Jack Strachey
Encyclopedia
Jack Strachey was an English
composer
and songwriter
Born John Francis Strachey in London
, England
on 25 September 1894 he began writing songs in the 1920s for the theatre
and the music hall
, scoring his first success with songs he had written for Frith Shephard's long running musical revue Lady Luck which opened at The Carlton Theatre
in April 1927 where it ran for 324 performances.
In the 1930s, he began to collaborate with Eric Maschwitz
and in 1936 Strachey, Maschwitz (using the pen name Holt Marvell), and Harry Link
co-wrote "These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)
", which was to provide a top ten hit for five separate artists in 1936. Benny Goodman
was among the five artists to record the song in 1936, and it has been widely covered since - by Billie Holiday
and Thelonious Monk
among others. Under the title "Ces Petites Choses", it was also a hit in France
for Dorothy Dickson. Strachey scored another success in 1940 (this time with Eric Maschwitz
and Manning Sherwin
) with the song "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
".
In the 1940s Strachey began to compose popular light music
pieces for orchestra, and is best remembered in Britain as the composer of "Theatreland", "Pink Champagne", and especially "In Party Mood" (1944), which was the theme tune to Housewives' Choice
, a popular radio show on the BBC Light Programme
which ran until 1967.
Jack Strachey moved to Brighton in 1958 and died there on 27 May 1972.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Born John Francis Strachey in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 25 September 1894 he began writing songs in the 1920s for the theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
and the music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
, scoring his first success with songs he had written for Frith Shephard's long running musical revue Lady Luck which opened at The Carlton Theatre
Carlton Theatre
The Carlton Theatre was a London West End Theatre from 1927 until 1960 when it was converted into The Carlton Cinema. This is now called Cineworld, Haymarket / The Cinema On The Haymarket. The architect was Frank Verity...
in April 1927 where it ran for 324 performances.
In the 1930s, he began to collaborate with Eric Maschwitz
Eric Maschwitz
Albert Eric Maschwitz OBE , known as Eric Maschwitz and sometimes credited as Holt Marvell, was an English entertainer, writer, broadcaster and broadcasting executive.-Life and work:...
and in 1936 Strachey, Maschwitz (using the pen name Holt Marvell), and Harry Link
Harry Link
Harry Link, born Harry Linkey was an American songwriter. He wrote or co-wrote several well-known jazz standards....
co-wrote "These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)
These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
"These Foolish Things " is a standard with words by Eric Maschwitz and music by Jack Strachey. Harry Link, an American, sometimes appears as a co-writer, but his input was probably limited to changes to suit the U.S. market. It is one of a group of 'Mayfair Songs', like "A Nightingale Sang in...
", which was to provide a top ten hit for five separate artists in 1936. Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
was among the five artists to record the song in 1936, and it has been widely covered since - by Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
and Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
among others. Under the title "Ces Petites Choses", it was also a hit in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for Dorothy Dickson. Strachey scored another success in 1940 (this time with Eric Maschwitz
Eric Maschwitz
Albert Eric Maschwitz OBE , known as Eric Maschwitz and sometimes credited as Holt Marvell, was an English entertainer, writer, broadcaster and broadcasting executive.-Life and work:...
and Manning Sherwin
Manning Sherwin
Manning Sherwin was an American composer. Born in Philadelphia, Sherwin attended Columbia University before embarking upon a long career in musical theatre and films....
) with the song "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (song)
"A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" is a romantic British popular song written in 1939 with lyrics by Eric Maschwitz and music by Manning Sherwin.-Setting:...
".
In the 1940s Strachey began to compose popular light music
Light music
Light music is a generic term applied to a mainly British musical style of "light" orchestral music, which originated in the 19th century and had its heyday during the early to mid part of the 20th century, although arguably it lasts to the present day....
pieces for orchestra, and is best remembered in Britain as the composer of "Theatreland", "Pink Champagne", and especially "In Party Mood" (1944), which was the theme tune to Housewives' Choice
Housewives' Choice
Housewives' Choice was a BBC radio record request programme broadcast every morning from 1946 to 1967 on the BBC Light Programme. It played a wide range of music designed to appeal to housewives at home during the day...
, a popular radio show on the BBC Light Programme
BBC Light Programme
The Light Programme was a BBC radio station which broadcast mainstream light entertainment and music from 1945 until 1967, when it was rebranded as BBC Radio 2...
which ran until 1967.
Jack Strachey moved to Brighton in 1958 and died there on 27 May 1972.