My Mom used to do this whole bit from memory, including singing Grandma's Lye Soap...all THREE verses!!! Thanks to Mom, I believe alm 8 of her children can now do the same! ❤
I did a pantomime of this record when I was in high school several times in 1956 and 57. Got lots of laughs too. I even did Spike Jones and several others. What a wonderful time I had in the 50’s.
Just wonderful. Never tought I'd actually see the man himself doing the skit. Made my day. And not much seems to be known about him. Thanks so much for the upload.
My parents had this record, and I listened to it over and over - had much of it memorized, decades ago. I still perform "Grandma's Lye Soap" from time to time.
To anyone who grew up with the album of this ~ me too! Lying in bed one night I wondered if YT had something on this...then started wondering WHY, back in the conservative past, with Billy Graham behind the pulpit, why preachers didn't raise a stink about it. Maybe 'cause it references 'lost sheep'?
My parents were with the Heidt show in the early 50's. I was a "trunk baby" traveling with the show. This is how I remember him doing in the show. I remember tearing up an old comic book imitating him. "Thank you kindly Conley" was Conley Graves the pianist with the show. Sometimes I would ride Conley in his MG going to different towns with the show. My mother left the show when I was 3 years old so I could have a somewhat normal childhood.
Brother Herman, and brother Sherman had an aversion to washing their ears. Grandma scrubbed them with the lye soap, and they haven't heard a word in years... Listened to this over and over as a kid, and 50 years later it shows up here. Love this!
It seems that our generation wasted a lot of Kid-hours on this record. It was one of the many 45's which my dad had stacked in a closet. I dug them out and in the mid 60's my homework got done to this record, or Mario Lanza, (Because you're Mine), Satchmo (Blueberry Hill) or Jolson (When the Red Red Robin come a-bob bobbin' along) Made homework almost bearable. Haha.
I brought a 78 of It's In The Book for my mum's birthday 15 years ago. I kept in a safe place ready to present it to my mum on the day of her birthday. When I come to remove from my LP collection. A stack of my LP's slipped forward and broke the 78 in 3 pieces. I wept. As my mum wanted another copy so bad as her copy was so badly worn to play. Where as the copy I bought was mint and never seen a needle. It did cost me a pretty packet. The cost did not bother me that much. It was the fact I felt so proud that I managed to find a mint copy and kept it for 5 months before my mum's birthday and on the day I broke it. I was never able to find another copy on 78 again. Sadly my mum is no longer with us.
OMG!! I haven't seen this since I was 4 years old! I searched for DECADES for this recording, but no one had ever heard of it. I finally found it on line, but just the audio. I KNEW I had seen it when I was little!! Really...the INTERNET! Yea!!
Wow. Listened to this routine my whole life and never saw him before today. Seeing him do this was a great gift. The disintegrating “Book” was a great touch. I can’t help but wonder if he was the inspiration for Eddie Lawrence’s “The Old Philosopher”. Thank you so much for posting!
My father started singing 'Grandma's LyeSoap' at random one day, so I decided to check and see if anybody might have uploaded it--I'm so glad someone did. I'll be showing this to my dad next time I see him:).
"We shall now sing what's left of the third verse...." I loved my father's 7" vinyl of this. Not ever seen live Mr (Rev?) Standley before, ta. Look at my name, of course I acknowledge/praise my influences. Diolch am bostio.
Just like others, I grew up with this and we found it via this video. We laughed back then and howled 30 some years later! So glad to see Johnny perform
I remembered the hymn number 222 after 62 years. We had this record. I was in grade school. How I wish to return to the fifties. Best decade in history. I'm in my seventies now. I've seen a lot of things in those years. I know I've written short, choppy sentences and overused the word I.
Aah, so many memories of my dear mum and dad. That was the humour they had in their day and I was there to hear them laugh as I did too. Love it, thanks.
Having only heard the recording (on Dr. Demento's show back in the 1980s) I never imagined Johnny Standley being so young. I had in mind a much older gentleman, possibly something about the quaver in his voice.
This brings back wonderful childhood memories in Baltimore. There was a children's morning TV show hosted by Stu Kerr, who pretended to be a janitor and wore a variety of costumes and lip-synced to musical recordings. Great stuff!
When I was in jr. high (1953-55) this totally cracked me up. I was reminded of it tonight near the end of "The Last Picture Show," when this no. can be heard playing on a radio. I notice that this version includes only the last verse of the song advertising Grandma's Lye Soap; the background record on the radio (which my folks must have owned) had a few preceding verses that made whole jingle even funnier.
