I was just listening to some tunes on YouTube (as I often do) and let the “Auto-play” function when it brought me to this live show from Scottish Folk singer and songwriter Hamish Imlach. Well, I had to give it a listen to and I fairly enjoyed it. So I thought I’d share it here with you.
So if you fancy tuning in and having a hear for yourself, just click on the video link below. Feel free to use the comments section at the bottom of this page to let us know what you think of it. I’m keen to hear any thoughts or opinions you might have regarding this show. I hope you enjoy!
Hamish Imlach live at “the Gallows” folk club, Herford, Germany 1972
Tracks
- Scotlands Sabbath Day
- The Cuckoo
- Oyster Girl
- Black is the Colour
- Rosy O’Grady
- Early Morning Blues
- Twa Corbie’s
- Solid Gone
- The Seven Men of Knoydart
- Paddy Lay Back
- Goodbye Booze
- The Cod Liver Oil and The Orange Juice
Hamish Imlach
Hamish Imlach was born in Calcutta and grew up and lived in Motherwell in Scotland all his days. Although he did do a fair bit of travelling with his music career and was especially big in America and was on the Transatlantic Record Label. In the late Sixties and all through the Seventies and Eighties Hamish Imlach regularly toured in America and Europe. He was said to have been a great guy and a total gentleman.
He played a lot with fellow Scots entertainers Matt McGinn and Billy Connolly who later went on to become a very famous Stand Up Comedian. Connolly often refers to both Imlach and McGinn as being his mentors. When you listen to Hamish Imlach singing at gigs like these, you can see why. He packs his interludes between songs with some cracking patter that made his performance legendary in the folk scene.
Hamish was born in Calcutta to an Indian mother and a Scottish father who was posted over there. So from an early age Imlach had a good culturally diverse influence and his keen interest in history and politics led to him writing some legendary songs.
Many of these songs have been covered over the years by some better known artists including Irish singer and songwriter Christy Moore who has covered quite a few of Hamish Imlachs songs such as “Sonny’s Dream” and “Black as the Colour” which he always attributes to their original writer, Hamish Imlach. Many of his songs you can often hear being played in folk sessions in pubs, especially the famous Cod Liver Oil and the Orange Juice” song which is probably Imlachs best known song.
A way to live and to die
Hamish Imlach spent his life singing songs about smoking, drinking and the humor of being a reprobate. So I thought it very poetic how he died. I remember it at the time when he died because it came over the radio. But it was New Year 1996 and was only around 1am an hour into the New Year when he died sitting on his arm chair with a pint of Heavy in One hand and a Menthol cigarette in the other. What a way to go for someone who had sung all about it. I thought that was brilliant.
Although, I must admit, it was sad news to hear and I was only young then. So I never did get a chance to see him live. But have enjoyed listening to his songs and live shows over the years like this one here. Although he has been dead for almost Thirty years now, his music and songs still very much live on.
What do you think?
As I mentioned before I’m always keen to get feedback on the music that I share. So please feel free to tell us what you think of this show in the comments section below. If you did enjoy the show or any of my articles here at Karalyne.com then why not join my VIP Members Club? It’s completely Free and will keep you posted with all my latest updates articles and posts. Simply follow the link below to join. It only takes a few seconds.
