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To celebrate the release of ‘Sunshine On Leith’ this week’s Jukebox Durie examines the origin of this famous anthem.
A number of years ago The Scottish Sun ran an exclusive story that Scottish twins and musical duo The Proclaimers had finally admitted their famous glasses were just props for publicity and the brothers actually had 20/20 vision. The fact that the story was printed on the first of April may give you a clue as to whether the brother’s admission was true…
For many, The Proclaimers will forever be known for three songs. In ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 miles)’ they wrote one of the classic songs of the 1980s. It reached number three in the US singles chart and number 11 in the UK charts (followed by a number one when it was reissued for charity almost 20 years later). While in ‘I’m On My Way’ they wrote a song better known as ‘that song from Shrek’. And, in ‘Sunshine On Leith’ they wrote a stonewall football classic.
Leith is an area of Edinburgh that lies north of the castle and stretches down to the shore. It was a port for the capital and home for the working class, heavy industry, pollution, and immigration. The club itself was founded by Irishmen in 1875 and took its name from Hibernia, the Roman name for Ireland.
As a Catholic club in a Protestant country it was met with resistance but its actions inspired similar clubs in other cities – notably Dundee United and Celtic. Celtic was so impressed that not only did they adopt their green and white colours the club also persuaded most of Hibs’ players to changes sides.
Today the club has no religious affiliation and is considered to be a focus instead for fans in the North, where their stadium Easter Road sits in the heart of Leith, and the East of Edinburgh; the South and West of Edinburgh being Hearts territory.
‘Sunshine on Leith’ is a song about the area and the club. Famously, or infamously, Hibernian suffers a cup curse. It’s been over 110 years since they last won the Scottish Cup, despite 10 final appearances. And while this could be written off as bad luck, some say it’s actually the result of a gypsy curse.
When Easter Road was rebuilt in the early 20th century, the symbols of its Irish roots were removed. When a gypsy woman discovered that the club’s original badge – a harp symbol – was not on the new stand she cursed them. She said that until the harp was restored Hibs would never win the Scottish Cup again.
Although the Harp was restored to the club’s badge in 2000, the ‘curse’ has continued with cup final loses in 2001, 2012 (a cruel 5 – 1 defeat by rivals Hearts) and 2013.
Sunshine On Leith captures what it means to be a Hibs fan, to lose and to love.
“My heart was broken, my heart was broken.
Sorrow sorrow sorrow sorrow.
My heart was broken, my heart was broken.
You saw it, you claimed it.
You touched it, you saved it.
My tears are drying, my tears are drying.
Thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou.
My tears are drying, my tears are drying.
Your beauty and kindness,
Made tears clear my blindness.
While I’m worth my room on this earth,
I will be with you.
While the chief, puts sunshine on Leith.
I’ll thank him for his work,
And your birth and my birth.”
http://youtu.be/6BDj4mr0fBc
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About the Author
After too many years as season ticket holder at Parkhead, Andy Todd renounced the SPL three years ago to support Queens Park. One team is a rank bunch of amateurs who play in a state of the art stadium and the other is…(I think we can all see where this is going).
Andy has been performing comedy for 18 months but is currently ‘between gigs’ while he writes a book on Scottish property law to be published in Summer 2012. Its potential audience will be less than 300 but his mum will be very proud.
Follow Andy on Twitter: @toddandy
Check out Andy’s website: www.toddandy.com
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