GEORGE LEYBOURNE
"CHAMPAGNE CHARLIE"
George Leybourne began his early Music Hall career, under the name of Joe Saunders and in the 1860s toured the Midlands Music Hall Circuit.
He made his first London appearance in 1864 singing Character and Topical Songs
In 1865 George met with Alfred Lee and together they wrote one of his most famous and enduring songs: Champagne Charlie.
Following the huge success of this song, George Leybourne established himself as a Music Hall star turn.
By 1868, contracted to William Holland at the Canterbury Music Hall and earning the enormous sum of £130 per week.
Dressed immaculately as a man about town- being driven around in a coach drawn by four white horses. Only drinking Moet Vintage Champagne while in public; first case of celebrity endorsement. A host of other drinking songs followed.
George also continued to present topical songs, such as The Man on the Flying Trapeze in honour of the artiste Leotard, who was performing at the Alhambra.
George Leybourne style and personality led him to be dubbed the first of the Lion Comiques.
Later in his career he worked with his daughter Florrie in a double act
George Leybourne died at the age of 42 in 1884.
He was laid to rest at Abney Park Cemetery.
His grave is cared for by The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America.
THE SONGS THAT GEORGE SANG:
AFTER ME
AFTER THE OPERA
ALAS, POOR GHOST!
THE ANCHORS WEIGHED
ARTFUL JOE
AWFULLY CLEVER
THE BARBERS APPRENTICE BOY
THE BASKET OF ONIONS
THE BELLE OF THE BALL
THE BELLE OF THE RINK
THE BLIGHTED GARDENER
BLOOMSBURY SQUARE
THE BOLD FISHERMAN
BOM! BOM! BOM!
BRASS
THE BROKEN HEARTED SHEPHERD
CACKLE, CACKLE, CACKLE
CAPTAIN CUFFS OF THE GLORIOUS BUFFS
CAPTAIN DE WELLINGTON BOOTS
CHALK IT UP
CHAMPAGNE
CHAMPAGNE CHARLIE
CHANGE THE CHINESE GIANT
CHARLIE BAKER
CHISEL, CHISEL
COME FILL ME A TANKARD
THE COMET OF THE WEST
COOL BURGUNDY BEN
DARLING MARY JANE
DEAR ME! IS THAT POSSIBLE?
DO EVERYBODY
THE DONKEY RIFLE CORPS
DONT MAKE A NOISE OR ELSE YOULL WAKE THE BABY
DOWN IN A DIVING BELL
THE DRYLAND SAILOR
THE EEL PIE SHOP
ENCORE!
THE FAIR GIRL DRESSED IN CHECK
THE FAIRY QUEEN
FARMYARD CONVERSATIONS
FATHER SAYS I MAY
FIFTY MILES UNDER THE SEA
FIZZ
THE DARING YOUNG MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE
THE GALLOPSING SNOB OF ROTTEN ROW
GAY MASQUERADE
GIVE A MAN A CHANCE
GIVE OVER GEORGE
GOLD! GOLD! GOLD!
GOODBYE POLLY
THE GYMNASTIC WIFE
THE HALLELUJAH BAND
THE HANDSOME POSTMAN
HAVE YOU SEEN RUTH?
THE HEAVY SWELL OF THE SEA
HE IS THE MAN FOR ME MY BOYS
HOLLANDS BARMAID SHOW
I ALWAYS WAS A SWELL
I AM A MILLIONAIRE
I AM THE MAN FOR THE LADIES
I FEEL LIKE A FISH OUT OF WATER
IF EVER I CEASE TO LOVE
IKEY GEORGE
I KNEW THAT I WAS DREAMING
ILL HAVE YOUR HAT
IM A MEMBER OF THE ROLLICKING RAMS
IM ON THE TEETOTAL
I SAY CABBY!
I SHOULD LIKE TO BE AN ALLIGATOR
IT DONT SUIT ME CHARLEY BAKER
ITS ONLY THE MAJOR
IVE LOST MY BOW WOW
I WISH THAT I COULD FLY
I WONT BELIEVE ITS TRUE
JESSIE THE BELLE AT THE BAR
JUMPING NOISES
KISS BEHIND THE DOOR
THE KNIFEBOARD OF AN OMNIBUS
THE LANCASHIRE LASS
THE LAST BUS
LEMONADE AND SHERRY
LITTLE FLORA STANDS BEHIND THE BAR
LOUNGING IN THE AQ
LEYBOURNES LOVE SONG
THE MAN IN THE MOON IS LOOKING
MOET AND SHANDON
MOGGY DOORAL
MOTHER SAYS I MUSNT
MOTHER WOULDNT LET ME
THE MOUSE TRAP MAN
MUSIC MAD
MY LANCASHIRE LASS
MY NAME IS JOHN BARLEYCORN
MY PRETTY YORKSHIRE LASS
MY WIFE HAS JOINED THE MORMONS
NOT TODAY BAKER
OH FRED! TELL THEM TO STOP
OH! GEORGE
OH ME EDISON
OH THE FAIRIES!
ON TOP OF TREES
PARISIAN ARRY
POLLY PUT THE KTTLE ON
POOR PILL GARLIC
POP! POP! POP!
PRETTY LITTLE FLORA
PRETTY LITTLE SARAH
THE PRIDE OF PETTICOAT LANE
PUT AWAY FOR A RAINY DAY
REAL JAM
RIDING THE DONKEY
ROCKED IN THE CRADLE OF THE DEEP
ROCK THE CRADLE JOHN
THE ROLLICKING RAMS
ROLLING HOME IN THE MORNING
ROSEMARY LANE
SCRUMPTIOUS LOVE
SHE DANCED LIKE A FAIRY
SHE WAS A SPARK
SHE WAS THE BELL OF THE BALL
THE SHOWMAN
SPARKLING PIPER HEIDSIECK
SUSAN SWEET
SWEET ISABELLA
SWEET MARGARET, THE BELLE OF BATTERSEA
THE TAILOR AND THE CROW
TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS LOVE
THE TELEGRAPH GIRL
THATS WHERE YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE
THERES NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN
THEY ALL DO IT
THE TICHBORNE TRIAL
TING, TING, THATS HOW THE BELL GOES
TIS THERE YOU HAVE MADE A MISTAKE
TIRKEY RHUBARD
UNDER THE SEA
UP IN A BALLOON
UP IN THE MONUMENT
THE UPPER TEN
VIVE LA BACCHANALE
WAIT TILL MY SHIP COMES HOME
WATCHING THE MILL GO ROUND
WE CARDS IN THE GUARDS
WHAT ARE YOU UP TO JANE?
WHEN I WAS A PRINCE OF PARADISE
WHEN YOUR MARRIED YOULL FIND OUT
WHEN YOUVE GOT THE MONEY YOUR A BRICK, BRICK, BRICK
WHERES MY DOLLY GONE?
WHILE THE GAS IS BURNING
WHOA EMMA
WHOSE COMING OUT FOR A SPREE TONIGHT?
WHY DID SHE LEAVE HER JEREMIAH
WILL, OH!
WOMAN AND WINE
THE YOUNG CARPENTER
YOU SHOULD SEE THEM DANCE AT THE GAY MABILLE
ZEZEL