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24 Oct 19 - 06:19 AM (#4015162) Subject: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,Jack Foley Hamilton Scotland Can anyone help me find out who wrote this song about the old Glasgow Corporation establishing housing schemes (estates!)? The mention of the "famous singer" has to refer to Frankie Vaughan, who visited Easterhouse in 1968. The tune is almost certainly that of English song, The Tailor's Breeches, which became popular in Scotland with the publication of the Marrowbones collection by the EFDSS. The Glesga Corporation Song The Glesga Corporation does an awfy lot of work The Provost in the city never ever wants tae shirk One morning efter breakfast they sat him doon tae dream He invented that monstrosity they call a housing scheme A scheme, a scheme, a scheme m’lads, a scheme He invented that monstrosity they call a housing scheme He started off wi’ Easterhouse, Drumchapel, Carntyne Castlemilk, Barlanark, Ruchazie built them fine Pollock, Penilee, Nitshill, he threw them up wi’ speed Saying: “I’ll go down in history for this atrocious deed.” This deed, this deed, this deed m’lads, this deed Saying: “I’ll go down in history for this atrocious deed.” There's hooses upon hooses, oh and here and there a shop There’s murder, rape, there’s violence but ye never see a cop There’s great big dugs and bleedin’ lugs and greetin’, screamin’ weans At night The Drumy and The Toye, wi razors, knifes and chains Wi’ chains, wi’ chains, wi’ chains m’lads, wi’ chains At night The Drumy and The Toye, wi’ razors, knifes and chains Now a famous singer came tae town tae see what he could do “There’s far too many children and amenities too few” They opened up a swimming pool for Easterhouse’s neds Now they don’t stab the passers-by, they droon them noo instead Instead, instead, instead m’lads, instead Now they don’t stab the passers-by the droon them noo instead Each hoose is like its neighbour, painted yellow, green or cream It’s the lesser of two evils living in a housing scheme For the provost of the city, he’s clearing oot the rats He’s changin’ a’ the tenements tae multi-storey flats Tae flats, tae flats, tae flats m’lads, tae flats He’s changin’ a’ the tenements tae multi-storey flats |
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25 Oct 19 - 09:18 AM (#4015325) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: John MacKenzie Nice to see Jack Foley posting on Mudcat. Glad he's still around too. |
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26 Oct 19 - 04:34 PM (#4015583) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: weerover I spent quite a lot of time in folk music gatherings, mostly in the West of Scotland (some of them at the same time as young Mr. Foley) and don't recall ever hearing this one. I also have many collections of material in print and recordings, and I can't even hazard an educated guess terms of the style relating to anyone with whose material I am familiar. I would be interested if anyone can come up with an answer, or even an informed suggestion. |
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27 Oct 19 - 08:24 PM (#4015741) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: Tattie Bogle I have certainly heard it, but don't immediately remember who sang it or wrote it. Various possibilties spring to mind: Adam McNaughtan, John Eaglesham, Hamish Imlach, Matt McGinn (he did write another song about Frankie Vaughan). Guess someone like Ewan McVicar or Scabby Doug might know, but not sure if they still drop in here. |
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28 Oct 19 - 04:26 AM (#4015767) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: John MacKenzie My favourite among the candidates mentioned would be Adam. Mainly because of the tune used |
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29 Oct 19 - 07:37 AM (#4015973) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: Scabby Douglas Thanks to Tattie Bogle for drawing my attention to this thread. I have to say that I can't recall having heard this song. (Hello to Jack Foley, by the way. Good to see you at Motherwell last week) It *could* be by Adam McNaughtan, but I'd have said that it doesn't strike me as having quite the spark of wit that I associate with Adam. Of course if it does turn out to be by Adam, I'll just have labelled this song as sub-par. It's pretty direct, and has some of the energy of Matt McGinn, but I think if it was one of Matt's we'd have been aware of it. Datewise, the Eaterhouse/Frankie Vaughan reference makes it post-1968, but I can't find a reference to when the swimming pool in Easterhouse opened - but sometime after that, presumably. I'll maybe ask on Facebook, and see if anyone has more info. I suspect we'll get lots of people saying Adam McNaught and Matt McGinn, though. :) Cheers SD (Steven) |
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29 Oct 19 - 05:05 PM (#4016078) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: Gavin Paterson I watched recently a documentary recently, the subject, I think, was politics in Glasgow. *I think*. It could have been on Beeb Scotia digital but it may have been online. But there was a song in it, played by a pub/folk band, and I think it was this song. I meant to film it on my phone but I don't think I was able. I may not have been entirely sober. I'll rake around the t'internet and see what I can find. |
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29 Oct 19 - 05:26 PM (#4016081) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: Joe Offer Can anyone contact Ewan McVicar and ask him? I won't be able to, until the power comes back on here in California. |
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29 Oct 19 - 06:24 PM (#4016088) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: Jim McLean Like previous posters, I have never heard this song. Nigel Denver and I met with Frankie Vaughan in Easterhouse. We spoke to a delegation from Easterhouse and I gave the royalties of a Decca single of my song The Barras sung by Nigel to the fund at that time. I still have a letter from Frankie to this effect. If I was to guess as to the author of the song I would have said Adam but I'm sure he would have recorded it. It's not Matt's style, too tight. A good song. |
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29 Oct 19 - 08:37 PM (#4016099) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: Tattie Bogle Hope you're safe in California Joe: horrendous fires again. |
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30 Oct 19 - 02:47 PM (#4016209) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: andymac I'm another who has never heard it but I'm pretty sure it's not by Jack Eaglesham either. Just an idea but could be Carl McDougall? He's obviously written poetry and songs around similar topics. I recall he once had me and the rest of the audience in stitches with a long poem about an overheard conversation at a housing office. Andy |
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30 Oct 19 - 02:56 PM (#4016210) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: Tattie Bogle I have messaged a few other people with long memories in hopes of finding an answer! |
