I Belong to Glasgow
Encyclopedia
"I Belong To Glasgow" is a song written and recorded by the music hall
entertainer Will Fyffe
, in 1920. It also has been performed by Danny Kaye
, Eartha Kitt
, Gracie Fields
and Kirk Douglas
.
According to Albert Mackie's The Scotch Comedians (1973), Fyffe got the inspiration for the song from a drunk he met at Glasgow Central Station
. The drunk was "genial and demonstrative" and "laying off about Karl Marx
and John Barleycorn
with equal enthusiasm". Fyffe asked him: "Do you belong to Glasgow
?" and the man replied: "At the moment, at the moment, Glasgow belongs to me."
The song speaks of drink
, in a period where temperance
campaigns were very common, and shows a typical music-hall attitude to the supposedly tyrannical wife. The monologue
accompanying the song is the origin of several popular humorous catch phrases, including "under the affluence of incohol". The entertainer Harry Lauder
was offered the song, but turned it down since it praised strong drink. The song was used in the film The Colditz Story
, but the lyric was modified to "I Belong To Colditz".
As a result of this song, Will Fyffe became forever associated with Glasgow, even though he was born 70 miles (112.7 km) away, in the east coast city of Dundee
.
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
entertainer Will Fyffe
Will Fyffe
Will Fyffe was a major star of the 1930s and 1940s, a star of stage, screen and shellac.Fyffe made his debut in his father's stock company at the age of six...
, in 1920. It also has been performed by Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye was a celebrated American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian...
, Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...
, Gracie Fields
Gracie Fields
Dame Gracie Fields, DBE , was an English-born, later Italian-based actress, singer and comedienne and star of both cinema and music hall.-Early life:...
and Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
.
According to Albert Mackie's The Scotch Comedians (1973), Fyffe got the inspiration for the song from a drunk he met at Glasgow Central Station
Glasgow Central station
Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line railway terminals in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The station was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1879 and is currently managed by Network Rail...
. The drunk was "genial and demonstrative" and "laying off about Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
and John Barleycorn
John Barleycorn
"John Barleycorn" is an English folksong. The character of John Barleycorn in the song is a personification of the important cereal crop barley and of the alcoholic beverages made from it, beer and whisky...
with equal enthusiasm". Fyffe asked him: "Do you belong to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
?" and the man replied: "At the moment, at the moment, Glasgow belongs to me."
- If your money, you spend,
- You’ve nothing to lend,
- Isn’t that all the better for you.
The song speaks of drink
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
, in a period where temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
campaigns were very common, and shows a typical music-hall attitude to the supposedly tyrannical wife. The monologue
Monologue
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...
accompanying the song is the origin of several popular humorous catch phrases, including "under the affluence of incohol". The entertainer Harry Lauder
Harry Lauder
Sir Henry Lauder , known professionally as Harry Lauder, was an international Scottish entertainer, described by Sir Winston Churchill as "Scotland's greatest ever ambassador!"-Early life:...
was offered the song, but turned it down since it praised strong drink. The song was used in the film The Colditz Story
The Colditz Story
The Colditz Story is a 1955 prisoner of war film starring John Mills and Eric Portman and directed by Guy Hamilton.It is based on the book written by P.R...
, but the lyric was modified to "I Belong To Colditz".
As a result of this song, Will Fyffe became forever associated with Glasgow, even though he was born 70 miles (112.7 km) away, in the east coast city of Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
.