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Revision as of 17:09, 15 October 2005 by Herostratus (talk | contribs) (created entry)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Mister Gallagher and Mister Shean is one the most famous songs to come from the American vaudeville mileu. First performed by the duo of Gallagher and Shean in the early 1920's, it became a huge hit and carried Gallagher and Shean to stardom.
The comedic song was written for the duo by Bryan Foy, son of Eddie Foy. It contains jokes typical of the time but also lampoons current fads and events ("Cost of living went so high / That it's cheaper now to die"). The song itself gave rise to many parody versions.
The refrain at the end of the each verse -- "Positively Mister Gallagher, absolutely Mister Shean!" -- became a well-known catchphrase and remains part of the American idiom even into the 21st century. As late as the late 1980's it was the centerpiece of an advertising campaign by the Pitney-Bowes corporation ("Absolutely Mister Pitney, positively Mister Bowes!").