Chapter 8 1987 to 1992 Glasgow
I had always been good at restoring old houses, but I had been accustomed to prices in London around 30,000 and they’d all gone up to around 100,000. I was advised that Glasgow was an up-and-coming place. In 1987 I went up there, sleeping in my van, and bought a house in Cambuslang which I made into 3 flats, at a loss, and 3 other projects which made a profit. I saw a leaflet from the Scottish tourist board saying “Scotland’s Okay”, which led to the song I Belong To Scotland. They also said Glasgow’s Miles Better (Glasgow Smiles Better) and this led to the song Let Glasgow Sing. On the notice board at the “Third Eye Centre” was a theatre group, aiming to produce a musical satire. For them I did Four Grey Walls and Not So Long Ago.
I joined a lively singles club, organised a talent show and sang some of my songs. When I sang Pretty Mary, which asks the question “Will you let me stay with you tonight, Will you let me lay with you tonight?,” they were keen to know if my request had been granted. Soon afterwards I met a girl called Mary, and it was! The song predated Mary, but when I wrote When I Wake Up In The Morning I did have her in mind. Other seduction songs included Let It Show, Cool Lady and I Want You.
When I sang I Belong To Scotland, I was presented with a bowl of porridge oats!
I also sang at the folk club, and everyone sang along with I’ll Be There, as if they knew the song already, because it is so typical (it amused me when I was writing it)
When I was teaching a girl to sing I Need A Man for the Talent Night, she also seemed to know the song already.
I liked a girl who always turned up to the club in a black dress, and this prompted Lady In Black, which included the only two things I knew about her: she worked in a bank, and she had a one-eyed cat.
I also joined Glasgow Songwriters Co-operative, and we sang once a week at The Blackfriars pub. When I sang I Need A Man, I used to wear a wig. At the end of the song, a girl in the audience took my microphone and wrapped the lead around my neck, in a sort of feminist protest (She would have really strung me up if she’d heard I Need A Woman)
One member of Glasgow Songwriters, Graeme Tucker, recorded The Devil Has The Best Tunes and Jungle Fever for me, and another member recorded Susie Susie. I sold my recording equipment to another member, Frank Morrow.
I met people connected with the Edinburgh Festival, and a couple of girls got me to write If I Were To Hire A Psychiatrist and Red Moon for their show. I also wrote Cry My Beloved Country for an Irish girl who lived in Grassmarket, Edinburgh. This was on the Orange marching route every July, which scared her.
To continue reading, please select the next chapter at the bottom of the page.
Contents 