George Leybourne
Lounging in the Aq, sheet music cover
Background information
Birth name(s):	Joe Sanders
Date of birth:	1842
Birth location:	Newcastle upon Tyne
Date of death:	15 September 1884 (aged 42)
Death location:	Islington
Other name(s):	Champagne Charlie
Genre(s):	music hall vocalist

Joe Sanders (1842 – 15 September 1884), better known as George Leybourne, was an English music hall performer. Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Islington is the central district of the London Borough of Islington. A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set Music hall is a form of British theatrical Entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960 Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1884 ( MDCCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Music hall is a form of British theatrical Entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960 Often nicknamed "Champagne Charlie", Leybourne is best-remembered as the lyricist for The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze. " The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze " also known as " The Man on the Flying Trapeze " is a very well-known 19th century Popular song

Career

Leybourne was born in Newcastle, and became a factory worker in Birmingham. Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um He began a career in the northern music halls, with the song Villikins and His Dinah. His first professional appearance in London was at the Whitechapel Music Hall in 1864.

Champagne Charlie was first performed at the Sun Music Hall, Knightsbridge in 1867. "Champagne Charlie" is a popular Music hall song from the 19th century made famous by George Leybourne. Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of Central London. He entered in top hat and tails, dressed as a swell in immaculate evening dress, with gloves, cane, and scarf, waving a bottle of vintage Moet & Chandon. Moët et Chandon (moɛt‿e ʃɑ̃ˈdɔ̃ Moët et Chandon was established in 1743 by Claude Moët, and today owns more than 1500 acres (6 Leybourne's rival Alfred Vance introduced a number called Cliquot, starting a fierce competition between the two which culminated with Vance's rendition of Beautiful Beer. Alfred Peek Stevens (1839 &ndash December 26, 1888) best known by his Stage name Alfred Vance, was an English singer in the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin is both a Champagne house in Reims, France, and a brand of premium Champagne. Their style introduced a new genre to the music hall, known as Lion Comique.

Leybourne wrote the lyrics for many popular hits of the time, including The Flying Trapeze (now known as The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze), which was published in 1867 with music by Gaston Lyle, arranged by Alfred Lee.

Leybourne also wrote the lyrics to the 1871 song If Ever I Cease To Love that is remembered today because of its association with Mardi Gras in New Orleans. " Mardi Gras " ( French for Fat Tuesday) is the day before Ash Wednesday. New Orleans (nʲuːˈɔrliənz nʲuːˈɔrlənz French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana It became the signature song for the Rex Krewe. Rex (founded 1872 is a New Orleans Carnival Krewe which stages the city's largest parade on Mardi Gras Day The song was sung in England by Lydia Thompson, who included it in her burlesque show Bluebeard, which she then toured in the United States. Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff saw it and was fascinated by the song, the songstress, or both. The Title grand duke (in Latin, magnus dux; in Spanish, gran duque; in Russian, Великий Герцог He visited New Orleans in 1872, and the king of Carnival directed that all bands in the Rex parade would play "the Royal Anthem", If Ever I Cease To Love. It remains permanently associated with Rex, and is a New Orleans carnival standard.

Champagne Charlie - sheet music cover

In 1866, Leybourne began his career of making celebrity endorsements for Champagne. For the use of the term testimonial in sport (especially Football) see Testimonial match. The Champagne maker Moet commissioned him to write and perform songs extolling the virtues of Champagne, especially as a reflection of taste, affluence, and the good life. Moët et Chandon (moɛt‿e ʃɑ̃ˈdɔ̃ Moët et Chandon was established in 1743 by Claude Moët, and today owns more than 1500 acres (6 He also agreed to drink nothing but Champagne in public. His efforts did much to establish Champagne as an important element in conspicuous consumption. Conspicuous consumption is a term used to describe the lavish spending on goods and services acquired mainly for the purpose of displaying Income or Wealth.

George Leybourne's daughter Florrie married Music-Hall performer Albert Chevalier and was the inspiration for Chevalier's hit My Old Dutch. Albert Onesime Britannicus Gwathveoyd Louis Chevalier ( March 21 1861 &ndash July 10 1923) was an English Comedian and

Leybourne died penniless in Islington and is buried at Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington, London. Islington is the central district of the London Borough of Islington. Abney Park in Stoke Newington, north-east London UK is a historic parkland originally laid out in the early 18th century by Lady Mary Abney and Note For an area with a similar name see Newington, in the London Borough of Southwark. Some time later, a headstone was erected by Dan Leno, and the Grand Order of Water Rats, with the epitaph, God's finger touched him and he slept. Dan Leno born George Wild Galvin ( December 20, 1860 - October 31, 1904) was an English Music hall Comedian The Grand Order of Water Rats is an entertainment industry charity based in London, England. His daughter, son-in-law and grandson were also interred in the grave on their deaths^[1].

References

1. ^ Music Hall burials (Arthur Lloyd) accessed 29 Oct 2007