SCOTSIN - MEMBERS: Bill Martin Songwriter - Scotland and Govan's Unsung Hero

MEMBERS: Bill Martin Songwriter - Scotland and Govan's Unsung Hero

Written by Eddie Tait

Tuesday, 01 July 2008

Bill Martin is one of Scotland's most successful songwriters with credits including "Congratulations", "Puppet on a String" and Easy Easy (Scotland World Cup Anthem).

Bill has also been a great supporter of SCOTSIN and, indeed, is one of our passionate Scots In London Ambassador, alongside Kenny Logan and others. We're delighted to tell the great story of one of our members. We hope you like it and over the coming months we'll be telling you more about other SCOTSIN members - promoting and connecting dynamic passionate Scots. We'd love to hear your stories - please email them to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

It's about time oor lad fae Govan got the modern day recognition he deserves so if there are any universities out their looking to dish out honorary doctorates then Bill deserves the title of Doctor of Pop! Let's rock...

"I was born WILLIAM WYLIE MACPHERSON in a tenement building in Govan Glasgow Scotland 9 yards from the Shipyards.

I lived and worked in Govan from when I was born until I was 21.

I left Govan High School at 15 to start as an Apprentice Marine Engineer at The Alexander Shipyard in Govan.

From 15 I played Junior Football in Scotland for the likes of Blantyre Celtic and Benburb. When I left Scotland at 21 for South Africa I played Professional Soccer for Johannesburg Rangers – whenever my Father was asked in Scotland who I played for – he used to say “The Rangers” No one ever checked.

I had always wanted to be a Songwriter from the age of 10 but at 21 I thought the name WYLIE MACPHERSON was too Scottish so I changed it to BILL MARTIN. I regret it now but the name brought luck. Lots of people changed their names in those days – Lionel Bart, Cliff Richard, Elton John etc.

I had my first song accepted in London by a Major London Music Publisher in 1960 it was called “THAT’S THE ONLY WAY” – it never found it’s way out of the contract stage to a record but it gave me the confidence to save up and fly back from South Africa to London some 2 years later.

I had my first song released on record, words and music by BILL MARTIN in 1963 by TOMMY QUICKLY called “KISS ME NOW”. Tommy was managed by The Beatles Manager Brian Epstein. I think Quickly was Epstein’s only failure!

As BILL MARTIN – The Songwriter – I have been awarded 3 IVOR NOVELLO’S, including one as SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR, 3 ASCAP AWARDS, THE ANTIBES SONG FESTIVAL AWARD FOR THE BEST SONG IN 1971, THE RIO DE JANEIRO AWARD OF EXCELLENCE in 1967 & 1969, THE JAPANESE YAMAHA BEST SONG AWARD in 1978, SCOTLAND’S SONGWRITER OF THE DECADE in 1980, THE VARIETY CUB SILVER HEART IN 1979 for MUSIC CHARITY, The first British Winner of THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST with “PUPPET ON A STRING” IN 1967 and recipient of many SILVER, GOLD & PLATINUM DISCS.

In 1964 I started a song writing partnership with TOMMY SCOTT. As SCOTT & MARTIN we had success with THE BATCHELORS, TWINKLE, THE DUBLINERS, VAN MORRISON, SERGE GAINSBOURG etc.

In the 1965 I met PHILCOULTER – then the MARTIN-COULTER era was born. We had records with KEN DODD, GENO WASHINTON, LOS BRAVOS, DAVE DEE DOZY etc, THE TROGGS, MIRIELLE MATHIEU, GEORGE HARRISON, DICK EMERY,TONY BLACKBURN, CLIFF RICHARD, SANDIE SHAW, ELVIS PRESLEY and many more.

From 1967–1976 we had 4 Number one’s –“PUPPET ON A STRING” “CONGRATULATIONS” “BACK HOME” and “FOREVER & EVER”. Lot’s of top 10 hits like the BAY CITY ROLLERS - “SHANG-A-LANG, KENNY -“FANCY PANTS”, SLIK -“REQUIEM”, CILLA BLACK - “SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SORROW” etc.

