The Flies Crawled Up the Window

"'The Flies Crawled Up the Window" is a British song originally sung by the actor Jack Hulbert in the 1932 comedy film Jack's the Boy.[1] The lyrics describe the antics of various flies as they crawl up windows. In the film it is sung by Hulbert's character, Jack Brown, to his disproving father (Peter Gawthorne) after he has returned drunk from an evening out.[2]

"The Flies Crawled Up the Window"
Song by Jack Hulbert
Released1932 (1932)
Songwriter(s)Vivian Ellis

The film proved to be a major success, and the song was equally popular. Hulbert was pursued to the South of France by HMV who persuaded him to release it as a record.[3] The song was later covered by other singers such as Pat O'Malley - sometimes with additional verses added.[4] These are the lyrics I remember from my parents' 78 record of Jack Hulbert. It seems to have been recorded live (in Monte Carlo?) and had a spoken introduction in an exaggeratedly English accent "Madames et Messieurs, pardonnez-moi mais j'ai oublié tous le français que j'ai appris à l'école" Although the title is "The flies crawled up the window" my memory is that their activities are described in the present tense as befits the first verse.

I’ve got a little problem it really is sublime It’s where do all the flies go when it is winter time? You ought to know the answer But I’ll tell you once more As Mr Gladstone told the Queen in 1864

The flies crawl up the window It’s all they have to do They go up by the thousand And come down two by two The flies crawl up the window They say we love to roam So once more up the window And then we’ll all go home

The flies crawl up the window And this is why they do If they don’t crawl up windows How are they to see through? But every fly by nature Is modest and refined So when it is your bath night Do please pull down the blind

The flies crawl up the window In sunshine and in rain They do not seek for pleasure They much prefer the pane So if those flies annoy you Here’s what I advise If you have no windows Why then you’ll have no flies

The flies crawl up the window And yet the fact remains You often meet with people Who say flies have no brains Next time you see flies crawling Upside down upon a shelf If you don’t think that’s clever Just try it for yourself!

References

Gardner Lord

References
  1. http://www.bdcmuseum.org.uk/explore/item/52756/
  2. Sutton p.176
  3. Mundy p.45
  4. http://www.jackhylton.com/mp3-downloads/

Bibliography
  • Mundy, John. The British Musical Film. Manchester University Press, 2007.
  • Sutton, David. A Chorus of Raspberries: British film comedy 1929-1939. University of Exeter Press, 2000.
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