Friday, 29 July 2022

Celebrity Jukebox #15: Bernard Cribbins


"National Treasure" Bernard Cribbins left us earlier this week, aged 93. He deserves a place in the Celebrity Jukebox Hall of Fame.

From Jackanory to The Wombles, Bernard Cribbins was the voice of my childhood. Over the years, I've watched him save the world alongside Doctor Who, stand up to Basil Fawlty, and work with everyone from Alfred Hitchcock to Mark 'n' Lard. And let's not forget his contributions to the world of popular music, most notably this...


...which was obviously a favourite of Mick Jones & co.


And, of course, this... which gave its name to a popular beat combo who were far too sexy for their shirts.


You'll also find the influence of Right Said Fred popping up in the most unexpected places. Like here...

I've been trying to get people to call me Freddy Knuckles
People keep calling me Right Said Fred


And here...

He is in my head his chair's on bread
He is Right Said Fred and Brice Beckham at the same time


Now, admittedly, both those tracks are probably referencing the Deeply Dippy guys... but without Bernard, they wouldn't have been there to reference, would they?

But what of an actually lyrical mention? I had to dig that hole in the ground pretty deep, but I did eventually find one... and it's really quite lovely. A fitting tribute for a truly special celebrity.

Just a normal day
I hadn't made any plans
I was enjoying a walk in the sunshine when I saw a lovely old man
Who just happened to be Bernard Cribbins
And he beamed at me so wide
Then he gave me an ice cream that was sweeter than his smile
And it also contained the unspoken knowledge of the ancient ones



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8 comments:

  1. Charity Chic29 July 2022 at 08:49

    You would look long and hard and unsuccessfully to find a bad word about Bernard Cribbins
    A lovely man.

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  2. C29 July 2022 at 09:56

    Ah, lovely. He was a huge, warm, comfortable, characterful and familiar part of my childhood too. RIP Bernard.

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  3. Rigid Digit29 July 2022 at 19:48

    He was the voice of Buzby in the late 70s as well.
    I'm sure - in a nice bit of circularity - BT used Gossip Calypso in the late 80s/90s too.
    Link between Bernard and The Beatles?
    George Martin in the production chair (but you probably knew that)

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  4. The Swede29 July 2022 at 19:51

    A rare example of the epithet 'national treasure' being unarguably just. What a life and how splendidly lived.

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  5. C29 July 2022 at 22:02

    Meant to say too, loving that Grant O'Rourke song. So charming.

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  6. Khayem30 July 2022 at 08:09

    I loved the fact that, without any drastic reinvention, Bernard Cribbins continually found a new audience who adored him through the decades. Seeing him appear in Doctor Who in the late 2000s was a delight and rumours are that he'll be back for the 60th anniversary special, in what will not prove to be one of his last - if not the last - TV appearances. What a legend.

    And a thumbs up for the music too, Cribbins unquestionably but also Grant O'Rourke, very nice indeed.

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  7. Alyson30 July 2022 at 09:34

    He's just always been there. What a career covering so many diverse roles and projects. First things that came into my head when I heard of his death were those two novelty songs and the fact he'd been in Doctor Who twice. A sad loss.

    The Grant O'Rourke song - somehow makes it so much better being sung by a Scot. Those rolling R's in Bernard's name.

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