Lambeth Walk gave its name to a Cockney dance first made popular in 1937 by Lupino Lane. The song from the 1937 musical Me and My Girl. (Book and Lyrics by L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber, Book revised by Stephen Fry, Music by Noel Gay). The storyline is about a Cockney barrow boy who inherits an earldom and almost loses his Lambeth girlfriend.
Doing the Lambeth Walk
Any time you’re Lambeth way,
Any evening, any day,
You’ll find us all
Doin’ the Lambeth Walk.
Every little Lambeth gal,
With her little Lambeth pal,
You’ll find ’em all
Doin’ the Lambeth Walk.
Everything free and easy,
Do as you darn well pleasy,
Why don’t you make your way there
Go there, stay there.
Once you get down Lambeth way
Ev’ry ev’ning, ev’ry day,
You’ll find yourself
Doin’ the Lambeth Walk.
How to Do the Lambeth Walk
From Ballroom Dancing by Alex Moore
Man on inside in Line of Dance (LOD) – outside at each time
Take 8 walks forward. On the 8th step the man turns slightly to right to face lady. Man and lady now link left arms and strut around in a circle again taking 8 walks. On the 8th step the man unlinks arms and offers his right arm to the lady, who links her left arm in his right. Finish both facing LOD.
Man commences with left foot and lady right foot and continue:- Take 3 walks forward counting 1, 2, 3. Transfer weight back to rear foot, count “and”. Transfer weight forward to front foot, count 4. Repeat the 3 walks and the Rock, the man commencing with right foot and lady left foot 1, 2, 3 and 4
Unlink arms and continue:- Man walks 2 steps towards the centre. Lady walks 2 steps towards the wall count 1, 2. Both man and lady turn to face each other and close feet together, count 3
Slap both hands on the legs, just above the knees and at the same time bend slightly forward. Count 4. Both man and lady walk 2 steps towards each other, count 1, 2. Close feet together, facing partner and about 3 feet apart, count 3. Raise the hands (right) about level with the head and give the cockney salute, shouting “Oi”
Turn to face the LOD and repeat from the start.
If all that sounds too complicated, here’s a video from YouTube of a couple demonstrating the Lambeth Walk.