Andy Stewart Discography
Scotdisc Recordings (1992-2003)
Andy released his final two albums with Scotdisc an independent label based in Glasgow. ‘Andy Stewart’s Scotland’ was the “soundtrack” to his VHS video release of the same name; whilst ‘Andy’s Scottish Party’ became the only real “live performance” album that was ever released.
Andy Stewart’s Scotland
‘Andy Stewart’s Scotland‘ came about following the success of the VHS video release of the same name. The entire video “soundtrack” was released on compact disc and became the final album released in Andy’s lifetime. Of the 20 tracks, 17 are old favourites, two are rarely heard “Andylogues” and one new track ends the disc; ‘It’s Nice to be a Grandad‘.
The now-familiar fanfare of ‘Come In Come In‘ welcomes us to Andy’s trip around Scotland then straight away the listener is whisked off to Glasgow for another rendition of ‘Donald Where’s Your Troosers?‘.
Getting the “big ones” in early, ‘A Scottish Soldier‘ follows next. We are treated then to one of the more rarely heard “Andylogues”; ‘McAllister‘, a tale of the night McAllister travels from the Highlands to London to dance before the King (and the Queen!). Two different lochs; ‘By the Lochside‘ and ‘Campbeltown Loch‘ follow next and a nice performance of ‘Andy Where’s Your Kilt‘ is a highlight of the tracks here. A trio of bothy-ballads comes next. At this stage in his life these style of songs are really the most suitable for his voice, so ‘The Muckin’ O’ Geordie’s Byre‘ (complete with “I did it My Way”!); ‘Kissin in the Dark‘ and ‘The Road and the Miles to Dundee‘ are highly enjoyable.
A lifetime of mimicry and vocal impression is rounded off with another re-telling of the classic “Andylogue” ‘The Rumour‘ and ‘The Bonnie Lass O’ Fyvie‘ harks back to those early White Heather Club days. ‘Tunes of Glory‘ and ‘Maggie‘ are another two old favourites re-visited next. Back to the bothy for the following ‘Nicky Tams‘ and ‘Barnyards O’ Delgaty‘ – standout tracks from side two (if CDs had sides!). Dating back to 1961, and actually one of the least performed Stewart “classics” ‘Take Me Back‘; and another rarely heard “Andylogue” ‘The Tobermory Treasure‘, receive their final performances next. Fittingly ‘D’Ye Mind Lang Syne‘ is the penultimate track. Included on what we now know would be his final album the track is given extra poignancy as such. Reflecting on his life with the final track on his final album; ‘It’s Nice to be a Grandad‘, Andy leaves us on a positive up-beat note.
Certainly no-one could describe these recordings as definitive versions, but given the sad fact that these would be Andy’s final recordings, this album is of course a “must-have” for Stewart collectors.
Year of Release: 1992
Label: Scotdisc
Catalogue Number: CDITV 563
COME IN COME IN (Grant/Stewart) / DONALD, WHERE’S YOUR TROOSERS? (Grant/Stewart) / A SCOTTISH SOLDIER (Grant/Stewart) / McALLISTER (COMEDY VERSE) (Stewart) / BY THE LOCHSIDE (Stewart) / CAMPBELTOWN LOCH (Stewart/McMillan) / ANDY WHERE’S YOUR KILT (Gourlay/Stewart) / MUCKIN’ O’ GEORDIE’S BYRE (Grant/Stewart) / KISSIN IN THE DARK (Grant/Stewart) / THE ROAD & THE MILES TO DUNDEE (Trad arr Simpson) / THE RUMOUR (Stewart) / BONNIE LASS O’ FYVIE (Trad arr Simpson) / TUNES OF GLORY (Stewart/Grant) / MAGGIE (Trad arr Simpson) / NICKY TAMS (Trad arr Simpson) / BARNYARDS O’ DELGATTY (Trad arr Simpson) / TAKE ME BACK (Stewart/Grant) / TOBERMORY (COMEDY VERSE) (Stewart) / D’YE MIND LANG SYNE (Trad arr Simpson) / NICE TO BE A GRANDAD (Stewart)
Produced by Bill Garden.
Recorded at Scotty’s Sound Studios, Kilsyth.
Andy Stewart’s Scotland
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Andy Stewart’s Scotland
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Andy’s Scottish Party
After half a dozen supposedly “live” albums, ‘Andy’s Scottish Party’ would be the only one actually recorded live, in this case on Sunday the 21st March 1993 at the Beach Ballroom in Aberdeen. The band for the evening were; Robert Black – First Accordion, Jim Johnstone – Second Accordion, Mark Simpson – Piano, Dave Barclay – Bass, Billy Thom – Drums and special guest Ian Powrie – Fiddle. Special guest vocalist Mary Cameron. This soundtrack album to the VHS video of the same name was released posthumously in 1995.
Andy performs favourites such as ‘Come In, Come In‘, ‘Lassie Come and Dance‘, ‘McGinty’s Meal and Ale‘ and ‘Haste Ye Back‘ but curiously ‘A Scottish Soldier‘ and ‘Donald, Where’s Your Troosers?‘ are absent. Undeniably the highlight is the introduction of Ian Powrie and his duet with Andy on ‘The Scottish Fiddler‘.
It is a shame that the only true live album Andy ever released was this one. On the video he could easily be taken for a man twenty years older than he really was. The audio too reveals a lack of strength in his voice and he becomes audibly tired as the concert goes on.
One of the apparent reasons for this was, that although the viewer is given an hour’s presentation, the actual recording involved many hours, with cameramen, sound recording technicians, choreographers and directors all calling for more and more re-takes – resulting a demanding and tiresome slog for Andy.
