To Mary Shelly

Mary Shelly, famous for writing 'Frankenstein' spent the best part of two years between 1812 and 1814 in Dundee, sent there by her father to improve her health. When I read the novel I thought it was the best book I had ever read. I then thought back to my childhood in South Baffin Street in Dundee where there was a plaque on the steps leading up to the Royalty Cinema. The plaque said this was the site of the cottage mentioned in Frankenstein. I did not understand what it meant at the time but now know that this was the site of the cottage of the Baxter family, where Mary stayed as a young teenage girl. The daughter of the family, Isabelle, became her best friend. The plaque disappeared about the early 70s.

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A Mystery

A lot of people have identified with this phenomenon

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21st Century

I wrote this just after the millennium celebrations. I didn't think there was a lot to celebrate at the time.

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MV Amazing Grace

A few years age I visited a couple of friends who live on the small island of Beque, one of the Grenadine Islands in the East Caribbean. they work as musicians and entertain the passengers on cruise ships that anchor in the bay. I joined them on a gig on a boat one day call 'Amazing Grace' and came across this plaque - yes a plaque again- which stated that the ship had been built in the Caledon shipyard in Dundee where my grandfather had worked as a riveter. I have since discovered the ship was originally named 'Pharos' and was a lighthouse supply vessel before being renamed and turned into a cruise ship in the Caribbean. MV AMAZING GRACE Chorus D G D Amazing Grace your amazing to me D A As you carry the tourists along the Caribbean Sea D G Amazing Grace more amazing to me D A D With a plaque that says built in the Caledon shipyard Dundee D G D My grandfather helped to build you many years ago D From stern to bow I don’t know how A Those men they made you grow D You were built to supply the lighthouses G D Along Scotland’s rugged shore G D But now your older those waters colder A D Don’t worry you any more Chorus You and I have travelled far from the place where we were born From the cold North Sea to the Tobago Keys Where the water’s clear and warm And as you sit so stately there anchored in the bay Remember the people who live under the steeple In that town so far away Chorus The Caledon shipyard closed its gates in 1981 Men with pride were laid aside To go down with the setting sun The dry dock, towering cranes girders all are gone My grandfather died when I was five But you carry his memory on Chorus The people on this island they know all about the sea They’ve been building boats with wood and ropes All through the centuries They take a pride in their craft the finest you’ve ever seen The difference is small there’s no distance at all Between Dundee and the Grenadines Chorus I wish that my grandfather could see you looking so fine All the passengers dressed in their Sunday best Dining caviar and wine Remember as you sail away by the mango and coconut tree You carry something of my grandfather You carry something of me Chorus John Malcolm

Lyrics and chords at www.reverbnation.com/johnclmalcolm

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Clova

Glen Clova is one of the beautiful Angus Glens where I have spent many a happy time. It abounds with wild life.

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Life is for the Living

Inspired by my parents who lived life to the full.

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The Old Town

A Dundee exile missing what's gone and perhaps what's soon to go.

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Good Health

I'm all for natural medicines, but you can get too obsessed about your health.

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Baby Boomer Blues

There was a lot of talk about change in the 60s but things haven't changed much.

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When the Feelings Gone

One of my first songs written a while ago.

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Wet and Windy Blues

That year it never stopped raining...

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The Ballad of Charles Byrne

I came across this story while researching the history of East Kilbride for a song writing project in schools in the area. John and William Hunter were famous surgeons and anatomists whose work brought great improvements to medical science. The song shows the darker side of John Hunter's collection of anatomical specimens. The skeleton of Charles Byrne is today on display in the Hunterian Museum in London.

Castor and Pollux

Castor and Pollux are the two stars that in astrology make up the star sign Gemini. In Greek mythology they were twins and when Castor was killed Pollux missed him so much that Zeus the king of the gods allowed the twins to stay together spending alternate days between the underworld and Mount Olympus, home of the gods. Finally they were both deified and became the constellation of the Twins. As gods they were said to look after travellers especially at sea.

Lochindaal

The Lanarkshire songwriters are a group f people who meet to write, play and talk about song writing. We were invited by Bruachladdie distillery to stay for a week on Islay in the hope we would be inspired inspired to write songs about the island. This is one of the songs I wrote there.