Matt McGinn (1928-1977)

Subject: Matt McGinn
From: Tam the bam fraeSaltcoatsScotland
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 12:55 PM

It's 25 years since Matt McGinn died, I thought that some of you might not know this.

So why doesn't the radio or a record company make a 25 year celebration of Matt McGinn and his songs.

Tom

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Micca
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 01:12 PM

They re-issued his albums" The two-heided man and the "Return of the two heided man" on CD a coupla years ago, and very funny they are too..

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 02:12 PM

Ah...you've mentioned one of my favorites. There was also a "Best of Matt McGinn" CD released a couple of years ago from his Transatlantic recordings. So that just leaves a CD release of his RCA records..."Tinny Can and Take Me Back to The Jungle". The was also an event at the Edinburgh Festival about 2-weeks ago...a tribute to Matt, Ewan McColl and Hamish Henderson. I have a lot of information on Matt's recordings at my website: www.theballadeers.com and his daughter, Shonagh, tells me there is talk of a documentary.

Nick

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Hippie Chick
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 05:33 PM

Manyura Manya and Get Up Get Out, you Lazy Lout are the only tunes of his I'm familiar with....I'd love to get more of his work. What was the cause of death, praytell?

HC

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 07:53 PM

Matt died in a fire...

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 11:32 PM

I once heard that he was fond of writing parodies, and that he was somewhat chagrined when one of his first (and highly successful, in my opinion) attempts at serious songwriting, "The Rolling Hills of the Border", was parodied by John Roberts and Tony Barrand as "The Rolling Mills of New Jersey." Any truth to that? I'm afraid I know very little about him, but he sounds like someone I would love to have known.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: georgeward
Date: 07 Sep 02 - 01:19 AM

"Fond of writing parodies" hardly covers it! He could - and did - make a topical song out of anything. "After the Ball is over" became "After DeGaulle's passed over". "Yellow Submarine" became "We'll all be living on bread and margerine if Georgie Brown and [Prime Minister Harold] Wilson have their way!" On and on. Good question how he reacted to "The Rolling Mills..". Anglo ?

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Jim McLean
Date: 07 Sep 02 - 10:40 AM

I remember having dinner with Matt at Morris Blythman's (Thurso Berwick) house. As Matt cleared his plate, a picture of King Billy on his white horse began to emerge. When the full picture was revealed Matt was enraged and stomped out! Jim McLean

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,Billy
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 01:15 AM

Guest Nick, that should more accurately be, "He died ON a fire". I think even Matt would see the dark humor in that one.

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Cappuccino
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 08:19 AM

Nice website, Guest Nick.

- Ian B

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Melani
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 05:40 PM

In the "Session Songs" thread, someone mentioned "bridget and the Pill". Didn't he write that one?

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Melani
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 05:42 PM

Sorry, posted too quick. Should have checked the DT first. It's not the same song, but I think he did write one on the subject.

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Jim McLean
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 05:47 PM

Matt wrote a song called "The Pill". Cheers, Jim Mclean

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 05:22 AM

I think the pill song went thus:- When are you going on the pill Maggie, have you not had your belly full of tears, the mere sight of you makes me ill maggie, 21 weans in 25 years, Why don't you wander on down to the Family Planning Clinic, Where they'll tell you what the pill is all about, Maggie said I've already tried the pill Wullie, but the bloody thing keeps falling out.

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 08:44 AM

That version is on one of Matt's albums..."Screwtops are Falling on My Head" or so I think. Screwtops was Matt's last album and not one of his best. His more well-known song (and I believe the one Jim is referring to) is "The pill, the pill, I'm pining for the pill, I'll never have anymore because they're going to bless the pill".

Nick

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 10:13 AM

I remember 'Screwtops Keep Falling on My Head'. A fiddle player mate of mine was on it. It was a 'cracker' of an album

Subject: BS: Matt McGinn
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 27 Dec 06 - 03:35 PM

in 2007 it will be the 30 years since Matt McGinn died.

tom

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 27 Dec 06 - 04:31 PM

dueing celtic connections, on 18th of Jan in Glasgow St Andrews in the square, there is a tribute to Matt McGinn.

Myself and my sister are going.

Tom

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: akenaton
Date: 27 Dec 06 - 05:22 PM

When the US Navy were based at Holy Loch servicing their nuclear subs, Matt appeared regularly at our folk club in Dunoon.
After the club we used to have a "pub crawl"...Matt, some other singers from the club and myself with a few locals.
On one unforgettable night we had Matt, Alex Campbell, Billy Connolly and Tam Harvey!!

Matt loved to get into discussion with the young American sailors about foreign policy and Vietnam.
The evening always ended with the sailors singing along to all the CND songs...."The road tae Aldermaston"...."The Glasgow eskimo's ect"
There was also a song which "Big Mick" Broderick would sing called "Remember the Alamo".
Mick almost always rendered this song while pinning some unfortunate sailor to the wall, usually with the sailors feet 12inches off the floor!!

Ah they were great days and nights...we had youth ,ideals and spirit.
And Matt inspired us all.

I'm glad to say there's a new Matt rising in the East.
Davie Robertson from Longniddry has taken up the mantle of Scotlands premier writer and performer of "Scots sang".

