Joyce Irene Grenfell, OBE (née Phipps; 10 February 1910 – 30 November 1979) was a British comedienne, actress and, in her time, one of the country's best loved entertainers, immortalised in roles such as the gym mistress Miss Gossage in The Happiest Days of Your Life and Ruby Gates in the St Trinian's films. She achieved success as a writer and performer of songs and monologues at a time when it was unusual for a woman of her social background to work.
Born in Montpelier Square in Knightsbridge, London, Joyce was the daughter of architect Paul Phipps (1880–1953), the grandson of Charles Paul Phipps and a second cousin of Ruth Draper. Her mother was an American socialite, Nora Langhorne (1889–1955), one of five daughters of Chiswell Langhorne, an American railway millionaire. Nancy Astor, née Nancy Langhorne, was one of her mother's sisters, and had also married in England. Grenfell often visited her at Astor's home of Cliveden and later lived on a cottage on the estate ('Parr's'), a mile from the main house, in the early years of her marriage.
I intend to drive through the night
And wonder if I'm ever not on your mind.
I wrote a song for you so shout out every line.
Well, I think it's time for me to be all I've wanted to be now.
I think it's time for me to show how much I care.
We couldn't make this town our own (I'm keeping secrets)
So good luck with being on your own.
Watch what you say,
Desperation might just take you to your grave.
Let the record show you brought this on yourself.
I intend to walk through the night
And end up on the wrong side of the tracks to my train of thought.
Well, I think it's time for me to be all I've wanted to be now.
I think it's time for me to show how much I care.
We couldn't make this town our own (I'm keeping secrets)
So good luck with being on your own.
Watch what you say,
Desperation might just take you to your grave.
Let the record show you brought this on yourself
To prove how much I knew you knew better.
You went and you said her name.
To prove that we'll never be the same.
This love story's a bust, I choose my friends.
I'd rather be in love with them.
This love story's a bust I chose my friends.
Watch what you say,
Desperation might just take you to your grave.
Let the record show you brought this on yourself
To prove how much I knew you knew better.
You went and you said her name.