ADD: Millions on My Mind (Ian Davison)

Subject: RE: ADD: Millions on My Mind (Ian Davison)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Mar 15 - 03:13 PM

Thanks, Scabby. I had identified Ian Davison as the songwriter once upon a time, but that information was lost in our Mudcat crash two weeks ago. When I tried to reconstruct the thread, I couldn't find the songwriter name.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Millions on My Mind
From: Scabby Douglas
Date: 04 Mar 15 - 05:30 AM

The song is by Ian Davison, who's singing in the Youtube clip linked to above. The lyrics quoted are definitely from Ian's song.

Ian has made so many wonderful songs that it would be a trivial gesture to list them. So here's just one a link to Ian's MySpace recording of "Mandela Danced"

Mandela Danced

"We'd sung about him for years,
And there were speeches everywhere.
But I'll never forget the cheers,
When Mandela danced in the Square."

Subject: RE: Millions on My Mind
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Mar 15 - 02:45 AM

Hi Robert,
Well, I posted your question in the forum, and then I answered it. I haven't heard of the song before, but it's typical of a lot of Scottish activist songs. I know I've come across material on that genre of songs somewhere, but I can't think of it now. There's a problem finding your "Millions on my Mind" because there's a raunchy rap song with the same title.

Here's a video of the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4xsIeG5Gak

Apparently a Mudcat acquaintance of mine, Ewan McVicar, wrote a book titled The Eskimo Republic: Scots Political Song in Action 1951-1999 - and the book has this song. I'll have to try to pick that book up. There's a darkness to the political activists of Scotland and the North of England. You won't catch them singing kumbayah. Billy Bragg and Leon Rosselson kinda fit into that genre.

Subject: Millions on My Mind
From: GUEST,Rob (from e-mail to Joe Offer 23 Jan)
Date: 04 Mar 15 - 02:42 AM

Hi, all.

I am trying to find a recording of a song.

I *think* it was Christy Moore, but I am not sure of that. I am hoping someone here might be able to help. If it wasn't Christy Moore, it was someone very similar. I got here by trying "Protest singers Irish."

I have been trying to find it via Google for several days, so "Google is your friend" would not be especially helpful.

I heard this song years ago on Radio Scotland. I want to say it was "Travelling Folk," and with Archie Fisher or Bruce MacGregor, but I am not sure of that. I had the feed recorded to MP3, but I seem to have lost the file.

The presenter says, "And now, a worried man sings a worried song." (But this does not seem to be the name of the song.)

The Lyrics, as best I can recall.

"Worries, I've got millions on my mind.
On places on the map that I can't find.
And every one's a daughter and a son.
Yeh, worries I've got millions on my mind.

There's millions of 'em far across the sea,
Makin' toys and clothes, and food for me.
Got some simple digging tools,
But got no toys nor books nor schools,
There's millions of em far across the sea.

And there's millions in the factories and mines
And they never even heard o' picket lines.
Crippling work on children's pay,
Living on less that a dollar a day,
There's millions in the factories and mines."

This is the best I can recall of the lyrics.

Anyone ever hear this?

Thanks!

Rob