Oh thank you very much for posting this video. As a child my parents watched the Horace Heidt show. Each week as we sat there, I always hoped that Johnny would be on the show that night. AND when he did show up to do this routine, I'd be sitting on the floor in front of the TV laughing so hard my sides hurt. I couldn't see from the tears in my eyes. The end of the bit when he sings about grandma's lye soap, and he beat the heck out of the poor comic book. That left a lasting impression on me through all these years. I had a 78 rpm record of this routine. But as you know that would break easily. So I didn't have it for very long. It wouldn't be until 1992 that I would find a comedy collection on a CD that had this on it. I have played it many many times. I noticed that the film clip looks as thou it's been edited. I'm guessing that maybe the part that's missing was damaged so badly that it couldn't be saved. Because there's a lot to the song part of it that's not there. There was another comic that use to come on the show also. I can't remember his name, but he told the story of Little Red Riding Hood, with sound effects he'd make with his mouth. He'd start out with Red walking out the front door of her little cottage. He'd make the sound of door creaking and slamming, then the sound of foot steps on the walkway out the front gate. Gate opens and closes... she get's a car, sound of a car door opening and closing, starts the engine and roars off down the road on her way to grandma's house. I wish I could remember his name.. But he did the whole routine punctuating each part of the story with some kind of sound effect. Anybody remember this comic?
Yup, I listen to it all the time online! Free, at accuradio(dotcom) -- I'm not promoting it; I'm just sharing my discovery from one fan to another. . . Also, for download at oldtimeradio(dotcom) (same disclaimer)
Found this after reading "Mr Know It All" by John Waters. I can see where Andy Griffith got the idea for the football monologue that he did in the fifties.
Sending a link to my nephew, who taught critical-thinking skills in the Singapore school system for a couple years. If kids heard this, and had Click and Clack for high school science teachers, would the U.S. be better off, or worse? Yeah, we all know that answer.
This is one of the all time unique, treasured classics... BTW; does anyone know of a recorded copy of the Billy Williams Quartet doing, A-Wim-Away, ( The Lion Sleeps Tonight) ? This was done several times live in 1992-53 on the Sid Caesar TV Show. Benn looking for this recording a long time. It was one of the finest versions of this song ever !
Paul, thank You - I was well aware of your correct spelling ! Do note an extensive search reveals there are as many as 10 different / accepted and recognizable spellings... Of them all, The Lion Sleeps Tonight is my least favorite. Still looking for the Billy Williams version from live TV/ Sid Cesar Show back in 1952/53.
I knew that I had seen this parody on TV when I was a kid. I still have an early 45 rpm of the routine. Does the video of all three verses of Grandma's Lye Soap exist? My life would be complete if I could see the full performance!
Depending on the location. This was actually VERY popular during 1952 and sold over 2 million copies on record. However, it was also banned in certain places (I think Indiana was one of them). Perfectly okay up north for the most part.... not as much in SOME locations down south and mid-west.
My Mom used to do this whole bit from memory, including singing Grandma's Lye Soap...all THREE verses!!! Thanks to Mom, I believe alm 8 of her children can now do the same! ❤
brilliant I remember this from my childhood in the 50s
listened to this 60 yrs ago, wow glad to hear it again
This is my earliest musical memory, and I adore it❣️
I did a pantomime of this record when I was in high school several times in 1956 and 57. Got lots of laughs too. I even did Spike Jones and several others. What a wonderful time I had in the 50’s.
Just wonderful. Never tought I'd actually see the man himself doing the skit. Made my day.
And not much seems to be known about him.
Thanks so much for the upload.
It was used for the winning skit at the University of Florida Homecoming in 1952 (pantomined by a frat). 50,000 students and alums went wild over it!
My parents had this record, and I listened to it over and over - had much of it memorized, decades ago. I still perform "Grandma's Lye Soap" from time to time.
To anyone who grew up with the album of this ~ me too!
Lying in bed one night I wondered if YT had something on this...then started wondering WHY, back in the conservative past, with Billy Graham behind the pulpit, why preachers didn't raise a stink about it.
Maybe 'cause it references 'lost sheep'?
Very glad it sold so big for Johnny Standley....he was ahead of his time and just a great comedian....