We went to No 1 in 1976 in America with “SATURDAY NIGHT” by THE BAY CITY ROLLERS which gave us a hat trick of No 1’s IN AMERICA “THANKS” by BILL ANDERSON and “MY BOY” by ELVIS PRESLEY they were AMERICAN Country No 1’s.

“MY BOY” by ELVIS was his last Top 20 hit whilst he was still alive – No3 UK No15 USA. Phil and I also wrote songs for Films and TV -- “THE WATER BABIES” “CARRY ON FILMS” THE SPIDERMAN TV SHOW etc.

BILL MARTIN & PHILCOULTER truly had an international partnership. In 10 years they had No 1s in every country in the world with million selling records as Songwriters, Record Producers and Music Publishers.

Apart from being writers/producers of our own songs, we started our own publishing company in 1970 by winning the EUROVISION SONG CONTEST again with “ALL KINDS OF EVERYTHING” by DANA, yet another No 1 in the UK and all over Europe.

This led to MARTIN-COULTER MUSIC signing songwriters such as VAN MORRISON, BILLY CONNOLLY, CHRISTIE MOORE, DONAL LUNY, ERIC BOGLE, SKY, MIDGE URE, B.A. ROBERTSON, THE EAST MEMPHIS CATALOGUE and of course BILL MARTIN and PHIL COULTER along with many future talents such as PHIL HARDING AND IAN CURNOW.

I have successfully built up and sold a Major Music Publishing Company, a Marketing Company and a Property Company.

I bought Phil out of MARTIN-COULTER MUSIC in 1982 and then sold the Company to EMI MUSIC later in the Eighties. I also owned SKY and sold the Music Publishing Company to the group SKY and their Management Company. I had the Ad/Min rights for VAN MORRISON and EAST MEMPHIS MUSIC and sold the former to CHAPPELLS MUSIC and the latter to RONDOR MUSIC.

I had also during this period built and sold a marketing Company WADE-VERNEY to FKB plc.

During the 60s and 70s I had also built a Property Company and sold this to the actor Stanley Baker’s Company Orchard Properties.

In the 70s I had my own weekly radio show for 2 years with Scotland’s RADIO CLYDE interviewing such personalities as LORD SHINWELL, HENRY MANCINI, SIR MATT BUSBY, DENNIS LAW etc.

Over the years I have appeared in many diverse TV shows such as TOP OF THE POPS - upto in May 2006 BBC NEWS 24 to discuss that year's EUROVISION SONG CONTEST.

In 1983 I produced a Musical JUKEBOX. The Musical ran in the West End and it also received the acclaim of being chosen for THE ROYAL VARIETY SHOW that year.

I served on the BRITISH ACADEMY OF SONGWRITERS in the 60s and in the 90s becoming a VICE-PRESIDENT and I was also a Director of the PERFORMING RIGHTS SOCIETY from 1977 to 1989 and a Founder Member of THE SOCIETY OF DISTINGUISHED SONGWRITERS (SODS).

I still continue my career as a Songwriter and have written with many other Professional Songwriters including ROGER GREENAWAY, ROGER COOK, LES REED, MIKE STOCK AND MATT AITKEN.

As a Music Publisher and Producer I continue to be active with ANGUS PUBLICATIONS and my favourite song in my catalogue is the old FRANKIE MILLER hit “DARLIN’”.

MAJOR HITS:

“PUPPET ON A STRING”

“CONGRATULATIONS”

“MY BOY”

“SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SORROW”

“BACK HOME”

“THE BUMP”

“SHANG-A-LANG”

“FOREVER & EVER”

“SATURDAY NIGHT”

“FANCY PANTS”

“REMEMBER (SHA-LA-LA)

“OOH YOU ARE AWFUL – BUT I LIKE YOU”

I am a Freeman of the City of London, a Freeman of the City of Glasgow, a member of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, a member and Past Golf Captain of the RAC Country Club.

At the start of the new Century year 2000 I became involved with the Major Music Publisher SONY/ATV Music. Not only did they sub-publish the songs in ANGUS PUBLICATIONS for the world but I acquired Music Publishing Catalogues for them for 5 years.

Courtesy of Bill Martin (Article and Images).

Further information:

> Bill Martin - www.billmartinsongwriter.com

> Link to Bill Martin Profile (Coming Soon)

> Please send your news contributions to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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