Cultural Matters: Scottish Music (Rock and Pop)

Annie Lennox

One of my all-time favorites, Annie Lennox of Aberdeen, Scotland first gained fame as part of the 80s duo Eurythmics, with hits such as "Sweet Dreams", "Here Comes the Rain" and "Who's That Girl".  She then emerged as a successful solo artist in 1990s and 2000s with hits such as "Why," "Little Bird," and "Walking on Broken Glass" (see below).

Lulu

A star in the 1960s and early 1970s, Lulu (real name Marie McDonald McLaughlin, from Glasgow) was  most famous for the theme song to the James Bond hit Man With the Golden Gun and for starring in and singing the title song to To Sir, With Love.

KT Tunstall

A popular singer-songwriter from Edinburgh. Below are her two most well-known songs. The first, "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" is from her first TV performance, which was her breakout performance.

Simple Minds

From Glasgow, Simple Minds were a major Eighties band, selling 40 million records since 1979. Their hits included "Alive and Kicking," "Belfast Child," "Sanctify Yourself," and their biggest hit  -- from the 1985 film Breakfast Club -- "Don't You Forget About Me." (see below)

Susan Boyle

Perhaps the most unlikeliest pop star of all time, Susan Boyle became a hero to us "regular" folk the world over when she wowed judges and audiences on Britain's Got Talent back in 2009. The Glasgow-native has since sold millions. To see her first appearance, go to the link below (unfortunately, I cannot embed it). It's well worth it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnmbJzH93NU

Bay City Rollers

There was a brief period in 1974 and 1975 when the Bay City Rollers were so popular that the success of the "tartan teens from Edinburgh" was being compared to Beatlemania (and was called appropriately enough Rollermania.) Their two biggest hits were "Saturday Night" and "Bye Bye Baby". (By the way, the person in the center in the above photo is not a Bay City Roller but rather Witchiepoo from HR Puffnstuf)

The Proclaimers

Comprised of idential twins Charlie and Craig Reid from Leith (near Edinburgh), The Proclaimers had a huge hit in 1993 in the US with "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"  -- which had been a huge hit in the UK earlier in 1988.

Sheena Easton

From Bellshill, Scotland, Easton had several hits in the 1980s including "Strut", "For Your Eyes Only" (from the 1981 James Bond film), "The Lover in Me," and "Sugar Walls."  Below is her first hit, "Morning Train" (called "9 to 5" in the UK)

Gerry Rafferty

Singer-songwriter Rafferty, a Glasgow-native, had several hits in the 1970s, first with his band Stealers Wheel ("Stuck in the Middle With You")then several solo hits, such as "Right Down the Line," "Days Gone Down," and his biggest hit (#2 in the US), "Baker Street".

Amy MacDonald

While not as well-known in the US, MacDonald from Bishopbriggs, Scotland is huge throughout Europe (especially in Germany, Denmark and Sweden). Her album, This is the Life has sold 3 million copies.

Donovan

Briefly considered the UK's answer to Bob Dylan, Donovan (full name: Donovan Philips Leitch) of Glasgow had several hits in the 1960s, including "Sunshine Superman," "Wear Your Love Like Heaven," "Atlantis" and the "Hurdy Gurdy Man" (below), which was used quite effectively in the film Zodiac.

Maeve O'Boyle

One of Scotland's newest singer-songwriters, O'Boyle is from Glasgow, where she often performs at local clubs.

Mark Knopler (of Dire Straits)

Knopler was born in Glasgow, Scotland and is best known for the 1985 Dire Straits song, "Money for Nothing."

Jesus and Mary Chain

A Glasgow-based alternative band from the late 1980s and 1990s. Below is one of the bigger hits, "Head On."

Emma's Imagination

The stage name of Edinburgh-native Emma Gillepsie. While not well-known in the US yet, she has had two hit songs in the UK, "Focus" and "This Day" (see below). She got her break when she won the Sky-TV talent program Must Be the Music.