The Serious Side of Ken Dodd

Philip Williams and David Williams look back on the comedian's prolific and fruitful recording career

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Over the years, there have been many comedians who have seen their novelty records climb the rungs of the Official UK Singles Chart, with several even managing to reach the prestigious No 1 spot. Many of these hits were released in support of charitable causes such as Comic Relief. However, it is quite surprising the comedy records from one of Britain's most beloved entertainers, the late Sir Ken Dodd, never achieved similar chart success.

Despite the popularity of his songs such as Where's Me Shirt and the Nikky Nokky Noo Song, which were performed alongside his iconic Diddy Men from Knotty Ash and received considerable radio airplay, they failed to make a significant impression on the charts.

Nonetheless, Ken Dodd remains a remarkable figure in the music industry, having sold more records than any other comedian. Amid the numerous accolades celebrating his comedic brilliance, it is often overlooked that between 1960 and the mid-1970s, Dodd enjoyed a thriving recording career as an unexpected romantic balladeer, selling millions of records globally. His journey began in 1960 with the release by Decca Records of his debut single, Love is Like a Violin. This track enjoyed a remarkable run, spending 18 weeks in the charts and peaking at No 8, ultimately becoming one of Dodd's signature tunes and the one that announced his entrances on stage.

Between 1960 and 1975, Dodd achieved an impressive 18 Top 40 singles, most of which were sentimental ballads.