![\"Mrs](\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/mrs-mills-tribute.jpg\")
Mrs Mills was discovered while working as the superintendent of the typing pool in the Paymaster General’s office in London in the early 60s.<\/p>\nMrs Mills was discovered while working as the superintendent of the typing pool in the Paymaster General’s office in London in the early 60s.<\/p>\n
Her catchy piano style and jolly, happy-go-lucky personality won over a talent scout who saw her performing at a Woodford Golf Club dance near her Essex home in Loughton in December 1961.<\/p>\n
After signing a management contract to Eric Easton (who later managed The Dave Clark Five and The Rolling Stones), Mrs Mills was snapped up by the Beatles’ record label Parlophone.<\/p>\n
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Mrs Mills Medley<\/strong><\/p>\n Her first single\u00a0 – “Mrs Mills Medley” – entered the UK Top Twenty, and was a piano medley of the songs, “I Want to Be Happy,” “The Sheik of Araby,” “Baby Face,” “Somebody Stole My Gal,” “Ma He’s Making Eyes at Me,” “Swanee,” “Ain’t She Sweet,” and “California Here I Come.”<\/p>\n The song reached number 18 in the charts and was the first piano medley to bother the Top 20 since Russ Conway’s Christmas ivory-tinkler in 1959.<\/p>\n A feast of albums<\/strong><\/p>\n Over the following 15 years, Mrs Mills banged out nearly 40 albums (all recorded at Abbey Road Studios), with four charting in the U.K. between 1964 and 1971, all during the Christmas period.<\/p>\n Mrs Mills didn’t take herself too seriously, a fact evidenced by some of the bonkers album sleeves, which showed her in all sorts of strange outfits and locations,<\/p>\n One had her riding a miniature rocking horse and another saw her feeding fruit to an elephant on a hillside.<\/p>\n The most successful album of all was, “Come to My Party”, which peaked at number 17 in 1964. And yes, I have a vinyl copy and it’s ace (thanks, Nicola!).<\/p>\n Paaaaatry!<\/strong><\/p>\n Mrs Mills was all about fun, having a laugh and letting everyone join in. Her music harked back to music halls, communal singalongs, the wartime spirit and evenings by a roaring fire in smoky, boozy pubs.<\/p>\n This was a woman who liked to party and party she did, as some of her album titles testify:<\/p>\n Mrs Mills died on February 24, 1978.<\/p>\n Here’s a few reminders of her unique talent:<\/p>\n Mrs Mills on the Morecambe<\/strong> and Wise show, 10th October 1971 <\/strong><\/p>\n After a bit of jovial joshing with the comic maestros, Mrs Mills gets stuck into a top medley of songs including, “Ain’t That a Grand and Glorious Feeling,” “Yes Sir that’s My Baby,” “Powder Your Face With Sunshine”\u00a0 and “My Old Man Said Follow The Van.”<\/p>\n![\"Mrs](\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/mrs-mills-tribute-1.jpg\")
Gladys Mills (n\u00e9e Gladys Jordan) then embarked on a career that lasted well into the 1970s, with her jaunty pub piano renditions of popular and traditional songs like, “The Lambeth Walk,”\u00a0 “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”, “Hello, Dolly!”, “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” and “Yellow Submarine” making her a hit all around the country,<\/p>\n![\"Mrs](\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/mrs-mills-tribute-3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Mrs](\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/mrs-mills-tribute-2.jpg\")
Everybody\u2019s Welcome at Mrs Mills’ Party
\nIt’s Party Time!
\nMrs Mills’ Party
\nEverybody’s Welcome at Mrs Mills’ Party
\nCome To My Party
\nLet’s Have Another Party
\nSummer Party
\nParty Pieces
\nParty Mixture
\nBumper Bundle Party
\nMusic Hall Party
\nAnytime Is Party Time
\nAnother Flippin\u2019 Party
\nHollywood Party
\nIt’s Party Time Again<\/p>\n