Sing in cockney for me? Please?
Posted by ZestycloseFalcon8968@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 61 comments
Hi - I am a Canadian actor learning a cockney accent for a play, and I have to sing a couple of Christmas carols in that accent, and I would really appreciate if a Brit could do me a favour, sing Good King Wenceslas, and O Holy Night in a cockney accent for me and send me a recording (or post it and make everyone's day!). Will mention you by name in my awards speech! Thanks
RiverCalm6375@reddit
I fucking love Reddit. OP - please upload a vid of your singing when you do the play 😂
ZestycloseFalcon8968@reddit (OP)
I love it so deeply for the same reasons. A little sad to see that no one posted a clip of them singing Carols in cockney (there's an album title), but also relieved - I am early in the process and have decided to go with an Estuary English accent, which is a thing I learned about less than 10 hours ago. I hope this does not make anyone feel their contributions were a waste of time, because, sweet Jesus, I have heard some music I otherwise never would have in my life and am eternally grateful. And for that, and for my other sins, I promise to post myself singing carols in whatever accent I land on when the play runs. And also for your sins.
SarkyMs@reddit
About 100 people left in the UK with a cockney accent the odds are very low to find someone here who was willing to sing for you.
Drammeister@reddit
My mind went to Steve Harley and the Cockney Rebel- Make me smile
zombiezmaj@reddit
Watch My Fair Lady
EUskeptik@reddit
I’d recommend watching the 1964 movie “Mary Poppins”. Listen to the accent of the character “Bert”played by the American actor Dick Van Dyke.
The Cockney accent is nothing like that. But it might be amusing to sing that way…
-xx-
GingerWindsorSoup@reddit
Gus Elan and Harry Champion give a real taste of ‘cockney’ accent at the end of the 19th century- still slightly like in Dickens sixty years previously, highly rhotic and still with the ‘w’ pronunciation of ‘v’.
https://youtu.be/PsDasHAfT3U?si=j_VDpPe5aOi8qquq
FidelityBob@reddit
Just Steer well clear of Dick Van Dyke!!
Routine-Cicada-4949@reddit
Listen to some Bad Manners with Buster Bloodvessel
RoutineClaim6630@reddit
Canadians can't do a Cockney accent. None have mastered it. Please recognise the limits of your voice acting. Brits thank you in advance for not butchering yet again our beloved accents.
GrumpyOlBastard@reddit
"beloved"? All you people do is piss all over the other one's accent
RoutineClaim6630@reddit
Beloved beloved beloved. Thanks for your interest.
ZestycloseFalcon8968@reddit (OP)
Bite me, guv
Ok-Pumpkin-6203@reddit
Your prayers have been answers, courtesy of Chas and Dave.
https://youtu.be/J0vUqvfHQeQ?si=j2TluhbFC5QAP_8A
Had to Google it as I wasn't sure if they'd done an album of carols, but indeed they did!
THE-HOARE@reddit
Should have given them the wurzels Christmas album.
Polish_Shamrock@reddit
My brain went straight to this....
https://youtu.be/Z_wgP8JwRcU?si=QcYkN73_K9QLXX_V
Dont_trust_royalmail@reddit
that's christmas sorted
Ok-Pumpkin-6203@reddit
Just asked Copilot, turns out Chas and Dave made 7 Christmas albums in total!
Including Chas and Dave Christmas Jamboree.
Would imagine YouTube has them all.
IKnowWhereImGoing@reddit
I have to say, you've pulled an absolute blinder there.
Karcossa@reddit
Why the hell do I get an hour long video on crypto from that link?
Ok-Pumpkin-6203@reddit
I must have linked the ad it error. Sorry.
I'll try again.
ZestycloseFalcon8968@reddit (OP)
Thanks so much!
Rico1983@reddit
My cockney singing voice isn't the best but I can do a pretty decent Eric Cartman singing O Holy Night if that's any good to you?
Relevant_Cancel_144@reddit
Do you do the operatic bit in the middle where he gets zapped with the cattle prod too?
Rico1983@reddit
That's normally extra I'm afraid, but I'll do it if I like you.
Relevant_Cancel_144@reddit
How about if I bring my own cattle prod?
Rico1983@reddit
Jesus, buy me a drink first mun.
doepfersdungeon@reddit
https://youtu.be/T8sY8e_n8Vk?feature=shared
_Daftest_@reddit
O Holy Night is never sung in England
Exotic-Knowledge-243@reddit
Then why do I know the words
_Daftest_@reddit
What are the words?