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30 Oct 19 - 08:14 PM (#4016241) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: Gallus Moll Hi Jack - good to see your post! Greetings from Dunoon -- - I was wondering how you came by the words of this song? I thought if it was posted on the Lost Glasgow facebook page it might spark off a memory - I can do this if you like. (You might even know the guy who set it up - think he was a journalist on - the Record maybe?! - not sure, but he was horrified to learn that all the paper's archive photos were to be dumped and asked if he could have them (think they had been digitised?) He then set up the facebook site- which has widened to include lots of other angles about Glasgow, memories, stories, artwork - and the odd song or poem. A xx |
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31 Oct 19 - 05:21 PM (#4016453) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: keberoxu Robert Carlyle comes to mind. When his parents' marriage broke up, he and his father went from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, such as Polmadie, and he lived in places like this. |
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31 Oct 19 - 05:45 PM (#4016457) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar Trish asked for my thoughts about this one. I do not know it, and none of the suggested makers seem quite right to me. Other names occurring to me include the prolific Alastair Hulett, but no-one I would strongly suggest, sorry. Ewan |
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01 Nov 19 - 05:45 AM (#4016546) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar Thinking on - another name to consider is of course Ian Davidson, but the over anger and chunky lyrics are not typical of him or the others considered above. Anyway, Ian, Jim and Adam all wrote also about the shortcomings and evils of the tenements that were replaced by the schemes etc. This songmaker only does so as a final addon, and I speculate is of the next generation, so did not see the tenements in action. Yes, the schemes have their own shortcomings and evils, this writer knows them at first hand and hates them, but places the blame on one person to represent all the politicians, town planners, social planners, architects, etc. I've never lived in a scheme, but I had friends who did, and I was in my time in out of many houses, and involved with various projects, arts events. etc run by people who lived in 'schemes'. Most of the people I knew and worked with would I fear feel insulted and wronged by the accusations and oversimplification of these lyrics. There is more to the story of Glasgow schemes than this furious song talks of. Ewan |
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01 Nov 19 - 08:53 PM (#4016735) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: Tattie Bogle Many thanks for your input, Ewan. I agree that some verses are a bit "strong" and therefore don't fit with certain songwriters who you and I have mentioned. Alistair Hulett also crossed my mind, but sadly we can't ask him, nor several of the others mentioned. But perhaps the lyrics are "of their time" when it was deemed permissible (by some) to joke about such serious issues: I'm not sure that deliberate insult was intended. |
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02 Nov 19 - 06:29 AM (#4016790) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,Kenny B(Inactive) Could it be Cliff Hanley who was around that era |
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03 Nov 19 - 03:06 PM (#4017041) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,Gallus Moll Hi Jack, I posted this on the Lost Glasgow Group on Facebook and there have been a couple of suggestions. One is Freddie Anderson, maybe for one of the Easterhouse productions? I you are on facebook you can ask to join, think it is a private group, but has a lot of members so there is a possibility that someone, somewhere will come up with an answer! |
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03 Nov 19 - 03:10 PM (#4017043) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,Gallus Moll Is this song political enough to be in The Janey Buchan Political Song Collection? Another person who just might know is Jim McLean? |
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03 Nov 19 - 03:20 PM (#4017045) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: keberoxu Gallus Moll, Jim McLean already posted to this thread earlier ... |
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03 Nov 19 - 03:51 PM (#4017055) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,Gallus Moll Oops, forgot - am a bit stressed at the moment....xxx |
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03 Nov 19 - 09:50 PM (#4017102) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,Scabby Douglas (sans cookie) The suggestion about Carl McDougall is an interesting one. I might fire a message in his direction to see if it rings any bells with him. Steven |
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05 Nov 19 - 04:28 PM (#4017348) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar I still think the names being fired in are too old guard for this, unless of course it is a show song, put into the mouth of a conflicted character. Ruchazie Ruchazie was such a show. If it had a reggae feel I would suggest the band - Scheme were they? - who went on the Castlemmik or Easterhouse to London march [which was it?]. Does not sound like wee Freddie, he was always more lyrical. But I've been wrong before, and expect to be so again. |
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06 Nov 19 - 05:23 AM (#4017427) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,andymac One other suggestion. There was a Mayfest (1990?) play called "The Corpy" dealing with the creation of the post-war schemes. It could possibly have been written for that or something similar. I have tried to track the play down but with no success so far. Does anyone else recall it? |
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10 Nov 19 - 05:21 PM (#4018393) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,Gallis Moll Hi Jack, did you manage to check out tge thread i began on the facebook Lost Glasgow Group? There were some other suggestions about possible authors /origins of the song....you have to join the group i think to read posts? A xx |
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28 Jan 20 - 10:05 AM (#4030780) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: GUEST,Davie This song was performed by Scots Folk Group THe Gabelunzie in the early 1970s comprising Robin Watson and Gordon Menzies. They are still around and performing |
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28 Jan 20 - 10:24 AM (#4030786) Subject: RE: Origins: Glasgow Corporation Song From: Jack Campin I once heard Adam Macnaughtan, around 1990, singing a song on a similar theme to the tune of The Spanish Lady which included the improbable line Flat roofs work just fine in Algeria, not so well in Hutchesontown (Algeria was where the Corporation got their design), and finished with it pays to be Frank alluding to some local politician on the take. Which is a very similar idea but not at all the same song. |