The Laughing Policeman (song)

It is an adaptation of "The Laughing Song" first recorded in 1890 by American singer George W. Johnson with the same tune and form, but the subject was changed from a "dandy darky" to a policeman.

[2] Johnson's "Laughing Song" proved highly popular with the public, and it was ranked number one on a reconstructed pop chart for ten weeks from April from June 1891.

[9][4] "The Laughing Song" was covered by a white performer Burt Shepard in 1900, and it was his version that became known round the world outside of the United States.

It is thought that the character of the Laughing Policeman was inspired by real-life police officer PC John 'Tubby' Stephens, a popular figure in Leicester.

[17] In 1955, Stikkan Anderson gave the song lyrics in Swedish, as "Den skrattande polisen" ("The laughing police officer"), which was recorded and released by Ove Flodin.

[citation needed] Bernard Cribbins recorded a parody version called 'Giggling Gertie the Laughing Traffic Warden', with the laughter provided by Miriam Margolyes.

The song describes a fat jolly policeman who cannot stop laughing and has a chorus in which the sound of laughter is made in a sustained semi musical way by the singer.

George W. Johnson recording in 1898, when phonograph cylinders had to be recorded four or five pieces at a time.
Publicity image of Charles Penrose for "The Laughing Policeman"