Ok_Contact_2043@reddit
O holy night the stars are brightly shining It is the night of our dear Savior's birth Long lay the world in sin and error pining Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices For yonder breaks a new glorious morn Fall on your knees O hear the angels' voices O night divine O night when Christ was born O night divine o night O night divine Fall on your knees O hear the angels' voices O night divine O night when Christ was born O night divine o night O night divine Led by the light of faith serenely beaming With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land The King of kings lay thus lowly manger In all our trials born to be our friends He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger Behold your King, before him lowly bend Behold your King, before him lowly bend Fall on your knees O hear the angels' voices O night divine O night when Christ was born O night divine o night O night divine
Alecmalloy@reddit
Young Homer's gonna make me millionaire!
Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit
It's sung every year at my English church on Christmas Eve.
_Daftest_@reddit
You're sure you're not thinking of Silent Night?
Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit
No, I'm absolutely certain. I've been the soloist.
Also, it's in Nativity 2.
_Daftest_@reddit
Lol fair enough, I stand corrected. I've only ever heard it on American telly, so I was wrongly extrapolating from my own experience.
Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit
I don't think it's super common (compared to Away In A Manger or Hark The Herald perhaps) and it's certainly nowhere near as popular here as it is over there. It was a fair assumption to make.
Howtothinkofaname@reddit
It absolutely is. But it’s not generally one that comes out for collective singing of carols. But it’s is definitely sung in England.
_Daftest_@reddit
You're not thinking of Silent Night?
Howtothinkofaname@reddit
No, I’m thinking of O Holy Night.
_Daftest_@reddit
Fair enough.
zippy72@reddit
Slightly off topic but Eric Siday did an entire album called "Cockney Corner" if it helps: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhBOMAy-ENpsgCsiFj9vBqN2mo1YeaKLg
terryjuicelawson@reddit
Study the master of cockney, Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. Just do a half Aussie / half London mash up and people won't notice.
throarway@reddit
I'm a Canadian who grew up on Brit comedy and I never once clocked that Kryten was supposed to sound Canadian.
LaidBackLeopard@reddit
I don't think it's supposed to as such, but he's said that it was sort of based on the accent of a Canadian ex.
ZestycloseFalcon8968@reddit (OP)
I have heard of the show but haven't seen it - I will check it out - I'm curious how he did. In my experience, when actors put on Canadian accents, it's either a parody accent (the same one by everyone) or a very specific region of Ontario (imagine if every time someone put on a British accent it was, say, Mancunian).
terryjuicelawson@reddit
It isn't an OTT one, no "aboat" that I recall. He is an android so I assumed it was just a mechanical American stock voice but apparently he thought Canadian was softer somehow.
Exotic-Knowledge-243@reddit
Nope don't do this. Come on
pinkyandthebrain-ama@reddit
Sing it in the vein of Mike Skinner of The Streets for bonus points!
Ok-Pumpkin-6203@reddit
Born in Barnet raised in Brum.
Loose-Butterfly5100@reddit
https://youtu.be/DQMLOt9hU-g?si=qJahVHlTFsb5ymX_
obolobolobo@reddit
Alright, me old mucker?
https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/video/1901/Jack-Morrison-Knocked-Em-in-The-Old-Kent-Road
Own-Priority-53864@reddit
Wouldn't it be easier and more reproducable if you just learnt the accent and then sang the song, rather than trying to copy someone else's performances from reddit.
There are hundreds of youtube videos on how to do a cockney accent, or any accent in the uk for that matter. They range from serious stony faced drama teachers to fun bubbly infographics.
ZestycloseFalcon8968@reddit (OP)
I am of course working on learning the accent, largely by trying to match examples of a proper cockney accent - singing is different.
Own-Priority-53864@reddit
Singing is not different. Go listen to Angela Lansbury in sweeney todd. Compare her singing to her speaking, it's the same accent.
Maybe it's harder for you to copy, but that's why your copying method is not used.
Trying to match examples is a bad way to learn accents, go learn the vowel sounds and watch a tutorial specifically on that accent. I've done it for so many characters, it really is unmatched.
Break a leg.
Usual_Cryptographer3@reddit
How many cockney plays do you think are being performed in Canada in 2025? They ain't trying to be the next dick van dyke
Own-Priority-53864@reddit
What?
Why would the number of performances matter - If they care enough to attempt to memorise someone's uploaded performance, i think a few YouTube videos aren't a major ask.
In fact, it's a step-down in terms of effort, and a step-up in terms of results.
It's going to sound horrible if they attempt to learn someone else's intonation beat for beat, it'd be much better if they just learnt a few vowel sounds and apply them as and when needed.
peebee24@reddit
Two lesser sung Christmas songs in the east end I would say but nevertheless this is an excellent request
bristolbaron@reddit
I’d never heard of ‘O Holy Night’ so googled it.. we do sing GKW over here though.
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