Whilst the concert does have its moments, it can only really be regarded as a document of Andy at the end of his career and recommended for Stewart completists alone.
Year of Release: 1995
Label: Scotdisc
Catalogue Number: CDITV 573
COME IN, COME IN (Stewart/Grant) / LASSIE COME AND DANCE WTH ME (Stewart/Grant) / INSTRUMENTAL: BLACKTHORN STICK/LAIRD OF DUNBLAIR/SEAN McGUIRE (Trad/Bert Murray) / McGINTY’S MEAL AND ALE (Trad) / SKYE BOAT SONG (Trad) / DANCING IN KYLE/CAILIN’ MO RUINSA/MORAG OF DUNVEGAN/DANCING IN KYLE (Arr. Annie Shand Scott/Ross/Hardie – Lyrics A. Stewart) / THE SCOTTISH FIDDLER (Morgan) / BOYS OF BLANEMILL/MISS S.J. MARSHALL/THE DRUNKEN PARSON/ (Trad/Jim Johnstone) / MONOLOGUE: NEIL ANGUS McANDHU (Trad) / FLOWERS OF THE QUERN (Trad) / PHIL THE FLUTER’S BALL (Trad) / WHISTLE AND I’LL DANCE (Stewart) / AMAZING GRACE (Trad) / INSTRUMENTAL: TURKEY IN THE STRAW/YAKETY SAX (Trad/James Rich/Randy Randolay) / I LOVE A LASSIE/ROAMIN’ IN THE GLOAMIN’/KEEP RIGHT ON TILL THE END OF THE ROAD (Lauder-Grafton/Lauder/Dillon-Lauder) / I BELONG TO GLASGOW (Fyffe) / NORTHERN LIGHTS OF OLD ABERDEEN (M. Webb) / ABERDEEN, ABERDEEN (Stewart) / SCOTLAND THE BRAVE/MARIE’S WEDDING/NO AWA’ TAE BIDE AWA’ (Trad) / HASTE YE BACK (R. Wilson-L. Sturdy)
Andy’s Scottish Party
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A Toast To Andy Stewart
The Alexander Brothers
The Alexander Brothers (Tom and Jack) recorded their own tribute to Andy in 2002. In the mid-section of the tribute song Andy himself sings ‘A Scottish Soldier‘ (from the 1992 Scotdisc recording). One of the most popular of Scottish acts with a career spanning nearly fifty years, it was Andy’s rising popularity in the late fifties that inspired Tom and Jack to change their style from “straight” singing and move into Scottish music, and they never looked back.
The whole song works really well and is an extremely enjoyable tribute. The two additional tracks on this CD single are instrumental medleys of Andy’s hits.
Year of Release: 2002
Label: Scotdisc
Catalogue Number: CDITV4s688
A TOAST TO ANDY STEWART (Alexander/Alexander)
The Muckin’ O’ Geordie’s Byre (Trad Arr Alexander/Alexander)
Campbeltown Loch (Trad Arr Alexander/Alexander)
Donald, Where’s Your Troosers? (Grant/Stewart)
*A Scottish Soldier (Trad Stewart Arr MacFadyen)
The Battle’s O’er (Trad MacFadyen Arr Stewart)
DANCE THE GAY GORDONS (Fast Tempo)
Come In, Come In (Grant/Stewart)
Take Me Back (Trad Arr T Alexander)
Campbeltown Loch (Trad Arr T Alexander)
The Muckin’ O’ Geordie’s Byre (Trad Arr T Alexander)
Tunes of Glory (Trad Arr T Alexander)
ANDY’S MARCHES
By The Lochside (Trad Arr T Alexander)
The Battle’s O’er (Trad Arr T Alexander)
A Scottish Soldier (Green Hills of Tyrol) (Trad Arr T Alexander)
*Thank you to Mrs. Sheila Stewart
Produced by Bill Garden & Dougie Stevenson.
A Toast To Andy Stewart
The Alexander Brothers
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A Toast To Andy Stewart
The Alexander Brothers
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A Scottish Soldier
Andy Stewart and the Pipes & Drums of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
From the CD single sleeve: “The digitally re-mixed recording of ‘A Scottish Soldier‘ has been achieved using the original studio master of the recording made by the late Andy Stewart in 1992. In August 2002 the Pipes and Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards played the additional part to the recording.”
It was widely reported in the Scottish press at the time of this release that “Record producers are now trying to re-dub other Andy Stewart classics, including ‘Campbeltown Loch’ and ‘Tunes of Glory’ with the pipes and drums for a compilation album which will be released in time for the lucrative Christmas market”. The album was released, but contained no such further “new” mixes.
Year of Release: 2003
Label: Scotdisc
Catalogue Number: CDITV4S701
A SCOTTISH SOLDIER – Andy Stewart & The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Grant/Stewart)
THE CASTLE WALLS – The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Garden)
DONALD, WHERE’S YOUR TROOSERS? – Andy Stewart (Grant/Stewart)
By kind permission and thanks to Major General J. Hall, Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Blackman, Major Charlie Lambert, Mrs. Sheila Stewart, Pipe Major Derek Potter, Drum Major Stewart Orr, The pipes & Drums
Produced by Bill Garden
Cover picture by Daily record Photographer Tony Nicoletti – Taken from the Book “Shot and Captured” – The story of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Iraq 2003.
A Scottish Soldier
With The Pipes & Drums Of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
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A Scottish Soldier
With The Pipes & Drums Of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
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