Davies best known song is of course "Star o' the bar" but he's written dozens of wonderful comedy songs and more serious stuff full of acute observation of National traits.

If you like Matts work, try a listen to Davie....you won't be disappointed.....Ake

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,Bill the Collie
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 08:32 AM

Matt always played great gigs with songs featuring his great rousing choruses.

And some of his rhymes were inspired:

"In Peking an Paris
And a' roon the Barras"

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,Tam
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 04:13 PM

In Jim MacLean's song 'the Barras' he said 'Oh the Barras, oh The Barras, there're no' in Rome nor Paris' and this was a few years befor Matt.

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: MARINER
Date: 09 Jan 07 - 10:38 AM

I recently picked up a Matt McGinn album on vinyl . It's a "white label " copy and as such is blank , no writing whatsoever .It is a live album and he is introduced as "the man who thought a P45 was a revolver" Anyone know the album's title ?

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 04:03 AM

Stramash - (Bob Blair, Kevin Mitchell, John Eaglesham et-al), put together a show and an album of Matt's works a few years ago (The Twa Heided Man?).
Briget and the Pill was written by Brian Pearson of the Critics Group.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 09:02 AM

Correction,
Stramash show called McGinn of The Calton,
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 09:50 AM

yes the song rolling mills of new Jersey is in the songbook rise up singing. I have a copy.

tom

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,Will Drover
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 05:40 PM

does anyone know about Mariner's white label ? I have most of Matt's recorded output, and have never heard that introduction on a live recording.

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,nolia
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 08:04 PM

Tom, how did the concert go ?

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: theballadeer
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 08:24 PM

The album in question is Screwtops Are Falling On My Head, Matt's last alubm. And the person doing the introduction is Matt McGinn, Jr.

Nick

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 08:22 PM

Just found this on BBC Scotland Online.

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,PaulS
Date: 12 Feb 07 - 03:50 AM

Matt McGinn fans within travelling distance of West Lothian will no doubt want to know about the latest of Linlithgow Folk Festival Association's Matt McGinn nights.

Someone on the Festival Committee said, several years ago, that it would be fun to do something different from a Burns Night, and we arranged a one-off McGinn night. Six years later...

If you would like an opportunity to hear more of the works of the bard, whether poems or song, or would like to hear readings and tributes to his memory, you need to be in Linlithgow on 3rd March 2007 - Linlithgow Academy Theatre at 8 pm - for our biggest show yet.

Tickets for the Matt McGinn Night, priced £6, can be obtained locally from: Blast Off Books (tel. [phone])and from the Black Bitch Tavern (tel. [phone]). They can also be obtained from Linlithgow Folk Festival Association (01506 510132). Email - [e-mail]

Information about the event and about Matt and his work on the Linlithgow Folk Festival website.

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Dickmac
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 08:35 AM

Stramash presented McGinn O' the Calton on Saturday 3rd February as part of the fringe Celtic Connections. A great night appreciated by all the McGinn groupies.
John Eaglsham has now retired from the band but was in the audience and lead the singing in the encore.

I still have the video of the TV tribute presented by Stramash following his untimely death.The recent line up was much the same -just more grey and weight on display.

Some have described Matt as a latter day Robert Burns so I hope there's a younger group out there that will continue to sing Matt's songs- they can't be allowed to die.

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: MARINER
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 09:55 AM

Thanks for the info balladeer.It's a very funny album

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,Theo
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 04:27 PM

Come, come, Matt was a sixties version of Harry Lauder. He liked to get pissed and chase young girls but that's all he had in common with Rabbie Burns. Don't debase Rabbie.

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: Dickmac
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 04:24 PM

I didn't say he was a latter-day Robert Burns but some think he was.
As someone who was brought up in Ayrshire, I've a great love of the works of Burns as well as Matt. Matt was no Harry Lauder - he was quite unique and wrote humorous songs and more serious songs with equal ability. I think Matt's work will continue to be enjoyed for a lot longer than Harry's. Matt's songs are still sung today at clubs, sessions and by Adam McNaughtan's Stramash but (thankfully) I can't remember when I last heard a Harry Lauder song.

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn
From: GUEST,Will Drover
Date: 25 Feb 07 - 04:29 PM

I am sure Matt would have found wicked pleasure in being compared to Rabbie. As he himself said :

" My father was a poet
and this is what he wro-ete
Beware of those whose eyebrows meet
For it's usually a sign of sweaty feet "

As well as a proper respect for Rabbie, Matt also had a soft spot for McGonogall, who he described as "Scotlands's worst poet" .

But Matt's real gift was in making people laugh

With some serious stuff in there as well.

Subject: RE: Matt McGinn (1928-1977)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Sep 22 - 09:05 PM

Jeff Coulter. Who remembers Matt McGinn playing at The Palace Theatre n Kilmarnock in the late 60's. I was in the supporting duo, & we were called "The Middin Jookers" (Wallace Breckenridge on Guitar & vocals, & myself on vocals. Any photo's of that night would be photo-copied & sent back to the owner. Thanks in advance if anybody has any. If anyone replies, I'll send my address in Kilmaurs. Stay Young, Jeff.