"COME ON YOU REDS - ABERDEEN FC AND SUPPORTERS"
To be released on 1st April (no kidding) by Cherry Red Records. A history of the Reds on seedy CD. Fanzine collectors’ issue available on Red Vinyl....
Seventeen tracks as follows:
1. Up The Dons by Robbie Shepherd. No Dons’ release would be complete without a Shepherd nearby to keep things in order as we dive into the pen for the pretty ones. Fancy that Dolly the Clone myself. A typical squeezebox and fiddle drenched offering from the fabled doyen of Doric.
2. Here We Go by the 1983 Gothenburg Squad. A rarity. A jewel. A pearl. A bottle of chilled Miller Lite on a baking hot day after mowing the grass. Not. An outtake from the legendary Northsound sessions. We were going to keep it for the limited edition box set (don’t hold your breath), but it’s here. Even Saint Johnny Hewitt and Tattie Cooper learned the words for this one quite easily...
3. The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen by the Gothenburg Squad. You know this one. Your granny sang it to you. Old Beach Ender sheds a tear every time he hears it. Is he sentimental? No, he’s musical. Rumours that this recording is fact Don-free are sadly true.
4. European Song by the Gothenburg Squad. Stand under the shower (golden if that’s your bag) fully clothed. Belly twelve pints of Scandinavian lager. Festoon your listening station with banners about Russian subs, Majestic Passes, Emmanuelle etc. Close your eyes and you’re almost there.
5. The Pride of Aberdeen by Paul Ames. Released to commemorate the 1980 Championship win. Robert Wilson meets Ronnie Carroll at the corner of Merkland Road. Slap on the obligatory accordian and massed backing singers for that ‘Not quite Phil’ effect. Paul Ames was Gordon Coull who died on 20 November 1996.
6. Aberdeen v Queens Park Pt 1: On The Way by Harry Gordon and Jack Holden. From the vaults of OBE. A 1930’s waxing eavesdropping on a Don and a Spider meeting on ‘the bussie’ going to Pittodrie. History coming from the Wharfedales.
7. Aberdeen v Queens Park Pt 2: At The Game by Harry Gordon and Jack Holden. The B-side (a quaint old vinyl/shellac custom, oh children of the digital age). Try to date it by the occasional references to players.
8. The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen by Robbie Shepherd. No-nonsense straight ahead ‘versh’ of the classic by the Dunecht Loon. Is that a John Bonham sample on the drum track at 1’ 47"? More likely Alex Sutherland falling through the floor.
9. The Wee Red Devils by The Red Brigade. The old Tim classic as recorded by Glen Daly. Ally Walker, author of The Dons and Highland League quiz books got this off the ground and sold a few back in the early 80s. Saw one of ‘The Brigade’ - as we in the know refer to them - in the Castlegate Post Office yesterday lunchtime. Aberdeen street kids in fine voice.
10. Aberdeen by The Red Brigade. As 9. above with a different tune and new lyrics. Er, that’s it.
11. Ye Canna Beat Us by The Red Balloon Soccer Crew. From the boys who used to terrorise the Tippex-teethed Hun Robin Galloway on his Northsound breakfast show. Not entirely about the Dons, or even football, but a piece of social history nevertheless. Helium sales rocketed during this track’s chart residency. HEY....GOGGSY MIN.
12. Rap Up by The Red Balloon Soccer Crew. B-side of 11., utilising then-prevalent ‘rap’ style. Whatever happened to? etc. Is the explosion at the end a sound effect, or Chunky’s "erse"?
13. Tae The Dons Frae Donside by Cath and Jean. Stand up Paul Spiers, you are forever in the debt of the Dons’ support (available from Boots hosiery (that’s not Boots Hosie), £3.99) for unearthing this. This is the gem of the whole collection. Casio backing for a crap mix as two wifies ‘give it some Hank’ in the yodelling department. The best football record you are ever likely to hear. "Woo-hoo, it’s a corner, a corner for Aiberdeen.....". Lovely.
14. Football Statistician by Graham Stephen. Noisesome bottleneck by Ian ‘the Riff’ Rae in this tale of a sad anorak who’s superstitious, obsessed by football facts and trivia and who ‘writes the fanzine too’. Own up, Early Ball, it’s all about you, innit. (Sorry Mr. Elle but the truth just might be a little closer to home)
15. It’s Half Past Four And We’re 2-0 Down by Graham Stephen. The Bridge of Don’s leading songwriter (his ‘loon’ David would dispute this) economically puts it into a couple of verses over Baroque n Roll piano. What indeed will we all do until the glory days return? Handy hints from Charlie Allan (page 6). The sad, and frankly boring, tale of Stephen's sometime band The All Night Decorators is appearing slowly at All Night Decorators
16. Don’t Tell Me It’s Over by The Scammels. Jolly rocking little ditty about not wanting the season to end because it’s been so brilliant. Either written in the days of wax cylinders and black and gold shirts or these guys are on something....and I want some. Music fans should note that the Scammels have veritable euro-mountains of similar fine material and are available for weddings, funerals, barmitzvahs, tea-dances and socials, sorry no ceilidhs, please.
17. What A Happy Day by Bagsy. Has the distinction of being the only inclusion to have appeared on CD before. This young Aberdeen band released it as part of a CD EP recently. Buy it too. Nice Gothenburg samples and a bit of jangle leave us with great memories and a little bit of hope. What a nice way to close.
"BUY IT FROM ONE-UP", SAYS FRED CRAIG (OWNER OF ONE-UP, FUNNILY ENOUGH...)
.Ray Elle
March 1997