Songfacts®:

• During the Second World War, George Formby served his country entertaining the troops throughout Europe and the Middle East including close to the Front. If there was no doubting his patriotism, the same could also be said of his friend from the Chinese laundry in Limehouse, London. George introduced Mr Wu in his 1932 song "Chinese Laundry Blues," found him a bride, a new job cleaning windows when his laundry went bust, and then in 1942 recruited him to walk the streets of London ensuring people complied with the blackout.
  
  According to the Brendan Ryan catalogue and discography of the Ukulele Man's work which was commissioned by the George Formby Society, he recorded "Mr Wu's An Air-Raid Warden Now" on May 31, 1942 for Regal Zonophone; it was written by Eddie Latta, and although fairly similar to the original, is an entirely different song. Running to around 2 minutes 45 seconds, Formby was accompanied by a full band.
• While "Chinese Laundry Blues" could easily have fallen foul of the censor if two of its couplets hadn't been left unrhymed, in the age of political correctness this song has brought the odd rebuke on account of:
  
  He goes round every night to make the blackout sure
  So if you've got a chink in your window, you'll have another one at your door
  
  Far from being racist this is a rather weak pun.
  
  That being said, the song does also have a rather dubious - if subtle - final verse:
  
  A fire bomb dropped one day
  So close to him they say
  That he deserves a medal they all vow
  But perhaps what you don't understand
  He put the fire out but he didn't use sand
  'Cause Mr Wu's an air raid warden now
  
  Though it takes a little effort, it should soon become apparent what Mr Wu used to extinguish the fire. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2