Andy Stewart Discography
EMI Recordings (1967-1968)
Another new sound for the New Year as 1967 marks out the general future for Andy’s recordings having a more “traditional” Scottish backing, rather than the previous “orchestrated” output. 1967 and 1968 also showed a marked decline in record releases, with only one new album and single released in the UK, and equally one album and one single overseas. In the UK the HMV POP label was about to cease which coincided with Andy now being at the end of his second recording contract with the EMI organisation.
The Tartan Ribbon
In order to deliver a great sounding record, a record producer has to be able to manipulate sound itself, and Walter J. Ridley was certainly one great record producer – these two tracks are the evidence of this. Moving away from an orchestra to a smaller band situation, does not stop Ridley creating a powerful sound, by pushing the instruments forwards in the mix he created two of the loudest, pulsating “traditional” Scottish tracks ever. Post EMI, it has to be said, Andy’s tracks never sounded quite as good as this.
‘The Tartan Ribbon‘ is tale of love from a soldier to his sweetheart waiting at home, and is set to a strident march tune wonderfully executed by Jimmy Blue and his Band. ‘The Gallant Forty-Twa‘ were the 42nd Highland Regiment – also known as “The Black Watch”, originally founded to guard the Highlands of Scotland, watching from the hills dressed in dark tartan. The original (first collected circa 1850) was adapted over time from a tale of life within the regiment into a fun tale of the regiment: “strolling through the green fields on a Summer’s day, watching all the country girls working at the hay”, Andy developed this further with his own verses. Both songs are very much a pair, given their punchy sound, and work best when listened to back-to-back.
True Stereo mixes of these tracks finally appeared in 1999 on the excellent Moidart CD ‘The Very Best of Andy Stewart’.
Year of Release: 1967
Label: HMV
Catalogue Number: POP 1613 (Mono)
THE TARTAN RIBBON (Stewart)
With Instrumental Accompaniment.
THE GALLANT FORTY-TWA (Stewart)
With Instrumental Accompaniment.
Andy Stewart And His Friends Of The White Heather Club
Andy’s album release for 1967 was another “group” effort in the now familiar format of a supposed live performance, and the four years since leaving the BBC TV show ‘The White Heather Club’, made no difference, as Andy returned as the host here. Of course the audience have been added to the studio recordings as before, but even more convincingly now they also “sing-along” on several numbers.
Andy has eight of the thirteen songs on this album kicking off with a new composition ‘You’re Welcome Jimmy Shand‘, an obvious tribute to the king of all accordion players, who follows himself with his band and the ‘Heather Mixture Polka‘. ‘The Piper’s Song‘ is another new Stewart-Grant comedy song concerning the exaggerated boasts of said bagpiper, who is definitely “blawin’ his ain pipes”! Norma Cairns is the next “club” regular singing two traditionals; ‘Caller Herrin’‘, penned by Carolina Oliphant (Lady Nairne) – Caller Herrin, or fresh herring, being the traditional cry of fisher women selling the days catch, and the track ‘Whistle and I’ll Dance‘ in which Andy joins in the fun. ‘Willie Wattie‘ is another fantastic “Andylogue” – a delicious tale concerning a henpecked husband and his eventual final revenge! The children’s favourite the ‘Wee Cooper of Fife‘ ends an enjoyable first side.
‘I’m a Rover‘ opens up side two and is a re-recording of the song originally released as the B-side of the 45 ‘The Two Drums’. Old friend Ian Powrie pops up next with his band and ‘St. Andrew’s Night‘ followed with another “club” favourite James Urquhart and his version of the ‘Loch Tay Boat Song‘ an ode to the “red-haired little girl” being a traditional Gaelic song in origin. ‘Tobermory Treasure‘ is another new Stewart-Grant original composition re-telling the same tale of lost Spanish gold as told in the “Andylogue” of the same name, featured on the ‘Andy The Rhymer’ LP (1963). The main character in this song is one “Roddy” who appears in person with the next track; Roddy McMillan and his self-penned ditty regarding car parking attendants ‘The Wardens‘. Old favourite ‘Dancing in Kyle‘ ends this album which in total is probably the most entertaining of all of Andy’s ‘and friends/White Heather Club’ style “live” albums.
Year of Release: 1967
Label: HMV
Catalogue Number: CSD 3616 (Stereo) CLP 3616 (Mono)
YOU’RE WELCOME JIMMY SHAND (Stewart-Grant) Andy Stewart / HEATHER MIXTURE POLKA (Shand Jnr.) Jimmy Shand and his Band / THE PIPER’S SONG (Stewart-Grant) Andy Stewart / CALLER HERRIN’ (Trad.) Norma Cairns / WHISTLE AND I’LL DANCE (Trad.) Duet: Norma Cairns and Andy Stewart / WILLIE WATTIE (Stewart) (Monologue) Andy Stewart / WEE COOPER OF FIFE (Trad.-arr. Ainsworth) Andy Stewart / I’M A ROVER (Trad.-arr. lyr. Stewart) Andy Stewart / ST. ANDREW’S NIGHT (Trad.-arr. Powrie) Ian Powrie and his Band / LOCH TAY BOAT SONG (MacLeod-Boulter) J. Urquhart / TOBERMORY TREASURE (Stewart-Grant) Andy Stewart / THE WARDENS (McMillan) Roddy McMillan / DANCING IN KYLE (Shand Scott) Andy Stewart
Tartan etc., by Courtesy of The Scotch House, Knightsbridge, S.W.1.
