The next in this series of records that peaked at number 40 is the only Top 40 hit for comedian Tommy Cooper.
It's the final record to peak at number 40 in 1961, so you may be thinking a comedian is releasing a record for Christmas time, like many have done over the years. However it actually peaked at 40 in early July, there simply wasn't any other record to peak at 40 for the remainder of the year.
This song is another example of an American song being covered by an English artist, quite a common occurrence at the time, but perhaps a bit surprising for a comedian to do. It was recorded by American country duo Homer & Jethro that same year and written by Cy Coben.
As expected from a comedian, it's a novelty record. The story is of a man coming home from work fed up with life and climbs onto the roof to take his own life, only for his kids to tell him not to jump of the roof as it will destroy the flowers below, instead go and jump in the lake. Quite a dark subject matter then, told in a humorous way.
Whilst Tommy Cooper wasn't a musician by trade and this was his only hit, he did make several other recordings that didn't chart.
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