If you hold yourself to high moral standards, as Captain Mainwaring (mostly) does, other people can often prove a disappointment. And when Jones has been taking his section on a pub crawl when they should be on patrol it is hard to overlook it.
It’s not often that Godfrey lets his hair down but in this episode he has, by his own admission, become rather embarrassing. I love the way Arthur Lowe has to choke back a giggle at this revelation.
We’ve already encountered the platoon singing rude songs in this series before but I have to say I find it hard to imagine gentle and proper Mr Godfrey singing the song about a monk of high renown. All I will say is, if you don;t know this song and have an, even slightly, sensitive disposition then it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie as it is a truly filthy soldier’s ditty. No wonder Godfrey is embarrassed, I’m surprised he’s not been banned from the Goat and Compasses after that.
50 Moments that made Dad’s Army is a series of blog posts each focusing on one moment that helped define the popular comedy series. There will be one post for each of the 50 days leading-up to the 50th anniversary of the first broadcast of the first episode of the series on 31st July 1968. 50 Moments that Made Dad’s Army is brought to you by walmington-on-line.co.uk and copyright of all video clips belongs to the BBC.
The ditty was well known to the service lads in Germany in the fifties. It owed its success to the laid-on prudery and horrified response of its listeners. We loved it.