Barraland in Glasgow

Subject: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,Smith
Date: 02 Apr 08 - 10:29 AM

I have heard Jim McLeans "The Barras" which I say is a very funny song, and I heard somewhere that there are more songs about the barras.
Lena Martell is said to have written a song about barras, for example. Have anyone got lyrics to that one?

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Big Tim
Date: 02 Apr 08 - 10:56 AM

Christy Moore has just written one about Barrowland Ballroom. I think it's on his latest album.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: sapper82
Date: 02 Apr 08 - 11:14 AM

There are a lot of untold stories concerning the Barras. here is one that I know of.

Some years back, mid-80s I think, there were some photographs published in a classic motorcycle magazine of the 1939 TT.
The photos came from a roll of B&W Agfa film that had been found still in a pre-war Leica camera a collector had bought off one of the Glesga Barras.
The conjecture was that the unknown owner of the camera had been in the TA and was called up when the TA was mobilised shortly after that years TT races and had been one of the early casualties of the war. The camera being kept by his parents until they, in turn died and ended up on the barras as part of a house clearance.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: michaelr
Date: 02 Apr 08 - 07:02 PM

TA? TT? Huh?

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 02 Apr 08 - 07:51 PM

TA - Territorial Army - part-time Army reserve in the UK
TT - Tourist Trophy - motorbike races - there used to be many of these around the UK, using public roads that had previously been cleared (hopefully) of members of the public, other traffic etc. The only one tha survives (as far as I'm aware) is the Isle of Man TT, which attracts thousands of racers and bike fans every year for a week-long series of races. There are also opportunities for ordinary bikers to try out their speed skills in an unrestricted environment.

Ross

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Jim McLean
Date: 03 Apr 08 - 08:33 AM

Yes, Lena wrote a song called 'Roon the Barras' although it was sung in American Country and Western style.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: keberoxu
Date: 17 Nov 15 - 06:57 PM

for the little it's worth:

The Legend of Barney Thomson, which just won Best Feature Film at BAFTA Scotland, was shot largely in Glasgow; the settings include the Barrowlands, the Saracen Head, the Shawfield dog track, .... anyone seen the film? What did you think?

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,AR
Date: 18 Nov 15 - 08:04 AM

I believe that the late great Sheila Stewart gave her last ever public performance at the Barrowland Ballroom last year, along with Aidan Moffat (of the band Arab Strap). Matt McGinn's song 'Willie MacNamara' (a great parody of 'The Dowie Dens o' Yarrow') is about the Barras, I think. You can hear it on Youtube.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 18 Nov 15 - 06:29 PM

who did ye see at the barraland, honey, oh honey
who did ye see at the barraland, honey baby
who did ye see at the barraland,the wummin next door wi her fancy man come tae the barraland to-ni-i-ight

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Megan L
Date: 19 Nov 15 - 01:37 AM

as a child I remember mum playing a Robin Hall and Jimmy Magregor record wie the song

the baras oh the baras
their no in rome or paris
ye'll find them in the Glasgow gallogate
ye'll find tickets tae the moon
and a return fur half a croon
and five bob garuntees a first class seat.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 19 Nov 15 - 02:28 PM

how annoying - I typed in the three verses and chorus I could remember of 'who did you see at the Barraland, honey oh honey - -- and only a small fragment made it to the thread! no more time just now- shall have another go later.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,Charlie
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 04:44 AM

Who's the guy wi' the Mod haircut honey oh honey
Who's the guy wi' the Mod haircut honey baby
Who's the guy wi' the Mod haircut
I bet he's got a scabby nut
Come tae the Barraland tonight

Who dae ye see at the Barraland honey oh honey
Who dae ye see at the Barraland honey baby
Who dae ye see at the Barraland
A' the hairies in the land
Come tae the Barraland tonight

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 08:54 AM

Type "Mr Glasgow" into Youtube for a taste of the Barra's characters and patter.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,DTM
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 03:29 PM

Re. Sheila Stewart's last public performance referred to by "Guest, AR".

