Grandad (song)

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Grandad is a popular song by Clive Dunn.

While starring in the long running BBC situation comedy Dad's Army, Dunn met bassist Herbie Flowers at a party and on learning he was a songwriter challenged him to write a song for him. Flowers wrote Grandad with Creation bassist Kenny Pickett and recorded it with Rick Wakeman.

The single was released in November 1970 and aided by promotion such as appearing on children's shows such as Basil Brush and DJ Tony Blackburn claiming it as his favourite record it soon reached the charts. Following an appearance on Top Of The Pops it looked like being the Christmas number one that year but a strike by power workers affected the EMI pressing plant causing distribution problems for the single and so missed out. However the following January it reached #1 on the UK singles chart for three weeks and spent a total of 27 weeks on the chart. Dunn never had another hit but released an album Permission To Sing Sir!

Dunn's Dads Army co-star Arthur Lowe was envious of Dunn's achievement - he wanted to have a hit song himself.

In the late 1979 Dunn appeared in a childrens television show named Grandad which used his song as the theme tune.

Preceded by "I Hear You Knocking" by Dave Edmunds Rockpile

UK number one single January 5, 1971

Succeeded by "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison