"The Laughing Policeman" is a music hall song by Charles Penrose (published under the pseudonym Charles Jolly).
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The song
In June 1922, Penrose made the first recording of this song, which was released on Regal Records G-7816. The version more usually heard was recorded on 22 April 1926 and released on Columbia Records 4014 and later FB 1184. The composition of the song is officially credited to his wife Mabel under the pseudonym "Billie Grey"; however, the music and melody are taken from The Laughing Song by George W. Johnson which was originally recorded in the 1890s. The Penroses wrote numerous other laughing songs (The Laughing Major, Curate, Steeplechaser, Typist, Lover, etc.), but only "The Laughing Policeman" is remembered today, having sold over a million copies. Its popularity continued into the 1970s, as it was a frequently requested recording on the BBC Radio 1 show Junior Choice. It even had a dance mix made of it, which was released on a 10 inch 45rpm disc, resembling an old-style 78rpm record, with the original version on the other side.
Stikkan Anderson gave the song lyrics in Swedish, as "Den skrattande polisen" ("the laughing police officer"), which was recorded and released in 1955 by Ove Flodin.
Novel
The song is referenced in the novel and film of the same name: Fictional Swedish detective Martin Beck gets it as a Christmas present from his daughter Ingrid, but doesn't think it is funny. Beck's first laugh after the murder comes when Stenström's death is fully vindicated.
Other appearances
In One Foot in the Grave episode "The Man Who Blew Away", the Meldrews are constantly kept awake by a late night party across the road, the worst comes when the partygoers join in the chorus of the song.
In an episode of the BBC police drama City Central criminals steal an officer's radio and use it to broadcast the song continuously, disrupting police communications.
In the BBC detective drama, Bergerac, the episode "Natural Enemies" features the song being played on a gramophone in a children's home, as several children laugh at Charlie Hungerford.
In the 1936 British Film Calling the Tune, a fictional story of rivalry in the early days of the gramophone industry, Charles Penrose seen recording "The Laughing Policeman" and performing the complete song.
The song is used as the central theme in the Space Pirates episode "Music that Makes Me Laugh".
Ken Dodd performed it as part of one of his appearances on the popular BBC variety show The Good Old Days, getting the audience to laugh with him.
This song inspired the Telugu language song "Vivaha Bojanambu", from Indian movie Mayabazar.