is an early Ealing comedy starring George Formby, and it's most notable for being the one where he sings his most famous ukelele song, ...
[35]
Keep Your Seats, Please! *** (1936, George Formby, Florence ...
Nov 3, 2020 · ... plot, memorably singing 'Keep Your Seats, Please' and 'When I'm Cleaning Windows'. Director Banks keeps the audience in their seats by ...Missing: summary | Show results with:summary
[36]
reviews - Dinosaur Discs
KEEP YOUR SEATS PLEASE (1936, directed by Monty Banks, ATP Ealing Studios, 4 ... goat disguised as a dog on a bus. Songs include, When I'm Cleaning ...<|separator|>
[37]
Sunday Post - 3. tölublað (15.09.1940), Blaðsíða 3 - Tímarit.is
... Keep your Seats Please” which he sings on top of a bus while taking a goat (which has un- fortunately eaten the seat of one of his chairs) to be X-rayed.
[38]
George Formby: When I'm Cleaning Windows | CAS Shopfronts
Accompanied by his ukulele-playing, a song from the film, When I'm Cleaning Windows, was to become Formby's trademark hit. However, when he released it as a ...Missing: inspiration | Show results with:inspiration
[39]
George Formby: When I'm Cleaning Windows | Blog | Slide or Fold
Dec 18, 2018 · George Formby: When I'm Cleaning Windows. One of the most famous ... Subsequently, it was banned by the BBC and couldn't be played on the radio!
[40]
johnwalley-a - The George Formby Society
We have recently discovered George's O.B.E, his silver disc for 'Cleaning Windows' and many hitherto unseen photographs and press articles. The Formby Story ...
[41]
George Formby banjo ukuleles fetch more than £20k at auction - BBC
May 22, 2020 · He was once the UK's highest paid entertainer best known for his 1936 hit When I'm Cleaning Windows ... Formby's banjo ukuleles have sold for more ...
[42]
George Formby - When I'm Cleaning Windows Lyrics
When I'm Cleaning Windows Lyrics by George Formby from the George Harrison's Jukebox: The Music That Inspired the Man album- including song video, ...
[43]
https://www.georgeformby.co.uk/Records/discog.htm
[44]
https://www.discogs.com/release/14646053-George-Formby-When-Im-Cleaning-Windows-And-Other-Great-Recordings-Of
[45]
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/306496799297
[46]
George Formby When I'm Cleaning Windows (CD) Album ... - eBay UK
Artist: George Formby. Title: When I'm Cleaning Windows. Edition: Album. Format: CD. Release Date: 04/03/2008. MPN: PGNCD817. Record Label: Pegasus.
[47]
George Formby recorded 'When I'm Cleaning Windows'. - Facebook
Sep 22, 2021 · ON THIS DAY IN FORMBY HISTORY 27th September 1936 On this day, 85 years ago, George Formby recorded the iconic, 'When I'm Cleaning Windows' ...
[48]
George Formby - When I'm Cleaning Windows - 78 RPM - HMV 109
May 28, 2016 · Here's my alltime favourite British star George Formby singing his biggest hit "When I'm Cleaning Windows" from a 78rpm shellac record ...
[49]
George Formby: When I'm Cleaning Windows (1936) - Elsewhere
Aug 29, 2012 · George Formby: When I'm Cleaning Windows (1936). In his later years George Harrison developed an affection for the ukulele, ...
[50]
George Formby - Interwar London
Jan 20, 2021 · Formby was able to provide working-class audiences with a hero they could identify with, but only at the cost of significantly toning down the ...Missing: themes | Show results with:themes
[51]
Topping the Music Hall Bill - Cinema Paradiso
Sep 5, 2022 · ... George Formby can point to the impact he made on popular music. ... When I'm Cleaning Windows', which remains among his trademark tunes.
[52]
George Formby: Tangled in the Roots of British Rock Humor
Nov 29, 2007 · When, in 1921, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps, young George began to craft a distinct persona that would serve him well for his ...<|separator|>
[53]
30 songs banned by the BBC - The Telegraph
George Formby, When I'm Cleaning Windows (1936). 2 of 30. This was labelled "smutty" by the BBC. Ukulele playing Formby sang songs bursting with innuendo, and ...
[54]
Why George Formby Was The First Modern Pop Star, By John Robb
Aug 11, 2010 · ... When I'm Cleaning Windows'. And while many think that the banjulele was a prop but Formby was an adept and innovative player of the ...
[55]
The dark side of George Formby, a 'dirty little Northern would-be ...
Mar 4, 2021 · ... George Formby Society to deliver a version of When I'm Cleaning Windows, the Peeping Tom-style song about a man who spies on women undressing.
[56]
Magazine | Free society still has limits - BBC NEWS | UK
Feb 10, 2006 · His best-known song was the ballad "When I'm Cleaning Windows." One day Formby was told that his windows weren't clean enough for the BBC. Smut ...<|separator|>
[57]
When I'm Cleaning Windows GEORGE FORMBY (with lyrics)
Apr 20, 2020 · George Formby was one of the mega-stars of the UK variety ... When I'm Cleaning Windows GEORGE FORMBY (with lyrics). 56K views · 5 ...<|separator|>
[58]
The Queen nods along to When I'm Cleaning Windows performance
Apr 22, 2018 · One approves! The Queen is spotted nodding along with performance of 'favourite singer' George Formby's When I'm Cleaning Windows by Ed Balls, ...
[59]
[PDF] The Great British Music Hall: Its Importance to ... - Culture Unbound
When I'm cleaning windows. What makes the euphemistic lyrics enjoyable for the target audience is that not only were they laden with innuendo, and therefore not ...
[60]
Jeff Lynne - When I'm Cleaning Windows (George Formby cover)
Mar 8, 2014 · Jeff Lynne - When I'm Cleaning Windows (George Formby cover) · Comments.Missing: artists | Show results with:artists
[61]
Joe Black - When I'm Cleaning Windows (George Formby Cover)
Jun 20, 2020 · Joe Black performs a macabre and sinister take on George Formby's When I'm Cleaning Windows! Content supported by Patreon!
[62]
Artist: George Formby | SecondHandSongs
George Formby and His Ukulele with Orchestra, 1938, (3 artists). When I'm Cleaning Windows · George Formby with His Ukulele and Orchestra, 1936, (14 artists)Missing: musicians | Show results with:musicians
[63]
How The Beatles' George Harrison Turned His Love of Ukulele into ...
Aug 5, 2021 · A few of his silly songs contained risqué double-entendres or ... [Formby's] 'When I'm Cleaning Windows' six times. Dylan must have ...Missing: interpretation | Show results with:interpretation
[64]
Vengeance Most Fowl - what references and nods did you notice?
Dec 26, 2024 · Matrix when feathers was on the computer and it went to that green code and when ... George Formby "When I'm Cleaning Windows"-esque. u ...