My parents were with the Heidt show in the early 50's. I was a "trunk baby" traveling with the show. This is how I remember him doing in the show. I remember tearing up an old comic book imitating him. "Thank you kindly Conley" was Conley Graves the pianist with the show. Sometimes I would ride Conley in his MG going to different towns with the show. My mother left the show when I was 3 years old so I could have a somewhat normal childhood.
The singing is wilder than I ever pictured it.
wonderful had this record till 1960 when some sat on it great 5o hear it again!
Brother Herman, and brother Sherman had an aversion to washing their ears. Grandma scrubbed them with the lye soap, and they haven't heard a word in years... Listened to this over and over as a kid, and 50 years later it shows up here. Love this!
Sammerkona i memorized it too!!
Sammerkona I memorized it too
Hahaha Great song!!!!!!
I must be over 50, Hahaha
It seems that our generation wasted a lot of Kid-hours on this record. It was one of the many 45's which my dad had stacked in a closet. I dug them out and in the mid 60's my homework got done to this record, or Mario Lanza, (Because you're Mine), Satchmo (Blueberry Hill) or Jolson (When the Red Red Robin come a-bob bobbin' along) Made homework almost bearable. Haha.
I brought a 78 of It's In The Book for my mum's birthday 15 years ago. I kept in a safe place ready to present it to my mum on the day of her birthday. When I come to remove from my LP collection. A stack of my LP's slipped forward and broke the 78 in 3 pieces. I wept. As my mum wanted another copy so bad as her copy was so badly worn to play. Where as the copy I bought was mint and never seen a needle. It did cost me a pretty packet. The cost did not bother me that much. It was the fact I felt so proud that I managed to find a mint copy and kept it for 5 months before my mum's birthday and on the day I broke it. I was never able to find another copy on 78 again. Sadly my mum is no longer with us.
OMG!! I haven't seen this since I was 4 years old! I searched for DECADES for this recording, but no one had ever heard of it. I finally found it on line, but just the audio. I KNEW I had seen it when I was little!! Really...the INTERNET! Yea!!
Wow. Listened to this routine my whole life and never saw him before today. Seeing him do this was a great gift. The disintegrating “Book” was a great touch. I can’t help but wonder if he was the inspiration for Eddie Lawrence’s “The Old Philosopher”. Thank you so much for posting!
My father started singing 'Grandma's LyeSoap' at random one day, so I decided to check and see if anybody might have uploaded it--I'm so glad someone did. I'll be showing this to my dad next time I see him:).
"We shall now sing what's left of the third verse...."
I loved my father's 7" vinyl of this. Not ever seen live Mr (Rev?) Standley before, ta. Look at my name, of course I acknowledge/praise my influences.
Diolch am bostio.
I listened to this 66years ago as little girl we just loved it♡♡♡
After all these years, I finally get to see him. I always pictured him as a larger, more rotund man, of the Gale Gordon sort.
What a brilliant act it made me giggle Thankyou
Just like others, I grew up with this and we found it via this video. We laughed back then and howled 30 some years later! So glad to see Johnny perform
I remembered the hymn number 222 after 62 years. We had this record. I was in grade school. How I wish to return to the fifties. Best decade in history. I'm in my seventies now. I've seen a lot of things in those years. I know I've written short, choppy sentences and overused the word I.
Aah, so many memories of my dear mum and dad. That was the humour they had in their day and I was there to hear them laugh as I did too. Love it, thanks.
We had this record, played it over and over.
A genius of his time.Great stuff.
Having only heard the recording (on Dr. Demento's show back in the 1980s) I never imagined Johnny Standley being so young. I had in mind a much older gentleman, possibly something about the quaver in his voice.
I've got the record and converted it to MP3 a while back, had no idea there was a video!
Brilliant...I remember listening to this with my grandmother.....Ah Such memories. Good stuff. Great act.
This brings back wonderful childhood memories in Baltimore. There was a children's morning TV show hosted by Stu Kerr, who pretended to be a janitor and wore a variety of costumes and lip-synced to musical recordings. Great stuff!
When I was in jr. high (1953-55) this totally cracked me up. I was reminded of it tonight near the end of "The Last Picture Show," when this no. can be heard playing on a radio. I notice that this version includes only the last verse of the song advertising Grandma's Lye Soap; the background record on the radio (which my folks must have owned) had a few preceding verses that made whole jingle even funnier.
Thank you for sharing. I have only heard this on an old 33 and 1/3 record that I have.
Never knew there was a video. Great humor.
