Grandad (song)

"Grandad" is a popular song by Clive Dunn.

While starring in the long running BBC situation comedy "Dad's Army", Dunn met bassist Herbie Flowers at a party and on learning he was a songwriter challenged him to write a song for him. Flowers wrote "Grandad" with Creation bassist Kenny Pickett.

The single was released in November 1970 and aided by promotion such as appearing on children's shows such as "Basil Brush" and DJ Tony Blackburn claiming it as his favourite record it soon reached the charts. Following an appearance on Top Of The Pops it looked like being the Christmas number one that year but a strike by power workers affected the EMI pressing plant causing distribution problems for the single and so missed out. However the following January it reached #1 on the UK singles chart for three weeks and spent a total of 27 weeks on the chart. Dunn never had another hit but released an album "Permission To Sing Sir!"

Dunn's "Dad's Army" co-star Arthur Lowe was envious of Dunn's achievement - he wanted to have a hit song himselfFact|date=February 2008. .

In 1979 Dunn appeared in a children's television show named "Grandad" which used his song as the theme tune.