Grandad (song)

"Grandad" is a popular song written by Herbie Flowers and Kenny Pickett, and recorded 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 vocalist Kenny Pickett.^[1]

The single was released in November 1970^[2] 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 it missed out.^[1] However, the following January it reached #1 on the UK singles chart for three weeks,^[3][4] during which time Dunn celebrated his 51st birthday, and went on to spend a total of 27 weeks on the chart.^[3] Dunn never had another hit but released an album Permission to Sing Sir!.

In 1979-1984, Dunn starred as Charlie 'Grandad' Quick in a children's television show named Grandad,^[5] although the series did not use the song as the theme tune.

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