FWIW, to the best of my knowledge, Sheila Stewart's last public performance was on 12 August 2012 at Auchtermuchty Folk Festival. She certainly said on the night it it would be her last however, I may be wrong as she may have sang again - as many performers do.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 03:41 PM

I knew the words as:-
,
"Swing yer ma, swing yer pa,
Swing yer grannie through the wa'.
Come tae the Barrowlands tonight!"

I well remember visiting the Barras in the early seventies, going round the stalls and browsing.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,Bill the Collie
Date: 18 Aug 18 - 01:57 AM

"Come all you dreamers" was the song written by Christy Moore (and Wally Page) about Glasgow Barrowland.
Wally Page also wrote "Biko Drum"

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Jim McLean
Date: 18 Aug 18 - 03:10 AM

Megan L the Hall and MacGregor song is mine, The Barras, I wrote it around 1959/60, Joe Gordon asked me to write it.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 18 Aug 18 - 04:18 AM

Anyone remember the wee Indian guy who sold "Snake Oil" in the late fifties?....It was supposed to cure all ills ....emerald green in colour.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 19 Aug 18 - 01:04 PM

Guest DTM Sheila featured in the Aidan Moffat film and did perform to a live audience in Barrowland Ballroom as the climax to the Where You're Meant to be documentary/exploration -- having fumed through earlier performances by Aidan!
I believe she passed away before the movie was actually released. There were many folkies and traddies involved in the piece so I am sure some of them will be correcting errors soon!

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,DTM
Date: 19 Aug 18 - 02:03 PM

Thanks, GM. I recall seeing the Aidan Moffat film and it looks like the poster 'AR' may well be correct. As I said, Sheila told the Muchty audience that it was her last performance however, like Sinatra as a aging artistes, has the right to change her mind.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,DTM
Date: 19 Aug 18 - 02:05 PM

Damn spell check!!!
Should read above 'Sinatra and all aging artistes"

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Jim McLean
Date: 20 Aug 18 - 03:45 AM

Akenaton, I remember the snake oil well. It cost me my first girl friend as I bought the small glass bottle. I put a drop on her hands, rubbed it in and told her to sniff it. It nearly blew her head off ... And she was gone!

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,akenaton
Date: 20 Aug 18 - 09:46 AM

Hope you didn't think it was an aphrodisiac Jim? I used Brandy and Babycham :0).....My old uncle used to swear by it, bought a bottle every time we were at "Ra Barras".....but you're right......Blaw yerheidaff, so it wid!!

Lovely to hear from you again Jim, hope all is well with you and yours.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Jim McLean
Date: 20 Aug 18 - 12:30 PM

Everything great here, keeping away from the snake oil.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 21 Aug 18 - 06:57 PM

bloody hell (are you allowed to say that on a US site?) - Brandy and Babycham - a Flying Angel?!! I had forgotten about that- - hahahahah!
(helluva mixture - as it says in another sang -- -about VP wine and cider )

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 21 Aug 18 - 07:08 PM

yes, Gallus Moll, you are allowed!

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST,Al McDonald
Date: 23 Aug 18 - 11:41 AM

The snake oil man was or called himself Chief Abadu. My dad took me to the barras as a Scottish reeducation process. We had just returned from 4 years in Australia. Amazingly 20 years later I was recording Jim McLeans song with him. Years later recorded Lena's too but resisted the C&W feel!

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: Jim McLean
Date: 23 Aug 18 - 12:57 PM

Alastair, while you're here and may have seen my post about the Glasgow Eskimos. Do have any of the wee DDD booklets, printing the Glasgow Eskimos? I have booklet 5, the Eskimo edition, but I'm looking for the first printing, hopefully in May.

Subject: RE: Barraland in Glasgow
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Aug 18 - 02:56 PM

Thanks Alistair, I remember his name now.....also the guy who sold the stuff that turned old pennys intae two bob bits..... :0)