Lambeth Walk: Nazi Style - by Charles A. Ridley (1941)

This film short is called "Lambeth Walk - Nazi Style" and was made by Charles A. Ridley in 1941. He re-edited existing footage of Hitler and Nazi soldiers (taken from the propaganda film "Triumph of the Will") to make it appear they were marching and dancing to "The Lambeth Walk". He used the music because members of the Nazi party had called the tune "Jewish mischief and animalistic hopping". The re-edit was distributed uncredited to newsreel companies in the US and UK. Made 60+ years before YouTube, it is regarded as one of the first political remix videos.

What Is The Lambeth Walk?

" Any time you’re Lambeth way
Any evening, any day,
You’ll find us all
Doin’ the Lambeth walk "

It's a ditty most of us will be familiar with. But where does it come from? How does one do the Lambeth Walk? And what's to be found on the London street known as Lambeth Walk?

Who wrote Lambeth Walk?

The song comes from the 1937 West End musical Me and My Girl, which also introduced the world to The Sun Has Got His Hat On. Both tunes were written by Noel Gay, with words by Douglas Furber and L Arthur Rose. Gay is also the melodic mastermind behind Run, Rabbit Run and Leaning on a Lamp-Post.
The musical proved very popular and, in 1939, became the first to be televised from a theatre, as you can see below.
How does one do the Lambeth Walk?

The Lambeth Walk is an exaggerated rhythmic swagger, with plenty of arm swinging, copious hat-play and elements of slapstick.

Who else is doing the Lambeth Walk?

The musical was revived in 1984, once again to great acclaim. Its leads were a youthful Emma Thompson and Robert Lindsay.

The Lambeth Walk was also recruited for the war effort. A 1940s propaganda film made fun of the Nazis by setting their goose-stepping to the famous tune.

The mash-up (as we'd probably call it today) was well aimed. A Nazi official had earlier denounced the song and dance craze as 'Jewish mischief and animalistic hopping'. The parody, which was widely seen in cinemas, is said to have enraged Goebbels.
What can one find on the real Lambeth Walk?

The German connection continues to this day — albeit under much more convivial circumstances. Head to the southern end of Lambeth Walk and you'll find the wonderful Jolly Gardeners pub, now trading as a German gastropub called Zeitgeist. It's brilliant.

Once a major high street in the area, much of Lambeth Walk today is a quiet, residential affair. You are unlikely to see any Cockney prancing. Nevertheless, it retains some character.
A set of murals to the southern end provide a colourful history of the area. One features a Lambeth-Walkin' couple ambulating past a hover-conversion market barrow.

https://londonist.com/london/history/what-is-the-lambeth-walk

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambeth_Walk

https://historynewsnetwork.org/blog/53092