Leaning on a Lamp-post

From Wikipedia:

“Leaning on a Lamp-post” is a popular song written by Noel Gay and best known in the version by George Formby.

It was first performed in the 1937 film Feather Your Nest, in contrasting styles by Val Rosing and George Formby. The film’s plot revolves around Formby, a gramophone record technician, hearing Rosing record the song but then breaking the master disc and substituting his own voice. Formby recorded the song for Regal Zonophone Records on 5 September 1937, and it became one of his most popular and best-remembered songs. The sheet music for the song was published by Cinephonic Music Co Ltd. of London, at two shillings.

A version by Herman’s Hermits, credited as “Leaning on the Lamp Post”, reached no.9 on the US Hot 100 in 1966. […]

During the “Get Back” sessions, on January 6, 1969, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon performed a brief rendition of “Leaning on a Lamp-post.”

Paul later referenced the song in his 1970 track “Every Night,” from the album “McCartney“, which includes the lyric, “Every day I lean on a lamppost / I’m wasting my time.”

Paul performed “Leaning on a Lamp-post” live once, on December 22, 2009, during a concert in London. He also occasionally included it in his soundchecks from 2009 onward.

There are a couple of musical allusions in [Every Night]. It came out in 1970. There’s maybe a little nod in the direction of Bob Dylan, whose ‘Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here with You’ had appeared on Nashville Skyline in 1969. You never know what you pick up. And then, the second verse, ‘Every day I lean on a lamppost / I’m wasting my time’. The ‘leaning on a lamppost’ comes from that old song by George Formby. He’s a performer whom most young people would not know today, but was a favourite of my father and George Harrison, and his lyrics often got used in everyday conversation. And, of course, the ‘leaning on a lamppost, in case a certain little lady comes by,’ all plays into the idea of this song. I’m leaning on a lamppost because I’m romantically inclined.

Paul McCartney – From “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present“, 2021

Bootlegs

Live performances

“Leaning on a Lamp-post” has been played in 1 concerts and 24 soundchecks.

Latest concerts where “Leaning on a Lamp-post” has been played

Cover versions played during the "Get Back" sessions

"Leaning on a Lamp-post" was covered during The Beatles' "Get Back" sessions in January 1969. Here is the complete list of covers recorded by Paul McCartney, either alone or with other Beatles, during these sessions: