Sunshine on Leith

The Proclaimers are a Scottish duo composed of identical twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid
(born 5 March, 1962, in Leith), and this song is about their home town... and perhaps about the
big chief in the sky as well.

The brothers are fans of Hibernian Football Club, and "Sunshine on Leith" has become a
theme song for the club, being played at home matches for important fixtures, such as the
Edinburgh derby versus Heart of Midlothian FC, the club's city rivals... or when they win
the Scottish cup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPXCNwBu_t8

They are perhaps more well know for their song "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"
which charted in Merika after featuring on the soundtrack to the 1993 film Benny & Joon.
The actress Mary Stuart Masterson, kept on playing Sunshine on Leith while filming
the movie and the filmmakers took notice, and "500 miles" was included in the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbNlMtqrYS0

However my favourite song from that album is "Oh Jean" just for the crazy
histrionic vocals at the end which border on glossologia. It is the best dancehall song ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIMDpbUDEag

And here they are singing with the crowd at Edinburgh Castle. A magic moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSthYCt_9Gc

Here is my attempt at the song.

wee-

Nicely done! That's a lovely tune and a wonderful record - got it as youngster back in the late 80's.... love the way family members make that close vocal harmony work so well. I'm not sure if any popular artists in recorded history ever sounded quite as Scottish as the Reid brothers do, just love it. My favorite cut is their cover of Lefty Frizzell's "Long Black Veil" (not that he wrote it, I don't believe, but I always think of it as his song).... they make it sound like an old Scottish folk song, which I guess a lot of American traditional music technically is..... Good stuff, thanks for posting it....

edit- Not to hijack or derail, but here's Long Black Veil, for anyone who hasn't heard it....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edrssJSq3EE

23skidoo said:

My favorite cut is their cover of Lefty Frizzell's "Long Black Veil" (not that he wrote it, I don't believe, but I always think of it as his song).... they make it sound like an old Scottish folk song,

Click to expand...

That is one think I like about the Proclaimers that they sing in
their regional Scottish dialect, which is part of the charm of their
music. I think generally there is a positive response to authenticity.
Perhaps they took a leaf out of the great Hamish Imlach's book.