Fred Godfrey

Fred Godfrey (17 September 1880 – 22 February 1953) was the pen name of Llewellyn Williams, a World War I songwriter. He is best known for the songs "Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty" (1916) and "Bless 'Em All" (1917), a 1940s hit recorded by George Formby that can be found on many war films.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 17, 1880 (Swansea), Died February 22, 1953 (Pinner)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1908 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, arranger, composer, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-6716 10-in. 1/12/1909 Now I have to call him Father Ada Jones Female vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor B-21055 10-in. 11/6/1917 Take me back to dear old Blighty Gitz Rice Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor BVE-59906 10-in. 3/29/1930 The toy town admiral Gene and Glenn Male vocal duet, with piano songwriter  
Columbia 4013 10-in. ca. Jan.-Mar. 1909 Now I have to call him Father Stella Tobin Female vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 46293 10-in. 12/20/1915 Save your kisses till the boys come home Charles Harrison ; Herbert Stuart Male vocal duet, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 77391 10-in. 10/1/1917 Take me back to dear old Blighty Arthur Fields Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia X54 10-in. before 1916 Don't go out with him to-night Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 6261 12-in. approximately 1912 The adventurer Robert Howe Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 6493 12-in. approximately 1915 Reminiscences of Gounod, part 1 Band of the Grenadier Guards [U.K] Band arranger  
Columbia 6494 12-in. approximately 1915 Reminiscences of Gounod, part 2 Band of the Grenadier Guards [U.K] Band arranger  
Columbia 26481 10-in. approximately 1908 Anywhere will do Harry Fay Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 26722 10-in. approximately 1909 Come into the garden, John Fred Mayne songwriter  
Columbia 27409 10-in. approximately 1911 Let’s have a song on the Graphophone Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 27410 10-in. approximately 1911 Here we are again Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 27412 10-in. approximately 1911 I’ll lend you my best girl Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 27502 10-in. approximately 1911 Don’t go out with him tonight Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 27653 10-in. approximately 1911 Take me back to the U.S.A. Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 27654 10-in. approximately 1911 I don’t care Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 27656 10-in. approximately 1911 My lass from Glasgow toon Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 27921 10-in. approximately 1912 I wish it was Sunday night Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 27930 10-in. approximately 1912 Take me where there are no eyes about Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 27932 10-in. approximately 1912 All the silver from the silvery moon Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 27933 10-in. approximately 1912 I never heard Father laugh so much before Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28164 10-in. approximately 1912 Where does Daddy go when he goes out? Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 28165 10-in. approximately 1912 It’s a grand old song is Home, sweet home Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28166 10-in. approximately 1912 Wait till I’m as old as Father Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28167 10-in. August 1912 Molly McIntyre Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 28168 10-in. approximately 1912 The kangaroo hop Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28169 10-in. approximately 1912 It’s mine, when you’ve done with it Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28423 10-in. approximately 1913 Call me early in the morning Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28424 10-in. approximately 1913 Oh! For another day at Margate Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28425 10-in. approximately 1913 I come frae Scotland Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28426 10-in. approximately 1913 The ragtime wedding Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28427 10-in. approximately 1913 The worst of it is, I like it Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28428 10-in. approximately 1913 Mr. John MacKenzie, O Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 28616 10-in. approximately 1913 Jean loves all the jockeys Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28617 10-in. approximately 1913 All the ladies fall in love with Sandy Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28618 10-in. approximately 1913 Giving a donkey a strawberry Billy Williams Male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia 28619 10-in. approximately 1913 There must be something nice about the Isle of Man Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28620 10-in. approximately 1913 Let’s have another one together Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 28621 10-in. approximately 1913 She’s my best girl now Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 29041 10-in. approximately 1914 When Mother backed the winner of the Derby Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 29042 10-in. approximately 1914 I'll have to ask my mother if she'll let me Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 29043 10-in. approximately 1914 There's life in the old dog yet Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 71019 10-in. approximately 1920 My father was born in Killarney Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 71021 10-in. approximately 1920 Blame it on poor old Father Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 71022 10-in. approximately 1920 I can't keep still tonight Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 71024 10-in. approximately 1920 They can all does as they like with me Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 71025 10-in. approximately 1920 Our little kiddie sings the best song of all Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 71026 10-in. approximately 1920 Come and have a look at what I've got Billy Williams songwriter  
Columbia 71033 10-in. approximately 1920 Who's your friend? Billy Williams songwriter  
Brunswick 1385 10-in. approximately Sept. 1917 Take me back to dear old Blighty Joseph Philips Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 552 Not documented approximately Feb. 1911 Let's have a song on the phonograph Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 553 Not documented approximately Feb. 1911 Sally O'Malley Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 554 Not documented approximately Feb. 1911 Here we are again Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 555 Not documented approximately Feb. 1911 I'll lend you my best girl Billy Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 3842 10-in. 6/3/1915 Some little girl named Mary Irving Kaufman Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 3859 10-in. 6/8/1915 Take me back to your heart George Wilton Ballard Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 4071 10-in. 8/26/1915 They all did the goose-step home Irving Kaufman Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 4304 10-in. 12/1/1915 Arrah, go on now, Miss Emerald Isle Harold Proctor Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison 4436 10-in. 1/21/1916 Reminiscences of Irelend no. 2 Sodero's Band Band arranger  
Edison 4581 10-in. 3/14/1916 Reminiscences of Ireland no. 1 Sodero's Band Band arranger  
Edison 4711 10-in. 5/8/1916 The garden of flowers Walter Van Brunt Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 4787 10-in. 6/14/1916 There's a little baby up in the moon Irving Kaufman Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 6485 10-in. between 12/2/1918 and 12/11/1918 'Twas an old fashioned song Lewis James Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 7226 10-in. 3/18/1920 Come back to Ireland and me Talbot O'Farrell Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Godfrey, Fred," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/114458.

Godfrey, Fred. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/114458.

"Godfrey, Fred." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/114458

External Sources

Wikipedia: Fred Godfrey

Discogs: Fred Godfrey

IMDb: Fred Godfrey

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Godfrey, Fred, 1880-1953 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2008148179

Wikidata: Fred Godfrey - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5495274

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/58904823

MusicBrainz: Fred Godfrey - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/b3dd78d2-8ca3-42f0-90d9-7e4b7ff7610a

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.