The Laughing Policeman (song) The Laughing Policeman (song) "The Laughing Policeman" is a music hall song by Charles Penrose (published under the pseudonym Charles Jolly). In June 1922, Penrose made the first recording of this song, which was released on Regal Records G-7816. The version more usually heard was recorded on 22 April 1926 and released on Columbia Records 4014 and later FB 1184. The composition of the song is officially credited to his wife Mabel under the pseudonym "Billie Grey"; however, the music and melody are taken from "The Laughing Song" by George W. Johnson which was originally recorded in the 1890s. The
English folk music program, "As I Roved Out", based on field recordings made by Peter Kennedy and Séamus Ennis from 1952 to 1958, which probably did more than any other single factor to introduce the general population to British folk music in the period. Also important were occasional radio shows, such as Lomax’s "Ballads and Blues" (1951), MacColl’s "Radio-ballads" (1958–64) and "The Song Carriers" (1968). John Peel frequently included folk music of his "Top Gear" show on Radio One from 1968, but dropped it when punk arrived in the 1970s. The most consistent source of folk music on radio, has been BBC Radio