Oh thank you very much for posting this video. As a child my parents watched the Horace Heidt show. Each week as we sat there, I always hoped that Johnny would be on the show that night. AND when he did show up to do this routine, I'd be sitting on the floor in front of the TV laughing so hard my sides hurt. I couldn't see from the tears in my eyes. The end of the bit when he sings about grandma's lye soap, and he beat the heck out of the poor comic book. That left a lasting impression on me through all these years. I had a 78 rpm record of this routine. But as you know that would break easily. So I didn't have it for very long. It wouldn't be until 1992 that I would find a comedy collection on a CD that had this on it. I have played it many many times. I noticed that the film clip looks as thou it's been edited. I'm guessing that maybe the part that's missing was damaged so badly that it couldn't be saved. Because there's a lot to the song part of it that's not there. There was another comic that use to come on the show also. I can't remember his name, but he told the story of Little Red Riding Hood, with sound effects he'd make with his mouth. He'd start out with Red walking out the front door of her little cottage. He'd make the sound of door creaking and slamming, then the sound of foot steps on the walkway out the front gate. Gate opens and closes... she get's a car, sound of a car door opening and closing, starts the engine and roars off down the road on her way to grandma's house. I wish I could remember his name.. But he did the whole routine punctuating each part of the story with some kind of sound effect. Anybody remember this comic?
This is fantastic...I remember this from when I was a kid. I always wondered if Johnny wrote it...????
Thanx for sharing this.
Please post his Get and Vote. It would be real appropriate at this time.
Yup, I listen to it all the time online! Free, at accuradio(dotcom) -- I'm not promoting it; I'm just sharing my discovery from one fan to another. . .
Also, for download at oldtimeradio(dotcom) (same disclaimer)
Brilliant, thanks for that, i read that it was taken off the air in a lot a places as it was considered to be ireverent.
Found this after reading "Mr Know It All" by John Waters.
I can see where Andy Griffith got the idea for the football monologue that he did in the fifties.
Sending a link to my nephew, who taught critical-thinking skills in the Singapore school system for a couple years. If kids heard this, and had Click and Clack for high school science teachers, would the U.S. be better off, or worse? Yeah, we all know that answer.
Wow this is awesome
My Dad talked about this skit. Spoof on holy rollers
This is one of the all time unique, treasured classics... BTW; does anyone know of a recorded copy of the Billy Williams Quartet doing, A-Wim-Away, ( The Lion Sleeps Tonight) ? This was done several times live in 1992-53 on the Sid Caesar TV Show. Benn looking for this recording a long time. It was one of the finest versions of this song ever !
+George Sedares That's "Wimoweh"
Paul, thank You - I was well aware of your correct spelling ! Do note an extensive search reveals there are as many as 10 different / accepted and recognizable spellings... Of them all, The Lion Sleeps Tonight is my least favorite. Still looking for the Billy Williams version from live TV/ Sid Cesar Show back in 1952/53.
❤❤❤❤❤
Proverbs 14:13
“Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.”
Just genius 😭
I knew that I had seen this parody on TV when I was a kid. I still have an early 45 rpm of the routine. Does the video of all three verses of Grandma's Lye Soap exist? My life would be complete if I could see the full performance!
Been looking for a video with all three verses a long time ! Where are you ?
Shock! Horror! I used to love this on the wireless and had always assumed it was English. How does he do it?
I can't remember which old black and white movie it was, but Grandma's Lye soap was in the background.
A commenter said it was “The Last Picture Show”, which is in black and white, but is from the Seventies.
class
The Christians banned this record in Ft Wayne Indiana when it came out.
Dad's fave
Grandma's lye soap... 16 years later it was Lily the Pink's medicinal compound
Satirizing a Christian preacher like this had to have been borderline blasphemous to goodly segment of the U.S. population in the early 1950s.
Depending on the location. This was actually VERY popular during 1952 and sold over 2 million copies on record. However, it was also banned in certain places (I think Indiana was one of them). Perfectly okay up north for the most part.... not as much in SOME locations down south and mid-west.
Google youtubedownloader & grab a copy right here?
Theeey will come home
A-waggin their tails..................behind them
Prray tell, what else COULD they wag?
yup, not much, a scant page on wiki: pasgename: Johnny_Standley
Me either!
this is hilarious. the foul mouthed stand up comics today aren't funny.
Now I see why everything I read says the 1950's were boring.
Sorry you were bored...I LOVE IT!!!!
Dennis has discovered he is an idiot.
Still funny. 🤭🥹😂🫡