The Story Behind: Merchant City Man

I hated living in student halls. Well for the most part. At the end of 2006 I moved out of my mum's home, and moved into student halls. Before then I was pretty down and pretty much a whole different person. I dressed differently, thought differently and acted differently. I lived in a highrise student accommodation until around March of 2003, and in these months I had gone from an aggressive, politically-minded, lonely unconfident individual; to someone who had greater confidence, with a fashion sense, and a calmer and happier temperament. I met new people, had relationships, wrote a new style of music that I hadn't touched on before.

I later moved to another student accommodation, in the Merchant City area of Glasgow City Centre. From April 2007 onwards, this was the time I felt myself become me. I wrote Thursday 5th April 2007 @ 11.51am, in Queens Park, overlooking the city. I got my tattoo that day. And so in the summer of '07 - apart from working, I relaxed and enjoyed life. I wore sunglasses - which I never did; I relaxed in the sun for a tan - which I never did. I was relaxed and content. Up to this point in my musical writing, I'd never written anything happy. It was all dark, depressing or even disturbing.

As the summer progressed, I'd listen to 'summer' tunes (or that I would regard as summer tunes) such as Bloc Party's 'Silent Alarm' and the Stereophonics 'Performance and Cocktails'. I would listen to 'I wouldn't believe you radio' by the Stereophonics, and kept thinking that I'd like to write something that cool and upbeat. So one night, staring out my window watching the distant traffic through the gaps between the highrise buildings, with my feet on my desk, I began writing the guitar tune. I got the basic chord, but I felt they needed jazzy up and so I added little licks inbetween them. And that was how the tune came to be.

The lyrics I wrote over a short period of time, based on all my experiences I had in the Merchant City area. I use to pop into Tesco and the staff would look at me like a dick; I'd walk down the street and everyone would be trying their best to look like cat-walk models; the streets would shine in the sunshine; the heat would carass my body; I'd buy smoothies and junk food and go home and watch 'Scarface' three times in a row. It was a beautiful time. Those were the days.

One vivid memory I have - which is the last verse in the song Merchant City Man, is of an old man. As I walked back from wherever I had been, I turned a corner and saw an old man dancing and singing loudly. I have no idea if he were drunk or not, but he sang with real passion. Every word. So I wrote him into the song. And the Merchant City Man with his hat, that's me.

Merchant City Man

When I'm running around this city,
I feel it's damn to pretty for my eyes,
All the gorgeous people staring,
I just grin and bare it and walk on by,

I get served by a miserable few,
All I did was buy a smoothie and ice,
What's wrong with being nice,
I see vanity it makes bulk
I let the sun stroke over my face, over my shades

And what does it mean to me,
To be where I want to be,
In the sky,

I might smile when nothing is funny,
But that's fine, I want to be a looney for a while,
While it lasts,
The shadows walk those groovy steps,
No common sense, bad dress sense, makes no sense at all,

Merchant city man with his hat,
Escape, berate the man singing out loud,
But he's so proud

And what does it mean to me,
To be where I want to be,
In the sky,

Written May/June 2007

Since then I have made three seperate recordings of this song: in 2007, 2009, 2011. I have performed it numerous times at gigs and it gets a good reaction. The most recent version is on 'Opus. 1', free to download at bandcamp.

Those were happy days,

Watch this space for more 'The story behind...',
Wullae

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