Andy Stewart And His Friends Of The White Heather Club
PLAY ALBUM (YOUTUBE)
Two Lands
Released only in Canadian territory for obvious reasons, the A-side of the single is a tribute to the “Two Lands” Canada and the homeland Scotland: “The Maple leaf forever will be blended with the Heather in my heart they shall entwine. So, here’s to them both the young and the old, the lands that I adore. Canada and Scotland side-by-side, my love for ever more”. Surely no ex-pat in Canada could have resisted this one!
‘The Piper’s Song‘, from the LP “And his friends of the White Heather Club’, is included as the B-side here, minus the previous release’s “audience” interaction.
Year of Release: 1967
Label: Capitol
Catalogue Number: 72478 (Mono)
TWO LANDS (Stewart-Cameron)
THE PIPER’S SONG (Stewart-Grant)
Andy Stewart On Stage!
This album was released in August 1967 on Canadian Capitol and was never released in the UK. The sleeve notes state that the tracks were “captured by the microphones during Andy’s 23 Canadian and U.S. cities tour” although almost certainly the tracks were actually recorded in Britain at the same time as the sessions for the UK “And Friends” album and have audience applause and reactions layered on top in order to create the sound of a live performance.
All of the tracks have been freshly recorded and six of the thirteen tracks are songs not performed on any other album. ‘Two Lands‘, the track specially composed for the Canadian market opens side one of the album, the traditional ‘Isle of Lismore‘ is a dedication to the Hebridean Island, and the medley of ‘My Ain Hoose‘/’Westering Home‘/’Rothesay Bay‘/’The Northern Lights of Aberdeen‘ brings side one to a sing-along ending.
‘Roddy MacCorley‘ is a traditional Irish folk ballad written in 1898 by Ethna Carberry regarding the execution of MacCorley who participated in the 1798 Irish Rebellion. ‘The Lass O’ Lowrie‘ was written in 1949 and made famous by Scots tenor Robert Wilson, whilst ‘Bluebells will Ring on Broadway‘ is a song Andy penned specially for his fans in America. Although perhaps not truly “live”, this collectable LP provides a good taste of the kind of songs Andy performed on tour in the mid-sixties.
Year of Release: 1967
Label: Capitol
Catalogue Number: ST 6225 (Stereo) T 6225 (Mono)
TWO LANDS (Stewart-Cameron) / THE MUCKIN’ O’ GEORDIE’S BYRE (Trad.Arr: Kemp) / THE ROAD AND THE MILES TO DUNDEE (Trad.) / THE BARREN ROCKS OF ADEN (Stewart-Grant) / ISLE OF LISMORE (Trad.) / MY AIN HOOSE (Matheson) / WESTERING HOME (H. Robertson Arr: Robertson) / ROTHESAY BAY (Gatty) / THE NORTHERN LIGHTS OF ABERDEEN (Mel & Harry Webb) / RODDY MacCORLEY (Trad.) / WILD MOUNTAIN THYME (Arr: McPeak Family) / TAKE ME BACK (Stewart) / THE LASS O’ LOWRIE (Wilkie-Gahan-Wilson) / BY THE LOCHSIDE (Trad.Arr: Stewart-MacFadyen) / ADDRESS TO THE HAGGIS (Burns) / BLUEBELLS WILL RING ON BROADWAY (Stewart-Cameron)
International Variants: ‘Andy Stewart On Stage!’ (Epic, USA 1968) The album was released in the US with ‘Bluebells will Ring on Broadway’ inserted at the beginning of side one and ‘Two Lands’ removed, being replaced with ‘Dancing In Kyle’ (which was not included on the Canadian release).
My Hameland
‘My Hameland’ is an album released on EMI’s budget label ‘Music for Pleasure’. It consists of four tracks from ‘Campbeltown Loch’ (1965) and eight from ‘Andy Stewart’ (1961). The LP is collectable for two reasons; the sleeve notes are written by Andy himself, for the first time; and the tracks are all issued in stereo, for the first time in the UK. (This also Andy’s first ever album only available in the stereo format).
An interesting anomaly is present also in the form of ‘Heather Bells will Bloom Again’ being included in a slightly different take. The stereo version here has no Michael Sammes Singers and Andy sings slightly different lyrics to the previously released version.
Year of Release: 1968
Label: Music for Pleasure
Catalogue Number: MFP 1343 (Stereo)
COURTIN’ IN THE KITCHEN (Trad. arr. Roper) / THE WEE TOON CLERK (Trad. arr. Roper) / THE FARMER’S BOY (Trad. arr. Roper) / HEATHER BELLS WILL BLOOM AGAIN (Stewart) / BY THE LOCHSIDE (Stewart arr. MacFadyen) / KISSIN’ IN THE DARK (Stewart-Grant) / MY HAMELAND (A. Stewart jnr.-A. Stewart snr.) / CAILIN MO RUIN-SA (The Maid I Adore) (Ross) / THE ROAD AND THE MILES TO DUNDEE (Traditional) / BONNIE LASS O’ FYVIE (Traditional) / THAT’S THE REASON NOO I WEAR THE KILT (Lauder-Kendall) / THE SUMMER ROAD (Stewart-Grant)